The stage lights came back on to illuminate the auction table, as one of the event staff approached Aliana with a thin folder containing the transaction documents. Standard procedure–the paperwork had to be signed to finalize the auction and hand over the item.

“Mrs. Aliana, this is the receipt and official transfer form. After this, the painting will be handed to-”

CRACK!

The ballroom lights suddenly went out.

All the noise and apuse that had just erupted when Aliana won the painting were instantly silenced. The room plunged into total darkness. The MC, who bwas /babout to guide the handover of the painting’s documents, fell silent. Whispers of panic echoed, followed by the scraping of chairs and ovepping footsteps.

“Please remain calm, everyone… we ask for your calm… it seems there’s been a power outage,” the MC’s nervous voice crackled from a failing microphone.

Some guests quickly turned on their phones, but the lights weren’t bright enough to cut through therge, pitch–dark ballroom.

Aliana instinctively spun around, trying to assess the situation, but she couldn’t see a thing. Not a single emergency light was on. It was bas /bif the backup system had beenpletely disabled.

Within seconds, a loud noise rang out–something heavy falling near the stage–followed by the sound of fabric tearing. Then, a faint scream. And then–a sharp grunt.

Aliana turned to the side, startled. She couldn’t see clearly, but a shadow moved swiftly near the stage. Suddenly, Andrian tackled her from the side, pulling her down.

“Get down!”

Their bodies nearly hit the floor, but Andrian held them up with one arm while his other hand braced for defense. In the next instant, Aliana caught a glimpse of a faint glint–like a flicker of lightning–rushing toward them.

A knife.

Aliana’s instincts kicked in. She wrenched herself free from Andrian’s grip and lunged toward the shadowy figure.

Without hesitation, she grabbed the attacker’s wristb. /bHer grip instantly recognized the pressure and angle of the strike. This wasn’t an amateur–it was a professional assassin.

Aliana twisted the attacker’s arm, trying to disarm him, but the figure spun swiftly. They struggled in close quarters. Aliana deflected the knife’s trajectory, but the man was agile. He broke free and leapt backward toward the ballroom curtain. Within seconds, he disappeared through an emergency exit.

“Mr. Andrian!” his personal security shouted, some of them switching on small shlights from their pockets. “Over here! Follow the light!”

White beams shed across panicked faces and tightly packed guests.

“Mr. Andrian! Are you all right?” one guard asked, relieved to find him.

“Where’s Aliana?” Andrian demanded as he grabbed a shlight from one of the guards. “She was right next to me.”

b8:19 /bbpm /bS

bThe /bguards exchanged uncertain nces. They began scanning the room in the dark.

“Aliana! Where are you?”

Andrian’s voice rose above the noise of the crowd. But no response came.

20 vauchers.

Aliana was already far from him–chasing after the figure who had fled ito /ithe emergency stairwell. Their footsteps echoed in the narrow corridor. Aliana ran, skipping two steps at a time.

The emergency staircase was dark and eerily quiet. The footsteps ahead were swift and well–trained. Aliana chased hin breathing hard. Her body was still recovering, but adrenaline kept her going.

Downstairs, the man abruptly stopped and turned to strike. The knife lifted again, but Aliana kicked his arm. The de flew from his grip and ttered onto the floor. They fought at close range–punches, kicks, elbows.

The man was strong, but Aliana had technique.

A swift shoulder lock sent him crashing to the ground. But just as she moved to pin him, his fistnded hard–directly on Aliana’s right shoulder, the spot where her wound hadn’t fully healed.

“Aagh-!”

Aliana mmed into the wall with a gasp, retreating as pain red through her body. Her ck gown was already soaked red at the side–her old gunshot wound had reopened.

The man didn’t waste the chance. He rolled backward, snatched up the knife, and darted down a side corridor. Aliana held her breath and followed, though her pace was slowing.

The lights flickered back on. Voices from the guards grew closer. Aliana looked over her shoulder. If she returned now, everyone would see her–bleeding, bruised, and barelyposed.

No.

She couldn’t go back yet. She had to leave without being noticed.

Aliana leapt down a side stairwell to a quieter floor. She crouched, running in a controlled stagger, hand mped to her side. Her breath was shallow.

Quickly, she navigated the corridor, heading up the service stairs. She had memorized the buildingyout. Two turnster, she reached the quiet kitchen area, then slipped out a side door and rushed to the back parking lot.

Pulling apact phone from her clutch, she pressed a button.

“Rafe…”

A few seconds passed before the call connected. Aliana had stationed Rafe near the building earlier.

“Missb… /bI heard something happened. Are you-”

“Pick me up. Now,” Aliana cut him off sharply. “I’m at the back entrance. East wing.”

It took less than two minutes for a ck car to speed into view.

“I bsee /byou.”

The headlights red. Rafe opened the back door and ran to her. His face changed instantly upon seeing the blood soaking

b8:19 /bpm S

her shoulder.

“Miss! You’re hurt again?”

“It’s not bad. Let’s go…. Don’t let anyone find me here.”

Rafe helped her into the car. They pulled away from the hotel’s deserted service lot.

“Where are we going?” Rafe asked.

20 vouchers

Aliana didn’t answer at first, her breath shaky as dizziness set in. She murmured softly, her vision beginning to bice

“Someone’s targeting Andrian. He’s a professional. Find out who he is.”

Rafe turned sharply. “You’re sure?”

“The knife. His moves… That wasn’t an amateur. He’s a hired assassin.”

Rafe nodded, tension etched on his face. “I’ll look into it. But right now, we need to treat that wound.”

Aliana said nothing more. She leaned her head back, her vision dimming.

“Alicia’s painting. You have to check it,” she whispered.

“The painting?”

“There might be a clue…” Her voice was faint.

Rafe nced in the mirror. Her face had gone pale. Panic struck.

“Miss… please hang on. Try not to speak. You’re losing a lot of blood.”

“Take me to the Velor estate. Everyone’s probably looking for me.”

Her eyes fluttered closed. The pain finally overpowered her.

Her temperature spiked, and thest thing she heard before everything went ck was Rafe shouting:

“Stay with me, Miss!”

Back in the ballroom, Andrian was in turmoil. He had mobilized his entire security team, but Aliana was nowhere to be found.

“Where the hell did she go?” Andrian hissed. “She couldn’t have gone far!”

The head of security lowered his gaze. He’d dispatched guards in every direction, even checked the CCTV–but no trace of

Aliana.

Only a small bloodstain was found on the emergency stairwell. Andrian froze when he heard that.

Nathan approached. “Are you sure she didn’t just exit through the garden?”

Several guests had indeed fled that way, including Ethan’s wife and Aliana’s parents, who rushed out during the ckout.

8:19 pm

Andrian’s eyes narrowed. “She didn’t run. Someone attacked me—and right after that, she vanished.”

Nathan’s face tensed. “Someone attacked you?”

Andrian didn’t reply, but his jaw clenched. He wasn’t in love with his wife, but he felt responsible for her safery

Aliana was now part of the Velor family. If she was hurt–especially because someone was after heri–/iAndrian would bear that guilt.

“Send out more people to find her. Check every inch of this building, even the streets. Search the next building if you

to.”

“Yes, sir! We’ll start immediately.”

have

bAD /b