Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

When Julian and the others entered the room, they found the assassin K bleeding heavily from both hands. His clothes had been stripped off, leaving only a towel wrapped around his waist. Vortex had been meticulous-true to the nature of a killer, every minor oversight could lead to disaster. He wasn't afraid for himself; there were still innocent people on board. Vortex had already conducted several thorough searches, even inspecting assassin K's most private areas multiple times.

Julian strode forward and kicked K hard. "Did you kill her?" The kick wasn't light. K was sent sprawling to the floor. "I only tampered with the railing," K gasped. "It was Ivy who killed her." As they'd suspected, K confirmed their theory. However, no matter how hard they pressed him, K refused to reveal who had hired him. Vortex tried searching his phone for clues, but it was brand new. Assassins had their habits-working in such a dangerous profession meant that if caught, a phone could easily becdamning evidence. The phone was blank, carrying no personal information or traces that could lead to anyone else in their line of work.

"I don't need you to say it. I already know who it was," Julian declared, his voice cold and deliberate, each word like a sentence of judgment. "Whether it's you or him, you'll both pay for what you've done." K was arrested, but Aurora's body was still missing, and Ivy had also disappeared without a trace.

"Not finding her might be a good thing," Nick said, trying to console Julian. "She could've been saved by a passing ship. That's how you met her back then, isn't it?" K's confession confirmed their fears-Aurora had fallen into the sea. But this twas different. Back then, Julian had been the one in the water, and he could swim. Aurora, however, couldn't. She was terrified of water. If Hayden hadn't saved her in tback then, she wouldn't have survived.

"I'll find her," Julian said resolutely. "No matter what state she's in, I'll find her." He refused to let himself think otherwise. He clung to the hope, however faint, that she might've been rescued the moment she fell into the water. He told himself it was possible, even if it meant lying to himself.

"Yes, we'll all help you," Nick assured him. "I believe she has a guardian angel watching over her. She'll be okay." The real culprit had been identified, and the ship docked to allow everyone else to disembark. For most, it had been merely a false alarm. They were free to go home, soak in a bath, and wake up to a new day. But for Julian, it was anything but over. He was the most heartbroken of them all.

Once the ship was cleared, Julian donned a diving suit and plunged into the sea repeatedly. Nick, worried something might happen to him, had no choice but to accompany him. Meanwhile, Vortex directed the remaining crew to continue the search.

On the ship, Irene was beside herself with worry. The weather was freezing, and the ocean vast. Julian had been pushing himself all night without rest or food. If his body gave out and he failed to resurface, what then? She also felt for Nick, who tirelessly dove alongside Julian, trip after trip. When they surfaced again, Irene couldn't contain herself any longer.

"I'm begging you both, please stop going down there. We have professional divers for this. Get srest, eat something to regain your strength," she pleaded.

She wanted to tell them the truth: even a plane crash in the ocean often left no trace for days-how could they expect to find a single person? It was like searching for a needle in a haystack. But she couldn't bring herself to say it. She didn't believe Aurora was truly gone either. Tears rolled down her face as she watched them.

"I'm fine," Julian said hoarsely. "I know my limits." "Look at yourself! Your lips are turning blue," Irene shot back. "Julian, I know you're worried, but what's done is done. If someone rescued her, she wouldn't still be in this part of the sea. If no one did, she'd still be here, and there's no rush to find her this very second. Think about Nick-if not yourself." Julian glanced at Nick, who was in no better shape than him. But Nick understood the pain of losing someone you loved. If going through this helped ease Julian's torment, then he was willing to endure it. "I'm okay," Nick said quietly.

Julian exhaled deeply, his rationality finally breaking through. "I'm sorry. Let's take a break." Irene nodded quickly. "Go soak in a hot bath and eat something. We have plenty of people searching. You need to take care of yourself. If Little Bunny comes back and sees you like this, she'll be heartbroken." Julian nodded numbly and went to the room Aurora had planned to stay in. He soaked in the bath, but sleep wouldn't come. Instead, he held one of Aurora's nightgowns tightly in his arms, clinging to it as if it were her. He couldn't bear to let go.

When Irene entered with milk and breakfast, she found the large man sitting on the bed, holding the nightgown like a lifeline. He looked like a child who had been abandoned. Her eyes reddened at the sight. "Eat something," she urged softly. "I'm not hungry," Julian muttered, his voice mechanical and devoid of emotion. Irene knew how much pain he was in. People were most vulnerable in such moments, and she feared he might collapse entirely. Gently, she coaxed him, "According to K's confession, the incident happened around nine o'clock. The ship had only been sailing for about an hour, so the search area is relatively small. We've sent so many people to look, and the fact that we haven't found her is the best possible news. This area is usually busy with passing ships. There's a good chance someone rescued her, which is why we can't find Little Bunny. She's probably resting somewhere right now, and when she recovers, she'll contact you. But if you don't take care of yourself, what will she think if she comes back and sees you like this?" Her words finally got through to him. Julian began eating, though mechanically and without care for what was on his plate or how it tasted. He was numb. But he knew he had to survive. If he died, he'd never find her. If he died, he couldn't avenge her.

If you're loving the book, nel5sis where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! "That's better," Irene said gently. "Look at your eyes-they're bloodshot. Drink the milk and get ssleep. Who knows? Maybe Little Bunny will be back when you wake up."

She was experienced at comforting others. After noticing that Julian hadn't dried his hair after his bath, she brought over a towel and began gently drying it for him. The gesture caused a pang in Julian's heart-it reminded him of Aurora. Back at home, when he was busy, he'd often leave his hair wet. He'd always scold Aurora for doing the same, but when it was him, he'd brush it off, thinking it didn't matter because he was a man.

Irene's care only deepened his grief. He clenched his jaw, fighting back tears.

"All done," Irene said softly. "Now rest.

N If there's any news, I'll tell you immediately." Julian lay down like an obedient child, pulling the blanket over himself. Exhausted, he fell asleep quickly. Unknown to him, Irene had slipped a mild sedative into his milk. He needed rest more than anything now. After tucking him in, she left the room, sighing deeply. "Why do you torment two people who love each other so much, God?" she whispered. "Is he asleep?" Nick asked quietly outside the door.

"For now," Irene replied, her voice heavy with worry. "If this keeps up, he'll break down." "Let's hope Aurora is safe and comes back soon," Nick said. "I'm afraid he'll lose his mind otherwise." mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofifl0&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1