The young man was as handsome and elegant as a moonlit summer night.
Vivienne had once fallen for this boy, possessed by a desire to reach for the moon.
Alaric was dressed casually, but no matter how casual his attire, his presence alone made him the center of attention.
Cedric glanced at Vivienne and quickly explained what had just happened. “Master Alaric, there was an attack. I failed to handle it properly, and Miss Bianca fell into the forest below.”
Alaric said, “Get in the car first. We…”
Before he could finish, Vivienne cut him off. “No! Find her first!”
Alaric’s eyelids twitched. He turned to look at Vivienne, but she met his gaze without flinching, her tone commanding. “Alaric, save her first!”
Cedric’s brow throbbed, and he quickly grabbed Vivienne. “Miss Lexton, listen to the young master. Don’t worry, we won’t leave Miss Bianca behind. But the situation is dangerous. We have to leave immediately, or things will get worse.”
Alaric shifted his gaze and ordered a bodyguard, “Get in the car.”
Vivienne bit down hard on Cedric’s hand and darted two meters away. As Cedric winced and started to go after her, a bullet shot past, hitting the dirt at his feet.
“Ah!” Vivienne cried out, immediately crouching down and covering her head.
“Protect the young master!”
Cedric had no time to think, turning to shield Alaric.
Alaric remained relatively calm and gave a nod to his bodyguard.
The man understood, pressing the comms device in his ear. “Three o’clock. Gray Eagle, you have fifteen minutes to resolve this.” After getting a response, the man lowered his voice. “Master Alaric, there are too many of them. We can’t risk you getting hurt. Let’s go first.”
Alaric nodded, his eyes glancing at the trembling girl huddled not far away. “Grab her and put her in the car.”
Vivienne was stunned, her expression turning to fury. “You’re not saving Bianca, so what right do you have to take me?”
The bodyguard ignored her, hoisting her up by the back of her neck like a stray cat.
Vivienne looked back at the rapidly receding mountain path, an unprecedented wave of panic rising in her heart.
In her past life, Alaric had attended the banquet completely unharmed, which meant this assassination attempt wouldn’t hurt him. And she had just heard the word “erasure” in her mind. So, this assassination wasn’t targeting Alaric, but Bianca.
They couldn’t leave. If they left, something would definitely happen to Bianca.
The bodyguard opened the car door and tried to stuff Vivienne inside by her head.
No!
She couldn’t let them take her. She was the one who had torn off Bianca’s label; she had to be the one to bring her back.
Vivienne’s pupils constricted, and she gripped the sides of the car door with all her might.
In Alaric’s eyes, this ill-timed kindness was nothing but hopeless stupidity. “Stuff her in.”
The young man tossed out the cold command and turned to leave.
“Stuff me in?!” Vivienne’s disheveled bangs covered most of her face.
“Don’t come any closer,” Vivienne said, raising the pistol and aiming it at Alaric.
Alaric’s expression remained unchanged, but the faces of the bodyguards around him had paled. Their hands slowly moved toward the guns at their waists.
“Don’t move!” Cedric, fearing a disastrous misunderstanding, raised a hand to stop the bodyguards. “She doesn’t even know how to fire it.”
The lead bodyguard had already recognized the gun in Vivienne’s hand as a new model with a double safety. If the safety hadn’t still been on, they would have acted already.
“Miss Lexton, what on earth are you trying to do?” Cedric’s face was grim. “If you keep this up, don’t blame us for getting serious.”
Vivienne backed away step by step, moving toward the spot where Bianca had fallen. “If you want to leave, then go. Bianca and I came here as a pair, and we’ll be going back as a pair.”
Alaric had grown tired of her foolishness. His voice was icy. “Gag her and drag her back.”
“Don’t come any closer!” Vivienne saw them closing in. If she got caught again, no amount of theatrics would work.
At that thought, she steeled herself, slowly crouched down, and covered her head.
So now she was begging for mercy?
Alaric turned away, unwilling to waste any more time.
“Alaric.” She looked up, smiled, and raised her middle finger.
Alaric froze, his gaze deepening.
In his line of sight, she deliberately tipped her body to the side and rolled down the wooded slope.

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