Chapter 184
Croatia was sitting by the window, the faint glow of the evening sun casting a golden hue on her pale
face.
She seemed fragile, her once vibrant energy replaced with a subdued stillness.
When she noticed me, Croatia forced a small smile. “You came,” she said softly, her voice trembling ever so slightly.
I walked closer, pulling up a chair beside her bed. “Are you alone?”
I asked, glancing around the room that was devoid of any visitors or personal touches.
Croatia nodded, letting out a hollow laugh.
“They’ve all gone back. I guess I’m no longer useful to them,” she said, her tone carrying a bitter edge.
Her hands fidgeted with the edge of her blanket, a nervous habit she seemed unable to suppress.
I hesitated, searching her face for a trace of defiance or resolve, but all I saw was despair.
“Because you didn’t insist on marrying Lirian?” I guessed.
Her lips pressed into a thin line as she nodded. They’re furious,” she admitted. “For as long as I can remember, my worth to them has always been about what I can do for the family. Now that I’ve refused, they’ve decided to ignore me altogether.”
I felt a pang of sympathy for her, but there was also a growing curiosity gnawing at the back of my mind.
“Croatia,” I started cautiously, “do you really not know Jason?”
Here
widened slightly, and for a moment, I thought she might deny it again. Instead, she looked away, blinking rapidly as te away, blinking rapidly as tears welled up in her eyes.
“Jason is was…my boyfriend,” she confessed, her voice breaking. “We met years ago, back when I till believed I could make my own choices.”
I leaned forward, encouraging her to continue. “What happened?”
Croatia let out a shaky breath, her hands trembling as she spoke.
The Alpha’s Saberi.
My father never approved of him. Jason came from a commoner background–no family name, no connections, nothing that could benefit Ragnar. He thought Jason was a waste of time, someone I should forget about.But Jason was everything to me. He believed in me, in my dreams, even when no one else did.”
Her gaze dropped to her lap, her voice growing bitter.
“When I started gaining recognition as an actress, I thought I’d finally escaped their control. But then Linda framed me, spread those rumors…and everything fell apart. Now that I’ve lost even that, I have nothing left.”
Her words hung heavily In the air, and I could see the depth of her despair etched across her face.
Croatia.” I said gently, “I spoke to your doctor earlier. He told me something interesting.”
She glanced up, her red–rimmed eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion. “What?”
“Your injuries aren’t as severe as your father made them out to be.” I explained. “Your legs can
recover.
Ragnar exaggerated your condition to force you into marrying Lirian, hoping it would secure your future–and his.”
Croatia stared at me, her mouth slightly agape.
“You’re lying.” she whispered, though her tone lacked conviction.
“I’m not,” I replied firmly. “You still have a chance to regain everything you lost. Your career, your freedom, your life. But you have to be willing to fight for it.”
Her expression shifted, a flicker of hope crossing her face before it was replaced by wariness.
“Why are you telling me this?” she asked. “Why would you want to help me?”
I reached into my bag and pulled out a delicate necklace, the one Jason had given me at the auction.
Holding it up. I let the pendant catch the light before placing it gently in her hand
“Because we have the same enemy,” I said simply.
Croatia’s fingers closed around the necklace, her lips trembling as fresh tears spilled down her
cheeks.
For a moment, she said nothing, staring at the necklace as though it held all the answers she’d been
Temper Tra
searching for. Finally, she looked up at me, her voice trembling.
I’ll do it. Whatever you need, I’ll cooperate.”
I leaned in closer, lowering my voice to a whisper. “Good. Here’s what we’re going to do…”
Later that evening, I left the hospital feeling a sense of resolve I hadn’t felt in a long time.
The crisp night air was a welcome relief from the stifling tension of the day, but my moment of peace was short–lived.
Standing near the hospital entrance was Ryan, his tall frame silhouetted against the dim streetlights.
Cigarette butts littered the ground around him, evidence of the frustration that seemed to radiate from him in waves.
As soon as he saw me, Ryan strode over, his movements sharp and purposeful.
“Sophia,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. He stepped in front of me, blocking my path. “We need to talk.”
Chimptet tas
