The Psychotic Girl’s Revenge

Enrico smirked as he said this, but his tone was firm.

Paige could clearly feel that he was trying to change the subject again. She quietly watched him, but her eyelids grew heavier. This uncontrollable drowsiness crept over her, making it difficult to think clearly, just like before.

After a few moments of silence, she slowly let go of his hand and softly said, “I’m feeling sleepy again.”

“Then sleep a little more. It’s still early anyway,” Enrico said as he gently supported the back of her neck and laid her down.

“Okay.” Paige didn’t resist, lying down and closing her eyes, her breathing steady.

She bit her lip and, just before the drowsiness fully took over, bit down hard on the tip of her tongue. The sharp pain jolted her nerves, and the faint taste of blood dispersed some of the sleepiness.

She lay there, pretending to be asleep, hoping that once she seemed to drift off, Enrico would leave her, perhaps stepping out of the room for some fresh air away from the hospital’s medicinal scent.

But Paige waited for a long time, and he didn’t leave.

He stayed by her side, silent and unmoving.

Suddenly, she felt her hand being lifted from under the blanket and held in his warm palm.

Paige, lying on the bed, slightly opened her eyes. She saw Enrico sitting by her bedside, holding her hand, his fingers interlocked with hers, resting against his lowered head.

From her angle, she could only see his sharply defined profile. His eyes were closed, and exhaustion was written all over his face. His head occasionally drooped, sliding down onto her hand, only for him to snap awake immediately. His tired eyes were bloodshot, a far cry from the composed expression he had when he had been speaking to her earlier.

“…”

Paige quietly closed her eyes, shocked by what she was witnessing.

After a while, she opened them again. Enrico had fallen back asleep, his forehead resting against her hand. Though he was resting, his brow remained furrowed, his sleep far from peaceful.

She silently observed him, her gaze moving from his face to the worn-out couch beside him.

It couldn’t have been just two days since the incident in River Town.

Had he been resting on that couch the whole time? Or had he not rested at all?

The metallic taste of blood in her mouth turned bitter. Paige stared at the man who had stayed by her bedside, feeling uncomfortable. She moved her fingers slightly.

Barely.

It was so subtle even she didn’t notice it, but Enrico immediately opened his eyes, glancing down at her with concern.

This time, Paige didn’t close her eyes.

“Why did you wake up so quickly? Are you uncomfortable?” Enrico asked as he started to lift the blanket to check her body.

“I know Bobby and Rey are gone,” she said softly, looking into his anxious eyes. “I saw it with my own eyes.”

“…”

Enrico’s hand froze mid-motion, and he looked down at her.

“You can’t keep avoiding sleep just to hide things from me, can you?” Paige directly confronted his behavior, her heart aching for Enrico.

“…”

Enrico stared at her, noticing the faint trace of blood on her tongue. He understood everything. She had bitten her tongue to fake being asleep.

He pressed his tongue against his cheek, his face serious as he said nothing.

“I can handle it,” Paige added, “Don’t forget, I came from Wind Island.”

She had seen plenty of death.

Enrico studied her, weighing the truth of her words, his lips pressed into a thin line. “Are you sure you can handle this?”

“Yes.” Paige reassured him.

She had to know the truth eventually. She couldn’t stay locked up in this hospital room forever.

Enrico looked at her for a long time before nodding.

Jaden brought over a wheelchair, and Enrico carefully lifted Paige from the bed into it. A coat was draped over her shoulders, and her arms were gently slipped into the sleeves.

Enrico bent down in front of her, buttoned up the coat, adjusted it a few times, then finally stood and pushed her out of the room.

It was a strange hospital.

The environment was unfamiliar, the entire floor eerily quiet. As she glanced around, Paige saw that the patient rooms were empty, but the hallway was filled with guards-Enrico’s men, no doubt.

They took the elevator down three floors, where they were immediately greeted by a bustling scene.

“…”

Paige sat in her wheelchair, staring in a daze as doctors and nurses hurried by. Some were shouting urgently for assistance.

She had never seen a nurse’s station so crowded with nurses, each one busy, their carts bumping into one another in the chaos. The lights above patient rooms were constantly flashing.

The tense atmosphere was in stark contrast to the quiet on her floor.

“Excuse us! Emergency surgery coming through!”

As soon as Enrico wheeled her out of the elevator, doctors and nurses rushed past, pushing a gurney.

Paige glanced at the patient on the gurney and recognized the face. It was one of the men from *Temple in Heaven*, a skilled fighter who always volunteered for missions.

“What happened to him?” Paige asked, not daring to stop the busy medical staff.

Jaden, walking beside her, replied, “He was shot twice while saving others. His condition has worsened. I’m arranging for Dr. Clinton’s team to help.”

“Thank you,” Paige said sincerely, then added, “I want to go to the ICU.”

She knew that’s where the most critical patients would be.

“Alright.”

Enrico agreed and wheeled her toward the ICU.

The medicinal smell grew stronger as they approached, the walls a stark, cold white.

In the long hallway outside the ICU, Carrie sat on a bench, simply dressed, her hands clasped around a wooden amulet as she silently prayed. Next to her sat Nick, wearing only a white shirt, his figure much thinner than usual. He held a crumpled newspaper, his expression blank and lifeless behind his black-framed glasses.

As if sensing something, both turned their heads, their eyes locking onto Paige in the wheelchair.

They stood slowly, staring at her in disbelief.

After a long moment, they took hesitant steps toward her, Carrie’s eyes welling up. “Sister Paige, you’re finally awake. It’s such a relief.”

“Sister Paige, are you okay?” Nick asked, his eyes dull and devoid of their usual brightness.

“…”

Paige didn’t answer. She simply stared at them, noticing the thick bandages on Nick’s side, just peeking out from under his shirt, and the wrapped hands Carrie had hidden in her lap. Both of them had suffered minor injuries.

She glanced at the newspaper in Nick’s hand. “Let me see it.”

“…”

Nick’s grip on the newspaper tightened, and he instinctively took a step back.

“Give it to me,” Paige’s voice turned cold.

Nick glanced at Enrico, who was standing nearby with a dark expression. Enrico coldly nodded. “Give it to her.”

Reluctantly, Nick handed the wrinkled newspaper to Paige. She took it and unfolded it, her eyes immediately drawn to the shocking headline:

“River Town Hit by Terrorist Attack, City in Flames, Heavy Casualties”

The accompanying image was a stark black-and-white photo.