Queen of Wild Cards novel Chapter 495

Stella wanted to check her vitals to make sure the head trauma hadn't caused any severe internal damage.

Serena obediently held out her hand.

After thoroughly checking her, Stella nodded. "Nothing major. You might still experience some dizziness, but a few days of rest will clear it up. Stay inside the villa. Do not leave. If you walk out those doors, I can't protect you."

She couldn't reveal the extraction plan scheduled for seven days from now, fearing a slip of the tongue might ruin everything.

She barely knew the girl. The safest bet was keeping her in the dark while she recovered.

Serena spent the next three days healing in Tiger's villa. Aside from the nasty scar forming on her forehead, she was practically back to normal.

These three days felt like heaven compared to the utter hell she had been living through.

When she first arrived at the compound, she had been locked in a cage, fed nothing but stale buns and dirty water. When they moved her to Paula's brothel, the food improved, but the price was servicing a revolving door of disgusting men. She would have rather starved.

Living with Ms. Todd was entirely different. They didn't speak much, but no one forced her to do anything. She didn't have to wake up in terror, and every meal consisted of hot, delicious food.

Being here almost made her feel like she was back in Veridia.

Nothing provided a sense of safety quite like the feeling of home.

This Ms. Todd, who had pulled her from the jaws of a monster, was as kind as she was beautiful. If they ever made it back to Veridia alive, Serena swore she would find a way to repay her.

She quietly observed Stella over the three days, trying to figure her out, but came up empty.

Sometimes Stella would leave for hours. When she was home, she mostly stayed locked in her room.

Celine, the housekeeper, gossiped that she was pregnant with Tiger's child. Serena had no idea if she had been forced into the pregnancy or if she had submitted willingly.

...

Meanwhile, in the capital.

Julius Blackwood had finally, agonizingly, waited out the clock until the day before the operation.

The holidays were officially over. His parents had returned to their respective duties, and the Blackwood Group had been back in full swing for a week.

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