Patrick Perry rubbed his nose and coughed lightly. "Madeline, let's talk in the next room."

The two went to the lounge, while Ella supported Freya and comforted her.

"This woman has ill intentions. You need to be more careful in the future."

"Yeah, I know," Freya pursed her lips.

She didn't really care about Juliet; her main concern was Bradley.

"Tell me, how did the accident happen? What actually happened at the ceremony?"

Freya recounted the events of the ceremony to Ella.

Listening to her, Ella furrowed his brows even deeper. "Do you think this accident was merely a coincidence?"

Freya shook her head. "I don't think it's that simple. When Harry made the sudden turn, he mentioned there was a car parked on the side of the road. Then, the second time, the car lost control and crashed into the roadside. Even though I was dazed, I could still see the headlights from the opposite side. It's evident that there was an obstruction ahead, which is why Harry abruptly turned the steering wheel.'"

"So, the parked vehicle was likely a mere distraction, strategically placed to lure Harry's attention away while the real threat approached. It appears this was a meticulously orchestrated manoeuvre by a group of people."

With Ella's analysis, Freya couldn't help but feel a sense of mounting suspicion.

Could this accident be connected to the person who drugged him?

Meanwhile, Patrick led Madeline to the lounge and, as soon as the door closed, enveloped her in his embrace. "Patrick, have you no shame? Your friend is still in the emergency room, yet you find the time to bully me," Madeline protested, pushing him away with force.

"And what about that woman, Juliet Jordan? Explain that to me clearly." she demanded.

"Juliet was a lifesaver to Bradley." Patrick raised an eyebrow, leaning in closer to her.

"Being a lifesaver gives her the right to openly challenge the legal wife, I see. Mistresses nowadays are getting bolder. Lawless!" she remarked, her disdain for mistresses evident.

"The thing I hated most in my life are mistresses, especially ones like Juliet, who rely on the grace of saving lives to elevate themselves and threatening the rightful wife to step down."

"Juliet can't be considered a mistress; she and Bradley grew up together." Patrick said, looking at his fierce wife with eyes shining brightly.

He had known Madeline to be fiery, but ever since they got together, this woman had completely transformed into a tigress, fierce and protective, her claws scratching at his heart.

He had never encountered such a woman before, and he was completely smitten as soon as they fell in love.

"Defending her? Come clean now, do you have something going on with her too?" Madeline pushed him away, hands on her hips.

"Madeline, how could you suspect me? I've given you my heart and soul. Ever since I've been with you, I've been tied to your tree." Patrick shamelessly leaned in again.

Madeline glared at him angrily.

She lacked confidence, which made her susceptible to Patrick's deception. He was nothing but a wolf in sheep's clothing, wicked!

"Don't try to act cute with me; I'm not buying it." she warned with a fist. "By the way, what did she mean by saying that marriage is only valid within the capital?"

Seeing Juliet's demeanour at that moment, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Patrick immediately fell silent.

If he hadn't intervened in time, Juliet would have exposed everything.

Indeed, there was such a rule in Solterra: a man's marriage was only recognized after undergoing the blessing of the Holy Maiden.

Juliet had seized upon this rule, which was why she refused to acknowledge Bradley's relationship with Freya.

"Why the silence? Are you hiding something?" Madeline narrowed her eyes, staring deeply at him.

"Juliet has a mental illness; just ignore her." he replied.

"Oh, so it's just a madman's ramblings. No wonder her words sounded so bizarre to me. She's a lunatic."

Now Madeline felt much better.

After all, can you really take a madman's words seriously?

"Alright, I'm going to check on Freya."

She pushed Patrick away and tried to leave, but he flipped over and pinned her to the sofa.

Half an hour passed.

The lights in the emergency room finally went out.

The door opened. Xavier walked out in a white coat. Freya immediately approached him, her voice hoarse. "How is he?"

"Don't worry, he's out of danger now, but his injuries are quite serious. He'll need to stay in the hospital for a few days."

"Can I go in and see him?"

"Sure. He was calling your name during the surgery. He really risked his life for you, not wanting to leave you behind." Xavier shook his head.

The man Freya once knew, was a prince in distress born to revenge. But now, he had been injured repeatedly just for a woman.

Sometimes, he just couldn't see clearly anymore. Between restoring the country and the woman, if he had to choose only one.

Would he choose the country or the woman?

Freya and the nurse escorted Bradley into the Intensive Care Unit together.

The man lying on the bed, pale and covered in injuries, the most severe being his arm. Even with bandages, blood still seeped out.

"Why are you so silly? What would I do if you're gone?" Freya's voice choked.

She was unconscious at the time and didn't know what happened afterward. But Ella's words lingered in her mind.

'He was holding onto you so tightly when he was taken to the operating room. It took a lot of effort from Dr. Jackson and Dr. Rousseau to separate you two.'

'He kept calling your name. He really loves you, to the point of sacrificing his life.'

Tears streamed down Freya's face.

She never doubted this man's heart. She knew he loved her.

But being unreasonable was a woman's flaw, especially when he was with Juliet; she just couldn't help feeling jealous and angry.

"Can you please wake up? I promise I won't argue with you anymore. I'll do whatever you want, I'll listen to you." she pleaded, gently caressing his handsome face, tears dripping onto his cheek.

Bradley lay motionless on the bed, looking so weak and haggard, like the sleeping prince from the fairy tales.

Could it be that a kiss would wake him up?

Freya felt childish for even thinking that, but she did it anyway.

As their lips touched, she softly pressed against him, gradually deepening the kiss.

At that moment, the man's fingers moved imperceptibly.

Freya continued, slowly intensifying the kiss.

Suddenly, Bradley opened his eyes.

He slowly lifted his uninjured hand, cupping the back of her head, and deepened the kiss with force.

Freya couldn't believe that he had actually woken up. Overjoyed, she forgot about his injuries and hugged him tightly.

"You're finally awake! You scared me to death." she said, her voice trembling with relief.

Bradley groaned in pain but endured it, letting her embrace him. His voice was low and deep.

"I was on the brink of death, but I heard a girl crying and begging me not to leave her. Freya dear, I love you. That's why I couldn't bear to die, and even more so, I couldn't bear the thought of you loving someone else after I'm gone."