Chapter 416: Chapter 416

Alighting from the car that morning in front of the hospital, Aliya had no qualms or guilt about not visiting the police station following Evan’s call that night. One could even assume that she had conveniently ’forgotten’ about this.

Aliya walked briskly through the welcoming doors and up the elevators to the VIP floor. At the reception, she took off her shades and smiled brightly at the nurse receptionist,

"Which room is Ian Thornston in?"

Aliya held the nurse’s gaze and the other woman found herself in a daze,

"Thank you, sweetheart," Aliya said in response and turned briskly towards the direction that she had been pointed in.

As she walked on, she could hear another nurse question the one that had given out the information,

"Why did you give out that information? She is not even family! DO you want to get into trouble?!"

"I – I did? I don’t know why?" The nurse rubbed her head as if she had woken up from some dream of a sort.

"hurry up! Let’s make sure that she doesn’t cause any trouble...."

"Doesn’t she look like the woman who is supposed to be Chairman Thronston’s first wife? The one who came back from the dead?"

"Come to think of it.... That’s true! OMG! Anyway, I don’t want to be a part of this family drama.... I am only here to do my work!"

Aliya smiled, not even missing a stride as she walked out of earshot of the two, rounding the corner to see Alex, Geneva and that maid.

She stopped, listening to all their conversation and then stepped in when she thought that she had an opening, "You don’t have to bother. I’ll take care of My Ian..."

Aliya couldn’t care less what they were talking about, or their thoughts, and that was why she left them and entered Ian’s room, closing the door behind her definitely.

Geneva and the rest only lingered a few minutes and then they left. The old couple leaned against each other as if sharing their reserved strengths. Suzie walked behind them closely and was ready to step in if needed. She was the only one who heard the two nurses at the reception station saying,

"See, I told you!" One nurse whispered when they saw them walk by,

"That woman is really family! Why would the old couple, known to be that strict, leave the Chairman in that woman’s hands? It’s good that we were not a barrier!"

Suzie’s face never showed that she had heard what they had said, but that statement made her think of this Aliya person. This wasn’t just her though.

’I must find out what is going on. I need to talk to Currey....’

However, this harmless observation by these two nurses went on to fuel the ongoing rumours.

In the room, Aliya continued to caress Ian’s hand while she took in his features.

"You know, my dear, this beard does not suit you at all. Did she tell you to have that on?"

Aliya asked, leaning close to Ian so that her warm breath fanned his face but there was no reaction.

"Not to worry, I’ll take care of it for you when I come next time. I’ll make you look as clean as possible. The Ian in my heart is the best. You have to stay that way... Why did you have to change this much?"

Aliya asked, sighing,

"I’ll stay by you forever. I am not like her. I will never abandon you."

She got up from her seat and then walked to a sofa in one corner of the room and sat on it, dropping her small purse by her side. Aliya crossed her legs on her thighs and relaxed in the chair.

She did not see Ian’s lids flicker as if his eyeballs were moving under the closed lids, but the heart monitors attached to him spiked for a brief second, making Aliya smile.

"So, you can hear me? Hahahaha...."

Aliya smiled widely... that cold eerie smile.

"That’s even better, My Prince. I’ve been meaning to have a chat with you but you never gave me the time of day. Why did you have to force me, dear... WHY?!!!"

"I’m sorry. I’m really sorry that I raised my voice at you." She got up from the seat once again and started pacing the room; a slow, enticing and lazy walk, up and down.

Are you worried that she abandoned you? Oh, my dear... I’m so sorry..." Aliya’s voice dripped with mock sympathy as she placed a hand delicately on the edge of the bed, after arriving by his side yet again. "Actually... I’m not sorry at all! But that’s beside the point, isn’t it?" Her lips curled into a smile that was anything but kind as she leaned closer to the unconscious Ian.

"I’m happy she left you. Abandoned you like last year’s trash, totally forgotten and stinking! That’s what everyone’s talking about, you know. The great wife of the almighty you—gone, just like that! It’s so deliciously scandalous that I just must share it with you. It’s only fair, don’t you think? I will always be your Aliya and will never skimp on anything good for you, my Prince...."

She chuckled, her eyes narrowing as if savouring every word. "They’re calling her all sorts of delightful names. A cheater. A homewrecker. A runaway wife with no shame. Wait... she is not even your wife, remember?

Your marriage is invalid!... Wait, I am going off track.... Do you know the best part?" Aliya lowered her voice as if letting Ian in on a tantalizing secret. "She didn’t just leave you; oh no. She ran off with her lover—her assistant, of all people.

Can you believe that? The man you trusted... probably more than her. I would never know because he was never my assistant.... My Ian and Prince, you should have known better than to have placed a male as her assistant... A Fae? Did you think that, it would have stopped me? heheheheehehehe..."

Aliya’s fingers brushed lightly over the hospital bed rail, her tone turning even more venomous. "Anyway... but wait, it gets even better. Rumour has it she didn’t just stop with one man. No, no. There was another one smuggled into her car, they say. Two lovers in one night—what a masterpiece she’s created, don’t you think?"

Aliya straightened, muttering to herself, "With those looks that she stole... I am sure that she would be good in bed too!"

She paused, tilting her head as if waiting for a reaction, even though she knew none would come.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen. People are eating this up. Your wife... or should I say ex-wife now? ... naaa... it should be girlfriend or side-chick. She’s the star of her own sordid drama, and you? Well, you’re just the poor fool lying here, powerless and forgotten."

Aliya straightened, smoothing the faux wrinkles on her blouse. Her smile widened as she added, "I’m sure you’ll wake up eventually and piece it all together. Or maybe not. But for now, I’m happy to be the bearer of such... interesting news. Sweet dreams, dear."

She turned to leave but then said,

Aliya turned back to Ian, "You don’t have to cry... my dear! I didn’t know that it would take so little to trigger you. You must love her that much! Well... you are mine now... so..."

’That makes me a little sad to see tears on you, My Prince....’

She leaned over Ian, her eyes soft and filled with a deceptive tenderness. Her hand reached out, brushing lightly against his pale forehead as if in a gesture of care. Then, with a subtle flick of her fingers, a motion so small it was almost imperceptible, she completed an action meant for unknown purposes.

A nurse reached for the door and stopped as she glanced into the room through the small window in the door. She had come in to check on Ian because of the spike in heart rate. She paused for a moment, her lips curving into a warm smile.

"She’s so caring," the nurse thought, admiring Aliya’s devotion.

But the nurse’s eyes could not pierce the veil of what was truly going on at that time.

As Aliya leaned closer, the air in the room seemed to shift, heavy and unnatural. From the unconscious Ian, a dark, smoke-like essence began to coil upward, winding its way toward her. Even his tears seemed to have a life of its own and joined those tendrils. The tendrils of shadow hovered momentarily, almost hesitating, before they surged forward.

Aliya’s lips parted slightly as though whispering a prayer or taking a quiet breath. But instead of drawing in air, she inhaled the smoky essence, which disappeared into her mouth like water down a drain.

For a moment, the corners of her lips quirked upward in the faintest trace of a smirk—so brief it was gone before it fully formed. Her eyes glimmered with something far removed from the warmth the nurse had seen.

The nurse, oblivious, moved on, no the wiser to the exchange that had just occurred, thinking, ’He is okay. There’s no need to check on him.’

Inside the room, Aliya straightened, her demeanour calm and composed. She brushed her fingers lightly over his hand, as though sealing the transaction, and whispered softly, "Rest well, my dear... You’ve given me just what I needed."

Aliya stepped back, smoothing her expression to one of serene care. To the outside world, she remained the picture of a devoted woman. But within her, the darkness she had consumed began to stir, strengthening her in ways no one could imagine.

’That was so fast! I never knew that I would reap such benefits here, today....’

Then she said to Ian,

"That bitch inserted herself into our relationship, and she had to pay the price; you won’t blame me for that, would you?

Don’t worry... she is exactly where she is supposed to be...."

"Why did you have to go get another woman and mess up my plans, My Prince?" She asked softly.

"You can only belong to me, and no one else!"

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