A Replacement Bride

When Katherine woke up, it was already nighttime.
Gazing at the unfamiliar ceiling, she fell into a daze for a moment and recalled everything that happened.
In an instant, she sat up abruptly and observed her foreign surroundings. Then, her face turned ashen.
Just as she was about to get out of bed, the door to the room was pushed open. Joaquin came in with a glass of water.
"You're awake, Kathy?" As soon as he saw her, his eyes lit up as he quickly shuffled to her bed.
"How do you feel now? Do you feel uncomfortable? Do you want some water or some food?"
Watching his concerned look, Katherine pursed her pale lips and grabbed his arm while asking anxiously, "Where's Noah?
Where is she? Did you find her?"
Joaquin gave her a comforting gaze and placed the glass of water on the bedside table. Then, he reached out to caress her
face.
"Don't worry. Noah is already asleep. Jeremy searched along the road and found Noah not too far away. She had been hiding
under the road, waiting for you to come and pick her up. She was here beside your bed for some time just now, but due to shock
and exhaustion, she fell asleep already. I just carried her back to her room. Why don't you see her tomorrow morning?"
Katherine felt relieved after hearing that.
Thankfully, Jayden and his men didn't take her away. Otherwise, she couldn't imagine the consequences.
However...
The man's words echoed in her mind again, making her face turn pale.
"Carmine..." After a while, she bit her lips and regretfully muttered.

Hearing that, Joaquin smiled and flicked a finger on her smooth forehead.
"I know what you're worried about, but don't be. Carmine is still alive, and the rest of the Vermillion Alliance members are doing
fine."
Katherine was taken aback by his statement as she gazed at him dumbfoundedly.
"W-What? Carmine and the rest are still alive? Did you know that Silver Gardens was on fire, and t-they were trapped inside..."
At the end of her sentence, Xavier came in with a grin.
"Did you forget about me, Kathy?"
His appearance made Katherine puzzled. Soon, she recalled something and hummed, "Yeah. Too many things have been going
on recently that I forgot about you."
Xavier was speechless at that.
Does she not care about my pride at all?
"Ouch. I'm one of the contributors here too, alright? Can't you be a little more tactful?" Xavier raised a brow and snapped his
finger. "Come on in. Miss Cornell is looking for you."
Soon, Carmine entered the ward and looked at Katherine with gleaming eyes.
Seeing Carmine standing before her in one piece, Katherine doubted her own eyes. She scanned her from top to toe to make
sure she wasn't seeing a ghost but a real-life person.
At that realization, Katherine felt a roller coaster of emotions. She took deep breaths and finally managed to take a big gasp of
air. Unconsciously, she leaned forward.

"How did you escape? What on earth happened? Where are the rest?"
Carmine smiled and glanced at Xavier.
"It's all thanks to Mr. Yates. When the fire broke out, he happened to come back and rescue us. Otherwise, we would have been
trapped in Silver Gardens and would not have been able to escape."
She could tell that Katherine was still worried, so she added, "Don't worry, Miss Cornell. Everyone else in Vermillion Alliance is
alright. They're now standing guard around the villa."
As soon as she heard that, Katherine was reminded of where she was currently, so she asked, "Where are we?"
Joaquin gently answered, "We're in one of David's villas. When he heard that a fire broke out in Silver Gardens, he went over to
help out. He's letting us stay in this vacant villa in the meantime."
Katherine felt completely relieved upon hearing that.
Just then, Xavier questioned, "Who are they? Why did they kidnap you? Are they going for something you have? But haven't
your grandfather's belongings been given to Area Seven? What's the use of them kidnapping you?"
At the mention of that topic, Katherine went silent.
She lowered her eyes and glanced at her arm.
The spot that the man pierced into was nearly invisible, but she remembered clearly that part of the content in the syringe had
entered her system.
She believed that her assumptions were right.
The drug must have a restraining effect or an ability to control.
Unfortunately, one-third of the drug wasn't able to control her fully. Instead, it stimulated the rose birthmark on her chest.

She remembered the rose birthmark on her chest heating up as the man injected the drug into her body.
The feeling was way too familiar. She had experienced it previously, hence she knew that it was the rose birthmark that resisted
the effects of the drug.
Even though she knew it, the other party wasn't aware of it.
During this time, she had always stayed on the surface, while Jayden had been hiding in the dark, constantly plotting to trap her.
Now, it was time for her to alter the situation.
At that thought, she felt a spark flashing in her eyes. "I'm not sure, but I think you're right. Emmanuel is a very paranoid person.
He has resented me since I ruined Gray Corporation back then. That's why he tried to use Noah to force me to surrender."
Joaquin's brows furrowed, seemingly not buying her statement.
"Was it Emmanuel Gray? But those people didn't look like they work under him. Weren't they the ones who supported him
plotting this whole scene?"
Katherine hesitated while meeting his doubtful gaze. Then, she covered her head, seemingly in pain.
"I... I can't remember."
Joaquin's face twisted at that sight.
"What's wrong, Kathy? Is it a headache? I'll get the doctor!"
Watching him leave, Katherine didn't stop him. She acted as if she was at a loss, but in fact, she was conscious.
If she wanted to deceive Jayden, she must keep her lips tight, and that included deceiving Joaquin. Jayden would only believe
that something went wrong with her in that case.

On the other hand, Jayden sat on the couch in the living room with a murderous gaze.
"Useless trash!" Following a growl, he smashed the glass on the ground.
"You managed to kidnap her but couldn't bring her to me! Are you guys dumb*sses? How could you not do such a minor thing
right? What's the use of hiring you people?!"