Outside the wedding dress shop, Evelyn stepped onto the freezing pavement with bare feet.

The night wind tugged at the thin dress clinging to her body and stole the last trace of warmth from her skin.

She didn't call for a cab. She simply continued walking.

From the bright, crowded shopping street into the silent residential neighborhood.

Each step stabbed like sharp needles, yet even that pain felt small comparing to the ache tearing through her chest.

At last, she reached the house she had lived in for five years.

The fingerprint scanner recognized her touch, and the door unlocked with a soft electronic chirp.

Darkness waited inside.

No warm lights glowed, and no one stood there to welcome her home.

She flipped the light on and remained in the foyer, looking slowly around the place she had once called home.

Every inch of it held memories of Carsten.

The sofa he always preferred in the living room, the coffee maker she had picked out for him in the dining area, the twin desks placed side by side in the study...

And hanging on the wall, an oversized framed photograph.

In the picture, she laughed heartily while resting against his shoulder, her eyes bright, glowing with happiness.

That brightness was gone now.

Evelyn stepped closer, rose onto the tips of her feet, and pulled the frame off the wall.

She then threw it. It crashed onto the floor with a violent bang.

Glass burst apart and scattered across the tiles.

She looked at the photograph, now split straight through the center, for a long while.

Then, she crouched down, picked up a jagged shard, and dragged it across the photo.

The sharp edge sliced into her fingertip. Drops of blood fell onto the photograph and smeared across Carsten's face.

She seemed completely unaware of the pain.

With slow care, she removed her half of the damaged picture from the broken fragments and blood.

After that, she tore it into pieces and tossed them into the trash.

When it was done, she turned around and walked upstairs to the bedroom.

As she packed her belongings, memories surged through her like a flood.

From their college years to the engagement, she had given Carsten seven years of love and loyalty.

She remembered the sweetness of those younger days. The vow that they would remain beside each other for a lifetime.

She had once believed they would grow old together.

But now, it all felt like nothing but a bitter joke.

Suddenly, the piercing ring of her phone shattered the silence.

Evelyn answered the call. Her best friend, Nicola Lambert, spoke through a trembling voice thick with tears.

"Evie, the Ward family transferred your mom out of intensive care. They've cut off her medication. They're letting her die..."

Evelyn's mind went blank instantly.

The phone slipped from her fingers and struck the floor.

After several frozen seconds, she picked it up, grabbed her car keys, and rushed toward the garage.

"Mom, stay strong. Please wait for me..." she muttered.

The car tore down the road toward the hospital.

Evelyn's hands trembled violently on the steering wheel. Her palms were damp with icy sweat.

Carsten had really crossed the line this time.

That was her mother!

When she had ruined her hands saving him and could never perform surgery again, he had held her while his eyes were red and had sworn countless promises.

"Evie, from today on, I will consider your mother my mother. I'll care for her for the rest of her life."

"Don't worry. As long as I'm here, nothing will happen to her. The Ward family's best medical care will always be reserved for her."

"When she wakes up, we'll bring her home. I'll hire the finest medical team to stay with her every day."

"Evie, just trust me."

For years, Evelyn had believed every word without question.

But now, he had betrayed her with another woman and used her mother's life as a weapon to pressure her.

A piercing horn screamed behind Evelyn at that time.

She turned the steering wheel abruptly.

Rubber shrieked as the tires scraped hard against the road.

Her car smashed straight into the guardrail at the edge of the street.

The airbags burst open in an instant.

At that exact moment, inside the hospital, the monitor beside her mother's bed released a single, endless tone.

Meanwhile, Carsten had just carried Violet to the house's guest room after she cried herself to sleep.

He stood before the tall window in the study and loosened his tie. Irritation lingered in his mood, yet he remained certain everything was under control.

Just then, the butler knocked softly and entered the room. "Mr. Ward, the hospital carried out your orders. Miss Curtis' mother's medication has been stopped. The doctor says if the treatment remains cut off for more than forty-eight hours, she likely won't survi—"

Carsten lifted a hand to silence him, his voice indifferent. "Got it."

He turned around, his expression calm and icy.

"Has she come back yet?" he asked.

"There has been no news from Miss Curtis so far. Should we send someone to find her?"

"That won't be necessary." A confident smile appeared on Carsten's face. "Where could she possibly go? She'll just run to those useless friends of hers and cry."

He walked over to the desk, pulled open a drawer, and took out a freshly drafted prenuptial agreement.

The pages were packed with different clauses.

"When she calls everyone she knows and still fails to get a single dose of the medicine that could save her mother..." Carsten placed the document neatly on the desk. "She'll understand that the only person capable of saving her mother is me."

The butler lowered his head slightly. "And if Miss Curtis comes pleading for the medication?"

Carsten paused for a moment. The smile on his lips hardened.

"Then tell her this. If she wants her mother to live, she must bring the signed agreement over and apologize to Violet to get her forgiveness."

The airbags burst open, and the force of the crash threw Evelyn forward.

Something warm ran from her temple and clouded her sight.

Pain spread through her.

Yet it was nothing compared to the pain in her heart right now.

"My mom is still waiting for me..."

Evelyn sucked in a shaky breath, shoved the warped car door aside, and lurched toward the hospital.

Blood and tears ran together down her face, yet she seemed not to feel them at all.

"Evie!"

The moment Nicola saw Evelyn, covered in blood, she rushed forward and caught her. "You're bleeding!"

"How... how is my mother?" Evelyn asked in a trembling voice.

Nicola bit her lip as tears slid down her face. "The doctors just managed to bring her back from danger, but her condition is still not good. Her vital signs keep dropping. Evie, the Ward family is really killing her."

Evelyn's knees went weak, and she nearly fell to the floor.

She staggered to the bedside and reached out to clasp her mother's cold fingers.

Her hands would not stop shaking.

Once, these hands had brought countless people back from the edge of death.

Now, they struggled with anything slightly complex, let alone hold a scalpel again.

Evelyn's vision blurred with tears.

She had never despised herself more than she did right now.

Her whole body shook with sobs.

"Mom, I'm sorry. This happened because of me. If I had known it would come to this, I never would have hurt the nerves in my hands just to save Carsten. I used to be the miracle doctor who saved so many people. But now, I can't even save you... I gave up the ability to save you because of that jerk. I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Nicola wrapped her arms around Evelyn and said, "Evie, don't say that. There has to be a solution for this..."

A solution?

What could she do?

Carsten had already shut every door.

Evelyn knew he wanted to push her to the edge, to break her spirit and force her to give in.

Just then, she lifted her head, her face covered with blood and tears.

Drops of blood and tears fell onto the floor.

She suddenly raised her hand and slapped herself again and again.

"I was so stupid before. I couldn't see the truth... Because of a man like that, I lost the power to save my own mother..."

Nicola quickly grabbed her wrist to stop her and shouted, "Evie, Stop! This isn't your fault!"

"It is..." Evelyn's eyes were empty. "It's all because of me..."

Nicola held her tightly. "Evie, your mom still needs you. There must be something we can do... Wait, I remember something!"

Her voice suddenly grew louder. "NS1209. The medicine your mom needs wasn't developed by the Ward Group!"

Evelyn's empty eyes shifted slightly. "What are you talking about?"

"The nerve repair drug they used on your mother, NS1209. I thought it came from the Ward Group's research department. But last month, I saw an internal transfer document. It stated that NS1209 was actually developed by DeepBlue Biotech under the Martin Group. If the Ward family won't give it to you, you can go to the Martin Group and find Elias Martin."

Elias Martin.

In the business world of Sreles, that name alone made people uneasy.

He was known as a ruthless man at the top of the corporate world. He was also the founder of DeepBlue Biotech.

"Where can I find him?" A faint light appeared in Evelyn's eyes.

"I don't know. He moves like a ghost. And he's dangerous. He publicly said that NS1209 will only be supplied to the Ward family's hospital and will never be sold anywhere else—"

"Laptop," Evelyn suddenly interjected.

"What?"

"Bring me a laptop."

Understanding her, Nicola quickly brought her one.

Evelyn drew in a slow breath and set her shaking hands over the keyboard.

Her fingers, smeared with blood, began flying over the keys with startling speed.

A black command box opened on the screen. Strings of intricate code soon flooded across the display.

The dim light from the monitor washed over the blood across her face.

Watching this, Nicola held her breath.

She had almost forgotten.

Evelyn was not only brilliant in medicine.

She had another identity.

Seven years ago, she had been the hacker called Eve, the one who made cybersecurity agencies around the world uneasy.

The sound of typing grew faster.

Sweat gathered along Evelyn's brow while the cut on her head kept bleeding.

The map on the monitor changed as she slipped through layer after layer of firewalls.

Then, she struck the last Enter key.

A surveillance video appeared.

A luxurious building stood beneath golden lights. High-end cars were parked outside. Elegant guests walked in and out of the lobby.

Bright neon letters spelled out a name across the front.

Nocturne, the most exclusive private club in the city.

Nicola drew in a sharp breath. "Last month, Elias' bodyguard shot three people there simply because they stood too close to him. That's his domain. Without an invitation, no one is allowed inside. Anyone who ever tried to force their way through the doors never came back out unscathed. And tonight..." Her voice shook. "Tonight is the time no one is allowed to disturb him. Every Wednesday, he shuts down the entire top floor of Nocturne. No outsiders are permitted there. No one knows what he does behind those doors. Anyone who interrupted him vanished."

Evelyn shut the laptop and rose to her feet.

She brushed the blood and tears from her face and looked at her mother, whose monitor showed her life slowly fading.

"Nicola, lend me some clothes." Evelyn spoke with an eerie calm. "I need to wash up first."

"Evie, are you really going there? Elias is—"

"If saving my mom means facing him." Evelyn cut her off, fierce resolve burning in her eyes. "I'll do it, no matter the cost."

The Paradise Suite at Nocturne stood silent under dim gold light.

Henry Wheeler had been reviewing company reports, when the door burst open.

A tall figure staggered inside.

Two bodyguards followed close behind, panicked, wanting to help but not daring to touch him.

The man's steps were unsteady. Heat flushed his face. His shirt collar had been torn open, exposing the sharp line of his collarbone.

Yet the red haze in his narrow eyes could not hide the cold indifference beneath.

This was the infamous tyrant of Sreles's business world.

Elias Martin, the head of the Martin Group.

Henry froze for half a second, then hurried forward and caught his arm. "Elias!"

Elias shoved him away and collapsed onto the couch. His voice sounded rough and strained. "All of you. Out."

Henry turned to the bodyguards. "What happened? He was fine before he left."

One guard answered in a low voice, "Mrs. Martin slipped him a specialized aphrodisiac this time. The doctor said there was no antidote. He either endured it or found a woman."

"Find a woman?" Henry's face darkened.

The guard nodded.

"I will arrange it." Henry turned toward the door.

"Stop."

Elias' voice cut through the room like ice.

He leaned back against the couch. His eyes burned red, yet his expression remained distant and regal, like a king who refused to bow. "It is Wednesday."

"Have you forgotten my rules?"

Henry stiffened.

Every Wednesday, the Paradise Suite remained completely sealed.

No one was ever allowed inside.

"But..."

"No buts." He closed his eyes. His voice stayed low but absolute. "Leave. Lock the door." "Without my order, no one comes in tonight."

Henry hesitated.

No one understood better than they did how ruthless his mother could be.

For years, she had treated tormenting him as entertainment.

If she had administered the drug, it would never be mild.

Even if he endured it, the damage could be severe.

"Sir, perhaps we should still..." Henry said.

His eyes snapped open. Desire burned within them, yet the chill beneath was sharper than steel.

"Henry. Do not make me repeat myself." "Out."

Henry swallowed his words and left with the guards.

"I will stay outside," he said quietly. "Call if you need me."

...

Outside Nocturne.

Evelyn looked up at the neon lights and drew a steady breath.

Her laptop hung from her shoulder. The thin evening dress clung to her in the wind. She slipped to the side of the building, found a blind spot, and opened the computer.

Her fingers moved fast across the keyboard.

"Access granted.

Security bypassed."

She shut the laptop, gathered her long hair into a loose knot, and stepped inside in her heels.

No one stopped her.

Her regal demeanor and striking beauty prevented anyone from approaching or questioning her, instead drawing several admiring glances.

An employee hesitated for a moment, intending to inquire, but Evelyn proceeded directly to the only golden elevator in Nocturne.

She swiped a card, and the elevator doors opened.

Expressionless, Evelyn entered.

Wow! Whispers broke out behind her.

"That's the elevator to Paradise Suite! I've heard only Nocturne's supreme VIPs can go up!"

"Who is this lady? I've never seen her at Nocturne before."

"You definitely haven't! If I'd seen such a beauty before, I wouldn't have forgotten!"

... At this moment, Evelyn reached the door of the suite on the top floor.

Before she could step closer, two guns lifted and aimed at her.

"Stop!"

Evelyn froze in place.

"Who are you?" the left bodyguard asked sternly.

"I urgently need to see Mr. Martin." Evelyn forced herself to remain calm. "Could you please let him know?"

"He does not receive visitors today. Leave immediately." The bodyguard said coldly, stepping forward.

Leaving?

That was impossible.

Her mother was waiting for NS1209 to survive.

She tried to push forward. "It is important. I must see him tonight."

"Important?" The guard sneered and grabbed for her shoulder. "Every woman who wants his bed says the same thing."

His rough hand closed in on her shoulder.

Compared to the bodyguard's tall and muscular build, Evelyn seemed so small and fragile, as if a single slap could end her.

Yet, his hand grasped only air.

She twisted past them like water and rushed to the door.

She pounded against it with all her strength.

"Mr. Martin! I need NS1209. Please! Please see me. If you agree to my request, I will do anything you ask. Elias, come out!"

The door remained shut.

The guards seized her arms and forced her to the floor.

Pain shot through her shoulders.

Her injured hands could not fight back.

Her cheek pressed into the carpet.

Humiliation burned through her, but despair burned hotter.

Mom! This was her mother's only hope for survival.

Was she just going to watch her mother die?

Evelyn's tears flowed freely as she muttered, "Please, let me see Elias, please..."

The bodyguard dragged her like a rag doll toward the exit, pulling out his phone to call for Nocturne's security.

But just then, a deep voice sounded from behind. "Wait!"

Evelyn lifted her head, her eyes suddenly lighting up.

She recognized this man from photos.

He was Elias's personal assistant—Henry.

Henry stepped forward, looking down at Evelyn, who was restrained by the bodyguards.

Evelyn was in a sorry state, her elbow scraped and bleeding slightly.

The wound on her forehead had long since reopened. Blood trickled down, mingling with her tears, making her look especially disheveled.

But those eyes...

Henry's heart skipped a beat.

In the deepest drawer of Elias' study, a photograph had been locked away for years.

It showed a woman in a lab coat and mask, only her eyes visible.

The resemblance struck him.

If it was this woman...

Perhaps she was the only cure.

"My name is Evelyn Curtis," she said hoarsely. "My mother needs NS1209 to live. Please let me see Mr. Martin."

"NS1209?" Henry considered this. "The formula exclusively supplied by DeepBlue Biotech to the Ward family?"

"Yes!"

"No one defies Mr. Martin decisions. If he said it only goes to the Ward family, then it only goes to them." Henry frowned.

The thought of Carsten's cruelty made Evelyn tremble with anger.

"The Ward family cut off my mother's supply. Without it, she will not survive tonight. Please, let me see Mr. Martin! Just give me the NS1209, and I'll be willing to serve him in any way!"

Evelyn bit her lip and said, "Believe me, this deal won't be a loss for the Martin family. I will be very valuable!"

Henry focused only on her eyes. Those eyes that bore such a striking resemblance to the woman in the photo.

"You just said..." he began slowly. "You're willing to do anything?"

Evelyn did not hesitate to answer, "Yes!"

"Even if it means to sell yourself?"

Evelyn was stunned by that.

It took her a long moment before she asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Henry spoke in an even tone. "My boss has been drugged and needs someone to satisfy his desire. I want you to find a way to let him accept you as his cure. If you can do that, I'll have NS1209 sent to your mother's hospital right away. I can authorize a few days' worth of the medication. After that, whether my boss will continue to provide NS1209 depends on you."

He looked down at her trembling body and calmly asked, "Miss Curtis, are you willing to accept this deal?"

Evelyn trembled all over, biting her lip until she tasted blood.

She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath.

When she opened them again, the fear and shame in them were gone. Only resolve was left.

Then, she heard herself say, "Yes."