Chapter 7 Solace

In a more private area, Warren took care of Nadine's injury.

He carefully disinfected the wound on her forehead before applying an adhesive bandage, despite her flinching from the sting.

Blaine commented, "Sir, a little gentleness wouldn't hurt."

Returning with the CT scan results, Blaine handed them to Nadine, but Warren took them first.

"What's the diagnosis?" Warren asked.

Blaine replied, "Don't worry, sir. Your strength wasn't enough to break her nose."

Receiving a stern look from Warren, Blaine turned to Nadine, advising, "Be careful with your nose and the wound on your forehead. Keep the wound dry and change the adhesive bandage daily."

Nadine acknowledged, her nostrils stuffed with tissues.

She then addressed Warren, saying, "About last night, I didn't mean to do that."

"I know," Warren responded calmly.

She had prepared herself for the barrage of questions he might have had for her, but was silenced by his curt response. She asked, "If you knew, why go along with it?"

Faced with her direct question, Warren raised an eyebrow, momentarily at a loss for words.

Blaine, trying to contain his amusement, subtly coughed to mask a chuckle.

He interjected, "Let me clarify. Mr. Harper is no saint, but he's not to blame for last night. He was as much a victim."

Nadine, curious, asked, "So, do you know who's responsible?"

Warren stood up and replied, "Not yet. Take care. I must attend to other matters now."

As she watched him leave, he reached the door and paused.

"I'll speak with your father. I'll ensure he knows you're not the woman in the news. Please, don't stress about this."

Numbly nodding, Nadine processed his words.

The person in the news wasn't her?

Confused, she tried to follow, but her vision blurred and she collapsed.

As they settled into the car, Blaine couldn't help but express his disbelief. "Domenic's behavior is just absurd. His daughter is treated unjustly, and instead of comforting her, he thinks about making her kneel."

Earlier, after soothing Rylee, Blaine had overheard Domenic discussing handing Nadine over to Warren for punishment, which left him quite agitated.

Warren, opening his eyes slowly, appeared contemplative. He handed the mysterious photo to Blaine. "Find the person who set up the camera."

Blaine examined the photo on Warren's phone. Despite its blurriness, the context was vaguely discernible.

"Hadn't I deleted the surveillance footage there? Where did you get this? It's so unclear. Are you sure it's even you?"

Noticing Warren's mood darken, Blaine quickly stopped talking.

After a moment, he added, "Sir, judging by the angle, the photo seems to have been taken from directly across the bed."

Wasn't it obvious? Warren's expression grew stern. "Anything else?"

"Just that," Blaine responded, scratching his head.

Warren's frustration was palpable. "If you're not up to the task, I might as well send you back to Aspus."

Blaine, sensing Warren's anger, hurriedly said, "Wait, sir. The photo's blurriness might be because of your editing. Without clarity, how can I gather any info? Maybe there's critical evidence in the photo you need to show me for a proper investigation?"

Warren's glare intensified.

Blaine quickly conceded, knowing he couldn't expect to see more.

"I'll investigate immediately," he assured.

Meanwhile, Nadine lay in a hospital bed, her expression fraught with tension.

She was adrift in a dream, feeling warm breath near her ear and a wave of heat enveloping her. The dream's sensation peaked, and then she felt as if she was falling, only to be caught again.

In her dream, the water transformed into strong hands, embracing her. The breaths intertwined, leading her to a dreamlike ecstasy.

Caden's voice pierced the dream. "Nadine? Nadine?"

Hearing this familiar call, Nadine slowly awoke, opening her eyes to a face filled with concern.