Lance remained motionless, cradling Addison in his arms, her body burning with fever. When a soft, almost delicate voice reached his ears, he stayed still. He lifted his gaze just enough to see where the sound was coming from. Virginia stood on the stairs, not far away, her face unreadable. Yet, there was something about her expression—a hint of hurt, maybe even guilt. Lance couldn't quite tell if he was seeing things right. Was she upset? He couldn't be sure. Virginia parted her lips as if to speak, but her words were lost in the air. Despite the relatively short distance between them, a wall of bodyguards surrounded them, blocking any real connection. Armed and alert, their eyes scanned the scene with suspicion. The weight of the situation hung heavily in the air, thickening the space between Virginia and Lance. The distance between them felt more than physical.Virginia stood motionless on the stairs, and even though she could have taken a few steps to reach him, it felt like an impossible gap. No matter how much she longed to bridge that space, something kept her from moving closer. She couldn't reach him the way she once had. Her emotions tangled together—confusion, frustration. It was as if a distance had suddenly opened up between them, one that couldn't easily be closed. Her feet felt heavy, unable to move, as if they were frozen in place. Instead of walking toward Lance, Virginia remained where she was, her eyes locked on the woman in his arms. A surge of jealousy shot through her. Her hands clenched into fists, her nails pressing into her palms. D*mn Addison. She should have been freezing in that dressing room, not lying in Lance's arms. Virginia had intended for Addison to suffer, not to find comfort in his embrace.How can someone like Addison exist? It infuriated her. She couldn't stand women who tried to win men's affection by playing the victim, hoping for sympathy. Addison wasn't just seeking Lance's pity; she was using these desperate tricks to win his heart. It sickened Virginia. Lance kept his gaze on Virginia, watching her expression shift rapidly, her emotions a blur he couldn't decipher. He was still trying to make sense of it all when a voice sliced through the tension. "Where is she? "Did you really find her?" The voice was anxious, filled with urgency. Leon rushed forward, his movements frantic. He nearly stumbled in his haste. "Mr. Daves, please watch your step!" one of the bodyguards called out quietly. But Leon didn't hear them.He was focused solely on finding his beloved Angel. After what felt like an eternity of searching, he finally arrived at the group of bodyguards surrounding Lance. When Leon arrived, Lance shifted his gaze briefly, then focused on him. Leon stared at Lance for a moment, his mind blank. Irritation quickly followed. Why was it Lance again? What was he doing here? It felt like a bad sign. Clearing his throat, Leon tried to sound polite, though it didn't quite come out that way. "Did you find Angel?" Lance nodded. "Yeah." "Is that her you're holding?" Leon's gaze lingered on Lance's jacket, a hint of disapproval in his eyes. Lance nodded again. "Yeah." Frustration surged in Leon. "How did Angel end up with you? Did you kidnap her?"Why are you holding her? Angel doesn't need you to carry her." Not just anyone should be allowed to carry Angel. Lance's irritation flared. Addison was his wife. Surely, it was only natural that he held her. Leon's question felt odd. But there wasn't time to question it. Lance spoke directly, "She's burning up. "She needs a doctor, now." "Burning up?" Leon's face shifted from calm to panic in an instant. He turned to the bodyguards. "Get a doctor immediately." The bodyguards quickly moved to carry out the order. Leon stepped closer to Lance, extending his hand. "Give her to me." Lance didn't budge. Without even looking up, he said flatly, "I'll take care of her."Leon's anger flared. Who did Lance think he was? Seeing Lance's refusal, Leon snapped, "Give her to me." Lance stayed motionless. "Addison is my wife." The message was clear—he was the only one with the right to hold her. Leon was, at best, an elder friend of Addison's. It wasn't right for him to hold her. Not when he wasn't even her family. Deep down, Lance couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort. "Why you ... " Leon snapped, his face red with fury. "So what if she's your wife? "I'm her—" Before Leon could finish, his words trailing off, Lance walked right past him, ignoring him completely. "Hey—" Leon was practically burning with rage.This guy had no respect for his elders! The Daves' bodyguards weren't exactly pushovers, though. As soon as Lance took a few steps with Addison in his arms, the bodyguards surrounded him. The lead guard stepped in front of Lance, glancing at Leon as if waiting for his order. If Leon didn't approve, they'd stop Lance. They wouldn't hesitate to kill him, no questions asked. Leon let out a deep sigh and waved his hand. "Let him go." Right now, Addison's health was his priority. He didn't feel like arguing with Lance over anything else. Lance raised an eyebrow as the bodyguards stepped aside. He walked steadily toward the door. Outside, an RV was parked, its back doors open to reveal medical equipment and three doctors in white coats. It looked like a mobile hospital. Lance moved toward the vehicle. The crowd in the room shifted their attention to him. His jacket was wrapped around Addison, leaving him in just a white shirt and a dark red tie. Despite the simple outfit, his strong build and broad shoulders didn't go unnoticed. "Who's that?" "Is he carrying someone?" People whispered among themselves. "He's not bad looking, but I've never seen him before." Lance felt their eyes on him. He frowned, feeling uncomfortable. He'd purposely avoided the crowd, not wanting to be the center of attention. Why were they still staring? This wasn't what he wanted. He glanced behind him. Leon was following closely, clearly anxious about Addison. And right behind Leon, a group of bodyguards kept close, watching over his safety.A small army of people followed in their wake, making it nearly impossible to remain unnoticed. It was hard to blend in. Lance remained quiet. The attention was starting to get to him. As the irritation built, a thought crossed his mind. The way Leon was acting didn't seem like he was treating Addison like a friend. And for him to stop an entire event for Addison ... The stakes were high—financially and socially. Would anyone really go to such lengths for someone they weren't even related to? Addison had been missing for only one night, not even 24 hours, and Leon was already reacting like this ... It felt like an overreaction. Something about all of this didn't sit right with Lance.