Trapped Between Guilt and Ghosts

Adrian Carter eventually backed down, guilt clear in his averted gaze. He held Evelyn's hand tightly.

"Evelyn, maybe you don't understand," he whispered, his voice low and anxious. "I have to protect you. Renee's father is the director of our hospital. Given your current situation, if you want to keep working there, we can't afford to offend them."

Evelyn glanced down at their joined hands and forcefully pulled hers free.

"I know it's hard to accept the change, but Evelyn, you're back now. We need to keep moving forward," Adrian urged. "I promise you, once we have enough strength, once we're strong enough to fight back, I'll make things right. I won't let you stay by my side without a name or a title forever."

Evelyn stayed silent.

Taking her silence as agreement, Adrian pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I knew you'd understand. In this world, we're all forced to make compromises. Without connections or influence, we can't protect anything with just our abilities."

Evelyn remained still, her mind racing. The man in front of her felt unfamiliar, so different from the Adrian she once knew. He seemed cold and frightening.

It had only been five years, yet everything had changed.

"Rest well," Adrian whispered. "You're safe now. You're home."

He leaned down to kiss her, but Evelyn instinctively turned away.

Adrian froze. He didn't explain. There wasn't enough time. He left quickly, eager to calm both sides.

Once the door closed, silence filled the room. It was unnerving.

Evelyn had forgotten what silence felt like. In the Middle East, she never slept soundly. The air was always filled with gunshots, screams, and the smell of blood and despair.

She had seen too much violence, cruelty, and death. War zones with no end.

Whenever she closed her eyes, those memories surged back.

"She looks good. Take her. Boss will like this one."

That was the first night she was kidnapped—pulled into a tent by armed men.

She had given up hope until her colleague burst in, fists flying, knocking the man off her. He grabbed her hand and they ran, knowing well they wouldn't make it out.

"Evelyn, we have to survive. Adrian's waiting for you."

"Run, Evelyn!"

Bang! A shot rang out. The bullet grazed Evelyn's ear and struck her colleague right in the forehead.

She could still hear the screams of her team, the cries of their mentors.

That was the day she lost her voice.

Lucas. The man who died saving her—his name was Lucas.

He never got to say it out loud, but she knew now what he wanted to tell her: "Evelyn, I liked you too."

"Evelyn, have you ever thought that maybe Adrian isn't as good as you think he is?" Lucas once asked her during their mission.

At that time, Evelyn had just fallen in love with Adrian. She laughed. "Everyone has flaws. I can accept all of his."

Lucas had looked away, avoiding her gaze. "If Adrian did something that hurt you, would you forgive him?"

She stared at him, surprised. "What are you trying to say?"

"I didn't want to tell you, but Evelyn, I don't want you to be in the dark. That night, when we all started at Haiyi Hospital, Adrian didn't go home. He…"

Boom! He never got to finish. Their car was hit hard, flipping through the desert as bullets and bombs exploded around them.

Then came the deafening silence, the dizziness.

When Evelyn came to, their entire medical team had been taken hostage by Lucas, a merciless warlord.

Now.

Evelyn stood beneath the shower, letting the hot water wash over her again and again.

She hugged herself tightly and slowly sank to the floor, trying to stop the memories from flooding back.

Tears streamed silently, mixing with the water. But the pain never left.

The faces, the voices, the blood—they all haunted her.

And suddenly, Lucas's words returned with harsh clarity.

Adrian and Renee. That's what Lucas had been trying to say.

No wonder Renee's child was already five years old.

She had gotten pregnant before Evelyn even left the country, before the accident, before the trauma.

Right after their wedding certificate.

Evelyn remembered it clearly—how Adrian had run across the city in traffic just to propose on time. She once thought he was the most genuine man she'd ever known.

But he had already betrayed her.

The pain was unbearable.

Worse than any physical wound.

She slammed her head against the cold tile wall again and again, wishing she had died out there.

Click.

A faint noise cut through the sound of the water.

The sorrow vanished, replaced by fear.

Evelyn shut off the water, shaking as she wrapped the towel around herself and crept toward the door.

No one was there.

She let out a breath of relief.

"You left your hotel door unlocked, Evelyn. That's a little careless."

The voice behind her made her blood run cold.

She froze.

That voice, deep and familiar, was terrifying.

She turned too quickly, slipping on the wet floor, nearly falling.

But strong arms caught her.

Liam Hart frowned as he pulled her into his arms.