His gaze dropped to her pale palm. He could almost imagine the ghost of a blood seal etched there once.
He couldn't tell the nature of the seal, but its weight was clear. This was the work of a high-ranking, skilled demon.
First, the pink diamond ring. Now this seal.
Shin's eyes narrowed. His voice was sharp, probing. "Who have you encountered lately?"
Lianna swallowed hard, confusion and fear flashing in her eyes. She had never spoken with Shin Keir before meeting Yeri, so in truth, they were basically strangers.
"Only the people at your villa… and the Zhi household," she answered nervously.
Shin's thoughts darkened. There was nothing suspicious or any trace of demonic presence in his villa, nor had he sensed any demons near the Zhi household.
Could it be…?
"What are you doing?" Zahn's sharp voice cut through the air as he strode in, yanking Lianna's hand out of Shin's grasp.
Shin's expression didn't change. He simply looked at him and asked, "You're here. Tell me what happened to Yeri."
But Zahn's gaze brimmed with hostility. "Not going to explain why you were holding my wife's hand?"
Lianna winced. Zahn's grip was far harsher than Shin Keir, almost crushing her wrist.
"Zahn Neri, let go! You're hurting me," she cried indignantly.
Frustration twisted in Zahn's chest. Why was it fine for another man to touch her, but not for him?
Yet when he saw the pain on her face, he loosened his hold. Her wrist was already red.
With a guilty frown, he quickly let go, but before he could apologize, Lianna glared at him and stormed out of the ward while massaging her wrist.
Zahn let out a heavy sigh, only to find Shin watching him with detached indifference.
"I only wanted to ask her about Yeri's condition before she left. That's all," Shin said with a shrug.
Zahn clenched his jaw. With anyone else, he might have believed it. But Shin Keir? It sounded absurd.
Who doesn't know he despises skinship?
"Don't ever touch her again," Zahn warned coldly, dropping the matter for now.
Shin remained unfazed. "Then tell me Yeri's condition."
Zahn repeated the doctor's earlier explanation. Apart from the high fever, her body showed strange swelling in the muscles and veins. They would need to wait for further test results.
Shin's brows knitted together as he sat beside Yeri's bed. A simple fever was one thing, but symptoms that even renowned doctors couldn't explain?
There was only one possibility: this was beyond human comprehension. Science and medicine alone could not solve it.
Before leaving, Zahn glanced back. "Did Lianna stay with Yeri these past few days?"
Shin leaned back, folding his arms with a faint smile. "No. She stayed in my villa for a couple of days. She had a high fever then, but refused to be hospitalized. I couldn't exactly turn away my girlfriend's friend, could I?"
Zahn's eyes grew colder by the second. He didn't respond and turned to leave, but Shin called after him.
"Zahn Neri," Shin said evenly, "I don't like interfering in others' business. But if things aren't going your way, you'd better start putting your money to work."
Zahn paused briefly, then walked out without a word.
Shin truly had no intention of meddling, but since Zahn was a close acquintance, it was the least he could offer.
Still, something about that woman troubled him. Zahn might not have noticed, but he did.
Before, she had always carried a lifeless, hollow aura, as if her soul had been drained. But today, he had seen a spark of light in her eyes. No human could change so suddenly, especially in matters of the heart. And he was almost certain it was tied to the demon's seal.
Left alone, Shin took Yeri's cold hand. A dark mist unfurled from his palm, curling like smoke.
Depending on his will, it could kill or it could restore.
The mist drifted down, enveloping Yeri before sinking into her skin.
As Zahn had said, her blood vessels were inflamed, her muscles torn in places. But no trace of a demon's aura lingered unlike with Lianna.
Before, Shin could only rely on Zahn's medical skills. Now, he could use his own ability.
Shin focused, pushing deeper. He could almost feel her torment, the pain wracking her body. His jaw tightened, thinking she must be suffering so much.
Without hesitation, he guided the mist to soothe her. The swelling eased, the inflammation calmed.
He wanted desperately to restore her completely, but his ability wasn't true healing, it was restoration.
On objects, he could do it instantly. But on a living body, it was dangerous and different. Forcing too much at once might overwhelm her and cause rejection. It would have to be done gradually, in intervals.
At least, for now, her pain would lessen.
Yeri frowned in her sleep, her body jerking slightly. Shin stopped at once and soothed her gently. "It's alright. I'm here."
The door opened. Madam Zhi returned, her face weary but determined, masking her worry with a gentle smile.
"I've already called Klaus. He'll be here the day after tomorrow. He left for a business trip yesterday."
Shin nodded, already aware. He also knew what was keeping Klaus Zhi so busy lately.
Since Leo Nafplion's berserk rampage and the Nafplions' failed attempt to force a marriage alliance with the Zhis, they had started making moves against the Zhi family with help from the Songs.
But Shin had already anticipated this. When Yeri once tried to break up with him, he had discreetly investigated Zhi Corporation and uncovered anomalies.
Master Zhi could handle the Nafplions, and as for the Songs? Shin had no trouble intercepting them.
"Young Master Keir, I know you must be busy," Madam Zhi said. "The nanny will come soon to accompany me. You should go and tend to your work."
"It's fine. I cleared my schedule today," Shin replied evenly.
Her eyes widened slightly. For a man of his stature, time was never free. His words surprised her and made her realize just how much he cared for Yeri.
She sighed inwardly. Most men would shy away from a woman so frail, so often sick. Even if one tolerated it once, how long before they grew tired?
Would Shin Keir, dazzling and powerful, one day feel the same?
Sighing, she let the thought go and turned her attention to the television.
Meanwhile, Shin discreetly sent his men to investigate Lianna Neri. He needed to know when and how she had received the demon's seal. It hadn't been there during her stay at his villa, so he could narrow the timeline.
But a deeper suspicion gnawed at him.
If it's a demon, isn't there one in front of him? A high ranking and skilled succubus.
What if… Yeri, too, carried memories of her past life? What if she could use abilities of her own?
His heart thudded hard at the thought.
---
That night, Shin called Tristan.
The line connected with difficulty. Too much noise spilled through the receiver, the howl of wind, crashing waves, and the steady pour of rain. It sounded as though Tristan was standing near the shore in the middle of a violent storm. The signal crackled in and out.
Shin frowned. "Have you found the dimensional rift?"
It took a while before Tristan's voice finally came through, broken and faint. "Yeah. Ran into some minor issues. You called?"
"Do you need help closing it?" Shin asked, his voice steady despite the static.
"Nah, it's done," Tristan replied just as a thunderclap roared in the background.
Shin didn't flinch. Dimensional rifts often caused severe weather disruptions even natural calamities. Storms and lightning were only natural signs of the rift's instability.
"Is there a possibility for Yeri to remember her past?" Shin asked bluntly.
"Shin, I told you not to force it," Tristan reminded him.
"That's not it." Shin's tone hardened. "Zahn's wife suddenly changed. She carries the trace of a high-ranking demon, and the only person she's been with these past few days is Yeri."
There was a pause. The storm raged on Tristan's end, waves crashing louder, until finally his voice cut through again.
"I wouldn't say it's impossible. Yeri is only a strand of what she once was, but her soul core isn't human. If anything, she might have fragments or shattered memories of the past."
Shin fell silent.
"Well," Tristan continued, "there's only one way to find out. Ask her yourself, but that also means telling her who you really are." His tone sharpened with caution. "Don't forget how it ended between you two… how she was. You're the only one who knows."
Before Shin could answer, a loud booming sound exploded from Tristan's end, like a boulder shattering into pieces.
Tristan clicked his tongue. "Crazy brat…" he muttered under his breath.
"You're with someone?" Shin asked quickly.
Tristan didn't confirm. His voice was short, strained. "I'm busy right now. We'll talk when I'm back." Then the line cut off.
Shin lowered the phone and gazed out of his car window, expression unreadable, before driving away from the hospital.
Contrary to Tristan's storm-tossed location, the night in Sin City was warm and serene.
Later, standing on the balcony of his villa, Shin lit a cigarette. He leaned on the railing, staring into the horizon in silence. Smoke curled around him as his thoughts drifted.
He longed for her to remember their past. Yet deep inside, he knew he was turning a blind eye to the torment, the madness, and the curse of their separation.