CHAPTER 184: CHAPTER 184

As Raymond stepped out into the cool night air, the bloodied warehouse behind him, his thoughts drifted deeper.

Despite the burning anger still coiling inside him, a small part of him couldn’t deny it—he was seeing progress.

This Valentina... she was different.

The Valentina he used to know—if it had been the old her, the previous version—she would have folded by now. She would have broken down completely, relying on him for every step, every breath.

She wouldn’t have even thought about standing up to anyone, much less asking to handle Maria herself.

And her family... her cursed family... back then, they would have crushed her without her even knowing it. Manipulated her, torn her down, used her like a pawn.

But now, she was fighting back, even if her strength was still rough, even if she didn’t yet fully realize what she was up against.

At that moment Raymond’s lips tightened into something almost like a proud smirk.

"Good."

That was why he had decided to let her do it her way.

Because she needed this.

Because she was slowly becoming the woman she needed to be.

However, just as he started to move toward the car waiting for him by the roadside, a sudden thought gripped him—sharp and heavy.

Something he hadn’t considered in a long while.

’Luca.’

Immediately he stopped walking, his body stiffening slightly.

Valentina’s step younger brother, In this life—this second chance—she had a younger brother she cared deeply about. Luca.

But back then... in the previous life... things were different. Strangely different.

She had a brother then too—or something like one—but that life had ended abruptly, too abruptly.

Raymond’s eyes narrowed as the memories crawled to the surface, unsettling and incomplete.

In that other timeline, Valentina had simply... died.

No warning, no great tragedy, no betrayal or attack.

She had just closed her eyes one night—and never opened them again.

At that moment Raymond’s fists clenched slowly at his sides as he stared out into the horizon.

He didn’t understand it then. He still didn’t fully understand it now.

But something about it didn’t sit right.

Something about Valentina’s quiet death in that life had always felt... wrong.

Raymond stood still beside his car, the wind brushing against his face, but his mind was far from calm.

The memory kept gnawing at him, refusing to leave him alone.

’Luca.’

That boy—so innocent looking, with that shy smile when Raymond had first met him on the day he married Valentina.

So harmless...

Or at least that’s what it seemed.

But now, standing here with all the pieces in front of him, a heavy suspicion began to press down on his chest.

Could Luca be something more, could he have been involved somehow? Was he connected to what happened to Valentina before?

Could he... have been Max?

The thought hit him hard, tightening the muscles along his back, maybe Luca wasn’t as innocent as he looked.

Raymond’s jaw locked as he processed it.

No one, absolutely no one, was above suspicion anymore—not after everything that had happened, not after what he’d seen and lost.

He had trusted before. And it had cost Valentina everything.

This time, he wouldn’t make that mistake.

This time, he would suspect everyone. Question everyone. Even those who looked harmless.

Especially those who looked harmless, Raymond’s gaze hardened, a silent promise forming in his mind.

I’m going to look into Luca. Deeply.

I’ll turn every stone if I have to. I’ll tear apart everything he hides. I’ll leave no room for mistakes.

Nothing... and no one... is going to get to Valentina again.

But for now, he needed to stay patient.

He needed to be careful.

He needed to find out exactly what Luca was all about—before it was too late.

Without wasting another second, Raymond pulled his phone from his pocket, his fingers moving swiftly over the screen as he dialed Benjamin’s secure line.

The call barely rang twice before Benjamin picked up, his voice calm and composed as always.

"Master?"

Raymond didn’t waste time on greetings.

"I need you to look into Valentina’s younger brother," he said, his voice low and firm. "Luca."

Benjamin straightened on his end immediately, sensing the seriousness behind Raymond’s tone.

"I want everything," Raymond continued. "Where he goes. Who he talks to. His behavior. Any signs of anger issues, instability, anything unusual—no matter how small."

Benjamin didn’t interrupt. He simply listened carefully, his fingers already moving to open his laptop and access the secured systems.

"And just to be certain," Raymond added, his eyes darkening further, "I want you to pull the old records too. From the previous life. Every document, every sighting, every incident tied to Luca. I remember he only showed up twice in Valentina timeline, but I want those records. Every detail."

There was a beat of silence on the line.

Benjamin could feel the heavy undercurrent behind Raymond’s instructions. Something wasn’t right. Something serious was gnawing at the edge of all this.

But Benjamin was wise enough to know his place.

He wasn’t Saved to ask questions.

He was Saved to get answers.

Without hesitating, he answered clearly, "Understood, Master. I’ll compile everything immediately and send it over."

Raymond didn’t respond right away. He just stood there, staring into the dark distance, the weight of too many thoughts pressing on him.

Benjamin, on the other end, was already moving, already pulling files, already preparing to do exactly what was needed—no delays, no mistakes.

And somewhere deep inside, Benjamin knew—whatever Raymond had just set in motion, it was only the beginning.

Raymond had already driven off, his mind busy with darker matters, but back at the hospital, the air was calmer.

The pale morning light slipped gently through the windows, casting a soft glow over the room where Valentina sat, quietly gathering her things.

Her body was still weak, but the fire in her spirit had not dimmed. She moved slowly, stubbornly refusing help even when her arms trembled slightly.

Across the room, Cecilia sat on a chair by the wall, a small bag resting at her feet. Her posture was composed, elegant even, despite her age. She watched Valentina with a calm, patient gaze, never once complaining about the long hours she had stayed.

As Valentina folded the last of her belongings into a small bag, she paused, glancing at Cecilia with a guilty expression.

"Mother..." Valentina said softly, her voice tinged with shame. "I’m sorry for putting you through all this."

Cecilia raised an eyebrow slightly, saying nothing, waiting for her to continue.

Valentina’s hands tightened around the bag strap. "You shouldn’t be here. You’re supposed to be at home... resting."

She dropped her gaze to the floor. "You’re already at an age where you deserve peace and comfort, not spending your time here, beside me... worrying."