Morning came quietly to Raven's penthouse.
Eleanor was still asleep.
Dr. James had remained throughout the night, monitoring her condition.
The induced heat had finally begun to subside, and her temperature had returned to a safer level.
Raven stood by the window, dressed in black.
She hadn't slept.
Not once.
The door opened.
Andrea walked in.
Raven didn't turn.
"Tell me."
Andrea placed a folder on the table.
"We found him."
Raven's eyes immediately hardened.
"Name?"
"Matt Evans."
Raven finally turned around.
"Evans?"
"Yes."
Andrea opened the folder.
"Matt Evans is the son of the owner of Evans International Holdings. He's been trying to expand the company throughout Blackwood Heights."
Raven looked through the photographs.
There he was.
The man who had been with Eleanor.
"What else?"
"He arranged the dinner himself."
"Proof?"
"Security footage."
Andrea placed several photographs on the table.
One showed Matt entering the restaurant.
Another showed him speaking privately with one of the waiters.
Raven's jaw tightened.
"And the drug?"
"James confirmed Eleanor was deliberately given something that triggered the induced heat."
Raven closed the folder.
"Where is he?"
Andrea looked at her.
"His apartment."
Raven picked up her coat.
"I'm going."
Andrea immediately followed.
"I'll come with you."
"No."
Andrea stopped.
"Raven—"
"I said no."
"You shouldn't go alone."
Raven looked at her.
"I won't be alone."
Andrea understood.
Raven was going herself.
And there was nothing she could say to change her mind.
Matt Evans was having breakfast when the lights in his apartment suddenly went out.
He frowned.
"What the—"
The front door opened.
Matt stood.
"Who's there?"
Raven walked inside.
Her black mask covered her face.
The silver raven insignia caught the light.
Matt stepped backward.
"Who are you?"
Raven closed the door behind her.
"You know exactly why I'm here."
Matt's face changed.
"You…"
Raven walked toward him.
"You drugged Eleanor Vance."
Matt tried to run.
Raven caught him before he reached the door.
He struggled.
"Let me go!"
Raven's voice remained cold.
"You should have thought about that before you touched her."
Matt looked terrified.
"You don't understand."
"I understand perfectly."
Raven stared at him.
"You deliberately drugged an Omega."
"I didn't hurt her!"
Raven's expression hardened.
"You put her through an induced heat."
Matt became silent.
Raven leaned closer.
"You don't get to decide what happens to you now."
By noon, Matt Evans was gone.
His employees couldn't reach him.
His family couldn't locate him.
His phone had been abandoned.
His car was still parked at his apartment.
The police had no immediate explanation.
To the public, Matt Evans had simply disappeared.
But Raven knew exactly where he was.
At the same time, the financial world began moving.
Apex Raven Global announced that it was withdrawing from all pending agreements connected to Evans International Holdings.
Then Vance Capital Holdings followed.
Mark Vance personally instructed his legal team to terminate every business relationship between the Vance family and Evans International.
Sofia Vance wasn't involved in the corporate decisions.
But when she learned what had happened to her daughter, her usual warmth disappeared.
"Find out everything," she told Mark.
"I will."
Within hours, lawyers began examining Evans International's contracts.
Financial irregularities were discovered.
Unpaid debts.
Failed investments.
Questionable transactions.
The company had been surviving on borrowed time.
Apex Raven Global simply removed the support keeping it alive.
Banks began demanding repayment.
Partners withdrew.
Investors panicked.
Evans International's stock value began to collapse.
By evening, the company was facing a financial crisis.
And nobody understood why.
Eleanor finally woke up.
Her eyes slowly opened.
The room was unfamiliar.
She tried to sit up.
A voice stopped her.
"Don't."
Eleanor turned.
Raven was sitting beside the bed.
"Raven?"
"Yes."
Eleanor looked around.
"Where am I?"
"My penthouse."
Memories slowly returned.
The restaurant.
Matt.
The drink.
The heat.
Fear crossed her face.
Raven noticed immediately.
"You're safe."
Eleanor swallowed.
"What happened?"
"You were drugged."
She looked down.
"By Matt?"
Raven remained silent for a moment.
"We're investigating."
Eleanor stared at her.
She knew Raven wasn't telling her everything.
But she was too exhausted to question it.
"Thank you."
Raven looked away.
"You don't need to thank me."
"I do."
Eleanor reached for her hand.
Raven looked down at their hands.
For several seconds, neither woman spoke.
Then Eleanor whispered,
"Why did you help me?"
Raven looked into her eyes.
"Because you needed help."
It was a simple answer.
But Eleanor could hear everything Raven wasn't saying.
That evening, Andrea returned to Raven's penthouse.
"It's done."
Raven looked up.
"Evans International?"
"Collapsing."
"And Matt?"
Andrea hesitated.
"Still with you?"
Raven nodded.
"He won't be returning to Blackwood Heights anytime soon."
Andrea studied Raven.
"You really went after him yourself."
Raven looked toward Eleanor's room.
"Yes."
Andrea followed her gaze.
"You care about her."
Raven's expression immediately hardened.
"She's my business partner."
Andrea smiled.
"Of course."
Raven ignored her.
Outside, Blackwood Heights was beginning to whisper.
Matt Evans had disappeared.
His company was collapsing.
And nobody knew why.
Nobody knew that the woman behind the black mask had already decided that Matt Evans would never get another chance to hurt Eleanor.
But Raven knew.
And that was enough.