"Hahaha, she’s dead! You all deserve to die! All of you!"

The middle-aged woman stared down maniacally at Wren Wynter, who was collapsed on the floor.

Blood pooled beneath her, spreading like a blooming red rose. The sight was horrifying.

"Someone! Help!" Mason Shaw shouted, his face pale and his expression more panicked than ever before.

The surrounding patients crowded around, instantly blocking the area completely.

Hearing Mason Shaw’s shouts, medical staff emerging from an operating room quickly brought over a gurney and rushed Wren Wynter into surgery.

The middle-aged woman remained standing in place, her hands stained with blood, laughing like a madwoman and muttering nonstop.

’Why save him? Why save him...’

The police arrived, drawn by the commotion. Seeing the shocking pool of blood on the floor and the woman’s hands, they immediately understood the situation. They moved forward, cuffed her hands, and took her away.

News of Wren Wynter’s attack spread rapidly throughout the hospital.

The hospital director broke out in a cold sweat.

’She’s Elder Hawthorne’s student. If something happens to her in our hospital...’

’How will I ever explain this to Elder Hawthorne?’

"Director, Dr. Shaw says that Dr. Wynter is hemorrhaging badly and is in urgent need of Type A blood. Our blood bank doesn’t have enough in stock. Should we request assistance from other hospitals?"

"Then what are you waiting for? Go ask! Use any means necessary! We must do everything in our power to save Dr. Wynter!"

"Yes, sir!"

「Meanwhile, at the Xavier Group.」

Kaden Xavier was in his office, handling paperwork.

Assistant Lynch burst in, frantic and out of breath. "Mr... Mr. Xavier, it’s terrible!"

"What is it?" Kaden Xavier frowned, feeling an indescribable ache in his heart, as if it were a premonition.

"Mrs. Xavi— I mean, Miss Wynter is in trouble! She’s in the emergency room, they’re trying to save her!"

CLATTER—

The pen fell from Kaden Xavier’s hand.

"What did you say?"

"She was stabbed. It’s already trending online."

Kaden Xavier’s mind went blank. Panic, shock, and disbelief swirled in his eyes.

He scrambled to his feet but nearly collapsed. Fortunately, Assistant Lynch had quick reflexes and caught him before he could fall.

Then, all semblance of calm and reason gone, Kaden Xavier bolted from the office.

He was so fast that Assistant Lynch only felt a gust of wind rush past him.

Kaden’s hands were shaking so badly he could barely grip the steering wheel.

’She was just with me yesterday.’ 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

’How is this possible?’

Kaden Xavier floored the gas pedal.

He covered the thirty-minute drive in a mere fifteen.

When he arrived, Wren Wynter was still in surgery.

Hearing that there wasn’t enough blood, he quickly made a call.

"Type A blood, I need it now! I don’t care what you have to do, get it here immediately!"

Kaden Xavier finished roaring into the phone, his throat aching as if it had been scraped with sandpaper.

The voice on the other end replied, "Mr. Xavier, the blood bank just confirmed. The city’s supply of Type A is critically low. The fastest we can get it is in an hour..."

"An hour?" A vein throbbed on Kaden Xavier’s temple. His face darkened as he commanded in a tone that allowed no argument, "Source it from the next city over. I’m giving you full authorization. Use the emergency access channels and have it delivered by helicopter!"

"Yes, sir."

After hanging up, Kaden stared at the red light of the operating room, his fingers unconsciously clenching into fists.

’I can’t imagine what would happen to me if Wren is gone too!’

In that moment, he realized it no longer mattered whether Wren Wynter was with him or not. The only thing that mattered was that she was okay.

The hospital director and the others stood cautiously to the side, not daring to utter a word.

Half an hour.

The blood arrived.

Kaden Xavier only left reluctantly after receiving a call, once he was sure Wren was out of danger.

As a result, Wren Wynter never knew he had been there.

...

Wren Wynter felt like she was having a very long dream.

In the dream were her mom and dad, her teacher, her grandmother, her seniors from her apprenticeship, and Kaden Xavier...

A sharp pain lanced through Wren Wynter’s heart as memories of her three-year marriage flashed through her mind.

Seraphina Sutton’s aggrieved face, Kaden Xavier’s cold rebukes, and her own helplessness...

"No!"

Wren Wynter’s eyes shot open. She sat up abruptly in bed, and the first thing she saw was Shaun Quinn’s worried face.

"Wren, are you okay?"

"Shaun..." Her voice was incredibly hoarse.

A tearing pain ripped through her chest, and Wren Wynter’s delicate brows furrowed as she clutched her wound.

"Don’t move, lie back down."

Shaun Quinn helped Wren lie back down, then took a glass of warm water from the bedside table and carefully helped her drink, bit by bit.

"Shaun, how long was I asleep?"

"You were unconscious for two days. Your breathing and heart rate were unstable the whole time. Your condition only stabilized this morning. Our teacher and your other seniors just left a little while ago. As for... that guy, he hasn’t been here once."

Shaun Quinn paused, his expression turning serious. "Also, the woman who attacked you has been detained by the police. What do you want to do about her?"

His reminder brought back the memory of how she had been injured.

Her lips pressed into a thin line. After a long moment, she slowly said, "Let her go."

"You’re just going to let go of the person who tried to kill you?"

"She’s a pitiful person, too. She was on the verge of a mental breakdown. It’s understandable that she’d do something irrational."

"Fine, do what you want." Shaun Quinn’s voice grew colder.

He couldn’t understand why Wren would be willing to forgive a would-be murderer who had nearly killed her.

Wren Wynter sensed the shift in Shaun’s mood. She turned her head and forced a smile onto her pale face.

"Shaun, are you angry?"

"What do I have to be angry about? You’re the one who got hurt, not me."

He stood up in a huff and started walking out of the room.

"Where are you going?"

Wren Wynter called out to him, but he didn’t stop. He just said coolly, "I’m going to get a doctor to check on you."

He’d completely forgotten that he was a doctor himself.

Wren Wynter sighed helplessly.

She knew Shaun well enough to know he didn’t mean what he said, so she didn’t take it to heart.

Lying in bed, Wren Wynter drifted off to sleep again before she knew it.

When she next woke up, it was already evening.

Shaun Quinn didn’t seem to be in the hospital room.

Just then, a bouquet made entirely of candy appeared in the doorway, and Zane Langley peeked out from behind it.

"Ms. Wynter, I’ve been looking all over for you." Zane Langley placed the candy bouquet on Wren’s bedside table. "I know you have a pollen allergy, so I specifically got you candy instead. I hope you get well soon."

"How did you know I have a pollen allergy?" Wren Wynter asked, surprised.

She had never mentioned it to Zane Langley.

Zane Langley smiled, crossing his arms proudly as he sat on the edge of her bed. He tilted his chin up. "Isn’t it obvious? You just have to pay attention. When you come to school, you always deliberately avoid the paths with flowers, even if it means taking a longer route."

"And that one time a student gave you flowers, you instinctively took two steps back. But you don’t seem to dislike flowers, so I figured you must have a pollen allergy."

He shrugged. "I can’t believe I actually guessed right."

Wren Wynter smiled, but her heart felt bitter.

’See? Even a student like Zane Langley could figure out she had a pollen allergy, but Kaden Xavier, her husband of three years, never knew.’

"Thank you for your kindness."

"Don’t mention it, Ms. Wynter. The principal said you might not be able to continue as our substitute teacher for a while. It’s a real shame. I really like your classes."

"Well, maybe I’ll get the chance to be your teacher again someday," Wren Wynter said to Zane, half-joking.

But to her surprise, Zane Langley grabbed her raised hand, his handsome, sunny face filled with sincerity.

"Then it’s a promise. Next semester, you’ll come back and be my substitute teacher."

Zane Langley’s earnestness made Wren Wynter feel a little flustered.

She couldn’t say for sure if she’d be able to go back to teaching. She was only there as a temporary substitute for her own teacher, Julian Hawthorne.

"Zane, I..."