Transmigrated as the Villainess Princess - Chapter 35

Chapter 35: The Mate Bond (3)

Ahcehera’s heart skipped a beat. “What’s his name?”

There was a brief pause, then the responder hesitantly mentioned, “Richard? No family name, though…”

Her grip on the optical brain tightened. “Thank you for informing me.”

Without waiting for further details, Ahcehera ended the call and moved swiftly to prepare. She summoned her personal guards, issuing curt instructions as they readied to leave.

Her thoughts churned as she changed into more suitable attire.

How did he escape the academy? Why was he near Serena Bridge?

The ache in her chest lingered, a maddening reminder of the bond she couldn’t fully understand yet couldn’t ignore.

Whatever had happened to Richard, she knew she had to see it through.

As Ahcehera arrived at Serena City’s prestigious hospital, she bypassed the bustling main entrance and was escorted through the discreet VIP passage with her guards flanking her.

The quiet corridor provided a stark contrast to the chaos of the public wards, and her presence thankfully went unnoticed.

With practiced efficiency, she issued instructions to her team.

One guard was tasked with handling the formalities of Richard’s transfer from the public ward to a private room with enhanced security measures.

Another was sent to speak with the attending doctor and gather details about his condition.

The doctor’s report was grim yet puzzling.

“He was submerged in the lake for nearly three hours before being rescued. It’s a miracle he’s alive, but his vitals remain weak. He’s in a precarious state.”

Ahcehera’s mind raced as she processed the information, standing silently while her guards conversed with the medical staff. How could he have drowned for so long?

Her jaw tightened. This isn’t mere misfortune. Was he attacked? Kidnapped again?

But the academy’s impenetrable security gnawed at her suspicions. How could someone breach its defenses unnoticed?

Pushing the thoughts aside for now, Ahcehera made her way to Richard’s newly assigned private room.

She entered swiftly and locked the door behind her, ensuring the guards stationed outside maintained their post.

The room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of the medical monitors. Richard lay on the bed, pale and unmoving, his breathing shallow.

Ahcehera pulled a chair close and sat beside him, her expression a mix of irritation and reluctant concern.

She reached out to take his pulse, her fingers brushing against the cold skin of his wrist.

His heartbeat is so faint…

Her brow furrowed as another thought struck her. Was he drugged? Did someone administer something to weaken him?

She placed her hand on his chest and closed her eyes, focusing inward.

Slowly, she let the bond between them take hold, the strange and invisible connection that she still resisted yet couldn’t deny.

The flow of energy between them began, faint at first, then steady.

Warmth spread through her fingertips, transferring vitality from her own core to his. She grimaced at the sensation, torn between frustration and obligation.

I don’t want to help him, she told herself, her inner voice defiant.

But I also don’t want this bond to hurt me every time he’s in danger. If I have to share my strength, it’s only to preserve my own life.

Her grip on his chest tightened slightly as she exhaled. “This doesn’t mean I care about you,” she muttered, her voice low and bitter. “But I won’t let you drag me down with you.”

With that, she continued the transfer, watching his breathing stabilize ever so slightly, even as her own energy waned.

–

Ahcehera didn’t remember when her exhaustion overcame her, but she drifted into a restless sleep beside Richard’s hospital bed.

Richard, meanwhile, startled awake with a sharp intake of breath, his chest rising and falling as though he’d just escaped a relentless nightmare.

His hands gripped the sheets, his mind struggling to make sense of his surroundings.

The sterile walls, the steady hum of medical monitors, and the faint smell of antiseptic told him he was in a hospital. Confusion clouded his thoughts.

How did I get here?

Fragments of memory flashed through his mind, the icy grip of the forest lake’s waters, the monstrous force dragging him into the depths, his futile attempts to fight back.

The underwater battle had been hopeless, the dark and cold had swallowed him whole. As he struggled to piece it together, something warm and steady caught his attention.

His gaze dropped to the hand resting on his chest, emanating a soothing energy that coursed through him like sunlight piercing through storm clouds.

His breath hitched. Why is she here?

Ahcehera’s sleeping form was slumped in the chair beside him, her face pale and drawn with exhaustion.

Was she always this tired?

What was she doing back in her home?

Shadows under her closed eyes told of sleepless nights, and the faint rise and fall of her chest seemed almost too delicate.

Did she save me again?

Richard’s thoughts churned with questions, but his chest felt light for the first time since the ordeal.

Strength surged through his veins, a stark contrast to the cold weakness he remembered in the lake.

With a sudden sense of urgency, he rose from the bed, his movements fluid and precise.

Gently, he reached down and scooped Ahcehera into his arms, her head resting against his shoulder.

Careful not to disturb her, he laid her beside him on the hospital bed. Her presence, even in her vulnerable state, exuded an air of unyielding strength that he couldn’t help but admire.

He sat beside her, his fingers instinctively seeking hers. Her hand was smaller, softer than he’d imagined, yet it held a quiet power that seemed to resonate in the bond between them.

As he studied her face, an uncharacteristic softness crossed his features. The icy walls he had built around his heart cracked just slightly.

She’s exhausted because of me.

The realization tightened his chest with guilt and something else, something he wasn’t ready to name.

For now, he simply held her hand and vowed silently, I won’t let her suffer for me again.

Wait…

She is my enemy.

But she saved me again.