Julian said subconsciously:

"Elena, pour me a glass of water."

But after these words, Elena did not appear at the doorway.

Julian froze, his chaotic mind suddenly clearing.

He looked around—the decor Elena had helped design, their photos together... Elena’s shadow was everywhere.

Julian realized he couldn't bear a life without Elena at all.

He rolled out of bed, grabbed a piece of paper, and began to write his last will and testament.

Julian had expected to distribute his assets and give instructions to his subordinates, but the paper was filled only with Elena’s name.

Every stroke was carved deep into the paper.

Just then, he saw the glass on the table.

Julian suddenly remembered that not long before Elena left, she had been holding a small glass bottle in her hand, her expression dazed.

He suddenly felt it looked familiar, like something he had seen on an opponent in the underground ring.

That opponent was now his subordinate.

Julian dialed his number, and the man stammered:

"That was... a fake-death drug..."

The phone fell to the floor. A flame of wild ecstasy ignited in Julian’s eyes!

His Elena was not dead!

Chapter 10

Elena knew nothing of what was happening on shore. Since being salvaged by the cruise ship, she had been recuperating.

Coincidentally, the cruise ship happened to be carrying a top-tier medical team heading to M-Country.

Seeing her body covered in scars and her pale complexion, the doctors insisted on pinning her to a bed, frowning as they treated her injuries.

Elena ate a spoonful of medicinal soup, feeling a sense of emotion.

She had never expected that she would have such a deep connection with the bright profession of medicine in this life.

"What’s wrong? Not to your taste?"

A tall figure pushed the door open. He wore a white coat, held a medical chart, and carried himself with meticulous precision.

Elena shook her head.

"Dr. Sebastian, I’m fine. You don't need to worry so much."

Sebastian’s brows knit tightly together. Looking at the endless list of ailments in her medical chart, he only felt a headache:

"Do you even realize you are only one step away from death?"

Elena sighed and nodded.

Of course, she knew her body’s condition. While the fake-death drug was effective, every medicine has its toxicity, not to mention drugs of dubious origin from the underground ring.

Combined with the countless large and small wounds she had accumulated, Elena could almost imagine Sebastian’s icy face cracking when he saw her report.

Sebastian seemed choked for words, his expression darkening significantly as he gave her a complex look.

He gave Elena a check-up and, confirming that she was slightly better than the day before, let out a sigh of relief.

Sebastian instructed:

"You absolutely cannot run around for these few days. You must rest quietly, and your mood cannot have any major fluctuations."

Elena nodded.

Sebastian recalled her appearance when he first saw her; her face was as white as a ghost, yet she kept smiling at him.

She had only managed to say "Sorry for the trouble" before passing out.

Sebastian dared not think back on it, pursing his lips.

Fortunately, things were much better now, and Elena was willing to follow medical orders.

Elena looked at the sea, frowning:

"You are headed to M-Country. I don't know anyone there. You’d better let me off here."

Sebastian glared at her fiercely, taking back the words he had just thought:

"You just promised me you would rest quietly!"

"I am someone you know. With me here, you can go anywhere with peace of mind!"

Elena looked at him with some surprise.

Sebastian seemed to realize his words were inappropriate, pushed up his glasses, and concealed the expression in his eyes:

"…I am your attending physician."

Elena: "Oh."

In the boxing ring, one had to keep a close watch on every tiny move an opponent made.

Elena had sensed something off about Sebastian instantly, but she didn't want to calculate so much right now, so she didn't ask further.

Sebastian really did bring her to M-Country.

He traveled everywhere with his medical team and settled Elena in his own villa.

Elena stroked her chin, finding it curious:

"Do doctors actually make this much?"

Sebastian’s hand paused, and he said indifferently:

"Top-tier ones do."

Upon arriving in M-Country, Elena held curiosity for every place, and at first, she just wandered around the villa.

Two days later, Sebastian told her she could go out, so Elena immediately went out to play everywhere.

Initially, she always kept a watch on her surroundings; it had become her instinct.

But soon, she was infected by the enthusiastic folk customs and gradually let down her guard.

Sebastian would also squeeze out time from his busy schedule to accompany her.

【Seeing Elena living so well, I’m suddenly at peace.】

【Perhaps she originally belonged to this kind of life, and the path of the past was something she was always forced to choose...】

Elena spent a nearly idyllic week by Sebastian’s side.

She looked at the kites in the sky and smiled faintly.

She should have been this free all along.

Chapter 11

Ever since Julian discovered the truth about the fake-death drug, he had become convinced that Elena could not be dead.

He was like a spinning top that couldn't stop, desperately filling his time with everything—especially searching for Elena.

He didn't dare to stop.

The moment he did, his mind would be flooded with the image of Elena’s face when she was in the sea.

Julian couldn't be certain that Elena had merely faked her death, but he was even more terrified to confirm that she was truly dead.

Under this intense psychological pressure, he had searched bitterly for over a week, yet he still hadn't found the slightest trace of Elena.

When he couldn't hold back any longer, he dialed Elena’s number, but no one answered instantly anymore.

He suddenly remembered that her phone had been destroyed when Elena jumped into the sea to save him.

Julian suddenly recalled how Elena looked at that moment, and it felt as if a sharp blade had been thrust into his heart.

Just then, the owner of the underground boxing ring found him:

"Do you want to return to the ring?"

Julian’s voice was hoarse:

"I won't go back."

Although Elena had been in the ring for two years, he knew she had never liked it there.

If Elena didn't like it, he wouldn't go back either.

After the owner left, Julian pushed open the door to Elena’s room, utterly soul-lost.

Since Elena disappeared, he hadn't dared to open this door, fearing that seeing too many things of hers would cause him to collapse completely.

But now, the longing was suffocating him.

Looking at the neat furnishings in the room, Julian’s heart was filled with bitterness.

Suddenly, something flashed, and the reflected light stung his eyes.

Julian walked over and discovered a ring in the trash can.

It was a promotional gift for the necklace he had given Summer. When he had casually passed it to Elena, Elena had only looked down at it.

That was true—she had always put the tasks he entrusted her with first, even if she refused, she would certainly investigate it.

Elena must have known it was just a giveaway at the time...

So, she had already been disappointed back then.

Julian asked himself, over these three years, he had clearly felt Elena’s love for him.

But because he was in love with Summer, he had never responded to it directly.

Elena had walked down this path of romance all alone, reaching a point of despair...

The more Julian thought about it, the more his heart ached. He grabbed the knife from the table and plunged it into his own shoulder!

The intense pain made his scalp numb, but the piercing ache in his heart lessened slightly.

Everything before his eyes grew blurrier until he slowly collapsed to the floor.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw Summer sitting silently by the bed.

Julian looked as if facing a deadly enemy and stepped back:

"Why are you here! Get out!"

Summer watched him calmly:

"You should be asking your butler why he brought me here for no reason. Cole doesn't care much about me right now, which is why I could come out."

The butler hurriedly stepped forward:

"Sir, you used to call out Miss Summer’s name whenever you were in pain. I thought that if you saw Miss Summer just like before, you would..."

"Get out!"

Julian smashed the glass on the table to pieces.

He didn't even notice that when Cole no longer cherished Summer so much, there was no excitement in his heart anymore.

Summer insisted that he see a doctor, but Julian stubbornly refused. Summer sighed:

"If something happens to you, and Elena comes back and can't find you, what will you do?"

Julian eventually went to see the doctor.

Not long after, he walked out with a report stating "Moderate Depression."