Seraphine Drax slipped off her white coat as she walked out of her laboratory, her movements calm—almost leisurely—despite the chaos beginning to unfold around her. Kael was already there, waiting, hands tucked into his pockets. “You really sent him here, huh?” Seraphine said, irritation clear in her voice. “Did you forget how valuable my experiments are?” Kael simply shrugged. “You took his fiancée. He would’ve found this place eventually.” A faint smirk formed. “You know him.” Seraphine rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” She tapped something near her ear. “Evacuate everything,” she ordered coldly. A voice responded immediately from the other end. “How about the woman, Mistress?” Seraphine paused for a brief moment. Then— “Leave her,” she said without hesitation. “It’s already done.” A slow smirk spread across her lips. “Tell Duane to handle our visitor.” She cut the line. Kael glanced at her, curious. “You injected her already?” “Of course,” Seraphine replied,

Carl didn’t waste another second.He rushed back inside, moving faster than before—driven by urgency, by fear, by something deeper he refused to name.Anyone who stood in his way—Fell.Instantly.The moment they appeared, Carl was already there.A flash.A strike.Flames.Screams echoed through the facility as his Dragon Flame tore through everything in its path. There was no hesitation in his movements, no mercy in his attacks.He wasn’t holding back anymore.Not now.Not when Sophia was still inside.Machines shattered as he passed. Glass containers exploded. Sparks flew, alarms blaring throughout the entire building.Carl didn’t even look back.Room after room—Empty.Destroyed.Abandoned.“They moved…” he muttered, his jaw tightening.But he didn’t stop.He couldn’t.Not until he found her.He kicked open another door—Nothing.Another—Still nothing.His breathing grew heavier, his frustration rising with every second.Move faster.Kael’s voice echoed in his mind.Carl clenched

The surge didn’t last forever.But it felt like it did.Heat flooded the room, pressing against the walls, rattling everything in its wake. Carl’s grip on Sophia never loosened, even as the pain tore through his body.Then—Slowly—The energy began to settle.The trembling stopped.The heat faded.And just like that—Silence.Heavy.Still.Carl’s breathing was rough, uneven, but he didn’t move.Didn’t dare.“…Sophia?” he called softly.No response.For a moment—Fear crept in.Then—Her fingers twitched.Carl’s eyes widened slightly.Sophia took a sharp breath—And her eyes snapped open.But not like before.Not wild.Not unstable.Just…Different.Carl leaned closer. “Sophia?”She stared at him.Confused.Lost.As if she didn’t recognize where she was.Or even… herself.“Carl…?” she whispered.Relief hit him instantly.“I’m here,” he said, his voice softer now. “You’re safe.”She blinked slowly, her gaze scanning his face like she was trying to make sense of something unfamiliar.The

The Carson Company tower stood tall against the skyline—glass, steel, and power.A symbol.Of everything Sophia had built.Or thought she had.Carl stepped out of the car first, his sharp gaze already scanning the surroundings. Guards were present, employees moving in and out—but something felt off.Too tense.Too uneasy.Sophia noticed it too.“They’re acting strange…” she murmured.Carl glanced at her. “Stay close.”She nodded.Together, they walked inside.The moment they stepped through the lobby—All eyes turned to them.Whispers followed.Low.Uneasy.Not the usual respectful greetings Sophia was used to.Her brows furrowed.“What’s going on…?”Before she could question it further—“Ma’am!”Jessa rushed toward them, her face pale, clearly distressed.“Jessa,” Sophia said quickly. “What happened? You sounded urgent on the phone.”Jessa glanced at Carl briefly, then leaned closer to Sophia.“There’s someone in the boardroom,” she said. “He’s been waiting for you.”Sophia frowned.

A woman and a man were inside a luxurious hotel room.The woman, dressed in an alluring gown, sat comfortably on a large couch. The man stood near the window, wearing only jeans, a black shirt, and a dark hoodie.The room was dim, illuminated only by the city lights filtering through the glass.“Seraphine called you?” the woman asked.The man cleared his throat. “Yeah. Apparently, she wants the hybrid’s lover.”The woman arched a brow.“But why?”“She didn’t explain,” he replied. “But I heard the girl became a vessel too… a stable one.”Silence followed.Then—A slow smile spread across the woman’s lips.“So… we can use her.”The man finally turned to face her.“What are you planning, Octavia?”Octavia’s eyes gleamed in the darkness.“The same thing I always do, Draken,” she said smoothly.A pause.“I’ll take the hybrid instead.”—Back at the Carson Company—The tension in Sophia’s office had barely settled when—Bang.The door swung open.“Sophia!”Both Carl and Sophia turned.“Jasm