They left the room together and made their way toward the hospital entrance, but they had barely reached the main corridor when Lucian suddenly slowed.
Nyx noticed immediately.
"Lucian?"
He didn’t answer, his focus fixed on the glass doors ahead.
Nyx followed his gaze.
A small crowd had gathered near the hospital’s main entrance.
Three black vehicles were parked in a line just outside, their polished surfaces reflecting the morning sunlight. Several men dressed in dark suits stood around them, creating a clear barrier between the vehicles and the people passing through the entrance.
At first, Nyx assumed it was some important individual who was a patient’s family member.
Then one of the bodyguards stepped aside.
A wheelchair appeared.
The man sitting in it immediately drew attention.
Even from a distance, there was something striking about him.
He was dressed entirely in black, from his tailored trousers and fitted shirt to the sleek jacket resting over his shoulders. His silky black hair had been styled neatly, with a few strands falling naturally across his forehead.
A black face mask covered the lower half of his face, but it did little to hide the sharpness of his features.
His dark eyes were calm and distant.
A few people nearby had already recognized him.
"Oh my God. Is that Riven Kade?"
"It is! I think it’s really him!"
"Riven Kade? Here?"
"He’s even more handsome in person."
"Keep your voice down. His bodyguards are going to hear you."
A young man standing nearby stared openly at the wheelchair before turning to the person beside him.
"Isn’t he the CEO of Kade Holdings?"
"No, that’s his older brother."
"Still, he’s insanely handsome."
"Forget handsome. Look at those bodyguards. They won’t even let anyone get close."
The murmurs continued as more people began glancing in Riven’s direction.
Nyx looked at him for another moment.
Wow.
She had expected someone important to have an entourage, but she hadn’t expected him to look like that.
Even with half of his face hidden, he was undeniably handsome.
What a pity.
Her gaze dropped briefly to the wheelchair.
She had heard of Riven Kade before. His name had appeared occasionally in business and social circles, though she had never paid much attention to him.
Apparently, he suffered from a peculiar illness that affected his legs. There were periods when he couldn’t stand or walk without assistance, forcing him to rely on a wheelchair.
Nyx couldn’t help wondering what had happened to him after Realmfall.
Did he survive?
She combed through her memories, but there were simply too many people whose fates she had never learned.
Perhaps Riven had awakened an ability after Realmfall and eventually regained the use of his legs. Or perhaps his illness had remained unchanged.
If he had remained an ordinary person, he might still have survived longer than most.
With his wealth and bodyguards, an ordinary man of his standing might have survived longer than most—though Realmfall had destroyed plenty of people who once possessed money, power, and protection.
No one had been completely safe.
"Nyx?" Lucian’s voice pulled her back.
She blinked, looking over at him. He held his phone in one hand. "The car is waiting."
"Right."
Nyx gave Riven one last glance before turning away. Whatever his fate had been, it had nothing to do with her. She had enough problems of her own.
She took Lucian’s arm with her good hand and led him toward the exit.
Neither of them noticed Riven’s dark eyes briefly shifting in their direction.
?
About twenty minutes into the drive, Nyx asked the driver to stop near a large shopping center.
Telling Lucian she needed to pick up a few items, she hurried inside and returned a short while later carrying several shopping bags. The driver stepped out to open the trunk, taking the bags from her before she slipped back into the backseat.
Settling into her seat, she turned to Lucian with a slight smile. "I bought a few things for you too. You’ll like them."
Lucian’s expression softened into a happy smile. "Thank you."
As the car pulled away, the city blurred past the windows. People went about their morning as usual—cars moving through traffic, shop doors opening, delivery workers hauling boxes, and office workers hurrying along the sidewalks with coffee in hand.
Everything looked entirely normal.
In twenty-nine days, none of it would be.
Nyx leaned back against her seat and closed her eyes.
When the car finally slowed in front of the Arden mansion, Nyx opened her eyes.
She stared through the window at the familiar gates as the vehicle came to a stop. Lucian stepped out first, coming around to open her door and help her carry the bags.
Side by side, they walked through the gates and followed the path toward the main entrance.
Nyx had expected the scene waiting for her inside.
The dining room was filled with the easy chatter of breakfast. Camilla sat at one end of the table, speaking pleasantly with Edmund while Livia picked at her food beside her. The atmosphere was warm, comfortable, and peaceful.
Then Camilla looked toward the foyer, and her expression shifted instantly.
"Nyx?"
The other two turned.
Edmund’s gaze settled on Nyx first. His eyes moved briefly over her clothes, then stopped at the sling supporting her injured arm. His brows drew together in a slight frown.
Before he could say anything, Livia spoke.
"We thought you had finally run away from home, Nyx. Thank God you didn’t, but you should really learn to give us a heads-up if you’re going to disappear like that again."
Nyx stared at her.
For a few seconds, she said nothing.
Then she let out a chuckle.
The sound made Livia frown.
Turning toward Lucian, Nyx handed him the shopping bags. "Take these upstairs. I’ll be there in a moment."
Lucian glanced toward the dining table, then looked back at her with a quiet nod. "Okay.".
He took the bags and headed up the stairs. Nyx watched him disappear at the landing before turning her full attention back to the dining room.