Katelyn turned her head sharply and found Vincent’s eyes on her, having just opened them.

“You’re awake!” she exclaimed.

Vincent’s eyelids grew heavy again as he let go of her wrist.

Exhaustion weighed on him like a boulder, draining every ounce of strength from his body.

Even with Katelyn by his side, speaking felt impossible. Katelyn’s gaze remained fixed on him. A glimmer of relief crossed her face. N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on find?novel.net

“Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere? I can call the doctor if you are.”

“No need.” Vincent spoke in a hoarse whisper as he shook his head.

He continued staring at the ceiling. His mind was clouded with the haunting memories of the octagonal cage. The terror clung to him, leaving him hollow.

“How long was I out? Did anything happen last night?”

Katelyn hesitated for a moment. She was unsure of how to comfort Vincent after seeing his state.

She had never seen him so frantic, and the fear he had shown earlier left her shaken.

Without the sedative, he could have completely spiraled out of control.

“It’s nothing serious. You had a nightmare. I’ll call someone to check on you, but you should rest and try not to think about it.”

Katelyn tucked the blanket around him carefully, making sure he was comfortable before heading out to find a nurse.

Vincent watched her leave and thought back to the nightmare. Amid the terror, he recalled someone calling his name over and over.

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The voice told him that it was all just a dream, and that he could push through it. That voice was Katelyn’s.

Vincent closed his eyes again, feeling the weight of exhaustion from years of hardship.

His body longed for the rest it had been denied for so long.

Soon after, doctors and nurses came in to perform another round of examinations.

The attending physician beamed with excitement. “Mr. Adams, you’re in great shape, both physically and mentally. You won’t develop resistance to the medication. Now, all that’s left is for the wounds to heal.” It was indeed positive news.

Vincent gave the doctor a small nod. “Thank you, doctor.”

The doctor shook his head. “There’s no need to thank me. It’s your willpower that stopped the trauma from breaking you.”

Vincent glanced at Katelyn.

He had come too close to losing the battle.

How many teenagers could witness such gruesome violence and not be scarred for life?

When he was on the edge of breaking down and losing control, it was Katelyn’s soft voice that pulled him back and reminded him not to surrender.

He owed everything to her.

Without Katelyn, he would’ve been trapped in that nightmare forever.

Jaxen leaned against the wall, shrugging casually. “Give it some time. Once you heal, you’ll come out stronger. That’s how it works, right?”

Vincent managed a brief nod. “I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

“Once this is over, you’ll see better days,” Katelyn said with a smile. “I’ll make that soup you used to like. It should help you regain your strength.”

Vincent held his gaze on her, feeling a softness he hadn’t recognized before. “Yeah, that sounds good.”

Jaxen stood off to the side, watching the interaction unfold with a smirk.

If it weren’t for Vincent being engaged to that delicate princess, these two would already be together. The connection between them was obvious.

As Vincent’s closest friend, Jaxen knew he had to step in somehow. Vincent might not see it yet, but Jaxen could see it clearly.

After Katelyn said what she needed to say, she quietly left the room.

After all this time in Yata, she still hadn’t adjusted to the local food.

Her hotel suite had a fully stocked kitchen, so she often shopped for groceries and prepared her own meals.

Back in the hospital room, Jaxen glanced at Vincent, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

“I never thought I’d live to see the day you actually fall for someone,” Jaxen remarked with a grin. “You’d better figure out how to break off that engagement. If you don’t, with how much attention Katelyn gets, someone else is bound to sweep her off her feet.”

The smile vanished from Vincent’s face, replaced by a cold, sharp gaze.

“The princess is sick again. The king wants the wedding to happen soon. I’ll have to make a trip to the palace in the coming days,” Vincent replied flatly.

Just as he finished speaking, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, and a photo from Samuel popped up.

The instant Vincent recognized the two people in the photo, his eyes turned icy.

Upon seeing it, Jaxen exclaimed, “What the hell is this?”

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