At this moment, the dark circles under Alex's eyes were even more pronounced, and he looked as if he could collapse at any moment, which Alice found slightly unsettling.However, upon hearing Alice's suggestion, Alex quickly protested, "No, Doctor! If we take a break, your workload will increase even more!"Alex had been amazed over the past few days at how someone like Alice could have such boundless energy.But Alice responded calmly, "The next steps can only be completed by me, as you know."Hearing this, Alex could only sigh in resignation. It was true—this project required such a high level of expertise and precision that Alice herself could only execute the final steps.The others, too, said nothing further and quietly left.Before leaving, Alex looked at Alice with concern. "Doctor, even if the work is important, you still need to care for your health!""Take care of those dark circles under your eyes first."Alice waved him off dismissively and continued with her work.That ni
Recently, Alice noticed that Louis's attitude toward her seemed strange. He appeared much more attentive than before. Even when she dismissed him, he didn't seem discouraged; instead, it was as if he was energized.When Alice couldn't take it anymore and asked him about it, he claimed he knew she liked him. Alice truly couldn't understand when she had ever said that she liked Louis.Louis's delusions seemed to have grown stronger, Alice thought to herself.Soon, the time for the international scientific conference was approaching.However, before she could head to the venue for the conference, Alice was called back home by Ron to the Campbell family estate.It was called a family estate, and the hierarchical structure within the family was prominent. Only the Campbell head and their immediate family lived in the main house, while those from other branches would live separately. In politics, they maintained close relationships to increase the benefits of the Campbell family, but outsid
When Mr. Campbell finished speaking, everyone agreed beforehand and unanimously voted in favor.Although the rules and personalities of the Campbell family were bizarre, this helped them avoid many power struggles within the family.After receiving the approval from everyone, Mr. Campbell turned his gaze to Alice and asked, "Alice, do you agree with my proposal?"Alice had, of course, already made up her mind. As she had thought before, she knew she needed to repay the Campbell family, and besides, the power that came with being a part of the Campbell family was immense. The protection, power, and other privileges were a strong allure.Alice nodded and said, "I agree to become a part of the Campbell family and will dedicate myself to its prosperity."Mr. Campbell and Mrs. Campbell nodded satisfactorily, while Ron felt he had just sold his sister. Some others smiled slightly, while some remained expressionless, but the meal proceeded very smoothly in the end. Alice quickly became an of
Hearing the well-wishes from the greeter, Alice couldn't tell if it was a blessing or a curse.She nodded, smiling slightly, and said, "Of course, after all, the achievements of country U will be better than those of country M."Louis chuckled, and Eslite couldn't help but look at Alice in surprise. At this moment, the greeter's face looked terrible, as if he hadn't expected Alice to respond like that.He didn't know what expression to wear—perhaps he should be angry that Alice had belittled his country, but he was supposed to welcome Alice.Seeing the greeter's face turn from green to white, Alice sneered slightly before leading the way out.Louis glanced at the greeter and said, "We no longer need you as our guide."The greeter's face turned pale, and he hurriedly said, "No, Mr. Louis..."Louis didn't say anything further, quickly following Alice, and Eslite followed suit.The greeter, both angry and fearful, stood there, almost unsure of what to do. Eventually, he returned to his h
The man smiled faintly, his beautiful eyes seemingly smiling as well.Noticing that everyone’s gaze had shifted to him, Vein smiled. “What’s the matter? Isn’t anyone happy? Attending a conference where everyone is so enthusiastic makes me feel incredibly joyful.”Alice narrowed her eyes slightly and suddenly said, “Indeed, I feel the same.”Vein beamed at Alice. “Meeting you, Alice, is what makes me the happiest. We even share a mutual acquaintance—you’ll be quite surprised when you meet him!”Alice found the scientist from Country C a little strange, so she chose to remain silent.However, Vein kept his eyes on her as if he had discovered something immensely intriguing. Eventually, he clicked his tongue. “I wish he were here as well. That way, I’d have something fun to watch.”Alice ignored Vein. The party concluded in an air of quiet; the “arrogant” scientists barely exchanged a single word with each other.What Alice didn’t know was that someone had been secretly watching her from
“Alice, it’s been a long time. How have you been?” After so many years apart, this was the first thing Cliff said to Alice.His tone was so gentle, as though they had only been separated for a month or two. So gentle...Alice couldn’t help but recall the time when she had almost fallen into despair over losing Cliff. She had been on the verge of breaking, enduring agony every single day. She would wake up each night from chasing Cliff’s silhouette in her dreams, her pillow soaked with tears.It had taken so much—so much effort—for her to finally let go of him. Yet, inexplicably, the image of Louis surfaced in her mind.Alice felt like she was losing her sanity. Maybe she wasn’t so different from Louis after all, and that’s why they had found each other. The thought left her feeling a little hopeless.She pressed her lips tightly together, her eyes filled with tears that she couldn’t quite discern as either sorrow or anger.Alice stared at Cliff, remaining silent.At that moment, Cliff
"Where's Louis? Didn't he say he was going to look for you?" Eslite glanced behind Alice. Not seeing Louis, he couldn't help but ask in confusion.Hearing this, Alice frowned slightly, a troubling thought crossing her mind.She closed her eyes tightly and massaged her temples with a hint of frustration. Looking at Eslite, she said in a low voice, "He's probably losing his mind right now."Eslite furrowed his brows at her words, clearly puzzled, but Alice didn't offer any further explanation. She turned to leave. Eslite was surprised and raised his voice to call her back, "We still have a celebration banquet! Where are you going?!"Alice waved her hand dismissively. "Wait until we're back in Mystia. I'm going to find Louis!"Her expression was anything but pleasant. Louis must have seen her and Cliff together if her guess was correct. He wasn't stupid nor blind; it wouldn't have been difficult to notice the resemblance between himself and Cliff.Alice wasn't sure when Louis had arrived
Alice quickly stepped out of the International Scientific Conference hall, leaving a brief message for Eslite before getting into her car and driving back to Mystia at top speed.Meanwhile, July returned home after an exhausting night of overtime. Noticing her door slightly ajar, she frowned, her expression instantly turning cold.When she turned on the lights, however, she was surprised to see the familiar figure of Alice sitting on her sofa.Alice seemed oblivious to everything around her, sitting there in a daze, her gaze unfocused.July's frown deepened. Alice should still be at the International Scientific Conference in Celes City based on what she knew. What was she doing at her place and in such a disheveled state?Could Alice have lost? Impossible. July quickly dismissed the thought. But even if something had happened, Louis was supposed to be there. Where had Louis gone, leaving Alice in this state?A new, darker possibility crossed July's mind. Her expression grew sharp as s
Louis immediately became panicked, quickly getting out of bed. His whole body swayed, and his legs were so weak that he nearly fell. He had to hold onto the edge of the bed, his breath rapid, his heart pounding, still recovering from the long faint. Fortunately, his body was strong and recovered quickly, though he still felt a bit dizzy, and his vision was blurry.Not having time to worry about himself, he urgently asked, "How is Alice?"July suddenly fell silent, not saying anything. Her abrupt stop made Louis suspicious. He looked at her with a questioning gaze, his heart racing with a bad feeling.July's eyes flickered slightly, hesitation passing in a moment, but she couldn't hide the deep sorrow within. She looked at Louis as though considering whether or not to tell the truth, her lips pressed together, hesitant and speechless.Louis felt his palms go cold. July's silence was like an invisible hand tightening around his chest. A sense of unease spread through his body, every cel
Hearing that name, Louis’s body trembled slightly. He looked up, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep, filled with extreme exhaustion but also carrying an unspoken pain. His voice came out hoarse:"I can’t leave… I have to stay here, wait for her to wake up…"Ron clenched his fists, turning his face away to hide his emotions. In the stark white hospital room, worry and despair intertwined, enveloping everything.Louis slowly stood up, his eyes fixed on Alice lying in the hospital bed. She was still motionless, her weak breath completely dependent on the oxygen machine beside her. Alice’s body had noticeably weakened, her pale skin lifeless, making her seem as fragile as a delicate princess lost in a long, deep sleep. The painful tightness in Louis’s chest made him clench his hands to keep from letting out a sigh.He closed his eyes, as if trying to calm himself, but Alice’s image remained firmly etched in his mind. He couldn’t forget what Mrs. Campbell had just said. "If you collapse
Her face was covered in dirt, with small wounds bleeding on her forehead and cheek, but in this moment, Alice was still strangely beautiful. A satisfied smile appeared on her lips, even as tears involuntarily spilled, mixing with sweat and dust. Her eyes sparkled in the fiery red glow of the sunset, gentle yet full of sorrow. She loved Louis, and that had never changed.She spread her arms wide, waiting for the deadly embrace from Cliff.Louis and the others watched in despair as the scene unfolded before them. Louis rushed forward, wanting to pull Alice out of danger, but a figure moved faster than him—Vein.It turned out, he hadn’t died.The memory from the laboratory flashed back: Cliff’s final bullet had grazed Vein’s forehead, leaving a deep but non-fatal wound. When Cliff had left, he had sneered one last time, saying, "Get lost!" He thought Vein was no longer of any use, not worth finishing off. But now, Vein appeared, like a demon from hell, to stop everything.His messy hair
Cliff smirked, his eyes gleaming with challenge."So this is how you want to talk like a man? If that's the case, then let Alice go." Louis' voice was low, but the danger in every word was evident.Cliff burst out laughing, the gun in his hand still pressed against Alice's temple. "You think I'm stupid, Louis? I'm not crazy enough to let her go so easily." He gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing with madness. "If you want to save her, then come over here."Just as Louis was about to take a step forward, Alice suddenly screamed, her voice hoarse with pain and fear. "Don’t! Louis, don’t move!" She struggled, but her strength had drained, her legs too weak to stand. Still, her eyes remained resolute.Louis froze, his gaze meeting Alice's with profound sorrow. She was protecting him, even though she was in the most perilous situation. The anger inside him burned fiercer than ever, but he remained patient, knowing that one wrong move could make Cliff act instantly.Cliff narrowed his eyes
Alice froze, her breath quick and shallow, feeling the suffocating grip of his embrace. Cliff’s face was close to her ear, a twisted smile still lingering on his lips."Alice, are you scared?" His voice whispered, laced with fake tenderness. "It’s just a joke, my love... I’m only trying to scare you."But immediately, his expression shifted. His eyes gleamed with madness, his muscles tensing, and his low voice suddenly turned fierce, like a thunderclap."But even if I destroy you… I’ll do it right in front of Louis!" He hissed each word, his eyes burning with a hatred so intense that it seemed to bring him a twisted pleasure.With that, Cliff bent down, gripping Alice’s arm tightly and roughly yanking her up from the ground. No gentleness, no pity—he dragged her as though she were nothing more than a discarded object. Alice staggered, her legs aching as if thousands of needles were piercing her skin, but she gritted her teeth, forcing herself to keep up with Cliff’s swift pace to avoi
But just then, her foot got caught on a large vine hidden among the rotting leaves. She didn't have time to react, her entire body was yanked downward, losing its balance. A wave of panic swept over her, and in the next moment, she rolled down a rocky slope.Alice screamed in pain as sharp stones and dry branches hit her body. Each impact was a sharp, piercing pain that seemed to cut through her flesh, and she even heard a dry "crack"—perhaps a few bones had broken. When her body finally stopped at the foot of the slope, the pain was almost unbearable, leaving her gasping for breath. Her body trembled, and her vision blurred from tears that welled up from the excruciating agony. Alice sobbed, her breaths caught in her throat. She wanted to scream, to cry out loud, but she couldn't. There was no time to be weak.Biting her lip until it bled, Alice shakily pushed her hands into the ground, trying to lift her battered body. But the pain from her ribs nearly made her collapse again. Don’t
The sound of the helicopter echoed in the sky, making her heart race. A spark of hope flickered in her mind, and she almost wanted to laugh despite being in a life-or-death situation. She whispered, as if to reassure herself: "They're coming... they're really coming..."But if she didn’t manage to escape, if she was caught again... Alice didn’t dare to imagine what would happen. What would Cliff do to her? His cold face, eyes full of absolute control, appeared in her mind, making her shiver. She didn’t want to be locked up in that dark room again, trapped like a bird in a cage, losing both her freedom and hope. No! She had to run! She had to escape from here at any cost!Alice had nearly given up everything to get this far. Over the past few days, she had starved herself to create a pitiful appearance, tricking Cliff into lowering his guard. But that had also made her much weaker. Her legs felt heavy, each step felt like walking on sharp blades. Her empty stomach clenched painfully, h
Cliff didn’t answer, only lunged again. In his eyes, there was only betrayal and fury, as if all the years they had fought side by side meant nothing anymore. But deep in his heart, a fear gnawed at him—the fear of failure. Could it be that he was going to lose again? Was everything he had worked for, everything he had done, going to be taken from him once more? No… he couldn’t let that happen.Vein quickly sidestepped, delivering a kick aimed at Cliff’s ribs. But Cliff was too enraged to feel the pain. He grabbed Vein by the collar and punched him squarely in the face again.The two of them struggled, crashing into the lab table, causing everything to shatter in chaos. Sharp shards of glass cut into their skin, blood dripping in droplets. Their eyes met for a brief moment—Cliff’s eyes were ablaze with fury, ready to burn everything down, while Vein’s eyes were cold, distant, yet tinged with something resembling... pity. No matter how intelligent Vein was, he could not overcome the in
Louis sat in the command seat, his eyes fixed intently on the island gradually coming into view. His heart pounded in his chest, each passing second cutting into his patience like a sharpened blade. Alice… She was there, imprisoned, suffering—how? The thought sent a surge of fury through him, but he had to stay calm. This wasn’t just a mission—this was redemption. He wouldn’t lose her again.His hand tightened around the seatbelt, his knuckles turning white. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, and Alice’s smiling face appeared in his mind. Her voice, her bright gaze—everything about her urged him to move faster, to be stronger. When he opened his eyes again, only cold determination remained.The radio crackled in his earpiece. "Target in sight. The island is ahead—signs of guards present." A voice came through from the reconnaissance team.Louis nodded, his gaze resolute. "Everyone, get ready. We don’t get a second chance."The helicopter circled, drawing closer to the island shrou