In the next instant, a tremendous force shoved her aside.
Elena Carter slammed into the wall, her head spinning from the impact.
But Adrian Shaw didn’t even glance at her—his face was full of tension as he checked Vivian Cole’s condition. “Are you okay? Don’t worry, I’ll get a doctor right away.”
Vivian’s forehead wound looked fierce, but in reality it was just a shallow cut. Once the blood was wiped away, it was hardly serious at all.
“Adrian…”
Vivian clung to his chest, panic written across her face. “I didn’t mean anything else. I only wanted to explain to Elena about the misunderstanding back then, but I never thought she would suddenly lash out.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks, leaving her looking pitiful and wronged.
Adrian turned back and glared at Elena. “You’re a doctor. Instead of doing your job, you came here to bully a patient? Elena Carter, when did you become so vicious?”
He didn’t hesitate, didn’t question—he simply assumed Elena was in the wrong.
In that moment, self-mockery welled up in her chest. How blind had she been, not to see that Adrian never had her in his heart?
“Apologize to Vivian,” Adrian ordered.
Apologize?
To her?
Elena forced back the tears that burned in her eyes, staring directly at Vivian. “A misunderstanding? Which one? Was it the time you deliberately climbed into Lucas Bennett’s bed? Or was it when you stole my mother’s—”
The word heart had barely left her lips when Adrian’s hand cracked across her face.
The blow was merciless, making Elena’s head buzz as if struck by lightning.
She clutched her cheek and slowly turned her gaze on Adrian, her expression falling into utter silence.
“Elena…”
Adrian’s expression shifted. He glanced at his hand, suddenly unsure, and stepped toward her. “Did I… did I hurt you? I’m sorry, I lost my temper.”
He reached out to touch her face, but she slapped his hand away.
Vivian, feigning panic, spoke up quickly: “Adrian, how could you hit Elena? I’ve already troubled you enough—if I end up ruining your marriage too, I might as well be dead.”
Tears spilled from her eyes.
“Don’t say things like that.” Adrian pulled her close, soothing her, then looked at Elena with stern authority. “Apologize. I’m doing this for your own good. Otherwise people will say you abuse your position, and then how will you continue as a doctor?”
Elena let out a cold laugh. “For my good? Twisting truth into lies is for my good? Striking me across the face while I’m sick is for my good? Protecting another woman right in front of me is for my good? That kind of good, I can’t afford.”
She threw the words down and walked straight out.
Behind her, Vivian’s gaze darkened.
What did Elena mean by those words? Could it be—she knew about the heart back then?
Vivian bit her lip, her fists tightening in the shadows.
Outside Memorial Hospital, Elena tried to hail a cab, but suddenly a shadow fell across her. A sharp pain struck her neck, and everything went black.
When she woke again, the world was pitch dark and the space unbearably cramped. Curled up, with pain pounding at the back of her skull, she realized she was in real danger.
Her instincts screamed. Groping in her pocket, she managed to dial her emergency contact. The ringing in her ear was deafening in the silence. Her heart pounded, terrified her captors would notice.
Finally, the line connected. Adrian’s voice came through: “Hello?”
Despite all the hatred she felt toward him, hearing his voice brought a fleeting sense of safety. Her own came out broken, tinged with sobs: “Adrian, I’ve been kidnapped. Please, help me.”
“What?” His voice tightened instantly. “Where are you?”
“I don’t know… I think I’m in the trunk of a car, I—”
“Elena, this isn’t funny,” Adrian cut her off.
Before she could respond, Vivian’s voice chimed in from his side: “If you really were kidnapped, how would you even have the chance to make a call? You’re just upset about earlier—there’s no need to scare us like this.”
“No, that’s not—” Elena’s voice trembled with desperation.
But Adrian silenced her sharply. “Enough. If you’ve got the strength to call me, then you’ve got the strength to get yourself out.”
The line went dead.
At that very moment, the trunk popped open. A man yanked her out roughly and reached for her bag. “Where’s the organ donation contract?”
Her heart sank. So her suspicions were true. Rolling onto her stomach, she pressed her bag beneath her.
This was her last piece of evidence—she couldn’t lose it.
“Bitch!” The man snarled and kicked her savagely in the back.
Pain exploded, blood filled her mouth. She curled up in agony, but the bag was still torn easily from her grasp.
“G-give it back…”
She reached for it instinctively. In the struggle, her blouse tore open at the chest, revealing pale skin. The man’s gaze shifted, turning lecherous.
