Chapter 814

An unconscious body is dead weight. Evelyn Carter swiftly reached out to catch Bianca Langley's collapsing form, but the momentum nearly sent her stumbling forward.

Alexander Hamilton reacted instantly, steadying Evelyn by the waist. As he moved to assist Bianca, Vincent Croix charged forward.

"Don't touch her!" Evelyn slapped Vincent's reaching hand away. "You're not welcome here, Mr. Croix."

The open guest room door became an invisible boundary.

Vincent's expression darkened. Since marrying into the Langley family, no one had dared speak to him this way. "You—"

Evelyn stood firm before Bianca, refusing to yield.

Alexander's gaze turned glacial, his knuckles cracking faintly.

The tense standoff shattered when Bianca's weak voice cut through.

"Leave." Her back remained turned, the word barely audible.

Vincent stiffened. "What did you say?"

"LEAVE!" Bianca's sudden scream tore from her throat, her entire body trembling.

The epitome of grace, she'd always maintained composure even in anger. This was the first time she'd ever used such language.

Blood welled where Vincent's palm crushed the diamond ring. After a sharp inhale, he turned with a thunderous expression. "Fine. I'll wait until you've calmed down."

No one acknowledged his departure.

Darkness pulsed at the edges of Bianca's vision. She tried to force her usual composure, but the world swallowed her whole.

White. Blinding white greeted her upon waking.

Disoriented, Bianca's fingers found the drawstring pouch beside her pillow—final proof Adrian Valentine was truly gone.

"Feeling better?" Evelyn asked softly. "The doctor said it was low blood sugar compounded by emotional distress. The IV fluids should help."

Bianca traced the porcelain figurines inside the pouch. "Thank you...but I don't think I'll recover."

Her attempt at a smile twisted into something more tragic than tears.

"You will." Evelyn clasped her icy hand. "In the ambulance, you clung to these figurines like a lifeline. I believe he's still watching over you."

Bianca shut her eyes as tears streamed past her temples.

"Tears are useless..." Her voice scraped raw. "I need to break this pathetic habit."

"You're the furthest thing from pathetic." Evelyn gently wiped her cheeks. "Surviving this long makes you incredibly brave."

Bianca suddenly gripped Evelyn's wrist. "This is all my fault... If I hadn't mentioned Seaview City, he wouldn't have returned—"

Her nails dug into Evelyn's skin unnoticed.

"Alexander's contacted data recovery specialists," Evelyn redirected. "The phone can't be fixed, but we salvaged all the files."

Night pressed against the windows. Bianca stared at her reflection in the glass as another wave of grief crested.

Evelyn retrieved her phone. "We need your help. Adrian's apartment keypad has one attempt left—we didn't want to risk it."

The only lifeline she could offer.

Bianca's lashes fluttered, but even lifting a hand seemed impossible.