Chapter 296

"Ah—"

A piercing scream shattered the clinic's tranquility.

Stella Valentine's heart plummeted.

She could vividly feel the blade sinking into flesh.

"Help! Murder!" William Rubenstein bolted from the exam room in terror, throwing the entire floor into chaos.

A strained voice whispered in her ear, "Let go."

Only two sounds existed in her world now—the frantic pounding of her own heart and his controlled breathing.

The muffled voice came from beneath a black helmet. "Stella, release it."

She realized the Swiss Army knife hadn't struck William. Instead, it was clenched in a large, well-defined hand.

Blood seeped steadily between the fingers.

His left hand.

"You..."

Footsteps pounded toward them from the hallway.

A powerful force yanked her toward the exit. When William's bodyguard lunged, he effortlessly kicked the man aside.

A motorcycle engine roared to life.

With one fluid motion, he lifted her onto the seat.

The bike weaved through narrow alleys, quickly losing their pursuers.

Wind whipped through her hair.

Her vision blurred when she recognized the dashboard.

Beside it, his left hand still bled.

"Your hand..."

"Just a scratch."

"That's not a scratch with this much blood!"

"Better me than that scoundrel." Amusement colored his voice. "His injury would bring endless trouble."

Her trembling fingers covered his wound.

"Don't touch it."

"Does it hurt?"

"No."

"Liar." She pressed harder. "We need to get this treated."

"Unnecessary."

"You always do this!" Her voice cracked. "You promised to speak up when you're in pain..."

The motorcycle sped westward, leaving the city behind.

His words barely carried over the rushing wind. "Stella...do you know who I am?"

"What?"

"...Never mind."

A bitter smile curved beneath the helmet.

She'd mistaken his identity.

The daylight, the helmet—these details were enough to create illusions.

"What did you say earlier?"

"Nothing." His voice softened. "None of it matters now."

She stubbornly kept pressure on his wound. "But—"

"Do you know what today is?"

Stella froze.

"December 30th." He answered his own question. "My birthday's tomorrow."

"I remember." She repeated urgently. "I truly remember."

Adrian Roland's heart thawed like ice under sunlight.

Even if only one percent of it warmed.

That was enough.

"Stella, I'm happy."

"Fool. How can you be happy while injured?"

"If I could see you every day, I'd gladly get hurt daily."

"You'd end up full of holes!"

"Being a porcupine doesn't sound bad."

"Stop talking nonsense..."

"From this moment on," his voice melted like honey, "porcupines are my favorite animal."

Her heartbeat stuttered.

"Today is my birthday."

"I know." She gazed at the horizon. "I planned to visit Victor Lefèvre first, then go to Mount Rainier. Whether you were there or not, I wanted to be the first to wish you happy birthday."

His Adam's apple bobbed. "Let's go now."