Chapter 55
Clive planted himself in front of Regina’s hospital room, all grim and determined. “I’m the best one here to keep watch tonight.”
Regina gave him an icy stare. “Nobody asked you to, and nobody wants you to. Why are you jumping in when no one even brought it up?”
Clive fell silent.
Stephen chuckled. “She really has a way with words.”
Julian Hayes raised an eyebrow at his brother Liam. “Has he really gotten this bad?”
Yes, Liam replied. “He seems to have developed an obsession with Regina. He even took a job as the school doctor to spy on her. In his eyes, she’s practically an angel just walking down stairs.”
Julian grabbed Stephen by the arm and yanked him off. “I’ll talk to Regina tomorrow. We’ve got to sort this mess out first.”
Stephen mumbled something, confused, as he got dragged away.
Regina turned to the group, her tone firm. “Thanks for all the offers to look out for me, but I don’t need anyone hovering overnight. I’m not cool with sharing a room. Just drop my gifts off in there–that’s all I need.”
Seeing she wasn’t budging, they all went along with it. An hour later, once Irene was stable in the ICU, people started trickling out. Everyone, except Clive.
He dragged a chair outside her room and parked himself there, keeping watch until 2 a.m.
Regina lay in bed, pecking through a slit in her blankets at Clive through the window.
His sharp, good–looking face–usually so put–together and classy–looked wrecked as he slumped against the wall. His dark hair fell over his gold- rimmed glasses, and he gripped his phone tight.
A tear slid down his face, landing on his phone screen.
Regina blinked.
That’s when she caught it–his breathing was off because he was crying.
Clive sat there, silently bawling, his knuckles white around the phone, the cyberware on his arm flexing hard.
He swallowed his sobs, staring at her through the glass.
Their eyes met.
The room was too dark for him to see her clearly, so he figured she was out cold.
Thinking he was alone, he finally lost it–shoulders shaking as he buried his face in his hands.
His phone displayed a family photo–Melinda and Irene Mitchell in the center, both smiling brightly.
Thinking about Melinda’s backstabbing, Clive yanked at his hair, smacking his head against the wall over and over in frustration.
Regina watched all this with a mix of confusion and disbelief.
Suddenly, she detected a faint scent from the window.
Alert, Regina covered her nose and mouth, shifting away under the covers.
Someone was outside, skillfully cutting through the window with a thermal blade.
The intruder worked silently.
Chive, still absorbed in his breakdown, noticed nothing.
Regina grabbed a pain medication inhaler from beside her pillow, tucked it into her pocket, and pretended to sleep.
The
man removed the window, climbed in, and sprayed something near her face.
1/3
Chapter 50
Regina held her breath.
He leaned over the bed, gently poking her cheek.
Regina remained motionless.
Satisfied with her apparent unconsciousness, he slowly pulled her from the bed, glancing at Clive outside.
Regina secretly opened her eyes to look at Clive.
Clive was lost in his emotional turmoil, crying over a family photo, “After all we’ve done for you, and you hurt Mom. I should just kill you!”
Regina mentally rolled her eyes. ‘All talk, no action, she thought. ‘Some guardian he turned out to be. Can’t even notice an intruder.
Regina let the intruder bind her with rope and carry her out.
She was curious to see how long it would take her foolish brother to notice her abduction.
Clive continued his emotional outburst in the hallway.
That woman who replaced Melinda and Regina deserves to die! And Melinda – she’s even worse!‘ he thought to himself.
Clive’s thoughts churned wildly. ‘How could Melinda turn out to be such an ungrateful child after all these years? I loved her so much, yet she’s worth less than a strand of Regina’s hair!
He paced back and forth. ‘Regina treasures even an old pen bag from her deceased sister. Despite her low Humanity, she values relationships and has spirit.
Could it be… Regina isn’t bad at heart?‘ Clive wondered.
Of course not! She’s naturally good!‘ he suddenly realized.
His eyes lit up as the idea struck him. ‘She’s supposed to be part of our family, my sister by blood. How could she be bad? No such thing in her gene!‘
Clive looked toward Regina’s bed for emotional support but found it empty.
Confused, he pushed open the door. A cold breeze hit his face as he saw the busted window.
“What the hell?!” Clive exclaimed. “When did Regina disappear?”
Regina, perched on her kidnapper’s back, looked back at her hospital room window.
Three minutes passed.
Clive still hadn’t figured it out.
This idiot’s hopeless. He belongs in a retirement home,‘ she thought.
Regina observed her captor.
He moved swiftly across the rooftops, carrying her with remarkable agility.
Regina noticed his cyberware–not just the thermal blade as his arm, but also cyberware legs that enabled superhuman jumps.
He was clearly a close–combat mercenary.
She quietly retrieved the titanium sword strapped to her back, wiping blood off with her hospital gown.
The mercenary’s phone rang.
“How’s it going, Victor?” a voice came through the line.
Target secured, en route now,” Victor–reported.
His boss, puffing on a cigar, popped up on a video call. “Any hiccups?”
“Nope, used the good stuff. She’s out cold, Victor said.
“Show me, the man said on the other side of the line.
2/3
Chapter 55
Chapter 55
Clive planted himself in front of Regina’s hospital room, all grim and determined. “I’m the best one here to keep watch tonight.”
Regina gave him an icy stare. “Nobody asked you to, and nobody wants you to. Why are you jumping in when no one even brought it up?”
Clive fell silent.
Stephen chuckled. She really has a way with words.”
Julian Hayes raised an eyebrow at his brother Liam. “Has he really gotten this bad?”
“Yes,” Liam replied. “He seems to have developed an obsession with Regina. He even took a job as the school doctor to spy on her. In his eyes, she’s practically an angel just walking down stairs.”
Julian grabbed Stephen by the arm and yanked him off. “I’ll talk to Regina tomorrow. We’ve got to sort this mess out first.”
Stephen mumbled something, confused, as he got dragged away.
Regina turned to the group, her tone firm. “Thanks for all the offers to look out for me, but I don’t need anyone hovering overnight. I’m not cool with sharing a room. Just drop my gifts off in there–that’s all I need.”
Seeing she wasn’t budging, they all went along with it. An hour later, once Irene was stable in the ICU, people started trickling out.
Everyone, except Clive.
He dragged a chair outside her room and parked himself there, keeping watch until 2 a.m.
Regina lay in bed, peeking through a slit in her blankets at Clive through the window.
His sharp, good–looking face–usually so put–together and classy–looked wrecked as he slumped against the wall. His dark hair fell over his gold- rimmed glasses, and he gripped his phone tight.
A tear slid down his face, landing on his phone screen.
Regina blinked.
That’s when she caught it–his breathing was off because he was crying.
Clive sat there, silently bawling, his knuckles white around the phone, the cyberware on his arm flexing hard.
He swallowed his sobs, staring at her through the glass.
Their eyes met.
The room was too dark for him to see her clearly, so he figured she was out cold.
Thinking he was alone, he finally lost it–shoulders shaking as he buried his face in his hands.
His phone displayed a family photo–Melinda and Irene Mitchell in the center, both smiling brightly.
Thinking about Melinda’s backstabbing, Clive yanked at his hair, smacking his head against the wall over and over in frustration.
Regina watched all this with a mix of confusion and disbelief.
Suddenly, she detected a faint scent from the window.
Alert, Regina covered her nose and mouth, shifting away under the covers.
52 F
Someone was outside, skillfully cutting through the window with a thermal blade.
The intruder worked silently.
Clive, still absorbed in his breakdown, noticed nothing.
Regina grabbed a pain medication inhaler from beside her pillow, tucked it into her pocket, and pretended to sleep.
The man removed the window, climbed in, and sprayed something near her face.
1/3
S
Chapter 55
Regina held her breath.
He leaned over the bed, gently poking her check.
Regina remained motionless.
Satisfied with her apparent unconsciousness, he slowly pulled her from the bed, glancing at Clive outside.
Regina secretly opened her eyes to look at Clive.
Clive was lost in his emotional turmoil, crying over a family photo, “After all we’ve done for you, and you hurt Mom. I should just kill you!”
Regina mentally rolled her eyes. ‘All talk, no action, she thought. ‘Some guardian he turned out to be. Can’t even notice an intruder.
Regina let the intruder bind her with rope and carry her out.
She was curious to see how long it would take her foolish brother to notice her abduction.
Clive continued his emotional outburst in the hallway.
That woman who replaced Melinda and Regina deserves to die! And Melinda – she’s even worse!‘ he thought to himself.
Clive’s thoughts churned wildly, ‘How could Melinda turn out to be such an ungrateful child after all these years? I loved her so much, yet she’s worth less than a strand of Regina’s hair!‘
He paced back and forth. ‘Regina treasures even an old pen bag from her deceased sister. Despite her low Humanity, she values relationships and has spirit.
Could it be… Regina isn’t bad at heart?‘ Clive wondered.
Of course not! She’s naturally good!‘ he suddenly realized.
His eyes lit up as the idea struck him. ‘She’s supposed to be part of our family, my sister by blood. How could she be bad? No such thing in her gene!
Clive looked toward Regina’s bed for emotional support but found it empty.
Confused, he pushed open the door. A cold breeze hit his face as he saw the busted window.
“What the hell?!” Clive exclaimed. “When did Regina disappear?”
Regina, perched on her kidnapper’s back, looked back at her hospital room window.
Three minutes passed.
Clive still hadn’t figured it out.
“This idiot’s hopeless. He belongs in a retirement home,‘ she thought.
Regina observed her captor.
He moved swiftly across the rooftops, carrying her with remarkable agility.
Regina noticed his cyberware–not just the thermal blade as his arm, but also cyberware legs that enabled superhuman jumps.
He was clearly a close–combat mercenary.
She quietly retrieved the titanium sword strapped to her back, wiping blood off with her hospital gown.
The mercenary’s phone rang.
“How’s it going, Victor?” a voice came through the line.
Target secured, en route now,” Victor–reported.
His boss, puffing on a cigar, popped up on a video call. “Any hiccups?”
“Nope, used the good stuff. She’s out cold,‘ Victor said.
“Show me,” the man said on the other side of the line.
Chapter 55
Victor raised his phone, revealing Regina on his back.
Regina was cleaning the thermal sword, and when she noticed the camera, she flashed a peace sign with a deadpan expression.
The boss took a slow drag, nodding like he was impressed. Yeah, real subdued.”
“Chill as can be.” Victor added.
They shared a smile before freezing
Hold up–shouldn’t she be knocked out? The thought hit them both at once.
They stared at Regina in shock.
She was wiping blood off her sword.
Regina raised her sword, ready to strike.
Victor jumped back. “When did you wake up?”
Regina stood barefoot on the rooftop, lazily propping the sword on her shoulder. “Never went down.”
JBut where’d that sword even come from?” he sputtered, freaking out.
Taped it to my back,” she said, cool as ever.
Victor choked on that. “You had a blade stuck to your back and slept with it?”
“Couldn’t sleep, so I didn’t she replied, like it was no big deal.
Victor’s brain short–circuited.
Just as Regina wound up for a killer blow, a flash of silver cut through the air. Someone jumped in front of her, shielding her.
She looked up–Clive, panting hard from sprinting.
He dropped her shoes on the ground and muttered, “Sorry I’m late,” sounding like he meant it.
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