Noah rose unsteadily from Sammy’s battered form, breathing ragged, chest heaving violently as blood dripped from his raw knuckles onto the floor. He stood frozen for a moment, eyes still glazed with unchecked fury, until Vivian’s trembling voice broke through the haze, anchoring him back to reality.

  “Noah,” she whispered, voice thin yet somehow steady, slicing through the chaos that filled the room. “Sammy. He knows something. We need answers.”

  He turned sharply, gaze snapping toward her, the wildness in his eyes softening slightly as he took her in. Vivian was curled against the headboard, breathing uneven, the shredded lingerie barely covering her. She clutched a torn piece of fabric across herself with shaking fingers, her other arm braced protectively around her waist as though it was the only thing keeping her from shattering.

  Noah crossed the room instantly, movements suddenly careful, deliberate, as if worried he might break her if he moved too quickly. His jaw tightened when he reached the bed, eyes sweeping over the angry red marks blooming across her pale skin, the imprint of Sammy’s hand staining her cheek. Vivian flinched involuntarily at his closeness, her body still rigid with tension, yet she didn’t pull away as he swiftly grabbed a nearby robe draped across the chair, wrapping it securely around her trembling shoulders. His movements were gentle but swift, the fabric carefully shielding her from the room’s lingering ugliness.

  “We don’t have time,” he murmured urgently, voice strained, barely concealing the anxious tremor beneath the surface. He moved to lift her, to carry her from the place that reeked of his own failure.

  But her fingers curled tightly around his wrist with sudden intensity, halting him instantly. He glanced down, startled, to find Vivian staring up at him fiercely, eyes glassy yet cold with determination. Her grip tightened further, nails biting into his skin, the slight tremor in her hand betraying the effort it took her just to hold him there. Her mask—the carefully composed neutrality she always wore—had cracked, revealing something raw and deadly beneath.

  “Noah.” Her voice was weak but her gaze pinned him in place, colder and clearer than he’d ever seen from her. “If I went through all of this for nothing, I will kill you.”

  Her words hung sharply between them, raw and merciless, slicing away any possibility of argument. Noah’s jaw clenched tightly. For a long, charged moment, he merely stared back at her—tension radiating from every line of his body. Then, slowly, he turned his gaze to Sammy’s battered, barely-conscious form on the floor, and the cold rage flooded back into him, focused and purposeful.

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  Without a word, Noah crossed to Sammy, grabbing him roughly by the collar and shaking him awake. Sammy groaned, his swollen eyes fluttering open slowly, confusion dulling his bruised face.

  Noah leaned in close, voice dangerously soft, dripping venom. “Tell me about Jay Lin.”

  Sammy blinked, unfocused, sluggishly aware of the violent threat hanging over him. “Jay…?” He slurred thickly, wincing. “That fucking nobody…”

  Noah tightened his grip, fingers digging harshly into the other man’s throat, eliciting a choked gasp of panic. “Who ordered the hit? Why Vince?”

  Sammy struggled weakly, head rolling. “I—I was blackmailed,” he coughed out hoarsely, eyes wild with fear. “Didn’t wanna do it…”

  “By who?” Noah hissed, voice razor-sharp, fingers tightening further. “Who blackmailed you?”

  Sammy shook his head vaguely, his bloodied lips trembling, barely able to form coherent words. “Fucking five years ago… all ’cause of…that fucked-up shit…”

  Noah pressed harder, voice dangerously calm. “Who?”

  Sammy’s head lolled again, unfocused, eyelids fluttering. Noah shook him roughly. “Wake up. Tell me—who?”

  “M-Mike Liu,” Sammy finally whispered, voice breaking, eyes darting away in terror.

  Noah’s pulse quickened sharply. “And Serena Lau, where is she?”

  “N-not me,” Sammy mumbled brokenly. “Bastard probably did it himself…”

  A chill ran sharply down Noah’s spine. Vivian still clung desperately to the hope Serena was alive, and he dreaded what this might mean for her.

  “Is she alive?”

  But before Sammy could answer, a voice interrupted urgently from the doorway.

  “Noah—” Mochi stood shaking, eyes wide with terror and guilt. “There’s more security coming. We have to go.”

  In a heartbeat Noah was on his feet, turning violently toward her, his body tense and lethal. His voice came out icy, almost detached in its quiet, controlled fury. “If it wasn’t for the fact that you remind me of someone I used to know, you’d already be dead.”

  Mochi recoiled, paling as if struck. Noah took a single step forward, looming over her dangerously, his eyes black with restrained violence. “When Sammy wakes up, he’ll come for you. You better run. And if I see you again—hide. Because I swear, Mochi, I’ll kill you myself.”

  She stumbled backward, a strangled sob breaking from her throat before turning and fleeing down the hallway, the echo of her frantic footsteps fading quickly into silence.

  Noah immediately returned to Vivian’s side, his expression softening just slightly, the threat of violence retreating from his gaze. He carefully scooped her into his arms, holding her close. Her eyes fluttered weakly, trying to focus on his face.

  “Can you walk?” he asked softly, urgency lingering beneath the gentleness of his tone.

  Vivian hesitated, trying to shift her weight, but her legs trembled dangerously. She gave a barely perceptible nod, determination etched stubbornly across her face.

  He tightened his grip around her waist, supporting her carefully as they moved unsteadily toward the doorway. “I’ve got you,” he whispered, the words almost lost beneath their ragged breaths. “We’re getting out of here.”