“Put more guards on her. Don’t let her escape. And call for additional backup.”

She was still unaware of how badly Vincent was hurt. With Sophia now secured, her next priority was to check on him.

Samuel scanned the area, realizing Vincent was missing. He quickly understood the gravity of the situation and responded,

“Understood!”

At that very moment, Vincent appeared at the entrance, his clothes in disarray, but he didn’t look defeated in the slightest.

“I’m okay. Let’s head out together.”

Upon hearing his voice, Katelyn quickly turned toward Vincent. Seeing that he was able to stand, she gave a nod and said,

“Alright.”

She rushed to his side to support him.

Once they were all in the car, Katelyn said to Vincent,

“Remove your shirt. I need to see your injuries.”

Vincent understood Katelyn’s concern. Without hesitation, he took off his shirt while Katelyn fetched the first-aid kit from the car’s storage compartment.

As she examined his back, her heart dropped. His wide back was scarred by slashes and deep cuts from bomb fragments, with the most severe wound exposing the bone.

A wave of pain clenched Katelyn’s chest. Struggling to keep her composure, she began meticulously cleaning the shrapnel from Vincent’s wounds.

This was not the first time Vincent had endangered his life to save her. Occasionally, Katelyn found herself questioning—did she really deserve him to risk everything for her?

Katelyn looked at Vincent and said,

“Don’t take such risks next time. I could have made it out on my own without your protection.”

She may have been injured as well, but that pain was easier to endure than seeing Vincent suffering.

? ’? ν．

Vincent’s body tensed. He looked at her intently and said in a firm voice,

“You’re the one I care about. I must protect you.”

His face was serious, and his words came out with absolute certainty.

Katelyn was taken aback. A wave of warmth washed over her, and she responded softly,

“Alright, turn around. I’ll take care of the wounds.”

She had once thought Vincent was emotionally distant. But after spending time with him, she understood that his love was deep and powerful, like a volcano hidden beneath the ice—both intense and forceful.

Vincent placed his hand on Katelyn’s leg, squeezing it reassuringly.

“Don’t be scared.”

His simple words brought tears to her eyes. Katelyn nodded and answered,

“Alright.”

Still, she couldn’t shake the tightness in her throat.

Vincent turned his back to her, and Katelyn held back her emotions as she began to treat his injuries.

Extracting the shrapnel was painful, but Vincent showed no signs of discomfort. He remained steady, as though unaware of the pain.

In that instant, Vincent’s voice broke through.

“Get the team in position. The T Organization will continue their attempts.”

In Granville, Sophia had acted freely—let alone in Yata, the stronghold of the T Organization.

Katelyn gave a knowing nod.

“I’ve already instructed Samuel to handle it. We’ve increased our personnel along the route.”

Taking Sophia back to the hotel was out of the question. Instead, they headed directly to another of Vincent’s properties in Yata. For the moment, that was their only option.

As for dealing with the T Organization, Katelyn needed to understand the full extent of the situation.

However, suddenly, the car screeched to a stop, jolting everyone inside. A wave of unease settled in Katelyn’s chest, and she quickly turned her gaze toward the window.

In the darkness, she noticed almost twenty cars gathered nearby, creating a tight cluster. Both Katelyn and Vincent’s expressions turned stern.

Vincent shouted, “Arm yourselves!”

His crew wasted no time, grabbing their weapons and dashing out.

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