As they stepped out into the chilling night, Dylan wrapped his coat tightly around Ember's trembling frame, his jaw clenched with worry. She was cold and barely conscious, her breaths shallow against his chest. He pulled her closer, his voice low but firm as he turned to Adrien and Emir. "No one breathes a word about this to anyone," he ordered, his eyes sharp as blades. "Emir, lock the guards in the mansion. I don't want them slipping away before we know exactly what they were doing. Find a place—somewhere the police won't sniff around if they come looking." His tone held an edge that warned of the storm beneath his calm.
Then he looked at Adrien. "Bring Lai—Leora. She's coming with us. They both need a hospital now."
After Emir had secured the guards and rejoined them, they rushed to the hospital. Both Ember and Leora were admitted immediately. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the emergency room as doctors began their checkups.
Before Adrien could follow them inside, Dylan caught his arm. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Not a word to anyone, not even the police. As far as they know, you were never with us in that mansion." Adrien hesitated, then nodded solemnly.
Some time passed, and Emir returned, his clothes still dusted with the scent of the old mansion. "I did everything you said," he murmured.
Dylan's eyes didn't soften. If anything, they grew darker, more calculating. "Good. When the police get here, follow my lead. Don't mention how we found Ember. Just nod. Keep Adrien's name out of it."
Moments later, the sharp sound of boots echoed in the corridor—the police had arrived. Two officers stepped forward, questioning them with suspicion gleaming in their eyes. Dylan's voice was calm, but Ember, lying unconscious on the hospital bed, felt the heat of his protective gaze lingering on her.
"We found Ember in an old, abandoned mansion on the outskirts of the city," Dylan said smoothly. "Another girl—Leora—was with her, unconscious on the floor. No one else was there. We don't know what happened or who brought them there. But seeing their condition... we didn't wait. We brought them straight here."
The officers exchanged glances. "What's the address?" one asked.
Dylan gave it to them without hesitation, eyes never leaving Ember's pale face which he can see through the door. The officer nodded grimly. "We'll be back after the girls wake up. We'll need their statements." With that, they turned and left, heading toward the mansion Dylan had so carefully locked down.
As the hospital lights flickered faintly overhead, Dylan leaned closer to the door of the room where ember is getting checked . he whispered, a soft promise laced with fire. "I won't let anyone hurt you again."
As the officers left the hospital, the tension in the air didn't fade. Emir turned to Dylan, his voice low and uncertain. "Why didn't you tell them everything?"
Dylan didn't answer right away. His eyes were fixed on the floor, his jaw tight, thoughts racing. "I don't know," he finally muttered. "Maybe because Lai is Adrien's sister. Maybe because we still don't know the whole truth. I just… I need to hear everything from Ember first."
Emir studied him for a moment, then simply nodded. "It's your call." His phone buzzed in his pocket. A quick glance, a furrowed brow. "I have to go. Keep me posted." With that, he disappeared down the hall, leaving Dylan standing alone in the fluorescent quiet.
The first light of dawn crept through the hospital windows, casting pale gold across the sterile tiles. So much had happened in so little time. Adrien stepped out of the operating theater, his face pale and exhausted. His eyes landed on Dylan, who stood by the VIP ward door like a statue carved from storm clouds.
"You should rest," Adrien said gently, his voice hoarse.
Dylan shook his head without looking at him. "Just tell me how she is."
"Come inside," Adrien gestured, leading him into Ember's room.
She lay still in the hospital bed, her skin pale against the white sheets, bruises like silent screams across her wrists and temple. Dylan moved to her side, never taking his eyes off her. He looked like a man torn in two, fury simmering beneath every breath.
Adrien offered him a glass of water. "Let's talk."
Dylan sat on the sofa beside her bed, finally tearing his gaze away long enough to take the glass. He drank it like a man starved in a desert, his throat aching with more than thirst. Then, in a low voice, he asked, "Now tell me."
Adrien hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
"Looking at Ember's injuries... it's clear someone tried to assault her. But they didn't succeed. There are deep bite marks, but they'll heal over time. The more serious concern is her head injury. From the shape and impact… it looks like she slammed her own head against the metal headboard. Deliberately."
Dylan's hands clenched around the empty glass, eyes darkening with rage and heartbreak.
"Her wrists are torn from struggling against the handcuffs. She fought back, hard. There are deep gashes near her waist—bad, but we got there in time. They didn't cut deep enough to reach the nerves. She's lucky."
He paused, watching Dylan carefully. "I collected DNA samples. I'll run them immediately. But Dylan… what are you planning now?"
Dylan stood slowly, his voice a quiet storm as he leaned over Ember and brushed his fingers gently across her bruised knuckles.
"I don't know," Dylan muttered, his voice low and lethal, "but one thing I'm sure of—whoever did this... they have to die."
Adrien froze mid-step, the weight of those words hitting him like ice. "Dylan… are you serious?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Dylan turned to him slowly, a chilling smile playing on his lips. His eyes held no hesitation, only fire. "Did you think I wasn't?"
Then his gaze flickered back to Ember, softening for just a moment as he asked, "When is she going to wake up?"
Adrien exhaled slowly, the tension not leaving his shoulders. "Normally… around morning. But with everything that's happened… I'm not sure. If she doesn't wake up by noon—" he hesitated, "—she might slip into a coma. The head trauma is serious, Dylan."
Those words shattered something in Dylan.
His eyes widened, chest tightening as he turned toward Ember. He moved to her side in a rush and gently took her hand into his. His breath caught when he noticed the bandage wrapped around her ring finger. Blood had stained through in spots, the wound still raw beneath.
"Someone ripped her ring off," he murmured darkly, lifting her hand with reverence. He looked at Adrien, pain and fury flaring in his eyes. "There were fragments of her nails… like someone tore it off on purpose."
Adrien wanted to ask what Dylan was planning—to question how far he would go for Ember , and what about his sister—but the words stuck in his throat. Something in Dylan's eyes made it clear: this wasn't just about revenge. This was personal. He quietly stepped out, leaving them alone.
Now, only Ember and Dylan remained.
The room was quiet, broken only by the soft hum of machines and Ember's fragile breathing. Dylan sat beside her, his gaze tracing every bruise on her face like a vow.
"You should've never had to go through this, I am sorry but please wake up." he whispered. A tear rolled down his cheeks.
He leaned in slowly and kissed her forehead, the touch tender—aching with guilt and love. Then, without a word, he slipped beneath the covers and gently pulled her into his arms. Her head rested against his chest, his heartbeat steady and strong like a silent promise.
With one arm protectively wrapped around her waist, Dylan finally let exhaustion take him. He closed his eyes, still holding her close, as sleep claimed him by her side—where he intended to stay.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the hospital, Adrien stepped into an empty corridor, pulling out his phone with a heavy heart. The sky outside had turned a soft shade of lavender—the kind of calm that only deepened the chaos inside him. He called Zayne, his voice low and serious as he explained everything that had happened.
There was a long pause on the other end before Zayne finally asked, "What should I tell her parents? What do I say about what happened to Ember?"
Adrien sighed, dragging a hand down his face. "It's still night in City Blue,right" he said, glancing at the clock. "When Ember wakes up… she'll decide. If she wants to tell them the truth, we'll stand behind her. But if she doesn't—if it's too much—we'll help her craft the best cover story possible. Something that protects her."
"You really think she'll be okay with that?" Zayne asked softly.
Adrien didn't answer right away. He looked through the window into the dimly lit hospital room where Dylan lay curled protectively around Ember, his arms holding her like a lifeline.
"She'll do whatever gives her peace," Adrien said quietly. "And whatever that is… we'll be ready."
The call ended, leaving the corridor in silence once again.
But in the air, there was a sense that something had shifted—like the calm before a storm that no one was ready for.
The soft glow of early morning filtered into the hospital ward as Ember's eyes fluttered open. At first, her vision blurred—but then she saw him.
Dylan.
He was lying beside her, wrapped around her like she was something fragile, something sacred. His arms were draped protectively over her, and his face was buried close to her neck, his breath warm against her skin.
A small, trembling smile touched Ember's lips. For a moment, she wondered if she was still dreaming. It had only been one night apart… but for her, it felt like years. A lifetime of pain had passed in that darkness—and now he was here. She tightened her arms around him, afraid that if she let go, he might disappear.
Dylan stirred, eyes blinking open slowly. When he saw her awake, a lazy, sleepy smile curved his lips. "Ember," he murmured, voice thick with exhaustion, "I'm tired… let's sleep a little more." Then he buried his face against her chest, sighing like her heartbeat was the only thing in the world he wanted to hear.
Ember let out a soft laugh, brushing her fingers through his hair. "Okay," she whispered, "sleep a little more… Thank you, Dylan… for finding me."
A single tear slipped from her eye as flashes of last night returned—cold metal, blood, darkness, fear. The tear rolled onto Dylan's cheek.
He didn't flinch, but she leaned forward and gently kissed it away. Then, with the quiet grace of someone still aching inside, she slowly slid out of bed. Every step sent a pulse of pain through her legs, but she needed air. She needed space.
Her footsteps were unsteady as she walked through the corridor, the sterile halls eerily silent. Then, she stopped in front of another room—and saw her.
Leora.
Ember's breath caught in her throat. She pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Leora looked up, her expression unreadable as her eyes landed on Ember's bruised face and trembling limbs. Still, she said nothing.
Ember closed the door behind her with a soft click, her voice low but sharp as glass. "Why did you do this?" she asked. "Are you happy now? Seeing me broken like this?"
Silence.
Ember took a shaky step forward, but her body gave out. She collapsed onto the floor with a thud. Leora stood up quickly, ready to help, but Ember held up a trembling hand.
"Don't."
Gritting her teeth, she forced herself back up—bit by bit—until she was standing again, wobbly but upright. Her voice shook now, but not with fear. With rage. With heartbreak.
"Tell me, Leora… are you really satisfied seeing me like this?"
Leora flinched. Her hands flew to her ears as if the words burned. "Stop it," she whispered, eyes wild. "Just stop—"
Ember ignored her. She limped to the nearby sofa and sat down, breathing hard, eyes fixed on her.
"Tell me the truth," she said coldly. "Is it that you don't want to talk to me… or that you don't even know why you did it?"
Leora's voice trembled as she finally spoke. "You don't know anything…"
Ember's eyes narrowed, her voice low and sharp like a blade. "What do you think? You did this to me, and I don't have the right to know why?"
Silence fell over the room like a suffocating fog. Leora stared at the ground, unable to meet Ember's gaze.
Ember took a breath, bitter words spilling from her lips like venom she'd held in too long. "You know Dylan, don't you? This was all because of him. You like him… and you were jealous. That's why you did this. Isn't it?"
She let out a broken laugh, more hollow than amused, her voice laced with pain and fury. "Did you think hurting me would make him leave me? That he'd turn to you instead? You let your men assault me… violate me… thinking it would drive Dylan away. Or was the plan to kill me too? Well, I'm still here. Sorry to disappoint you."
Leora froze. The words struck her like knives—words so raw and cruel, they shattered something inside her.
But Ember didn't stop. She stood, wavering on her injured legs, her voice cold and trembling. "Do you think Dylan will let this go? You're wrong. I'm sure he's already contacted the police. If you don't tell me the truth now, they'll make you speak. And when that happens… there won't be any mercy left."
She turned her back and limped toward the door, every step like thunder in Leora's chest. Guilt coiled around her heart like a serpent, suffocating her.
Just as Ember's fingers touched the doorknob, Leora's voice cracked behind her. "Ember… wait! I'll tell you everything. From the beginning. Please… just listen to me."
Ember paused, her back still to her. "Now you want to talk?"
"Yes," Leora said quickly, desperation in her voice. "Yes, I'll tell you everything."
Slowly, Ember turned, her expression unreadable. She made her way back to the sofa and sat down, pain evident in every movement—but her gaze was steady and cold.
"Then start," she said flatly. "And make it fast." The only thought echoing in her heart was a quiet desperation—She didn't want Dylan to wake up and find her gone. Not again. Not after what happened.
Still, something inside her urged her to finish this conversation. To hear the truth.
Leora's eyes were heavy with secrets. She looked up at Ember and finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Ember… my real name is Lai. Lai Zhen. I'm Dr. Adrein's younger sister."
Ember's breath caught. Her heart skipped a beat. That name… she'd heard it before. Lai Zhen. The girl Adrein once mentioned—the one at the center of it all.
"So it was you," Ember said softly, her voice laced with disbelief. "You're the sister he talked about… the one he fought with Dylan over."
Leora nodded slowly, her lips curling into a bitter, broken smile. "What did my brother tell you about me?"
She met Leora's gaze, steady and unflinching. "He just told me that Dylan and his friendship ended… because of a girl. And now I know that girl was you."
Leora let out a hollow laugh—there was no humor in it, only regret. "Yeah… because of me. I broke them apart."
She stared at the floor, eyes unfocused, lost in memory. "We all went to school together… back in Country A. Our mothers were best friends before we were even born. They made plans—dreamed about raising their children together. So they enrolled us all in the same elite academy."
"Dylan and Adrein were in the same class. Like brothers. And Emir too. I was a junior back then…"
Her voice drifted off for a moment, eyes misting with unspoken pain and guilt.
Ember stayed silent, but her chest tightened. A storm was brewing—and she could feel that this was only the beginning.
Leora's voice softened, her gaze distant as memories came flooding back. "Most of our childhood… we spent it together. Brother Dylan always treated me more gently than even my own brother, who constantly teased me."
She smiled faintly, though it didn't reach her eyes. "When I was in seventh grade, and Dylan was in tenth with my brother… something changed. I began to feel something different for him. I didn't want him to treat me like a little sister anymore. I wanted… more. I wanted him to see me as someone special."
Leora glanced at Ember, a strange sorrow flickering in her eyes. "And he did see me as special—but only as a sister. Never anything else."
She took a shaky breath, her fingers trembling. "Dylan, Adrein, and Emir… they were legends in our school. The top students. Talented, handsome, and kind. Every girl in our school wanted to date Dylan. He was just… that kind of person. Warm, generous. He helped anyone who needed him, without expecting anything in return."
A bitterness crept into her voice, tightening her jaw. "I got rid of every girl who tried to get close to him. I manipulated, lied, spread rumors… whatever it took. I needed to be the only one standing by his side."
She paused, her voice now quieter. "Then, when they were in twelfth grade, something happened that I still can't forget."
Her eyes glazed over as she recalled the moment, her voice distant. "Brother Adrein wasn't feeling well that day, so Dylan came to pick me up from school. When he walked into my classroom, every girl stared—envy burning in their eyes. They were jealous because Dylan was holding my hand… like we were close. And in that moment, I felt like the most special girl in the world."
Tears welled up in her eyes. "As we walked out, one of the girls stopped us. She asked, 'Brother Dylan, is she your girlfriend?'"
Leora's voice cracked as she repeated Dylan's reply, word for word. "He smiled, patted my head, and said, 'She's my little sister. Don't say anything bad about our relationship.'"
She looked down, voice barely audible. "That was the day my love for him turned into something darker. Possessive. Obsessive."
The room grew heavy with silence. Ember sat quietly.