Frequency, her stability improving in ways no previous treatment had ever achieved.

But the drug wasn’t a cure—it was a bandage. It dulled the symptoms, quieted the storm for a time, and its side effects were brutal. Prolonged use would have destroyed the very mind it was trying to stabilize. Rita had designed it for emergencies only—for the moments when the body was unraveling under the weight of extreme mental or physical stress. A last resort, not a solution.

Still, Elliana couldn’t stop thinking about Alice. The deeper she went into the case, the more the puzzle pieces began to shift into place. According to the timeline, Alice had participated in a session until the day before Rita left Ublento. That meant Alice had been in Ublento at the time.

Patients with Psychephrenia were extraordinarily rare. In fact, Elliana could only think of one other known case in Ublento during that period—Cole’s mother, Sophie. Sophie had vanished from Ublento seven days after Rita’s disappearance. Was Alice actually Sophie? And if so, what was the true relationship between Rita and Sophie? Was it purely a doctor-patient bond? Or something far more personal, more profound? Both women had always existed in the shadows, their origins cloaked in rumor, their arrivals in Ublento undocumented, their disappearances eerily similar. There was only one way to find out. A DNA sample from Cole.

Once, it would’ve been laughably easy for Elliana to acquire it. Back when they’d shared a bed, she could’ve plucked a few strands of hair without him even noticing. Now, the idea was fraught with complications. Still, there was one clean route forward—make him a patient of Milena, her discreet identity. Under that professional veil, she could legally request a blood sample. And as fate would have it, she was already planning to reveal her identity as Milena at the upcoming banquet thrown for Trinity. The timing was perfect.

With her strategy taking shape, Elliana set aside all distractions and threw herself into her research on Psychephrenia once more. No matter what it cost her, she was determined to cure Cole.

For the next three days, Elliana didn’t leave her room. The world outside faded into silence.

Three days later, Elliana emerged from her room with her usual disguise. Her wig was a mess, and freshly inked markings traced lines across her face.

?o?.slou uo ss lo

Today was the banquet marking Trinity becoming a protégé of “Milena,” who had offered to take her in due to her medical capabilities. Lance and Jeff sat in their tailored best, trading glances as Elliana came down the stairs.

Without saying a word, Elliana grabbed a plate and devoured her breakfast like a soldier fueling up for war. Moments later, the trio set off for their destination.

The venue: one of the prestigious manors owned by the Evans family. Ruben had chosen the grand estate for the occasion, turning what might have been a standard banquet into something regal.

An hour later, flanked by Lance and Jeff, Elliana arrived and was ushered into the grand hall beneath a canopy of soft chandeliers and gilded trim. Every detail, from the embroidered banners to the floral arrangements, screamed reverence. The evening was meant to honor Milena, or so they thought.

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