Chapter 179

[Third-Person’s POV]

Fiona felt frantic. Her nerves were growing more and more strained and coiled by the second.

No. No, surely, Caroline had to be wrong in her assumption that she would be so clumsy and foolish as to leave something so vital behind.

That night has been a manic blur from start to end. She almost hadn’t agreed to take the trip out to the Silverswood Estate. When Isabella had initially reached out to her with the proposition to ensure her that all her hatred and resentfulness toward Evelyn could be absolved—it sounded too good to be true.

But, having heard that Isabella managed to subdue Evelyn, Fiona’s deeply intrigued. To think, she’d finally have a chance to get back at the person who turned her life into a living hell. To finally take the opportunity to unleash all the pent-up rage she’d been storing up.

How could she possibly pass up a chance like that?

Without giving it much further thought, she grabbed her medical bag and raced over to the house. Given that her profession wasn’t always the cleanest, she was no stranger to blood. While Isabella was letting out her own anger on Evelyn, Fiona had reached into her medical bag to pull out a unique blade she’d obtained during one of her out-of-state conferences.

She never had the opportunity to use it so that extra thrill of getting to work with a new tool only added to the satisfaction.

But Fiona couldn’t imagine that she had somehow left that blade behind...

She raced back to her rooms and frantically searched all throughout her medical bag. But couldn’t find the blade. Her heart sank further into her stomach. Her vision became tunneled.

“No...”

A low feminine voice spoke from the doorway. Caroline pursed her lips and rolled her brow.

“What’s the matter?” she asked tauntingly. “Misplace something?”

Fiona whirled around with a mean snarl. “This isn't funny! I must have accidentally left that blad behind when the group of us were trying to escape.”

“Well, I certainly hope you’re thinking of a plan,” Caroline noted. “As far as I’m aware, Evelyn and Alexander know about the blade. The moment they decide to put out a warrant for your arrest, you’re heading straight to prison. Unless...”

Fiona perked up. “Unless what?”

“Unless you somehow find a way to get that blade back into your possession before the warrant is released.”

It did seem like the only ideal thing to do; however, how the hell was she supposed to get back within the walls of Kingston Hall?

There was no doubt in her mind that Alexander had already tested the blade for fingerprints. Even if she tried to reach out and contact him under some false guise, the Alpha would most likely tear her to pieces.

“I’ll think of something,” she said. “I have to get that blade back.”

[Evlyn’s POV]

I wish I could say that things had gotten quiet since Alexander was summoned to court. Unfortunately, Alexander had once again captured the public’s interest and everyone was begging to hear the full story behind his deception.

It would seem that a few journalists caught wind of Alexander’s summons and wanted to find out more details about the particular nature of the meeting. Naturally, they snapped several pictures of the two of us coming and leaving the palace.

The confusion and shock it had knowingly caused was almost enough to make my lips curl in amusement. Of course, Alexander wasn’t the only person the public was actively seeking a story from. We’ve already received a handful of requests from local news networks, wanting to know why on earth I was the one living behind his old mask.

“You have my explicit permission to write down your statement that I won’t be giving any interviews until the issue has been properly dealt with,” I told Alexander.

The King, to no one’s surprise, took the chance to release a statement to the public expressing his shock and hurt feelings. Alexander found it amusing that the man was trying to act as a victim, having been knowingly fooled by his act.

Oliver had specifically expressed the importance of releasing a follow-up statement that could not only save face but rebuke anything the King had to say in regard to Alexander’s character.

While Alexander was busy working on his newest press release, I had taken up my time in the greenhouse. I’d successfully harvested the first round of ingredients for the serum and was ready to begin the first trial.

I kept my promise to Alexander and stopped wearing the mask around the house. It was a little difficult at first since I hadn’t initially given anyone a genuine chance to see me without the mask to begin with. I stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom and gently applied the cooling solution over the scarred tissue.

I was glad to feel the cooling effect almost immediately. I closed my eyes and let the tingling sensation work over my skin.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Yes?”

“Evelyn? Would you care to join Wendy and me for tea in her rooms this afternoon?” Nina asked.

“Oh, um...Sure. Why not?”

The woman’s expression lit up. “Wonderful! Are you busy now? I was just about to head over myself.”

I shook my head and kindly took the woman’s lead.

Wendy was more than surprised to see me following closely behind Nina when we entered her rooms. She tossed whatever article she’d been reading to the side and practically jumped out of her chair.

“Oh, my dear! I’m so happy you’ve decided to join us for tea. It feels like forever since you last did.”

A wave of bashfulness washed over me. “I know. I’m sorry. So much has been going on lately. As you can see, I’ve just recently gotten over my inability to accept my scars. Alexander has made it perfectly clear that he doesn’t care about them and I’ve just started developing a serum that could help heal them.”

Both Wendy and Nina were astounded by the news. I was touched that either one of them was interested in knowing the properties I was working with.

The conversation easily shifted to what occurred when Alexander and I were at the palace. When I had told them about Caroline’s presence, Wendy merely scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“Of course, that pain in the ass was there. If I had to guess, I’d say that she was the King’s inside contact that could link him to Alexander.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case either,” I commented. “I just wonder if I made the mistake of confronting Caroline the way that I did.”

The more I thought about the whole situation, I began to seriously wonder if I had gone ahead and made things worse by letting someone like Caroline know that I was fully aware of Fiona’s involvement as well as possessing the means to apprehend her.

Wendy gave me a wary look. “Unfortunately, it has given Caroline the opportunity to act. Even though she had no direct part in your attack—chances are that she could still very well be in contact with Fiona.”

I sank back into my chair.

The older woman reached across the small table to gently lay her hand over my arm.

“I heard that some of the soldiers have approached you with the offer of wanting to train you,” she stated. “I truly think that you ought to take them up on their offer. I can’t say whether or not Fiona or Caroline are going to try and retaliate. Until either Isabella or Fiona is convicted, you are still in possible danger.”

Bearing that in mind, any hesitation I held over the idea had crumbled.

“Well, it looks like I’m going to begin training,” I breathed.