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Chapter 33: The Hidden Shadow
🕑 Added 2025-07-25 11:19:16 +0000 UTCSilence consumed everything…
It was a heavy silence, pressing on the senses until they were numb, broken only by the sound of Owen’s heavy, pained breathing, alternating with Jessica’s soft sobs. The metallic scent of blood mingled with the aroma of roasted coffee and plaster dust, creating an atmosphere that was both nauseating and sorrowful at the same time.
The adrenaline that had surged through Owen’s body had dried up, and as it faded, wave after wave of pain crashed over him, like giant waves slamming against rocks. He slumped against the cold concrete wall, beads of sweat trickling down his temples. He pressed his right hand firmly against the severe wound on his left shoulder, but the warm blood still flowed relentlessly between his fingers.
The sight of Owen, soaked in blood with his lips growing paler and paler, snapped Jessica out of her trance of fear. Her own emotional pain was overshadowed by an overwhelming panic and concern for him.
"Owen!" Jessica cried his name, her voice trembling, before she rushed to kneel in front of him, her eyes filled with tears. "You… you’re bleeding so much… We have to stop the bleeding…"
Regaining her senses, she quickly ran out of the storeroom before returning with a first-aid kit in her trembling hands.
She carefully tended to his wounds, starting with the shallow cuts on his side from the early part of the fight. Every time the alcohol-soaked cotton touched a wound, Owen’s body would tense slightly, a hiss of pain escaping his lips.
The truly serious wound was on his shoulder, a deep and frightening hole pierced by the knife. The blood still seeped out nonstop. His entire left arm was numb and without feeling, almost impossible to move. All Jessica could do was pour alcohol on it to disinfect it and use all the bandages she had to apply pressure to stop the bleeding. She knew this was just a temporary fix; the rest would have to be left to a doctor.
And as she was wrapping the final bandage, the wall of strength she had tried to build crumbled.
"I'm sorry…" her voice was faint and shaky, tears falling one after another onto Owen’s pants. "I'm sorry… Owen… All of this… it’s because of me…"
She sobbed until her body shook. "If I… if I had been smarter… you wouldn’t have gotten hurt like this… I was a fool… I was a fool to push you away… I should have trusted you more than that piece of trash!" She couldn't continue, the guilt and self-hatred choking her.
Owen watched her with a softened heart. Though he was in so much pain he was on the verge of losing consciousness, he forced a faint smile. He nodded at her slowly before raising his good right hand to gently caress her damp cheek. His thumb softly wiped away a tear.
A gentle touch amidst the brutality… it was the last straw for Jessica.
She froze, looking up to meet his eyes. His eyes were still full of concern and warmth, even in his grave condition. That made her face flush uncontrollably, embarrassment replacing her sorrow. Her eyes lowered… unconsciously fixing on Owen’s pale, yet still beautifully shaped lips.
Her heart pounded as if it would leap out of her chest…
In that moment, her entire world consisted of only him. There was no fear, no guilt, only an overwhelming attraction she could no longer resist…
Jessica slowly leaned her face towards his, before pressing her lips firmly against his. It wasn't a sweet kiss, but one filled with gratitude, guilt, desire, and the need to heal all his wounds with herself.
Owen, surprised at first, slowly responded weakly. Jessica didn't want gentleness right now; she wanted passion and a fierce touch to erase the disgusting memory of Cole.
She bravely slipped her hot tongue into his mouth, clumsily yet full of desire, chasing and tangling with his. The salty taste of tears mixed with the faint metallic taste of blood, creating a strangely complex and passionate sensation. Her hands moved up, her fingers weaving into his sweat-dampened hair, pulling his face closer.
Her kiss deepened, growing more demanding, as if trying to suck out his very soul. Her body pressed closer against his, until her full breasts were crushed against his strong chest. Owen’s primal instincts were awakened once more. His right hand moved from her cheek to the nape of her neck, pressing her in for an even deeper kiss, fully answering her demands.
Smooch Smooch Smooch~
Mwah Mwah Mwah~
Aahh Mmm
Aahh Mmm
The sound of their deep, wet kissing echoed in the silent storeroom… a confirmation that in the ruins of this night, they still had each other…
Their emotions grew hotter and escalated further. The pain, fear, and rage from before had been forged and transformed into a raw sexual drive. They almost let go and had sex right there amidst the wreckage…
If it weren't for…
"Urk!"
Owen cried out in pain as Jessica’s movement accidentally pressed down hard on the severe wound on his shoulder. The sharp pain acted like cold water thrown onto the fire of their lust. It snapped them both back to the harsh reality.
They pulled away from each other quickly, breathing heavily, their faces flushed with passion and a slight embarrassment. The heat from a moment ago vanished, replaced by the reality that was lying on the floor… Cole’s body.
"What… what do we do with him now?" Jessica was the first to ask, her voice still trembling but with a newfound firmness. She wiped the tears and bloodstains from her face sloppily.
Owen looked at Cole’s unconscious body before answering in a serious tone. "We have to call the police."
"But… he’s an Awakened. The police will…" she said, her voice full of uncertainty.
"That doesn't matter. They'll have to forward the case to the Awakened authorities anyway," Owen interrupted.
"The important thing is we have solid evidence against him. The photos, the video clips, you as a witness who can confirm he tried to rape you, and I can be a witness for the attempted murder charge. This is clearly a criminal case. We should do what we can, Jessica. No matter what the final outcome is, we'll have done our best," Owen said in a firm and steady voice, looking at Cole’s body as if it were a piece of trash.
Jessica nodded in agreement. She took out her own phone and immediately dialed the police.
Not long after, sirens grew closer and closer, before two police officers cautiously entered the scene. Their eyes widened when they saw the wrecked storeroom, Cole’s body lying in a pool of blood, and Owen’s grave injuries.
Jessica recounted the entire story, her voice shaky but clear. Owen handed his phone to the police to show them the video evidence. After seeing everything, the officers didn't hesitate. They moved in, arrested, and handcuffed Cole immediately.
And as they were dragging Cole’s body out of the room…
"Ugh… cough, cough…"
Cole suddenly regained consciousness. He coughed up blood, his blurry eyes slowly focusing on the scene before him… the police, the handcuffs, and the cold gazes of Owen and Jessica.
When he realized the situation he was in… that the kingly life he had built was over… the physical pain was nothing compared to the vengeful bitterness that consumed his heart.
He gritted his teeth, staring at the two of them with a look of malevolent hatred, before bursting into maniacal laughter.
"You think this is over just like that? Hahaha! I knew it! I had a faint feeling someone was watching me recently. So it was you…"
His voice was strangely superior, even in the state of a loser.
"...But you might not know that I have some very important people backing me. Do you really think no one has ever tried to report me or put me in jail? Hehehe, those people were quietly taken care of by my boss a long time ago…"
He gave a disgusting smirk, revealing his blood-stained teeth.
"...because he still needs the ‘plaything women’ I regularly send him!"
Those words made Jessica freeze, utterly disgusted.
Cole turned to stare at Owen one last time, his gaze like a viper ready to strike at any moment.
"And when he finds out what happened to me… you're next, Owen… Hahahaha!!"
He continued to laugh maniacally, even as the police dragged him out and shoved him into the car. His horrifying laughter still echoed back into the silent storeroom, leaving only Owen and Jessica… with a new, invisible threat that was many times more dangerous.
The sound of the police siren slowly faded, leaving only Owen and Jessica amidst the wrecked and silent storeroom. Cole’s final threat still echoed in their heads like a demon’s whisper, turning their recent victory into something bitter and dreadful.
"Owen… was he… was he telling the truth?" Jessica asked, breaking the silence, her voice still trembling with fear. "About… his 'boss'."
"I hope it was just the threat of a cornered dog," Owen answered flatly, but his eyes were dead serious. He was assessing the situation with a sharp mind, even though his body was in agony. "But we can't be careless."
He propped his battered body up, struggling to his feet. "The police being involved is a double-edged sword. It’s evidence against Cole, true, but at the same time, it will send news to his 'boss' faster through official channels…"
Jessica looked at him with a confused and frightened expression. "So… so what do we do?"
Owen thought for a moment… In such a hopeless situation, there was only one person he could think of. Someone with the power, connections, and ability to handle matters involving mafias or underground organizations where the law couldn't reach.
He picked up his phone with his good hand. It was a bit slippery with blood and sweat. He immediately dialed the number of his powerful friend… Alex Ashford.
The line rang for only a moment before the other end was picked up, the voice as calm and powerful as ever.
"What is it, Owen? It's rare for you to call me like this. It must mean something has happened. Am I right?" Alex's voice was clearly filled with curiosity.
"Yes… you're right, Alex. Something came up," Owen replied, trying to keep his voice from shaking with pain. "I just dealt with an Awakened who was threatening a friend of mine. But before the police dragged him away, he mentioned his powerful 'boss' who's been backing him up."
"Oh?" The voice on the other end was immediately interested. "And?"
"I need 'information'," Owen said clearly. "I need you to use your connections to find out who this 'boss' he mentioned is. That’s all I need… As for the information on the Awakened I just mentioned, I’ll send it to you by email later."
The line was quiet for a moment before Alex chuckled with excitement and anticipation.
"Hahaha~ You’re as smart and thorough as ever, Owen. And this time, you've even developed to the point where you can defeat an Awakened. That raises my expectations for you even more…" Alex’s voice showed his utmost satisfaction. "Of course… investigating something like this is no problem for me. Give me 3-5 days, and I’ll send you everything I find."
"Thank you, Alex," Owen said sincerely, grateful that Alex had agreed to his request so easily.
"Of course, Owen. We're friends~" Alex said smoothly, before changing the subject naturally. "By the way… since you called, how is the job on Victoria's side going? I haven't seen you visit my mansion much lately."
It was a simple question, laced with clear expectation and pressure, a reminder of the main mission Owen still had to complete.
Owen frowned slightly with guilt. He hadn't made any progress with Victoria recently because so many problems had been thrown into his life relentlessly. The matter of the dimensional gate, the matter of Rosy and Iris, the matter of Clara, and now, the matter of Jessica was giving him another headache.
So Owen could only reply to Alex with a determined voice. "Don't worry about that, Alex. I'll definitely make her my plaything!"
"Excellent! Very good… Hurry up and finish my job to clear your debt~" Alex said as a parting shot before hanging up.
Beep… Beep… Beep…
Leaving Owen sitting still with his heavy thoughts. He didn't have much time before the hidden threat would reach him.
"Owen~ your injuries are terrible…" Jessica’s voice cut in. She walked over to him, her eyes worried and resolute. "You need to go to the hospital right now!"
"I'm fine…" Owen wanted to refuse, but it seemed she wouldn't let him.
"No! You’re not!" she interrupted firmly. "You've lost too much blood. Get up. I'll drive you myself."
Owen looked at her face and could only sigh in defeat. He knew he couldn't push himself any further. He let Jessica slowly help him up and walk out of the coffee shop that was once their peaceful workplace.
Jessica drove Owen's SUV, heading for the nearest hospital, leaving the wreckage in the storeroom and the terrible memories behind… without either of them knowing that the shadow of the mysterious "boss" was creeping closer and closer with every passing moment….
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