Almost immediately after Viktor was gone, Sarah walked in with the doctor.
"You are up and strong," the doctor said casually with a smile on his face.
Adeline nodded. "Doctor, when will I be free to go? Can I be discharged from here today?"
The doctor chuckled and examined her body. "Someone is in a bit of a rush to leave here already. Well, let's see what we have here."
He took his tiny pocket torch and leaned forward. Grabbing her head, he pointed it into her eyes and examined each of them.
"Are you feeling any sort of discomfort, perhaps dizziness?"
Ade shook her head.
"Ade, speak up. If you are feeling that way, you—"
Ade cut her off. "I said I'm good. I actually mean it."
The doctor checked her vitals for a moment and looked at her.
"You are good to go," he said. "But do well to get more rest. You need a whole lot of rest."
Ade nodded in agreement. "Thank you, doctor."
Soon, the doctor was gone from the room and the two friends were left alone. Sarah got to the wall and leaned against it with both hands folded against her chest. Her eyes were fixated on Ade. Ade knew the look. Sarah was like a sharpshooter when questions crossed her mind.
"What's with the look, Sarah?" She asked. "I really don't want to stay here. I believe you know that."
"Who was here? Who is he?"
Ade didn't expect Sarah to have figured it out already. She was going to keep it a secret for the time being. How was she to tell Sarah that the predator had just offered to have her as his wife just after her own wedding with Julian went downhill?
"I saw someone walk out of this room from afar," Sarah pressed on. "And this place still reeks of some kind of heavy masculine cologne. Who is he? Don't tell me Julian was here. It didn't look like him from behind, though."
Adeline was mute for a couple of seconds. Then, she cleared her throat and adjusted her position, a subtle effort to be ready for Sarah's backlash.
"Viktor," she said calmly. "Viktor Constantino."
Sarah's eyes bulged out immediately. The shock was clear. She unfolded her arms and hinged them on her waist.
"Viktor Constantino? He was here. Was it…him?"
Adeline nodded in agreement. "He was here to see me."
Sarah rushed to the bed and sat beside her friend. "What did he do to you? You could have called for help. Did he threaten you?"
Adeline grinned softly. "You are being dramatic, Sarah. He did nothing. He was here to check up on me."
A scowl formed on Sarah's face. "Why do I feel like you have suddenly become soft? He couldn't have come here to just check on you. What did he want from you? What did you talk about?"
"He said he tried to warn me. According to him, Julian isn't who I think he is. He was never in my life for love, but to hurt me. But….Viktor wants to help me with protection, power and revenge."
Sarah got up. "In exchange for what?"
There was a little pause before Adeline answered the question.
"He wants me to marry him instead."
Sarah cocked her hair and snapped her fingers in the air.
"I knew it, Ade! I just knew it. He must have pulled this stunt at your wedding. Who knows, he may have threatened Julian to abandon you at the altar just for him to step in now. Can't you see it now?"
Adeline was confused. She didn't know what to think. She wanted to believe Sarah's words. But then, that witchy grin on Julian's face. It couldn't have been a part of the plot. Julian seemed to be a totally different person in that instant — a monster she didn't know existed.
"What did you tell him?" Sarah queried her.
"To give me time to think."
Sarah grabbed Adeline's hand and pressed gently. "Ade, I want the best for you. Viktor is a dangerous man. And I want you to be safe."
Adeline smiled knowingly. "That's why you are my best friend. Julian has not come to see me yet. Maybe you are right. I think he was coerced forcefully to make such a rash move. Right now, I have to confront him." She sighed. "I'm going to his place."
They wrapped up at the hospital and left.
★★★★★
Many moments later, Adeline arrived alone at Julian's private relaxation house. When she got there, she saw him standing on the wooden balcony with his left hand rightly placed in his pocket and the right one clutching a glass of wine.
She was just a couple of feet away when a random lady she didn't know walked out in a bikini and hugged Julian from behind. Her heart shattered in one strike.
"Julian," she muttered his name in a teary tone.
They turned. Julian whispered something to the chick and she pecked him before waddling off.
"What are you doing here?" Julian queried her.
The question was a sharp contrast to what she had expected. It didn't look like he was under coercion earlier. He was just a totally different person now. A monster she never knew.
"How could…you do this? Tell me. Who made you do this? Did he threaten you?"
Julian bursted into feats of laughter.
"I knew you were dumb. But you are killing me right now." He gnashed his teeth. "No one forced me. I did what I had to do. And if you are so eager to know why, ask your parents. Oh. That's right. They are dead."
Adeline was trapped where she was standing. Shame had gripped her and her heart was shredded. She was hurt badly.
She needed a way to turn the table.
"With your name on every paper as the CURSED BRIDE, who do you think would want you now?"
Adeline forced a chuckle. "You are the dumb one, after all. I already moved on."
Julian smirked. "What?"
"Did you really think you were the only one coming for my hand? I only did your pitiable soul a favour by accepting you. But you blew your chances away."
Julian laughed. "I nearly fell for those cheap words. You are bluffing."
Adeline chuckled mildly. She took out her phone and the card Viktor had given her. Then, she called the number on it.
Onering....two rings...
"Hello," Viktor said. "Chi è questo?"
Adeline didn't understand those words, but she didn't care.
"You have thirty minutes to find and pick me up."
"Adeline?" Viktor queried.
She cleared her throat. "If you are even a second late, our deal will be off."
"I'm on my way!!" Viktor replied.
She hung up and waited, her eyes staring blankly at the mocking grimace on Julian's face. She was earnestly hoping that Viktor would find her.