Zayn was sitting on a small stool right beside Anya's bed. In one hand, he held the glasses she often wore. With trembling fingers, he gently brushed the strands of her hair that now fell to her shoulders.
When his gaze fell upon the white bandage wrapped around her head—where a faint stain of blood was still seeping through—Zayn slowly closed his eyes. The man who was once as hard as stone had completely shattered today. Again and again, he lightly touched the edge of the bandage, as if his mere touch could absorb all of Anya's pain.
At the Ward Door: Lu Feng and Lu Wei
Lu Wei stood at the door, his fists clenched tightly. He could not bear to see his sister in such helplessness. Just as he stepped forward toward Zayn, Lu Feng firmly grabbed his arm.
Lu Feng: (his voice trembling) "Stop, Lu Wei. Look into his eyes… that is not just regret. That is the pain of a soul. Let him stay by Anya's side today. Perhaps his call alone can bring her back."
Fengning—Zayn's sister and Lu Wei's girlfriend—stood behind Lu Wei. She gently placed her hand on his shoulder. Tears filled her eyes as well. She looked into Lu Wei's eyes and held his hands tightly.
In the Corridor
On a bench in the hallway, Huan Jing sat with her head lowered. Again and again, she stared at her hands—still stained with Anya's blood.
Huan Jing: (sobbing) "This all happened because of me, Qian… If I had listened to her, if I hadn't run toward that gate, she wouldn't have stood in front of the attacker. She staked her life to save mine!"
Qian bent down and pulled her into his chest. He tried to comfort her, but even his own words refused to support him.
Zayn and Huan Jing Confront Each Other
Gathering her courage, Huan Jing finally stepped into the ward. Zayn turned his head to look at her. His eyes were red.
Slowly, she walked toward him and knelt down with her hands clasped together.
Huan Jing: "Zayn… please forgive me. For everything I said, for all the hatred I showed… Anya paid the price for it. I am a terrible friend."
Zayn looked at her for a few moments, then returned his gaze to Anya's face. His voice was so low it was barely audible.
Zayn: "Don't ask me for forgiveness. Ask her when she opens her eyes. And if she forgives you… then I will forgive you too. But if anything happens to her…"
He did not finish his sentence, but his grip around Anya's wrist tightened.
The silence inside the ward deepened even further.
Zayn stepped outside briefly to speak with the doctor.
And at that exact moment—
A mysterious stranger entered like a shadow.
Scene: The Stranger's Silent Confession
He wore expensive Italian designer clothes that clearly reflected his wealth and power. The sound of his shoes was muffled against the velvet carpet. He stopped beside Anya's bed.
He raised his hand into the air as if he wanted to touch her cheek—but then paused, reconsidering.
In his eyes burned a strange madness and old pain.
Stranger: (in an extremely low, almost trembling whisper)
"I left you two years ago only so you could live your own life… but I never imagined you would wound yourself in this golden cage of Zayn."
He leaned closer, his face near her forehead. Regret and anger coexisted upon his features.
Stranger:
"Just wait a little longer, Anya. I will take you out of this prison. Zayn will pay the price for the pain he has given you. You were mine… and you will always be mine."
He gently touched her lifeless hand, as though trying to feel whether she was still alive.
A flash of hatred for Zayn sparked in his eyes like lightning.
Zayn's Return and the Stranger's Escape
Suddenly, the heavy sound of Zayn's boots echoed in the corridor.
Knock. Knock.
Zayn was returning swiftly toward the ward.
The stranger's ears sharpened. He cast one final, deep look at Anya's face. His expression shifted in an instant—from love to that of a hunter stalking his prey.
Just as Zayn turned the ward's handle—
The stranger slipped out swiftly through the window and the hidden passage behind the curtain.
Creaaak…
The door opened.
Zayn entered.
He sensed someone else's presence lingering in the room. In the air floated a faint yet expensive perfume—one that was not his.
Zayn's eyes instantly scanned every corner of the room. He grew alert. His hand unconsciously clenched into a fist.
He noticed that Anya's hand, which he had tucked beneath the blanket, was now slightly outside.
Zayn (in his mind):
"Someone was here? This scent… it feels familiar, but whose is it?"
He immediately moved toward the window. It was slightly open, the curtains swaying in the wind. He stepped forward quickly and looked outside—but below was nothing except the hospital garden and darkness.
The mysterious fragrance lingering inside the ward tightened the nerves in Zayn's mind.
He turned sharply toward Huan Jing and Qian, who had just entered.
There was a strange stillness in Zayn's voice—a warning of an approaching storm.
Zayn: "Qian, come with me. Now."
Then he turned toward Huan Jing, who was trembling at Anya's condition.
His tone was strict, commanding.
Zayn: "Huan Jing, you stay here with Anya. Don't leave her alone for even a second. If even a leaf moves, I need to know."
Huan Jing only nodded. She sat beside Anya's bed, but her heartbeat was clearly audible. She feared that the 'stranger' might return again like a shadow.
Scene: Security Room – The Truth in the Footage
Zayn and Qian strode quickly into the security room. Zayn's face was expressionless—but his eyes looked ready to tear someone apart.
Zayn: "Show me the footage. The rear corridor and window of the VIP ward. The last five minutes."
The guard nervously played the recording.
On the screen, under dim lighting, a tall shadow was seen jumping out of the window and disappearing into the darkness. His face was unclear—but there was a regal arrogance and fearless wealth in his stride.
Zayn ordered the screen zoomed in.
His gaze locked onto the stranger's wristwatch and the fabric of his coat.
Zayn (in his mind):
"This is no ordinary intruder. This wealth. This audacity… Who in Shenzhen dares to enter my empire and reach my wife's room?"
The Needles of Suspicion: Lu Kang and the Shadow of the Past
Qian observed the shifting expressions on Zayn's face.
Qian: "Zayn, do you think this could be one of Lu Kang's men? The killers of Anya's family are still out there. Maybe they came to finish her off."
Zayn slammed his fist onto the table.
Zayn: (in an icy voice)
"No, Qian. Lu Kang's men strike in filthy ways. This man was different. He didn't harm Anya—he came to 'feel' her. There was no hatred in that scent… there was an old claim."
Blood surged into Zayn's eyes.
Fragments of Anya's past resurfaced—things he had never wanted to know.
Zayn:
"I don't know who he is, but he has a deep connection with Anya. Qian, keep an eye on Lu Kang—but spread our informants across every corner of Shenzhen to find this 'stranger.'"
Zayn turned toward the window again and stared into the silence outside.
Zayn:
"Whoever he is… whatever he wants with Anya… I will rip the truth out of his chest along with his heart."