Freya, too, paused and looked at her through the rearview mirror. "You won championships?"
Adelyn’s gaze lifted to et hers before she gave a small nod.
At that confirmation, Freya’s mind imdiately went back to the arena earlier.
No wonder her movents had seed so practiced —so precise.
There had been no hesitation, no wasted motion.
However, just as she was about to ask what kind of championships they were—
Alia suddenly spoke up.
"Wait ..."
Her fingers tapped rapidly against her phone screen as she searched for sothing online. She scrolled and scrolled, her brows knitting tighter with every passing second.
But in the end, all that showed on her face was disappointnt.
"If you’ve won any notable championships," she said, lifting her gaze back to Adelyn and turning the phone screen toward her, "then why can’t I find your na anywhere?"
She tilted the phone slightly.
"Your na isn’t here at all. What kind of championships did you win?"
Adelyn glanced at the screen. She wasn’t surprised in the slightest.
After all—
Adelyn Grace hadn’t won those championships.
Onyx had. An identity that had always stayed behind a mask —exquisite and renowned among the people who knew who it represented.
So, of course, Alia wouldn’t be able to find her. And the second thing wrong about her search was —
Glancing at the screen, Adelyn said calmly, "You’re searching in the national championship records."
Alia paused before she frowned and turned the phone back toward herself. "Oh, am I?" she muttered, scrolling again.
Then she looked up at Adelyn, her expression shifting.
"So what? Should I check the global championship lists next?" she asked, blinking innocently—as if she were about to start worshipping her just the idea of her in the global list.
But in the very next second—
She scoffed.
"Or better wait ... and clarify sothing first. You said you won a few championships —why limit yourself to a few? Just say you’ve won dozens. After all, seven years abroad isn’t a short ti. Your so-called prestigious university must’ve organized plenty of campus tournants... just so students like you could win them. Didn’t they?"
Adelyn stared at her, one brow arching slightly at that carefully constructed disbelief.
Then she smiled.
A light, amused smile that matched Alia’s tone perfectly.
"How did you guess it so accurately, Sister Alia?"
She raised both thumbs toward her in mock admiration.
"You truly are my senior. I could never surpass you when it would co to such flawless logic."
"You—"
Alia was about to snap, but she stopped herself midway.
Taking a deep breath, she leaned back into her seat and turned her face away.
"Forget it," she muttered. "I was actually thinking of not underestimating you anymore. But now I realize —it’s still better than listening to you overestimate yourself."
She paused before adding,
"My mistake. I’ll be more careful next ti."
"You’ll be more careful next ti?" Adelyn repeated, her tone laced with faint disbelief.
Alia imdiately turned back to glare at her over her shoulder. "What? You still think I’ll believe you if you say things like that?"
Adelyn pressed her lips into a thin line.
She hadn’t intended to reveal her identity as Onyx.
But sohow, Alia’s words made her wonder—
What exactly was so unbelievable about it?
"Why can’t you believe it?" she asked instead. "Wasn’t I convincing enough in the arena earlier? You even praised ."
"Yes, I did," Alia admitted. "And I still would. You’re not as difficult to handle as I first thought."
Her tone shifted slightly.
"But there’s a limit. I can’t just believe everything you say."
"Global championships—" she scoffed lightly again. "Do you even realize what that ans? People admire those who rely qualify for those tournants. In the entire Ashvale, only a few have ever qualified to enter the global stage, yet you said you won it, as if it had been very effortless for you."
"It wasn’t effortless," Adelyn said lightly. "But it wasn’t that difficult either. Extra practices made it happen."
Alia’s gaze sharpened. She pursed her lips and stared at her for a long ti befire finally speaking —
"Really?" she asked. "You want to believe that."
Adelyn didn’t force. She casually said, and leaned back on her seat, sitting comfortably. " That’s up to you."
"Fine, I will," Alia nodded but then added, "But before that tell sothing ..."
She paused only to continue right after,
"If you were truly a champion, why would you co back here to struggle as an actress? You could’ve gained fa just by showing off your trophies."
Adelyn parted her lips to respond—
But paused.
Because Alia wasn’t entirely wrong.
It would have been easier.
Far easier.
But—
She hadn’t chosen the easy path.
She had chosen the one that would eliminate the regrets of her life .
"Did you realize I caught you?" Alia asked smugly when Adelyn remained silent for a mont too long.
Adelyn simply nodded.
"You have a point."
"Of course I do," Alia said, lifting her chin slightly. "So next ti, don’t exaggerate."
Freya didn’t speak throughout the exchange.
But her gaze remained on Adelyn—
Sharp. Observant.
So much so that she almost saw through Adelyn.
Adelyn hadn’t exaggerated at all. She had ant every word.
Still, Freya didn’t question it.
She simply stored that thought away—
And left the rest for ti to reveal.
——————
anwhile—
On the other side—
Clara lay resting in the hospital ward, with Charlotte seated beside her.
Since arriving, Charlotte hadn’t moved even once.
She simply sat there, gently stroking her daughter’s hair —watching her, searching for any sign that she was getting better.
"Madam," Matilda spoke softly after glancing at the ti yet again, "it’s already past noon. Please eat sothing. You haven’t had anything since last night. This will affect your health."
But Charlotte shook her head faintly.
"I don’t have the appetite, Matilda," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, careful not to disturb Clara. "Please don’t ask again."
"But Madam—"
"Mom ..."
Clara’s voice cut in softly. Her lashes fluttered before her eyes opened fully.
"You haven’t eaten anything since morning?"
Charlotte frowned. "I’m not hungry."
"That’s not a believable excuse," Clara said, rejecting it outright as she tried to sit up.
But the mont she moved—
The IV line tugged sharply, and she winced, sharply.
"Ah—!"
"Clara!"
"Careful!"
Two voices rang out at once.
One was Charlotte’s.
The other—
Deep.
Familiar.
Clara stilled. Her gaze shifted toward the door—
And stopped at the figure standing there.
"Xavi—"
She paused, as if catching herself.
"... I an, Xavier."
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