Carter arrived at Jake's base with Lia in his arms.
He gently laid her on the bed. Aldrio came running toward them, carrying first-aid supplies he had gathered along the way.
Carter sat on the couch nearby.
After examining Lia for a while, Aldrio turned to Carter.
"She's okay. She just needs rest," Aldrio said.
Carter nodded, his eyes fixed on Lia.
I won't let anything happen to you, he thought.
Suddenly, Carter felt a hand on his shoulder. He didn't move or turn his head.
"Everything will be okay," Jake said—but then he coughed, blood spilling into his hand.
Some of it splattered onto Carter.
Carter turned around and saw Jake smiling weakly, his mouth filled with blood.
"What happene—"
Before Carter could finish, Jake collapsed. Carter caught him as he fell unconscious.
"Jake!" Carter shouted.
Hearing the noise, Aldrio rushed in. When he saw Jake, he immediately took him to the next room.
Carter pulled out his phone and called Ava.
She was a doctor.
She picked up.
"Ava, where are you?" Carter asked.
"I'm at home," she replied.
"Stay there. I'm coming to pick you up—we need a doctor," Carter said.
Despite being badly wounded himself, Carter rushed outside and took flight toward Ava's house. Halfway there, his vision blurred and his eyes closed.
Just as he was about to fall, someone caught him.
It was DA.
DA carried Carter back to Jake's base, and with a flick of his wrist, Ava appeared beside him.
"Where am I?" Ava asked, looking around in confusion.
"Carter needs you," DA said.
Her attention immediately shifted to Carter.
"I need my medical supplies," Ava said.
DA handed her a bag.
"That's mine," she said, staring at him in shock.
DA simply pointed toward Carter.
Remembering the urgency, Ava immediately began examining Carter's wounds.
These injuries are severe, she thought.
She did everything she could.
After three hours, Carter's condition stabilized.
At that moment, Aldrio came out of the other room.
"How are Jake and Lia?" DA asked.
"I don't know how, but they're out of danger. Some kind of miracle happened," Aldrio replied.
Then he noticed Carter.
"Carter is out of danger as well," DA said.
Aldrio noticed Ava and nodded. "That's good news. Ms. Ava, you must be tired. I'll bring some tea. Sir DA, would you like some?"
"No, thank you," DA replied with a faint smile.
Aldrio left.
DA remained standing silently. Suddenly, Ava spoke.
"Excuse me… who are you? I mean—who are you really?"
"I'm a normal guy," DA replied without looking at her.
"You brought me here. And you stabilized Carter," Ava said.
"What do you mean?" DA asked calmly.
"You knew I wouldn't be able to save him. Aldrio even said Jake and Lia survived because of a miracle. That miracle was you," Ava said.
"I expected nothing less from someone like you," DA said.
"What… what do you mean?" Ava asked.
DA smiled.
"Your reputation speaks for itself, Ms. Aex," he said softly, as if he knew everything.
Ava's eyes widened.
"How… how do you know that?" she whispered, trembling.
"What are you talking about, Doctor?" DA said innocently.
Before Ava could respond, she noticed Aldrio approaching.
She swallowed and forced herself to calm down. When she looked back at DA, he was gone.
"Ms. Ava, would you like to stay, or are you leaving?" Aldrio asked. "You don't need to worry about Mr. Carter or Mrs. Carter."
"I'll stay for now. I need to look after them—it's my responsibility," Ava said.
She sat beside Carter's bed, her thoughts racing.
"What kind of man is he?" she murmured.
Eight hours later…
Carter opened his eyes. "What hap—oh. I remember. I passed out."
He sat up and noticed Ava asleep on the couch nearby, sitting upright.
"Sleeping while sitting?" Carter chuckled. "That reminds me of him."
Ava slowly opened her eyes and saw Carter awake.
"Hi, Ava," Carter said.
She nodded and yawned.
"I brought you here to help others, and I ended up unconscious myself," Carter said. "Anyway, how are the others?"
"They're all fine. They woke up before I fell asleep," Ava replied.
"That's good news. You should go now. Sorry for the trouble," Carter said.
Ava nodded and stood.
"Take care, big brother," she said before leaving the room.
She said goodbye to Lia and left the mansion.
After taking a taxi, she reached home and went straight to her room. She sat in front of an old cupboard and tried to open the locked bottom drawer.
Where did I put the key? she wondered.
After searching everywhere, she gave up. Taking a hair clip, she picked the lock.
Inside, dust coated everything. A folded cloth lay at the bottom. She brushed off the dust—it was a shirt with a name written on the top right corner.
Aex.
Ava put the shirt aside, along with the other items related to it.
Then she reached deeper into the drawer and pulled out a diary. She wiped off the dust and flipped through the pages until she found a number.
Without hesitation, she dialed it.
It rang.
Every second felt like an eternity.
Finally, someone answered.
"Hello? Who is this?" a woman's voice said.
"It's me. Ava."
"Ava? Is it really you?" the woman asked.
"Yes. It's been many years, hasn't it… Liora?"
"So, how's life?" Liora asked.
"I'm a professional doctor now," Ava said.
"That's great," Liora replied.
"What about you?" Ava asked.
"I'm a makeup artist."
"Wow. Do you have a salon?"
"Yes—near James's Café."
"James's Café? Where's that?"
"Across from Steve's Cars dealership."
"Then it's decided," Ava said.
"Decided what?"
"Let's meet at James's Café this afternoon."
"Okay, fine."
"If you're busy, we can reschedule."
"It's Sunday."
"Yes! Thank you, Liora," Ava said.