78Darien, still the eye of the storm, merely nodded. "Lady Elizabeth, I meant no disrespect. My attendance was in the spirit of friendship and celebration," he explained, his tone unwavering, his gaze locked with Elizabeth's, unflinching.The security guards hesitated, looking between Lady Elizabeth and Darien, unsure. Lady Elizabeth, breathing heavily, glared at Darien. "Your 'friendship' is unwelcome here. Your presence is a blight on this evening's festivities!" she hissed, her teeth clenched so tightly that her jaw twitched.Just then, Ethan, Elizabeth's proud son and Eveline's brother, stepped forward, his eyes burning with the same fire as his mother's. He still held a grudge against Darien for the embarrassment he caused them last time by healing his sister Emily. Ethan and his mother always believed it was just luck that Darien managed to cure Emily.Ethan, with a mocking smile that didn't reach his eyes, said, "So, the 'miracle worker' decided to show up. What, ran out of
79Dr. Tully, fully aware of the attention he commanded, navigated the room with an air of confidence. "Please, stand back and give me some space to work," he instructed, his gaze focused on lady Elizabeth.Darien, meanwhile, watched Dr. Tully with a skeptical eye. The claims surrounding the doctor were extraordinary, certainly, but Darien knew that medicine was grounded in science, and herbs not miracles. He remained beside lady Elizabeth.The crowd's fascination with Dr. Tully was palpable, their earlier concerns momentarily forgotten as they watched him work. They hung on his every word, eager to witness a display of his legendary skills.Dr. Tully knelt beside lady Elizabeth, casting a dismissive glance at Darien. "What seems to be the issue here?" he inquired, his tone suggesting he expected incompetence.Darien, unphased by the interruption, continued his examination. "She's showing signs of acute distress, possibly a cardiac event. We need to—"Dr. Tully cut him off with a wave
80The laughter died abruptly, replaced by gasps of shock and fear. "Oh my God, he's choking!" someone screamed, pointing at the young man, who was now visibly struggling to breathe."Help him, someone do something!" another guest cried out, panic rising in her voice.The reality of Adam's warning crashing down on them.In the grand hall, amidst the shifting focus from lady Elizabeth's distress to the unexpected choking of a young man, a collective whisper began to weave through the crowd, growing in volume and curiosity. "Who exactly is this man?" someone murmured, the question hanging in the air like a fog."Yeah, how did he know? First, Lady Elizabeth and now this?" another voice added, laced with astonishment.Dr. Tully, momentarily taken aback by the turn of events, quickly composed himself, scoffing at the insinuations of Darien's foresight."Obvious, really. The man was laughing uncontrollably; choking was a predictable outcome. There's nothing miraculous about stating the ob
81Without waiting for another word, Eveline turned on her heel to the nearest security guard. "Remove this man, this... fake doctor, from the premises," she commanded, her voice leaving no room for argument.As the guards approached, Dr. Tully's posture stiffened, an attempt to retain some semblance of dignity in his defeat."Don't you dare touch me with your filthy hands!" he spat, his voice laced with disgust. The guards, unfazed by his outburst, simply nodded to each other, a silent agreement passing between them."Sir, we must ask you to leave. Please follow us," one guard said, his tone firm yet devoid of emotion.Dr. Tully, however, stood his ground, a mix of pride and disbelief anchoring him in place."I will not be manhandled like some common criminal," he declared, his voice rising in volume, hoping to gather some support from the onlookers.Yet, when no such support came, his defiance crumbled into desperation. The guards, recognizing his refusal as the final straw, moved i
82As Darien reached out to Lady Elizabeth, she snapped her eyes open and recoiled. "Don't you dare touch me!" she spat, her voice laced with contempt."Ooh, My God! She's awake!"The crowd gasped, whispers erupting instantly. "Did she just refuse help from the man who's been saving lives tonight?" one guest muttered in disbelief."Yeah, after everything, she won't let him help?" another echoed, confusion and shock painting their features.Eveline, frustration evident in her posture, turned to her mother, "Mom, please, just shut up and let Darien help you. This is for your own good!"Lady Elizabeth turned her glare to Eveline, "I said no! I do not need help from him or anyone. Especially not from someone as filthy as him!"Darien, attempting to maintain peace, gently interjected, "Lady Elizabeth, please, I'm just trying to help. Let me ensure you're alright."With a swift movement, Lady Elizabeth slapped Darien's hands away. "I said don't touch me! Your hands are unclean!"The crowd's
83After Darien's departure, the party slowly regained its rhythm. The grand hall, once filled with tension and drama, buzzed again with laughter and conversation. The guests, although still whispering about the night's events, gradually returned to their celebrations, the allure of the evening's entertainment too tempting to resist.As the night wore on and the last notes of music faded away, the guests began to depart.Eveline, lost in thought and barely noticing the dwindling crowd, was suddenly approached by Charles. His presence was like a dark cloud looming over her already troubled mood. Without waiting for him to speak, she snapped, her voice tinged with anger, "What do you want, Charles?"He, looking both offended and indignant, retorted, "I should be the one asking you that, Eveline. How dare you invite that... that pauper, Darien, knowing full well I'd be here?"Eveline couldn't help but laugh, a bitter sound that echoed slightly in the nearly empty hall. "It's my party, Ch
84 The heavy doors slammed shut behind Eveline, marking her entrance in the living room. Her mother, Lady Elizabeth, was quick on her heels, her anger palpable, as she stormed into the room. Eveline's father, sat with his newspaper, an unreadable expression on his face. Ethan, Ethan looked up from his phone, his eyebrows knitting together in concern at the sight of his mother distress."Why did you invite that... that nobody, that lowlife, Darien? Do you wish to kill your own reputation and ours?" Lady Elizabeth's voice was sharp, cutting through the quiet of the room like a knife. Her fists were clenched at her sides, her knuckles white from the strain.Ethan, lounging on a nearby sofa, looked up, his interest piqued. "Yeah, Eveline, what's with you and that Darien guy? He's nothing but trouble."Eveline's heart raced, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "You don't know anything," she shot back, her voice quivering with emotion. "Darien saved Emily's life, and he would've s
85After two grueling weeks spent observing Marco Gentile's movements, Darien had gathered enough intel to formulate a plan. Gentile held court at his underground casino every Saturday night, and this Saturday would be no different. But this time, Darien was ready. He had scouted the casino's layout, identifying security blindspots as well as alternate escape routes. To avoid detection, he would rely on stealth over force. His objective was to incapacitate Gentile with a tranquilizer and spirit him away before his men realized what was happening. A direct confrontation was a last resort - Darien needed Gentile alive, as was his deal with Viktor. That evening, dressed all in black, Darien stationed himself in a shadowy alley across from the casino entrance. At 11pm sharp, the first customers began trickling in - low level criminals looking to blow off steam and make deals in equal measure. They laughed boisterously amongst themselves, oblivious to the drama unfolding around them.It