Chapter 4

• I was pulled into a warm chest. That familiar cedar scent hit my nose.
• I looked up and saw Arthur’s face. He was taller than seven years ago, his features sharper, colder.
• Only when he looked at me did his eyes soften.
• Noah saw him, froze, then his face turned ugly. “Arthur? What are you doing here?”
• Arthur ignored him. He wiped the blood at the corner of my mouth, brows knit tight. “Does it hurt?”
• I shook my head. My nose stung all of a sudden.
• Since I woke up, not one person had asked if I was in pain.
• Arthur stepped in front of me, shielding me. His gaze on Noah went icy. “I remember three years ago, when you got engaged to the Bennett family, you promised you’d take good care of Alice. This is what you call taking care of her?”
• Noah’s face went from pale to livid. He couldn’t get a word out.
• He knew exactly who Arthur was—the Windsor heir. His company was still alive because it needed Windsor money.
• Lina lay on the stretcher. Her eyes lit up when she saw Arthur, then she spoke in a weak little voice. “Mr. Windsor, this has nothing to do with Alice. I slipped and fell on my own. Don’t blame her, and don’t blame Noah.”
• She put on that kind, understanding act, but her gaze kept drifting to Arthur.
• In my last life, after I died, she even tried to seduce Arthur. He rejected her in public, and she lost all face.
• Arthur didn’t even look at her. He spoke to the bodyguards behind him. “Pull the security footage. Let’s see who’s lying.”
• Lina’s face went paper-white. Noah panicked. “No need, Arthur. This is a family matter. No need to trouble you.”
• “Family matter?” Arthur let out a cold laugh. “Alice is my fiancée. Anything about her is my business. You laid hands on her today. We’ll settle this—nice and slow.”
• He scooped me up and headed for the car at the door.
• Noah stood there, watching our backs, fists clenched tight.
• Lina laid on the stretcher, eyes full of poison.
• Arthur set me in the car and told the driver to head to his place. In the car, he grabbed a first-aid kit and carefully cleaned the cut at my lip.
• “Why didn’t you call me sooner? Why let yourself suffer like this?”
• Looking at the gentleness in his eyes, the knot of hurt in me snapped loose. Tears spilled before I could stop them.
• He panicked, fumbling to wipe them away. “Hey, don’t cry. With me here, no one gets to bully you.”
• We reached his place—a top-floor duplex downtown. Minimalist. Cool tones everywhere.
• He had the staff ready the master bedroom for me and called a private doctor to check me over.
• The doctor said nothing serious—just a bit run-down. Rest up and I’d be fine.
• Arthur let out a breath and told the staff to make some bird’s nest soup.
• I sipped the soup, watching him sit across from me handling work, and for the first time, I felt steady.
• My phone suddenly rang. Noah.
• I picked up. His voice was low. “Alice, what the hell is going on with you and Arthur? You cozied up to him a long time ago just so you could break off our engagement, didn’t you?”
• I didn’t say a word. I hung up and blocked his number.
• Arthur looked up at me, questioning. “Noah?”
• I nodded.
• He didn’t push. “If he harasses you again, tell me. I’ll handle it.”
• “Okay,” I said, and went back to my soup.
• That night, I laid in bed tossing and turning, couldn’t sleep. I got up to the living room for some water.
• As I passed the study, I heard Arthur on the phone.
• “Pull the investment from Noah’s company. And reopen what happened three years ago, when Alice was attacked. I want every detail. Don’t miss a single lead.”
• My hand paused on the glass.
• So the kidnappers three years ago… wasn’t just random?
• The study door swung open. Arthur saw me standing there, paused, then walked out.
• “Why are you up? Hungry?”
• I shook my head and looked at him. “Did you just say you’re reopening what happened three years ago?”
• He went quiet for a few seconds, then nodded.
• “It never sat right with me. The kidnappers were clearly after Noah. Why did they suddenly go for you? And after they hurt you, they vanished without a trace. Way too weird.”
• My heart clenched.
• In my last life, I never questioned any of it. Looking back now, a lot of things don’t add up.