As the bodyguards received the text message, their once stoic expressions shifted. They exchanged brief glances before stepping aside, their firm stance dissolving instantly. Without a word, they allowed Alana through. Lizzie, standing nearby, noticed the abrupt change and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Her arms were tightly crossed over her chest, a mix of annoyance and worry playing on her features as she watched Alana stride past the guards and straight toward Calvin’s room.Alana’s initial frustration was palpable, her lips set in a thin line, and her movements brisk as she entered the room. Her earlier confrontation with the bodyguards had clearly irritated her, and she was still fuming from the altercation. But as soon as her eyes fell on Calvin, lying pale and weak on the bed, her entire demeanor shifted.Her arrogance faltered. The confident air she had carried with her vanished in an instant, replaced by something far more vulnerable. Her breath caught in her throat, and for
Alana crossed her arms, leaning back slightly, her expression a mix of frustration and cold calculation. Her lips curled into a thin, strained smile, but her eyes remained sharp and unyielding, revealing her true intent. "I’ll wait, Calvin," she began, her voice low, almost a whisper, but heavy with the weight of her unspoken threat. "But I can’t wait forever. You know our agreement is binding."Calvin could feel the tension in his chest tightening as her words hit him like a cold gust of wind. The brief moment of vulnerability and empathy he had seen in her earlier, when she first saw him lying weak and sick, was gone. She had returned to the Alana he knew all too well—the one who could wield her power over him with surgical precision.Alana paused, her eyes narrowing slightly, watching him with the intensity of a predator sizing up its prey. "If you don’t hold up your end..." she let her voice trail off, the unspoken consequences hanging in the air between them, before she continued
Alana didn’t waste a second, her voice slicing through the growing tension with the sharp precision of a well-honed blade. “Thank you for visiting my fiancé, Christina,” she said, the word fiancé rolling off her tongue with deliberate emphasis, each syllable an unmistakable stake in the ground. Her eyes flicked to Calvin briefly, then back to Christina, a subtle smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. The message was crystal clear: Calvin belonged to her, and she wanted Christina to understand that without question.Christina’s eyebrows lifted slightly in response, but she didn’t flinch. Instead, she met Alana’s pointed gaze with a calm, unbothered smile, her poise unshaken. She took her time, letting a brief silence stretch between them before responding. “Oh yes, the engagement,” she said, her voice cool and measured, with a hint of mockery hidden beneath the surface. “Remind me, wasn’t it due to some... persuasion?” She paused, her eyes narrowing slightly, letting her words sink i
After the door softly clicked shut behind Christina, the room was left in a strange, heavy silence, like the remnants of a storm finally settling. The air that had been charged with tension moments ago now felt oddly still. Calvin and Lizzie exchanged a glance, both of them feeling the weight of the moment. Then, as if on cue, they both let out a deep, shared sigh, as if they had been holding their breath for far too long.Lizzie leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms as she gazed at her brother. Her eyes were filled with a mix of concern and frustration, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "You really need to deal with this mess, Calvin," she said, shaking her head slightly. There was a teasing note in her voice, but beneath it, there was also a seriousness that couldn’t be ignored. "Those two women… they’re like forces of nature. Neither of them is going to let go of you without a fight."Calvin, still lying weakly on his hospital bed, gave a faint smile in response. H
Lizzie’s eyes narrowed as she leaned forward, the weight of everything they had just discussed pressing down on her. “So, where exactly is it, Calvin?” she asked, her voice low but urgent. “Where is the Fountain of Health?”Calvin looked at his sister, his expression somber yet determined. “It’s here,” he said simply. “In this city.”Lizzie’s mouth fell open, shock and confusion etched across her features. “What?” she whispered, almost as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You’re telling me that the Fountain of Health is here, in this city? How do you know?”Calvin took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving hers. “Think about it, Liz. Why did Mother bring us here in the first place? I can sense it now, after the dream!” He paused, letting his words sink in. “She knew something, Liz. She was hiding us, protecting us. And now, looking back, it all makes sense.”Lizzie shook her head slowly, trying to process everything. “But... I still don’t understand. How can you be sure t
Calvin watched Lizzie carefully, noting the concern in her eyes. Despite the heavy fatigue weighing him down, he managed a small, reassuring smile. “Liz, I need some time alone,” he said gently. “I need to recharge, to get my strength back.”Lizzie hesitated, her eyes scanning his face as if searching for any signs of trouble. Finally, she nodded, though the worry in her expression didn’t fade. “Alright,” she agreed softly, her voice laced with reluctance. “But if you need anything—anything at all—just call me, okay?”Calvin nodded, his smile widening slightly. “I will, I promise. But… I’m probably going to be starving after this.”A hint of amusement flickered in Lizzie’s eyes. “Don’t worry, I’ve got the food situation under control,” she replied, her voice lighter now, the playful banter they often shared slipping back into place. “I’ll make sure you have enough to eat.”He chuckled, the sound low and tired but genuine. “Thanks, Liz. I knew I could count on you.”With one last linge
Calvin stepped out of his room, each step feeling strange yet filled with determination. Even though it had only been three days, it felt like a lifetime since he had last felt the hard, cold floor beneath his feet. The real world seemed almost alien now, different from the dream world that had ensnared him. The surroundings seemed sharper and more vivid, as if every detail was heightened after everything he had been through.He took a deep breath as he reached the door, bracing himself before opening it. The air outside felt fresher, almost as if each molecule was infused with new life. He knew there were many problems waiting for him now, issues that couldn’t be solved simply by sleeping or relying on the system. The people of Han Xin were after him, and not without reason. As the only one who might know the location of the Fountain of Health, Calvin realized he was the key to something much bigger.In his dream, when he had almost been pulled into the fountain, he had felt an immen
Calvin ate voraciously, his movements quick and steady as he shoveled food into his mouth, barely taking the time to chew before swallowing. He seemed to be trying to fill a void that had been empty for far too long, his body craving sustenance after three days of near starvation. Lizzie watched with a mixture of amusement and concern, her eyes flickering over the emptying plates in front of him.“Calvin, slow down,” she said softly, her voice carrying both affection and worry. “You’re going to choke if you keep eating like that.”Calvin glanced up briefly, his mouth still full, and gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t choke,” he mumbled around a mouthful of food. “I’m fine, Lizzie. Just… really hungry.”Lizzie sighed, shaking her head as she watched him devour everything in sight. She had made enough food to last him a couple of days, but it was disappearing rapidly. He moved from one dish to another with a relentless focus, like a man possessed. Despite her initial amu