Adrian Preston was slightly taken aback.

He’d thought Young Zane’s gruesome, bloody story had made her physically ill.

He never expected this was what she was angry about.

’Angry that I disregarded my own safety?’

"You’re my savior, in a way, and you’ve helped me so many times since. Isn’t it normal for me to care about you? It’s a good thing you’re retired. If you were still in that line of work, I wouldn’t have married you. I’m not a cold-blooded animal. Even if we’re just a fake couple, I’d still worry about you."

"You should cherish yourself. Before you learn to love others, you have to learn to love yourself first! You can’t just put your own life last. You should save people while also ensuring your own safety."

"I understand."

Adrian Preston said sincerely, as if he had truly taken her words to heart.

"I... I also think that by staying alive, you can bring more bad guys to justice. Don’t you agree?"

"You’re right. I’ll take good care of myself. Even though I’m retired, I’ll find ways in other fields to put the guilty where they belong."

Duty and honor were etched into Adrian Preston’s very bones.

He cared for the Preston Group, but he also cared for the countless innocent people out there.

She suddenly understood what Theo Thorne had meant.

"You married a hero."

Before, when she saw stories about them on the news, the word "hero" had always felt distant, hard to imagine.

But now, that hero had a face. It was Adrian Preston, and he was right beside her.

She couldn’t stop Adrian Preston from charging forward, but she could take care of him as best she could and free him from the worries of daily life.

"Adrian Preston, go do what you want to do. I’m sure it’s the right thing. Maybe what I said was short-sighted and held you back. You don’t have to worry about me. For as long as this marriage lasts, I’ll be a good wife. At the very least, you won’t have to worry about things at home."

"But please, protect yourself first. I don’t want to see my husband covered in blood and on the verge of death!"

Mia Kane looked at him with utmost seriousness.

She was just an ordinary person, yet she had married an extraordinary man.

Even if the marriage was fake, she couldn’t just turn a blind eye and remain completely detached.

She should support Adrian Preston.

What he was doing was surely right. She couldn’t get in his way.

"Mia Kane, if I were still a cop, you would definitely be a model police officer’s wife."

Mia Kane didn’t respond, thinking to herself.

’If they could, all those spouses would probably wish they could be a little more selfish, to only worry about the safety and health of their one person.’

Adrian Preston’s body suddenly stiffened. He raised his hand, his warm fingertips wiping her cheek.

Only then did Mia Kane realize she was crying.

"Why are you crying?"

"I just suddenly thought about how hard it must be for military wives! I guess I just empathized..."

"In my current position, I won’t put myself in danger. Don’t worry."

"But I’m still sad. They have it so tough. Does the Preston Group work with the government to provide any aid to the families of service members?"

"We always have. If a soldier or police officer dies in the line of duty, the state provides a pension, and the Preston Group contributes as well. There’s other financial aid too. Don’t worry about it."

"That’s good, that’s good."

Mia Kane murmured, but the emotions churning inside her were overwhelming, and she couldn’t stop the tears.

The ones who risk their lives out there.

They are someone’s husband.

Someone’s son.

Someone’s father.

"Can... can I hug you?"

"It would be my honor."

Adrian Preston’s embrace was broad and warm, giving her a profound sense of security.

Mia Kane hugged him and cried for a while, soaking the front of his shirt.

"Brother Preston, you’re still here..."

Young Zane, completely oblivious, was about to step forward and interrupt them when Old Parrish grabbed him by the back of his collar.

"You clueless brat, can’t you see the young couple is having a moment?"

"But we rarely get to see him..."

"He clearly doesn’t want to see you right now, so scram. So Young Preston has a day like this, huh? The sun must be rising in the west. Do you guys remember that Young Preston had a sweetheart?"

"I remember! It was during that hostage exchange, the time he got shot in the chest and was hanging on by a thread. When he was severely injured and unconscious, he kept muttering someone’s name. Was it our sister-in-law?"

"I don’t know. He was speaking too softly, it was all muffled. It was just a name."

"If it wasn’t our sister-in-law..."

"Act like nothing happened. Let’s go, let’s go."

...

After getting in the car, Mia Kane hesitated before speaking. "You guys rarely see each other. Why don’t you hang out a little longer? I can just drive or take a cab back by myself. I need to stop by the studio to handle something anyway."

"Alright. You can take my car. I’ll figure out a way back later."

"Don’t drink too much."

Mia Kane couldn’t help but remind him. Hearing this, Adrian Preston raised an eyebrow, a playful look in his eyes.

She felt a little awkward. "I’ll get going, then."

She pulled over partway there and sent a message to Faith Donovan.

"Was it you? Did you sell me out and get me sent to the station?"

"What do you mean? How did you end up at the station?"

Mia Kane gave her a brief explanation.

"Give me a day. I’ll find out for you. If I did it, I won’t deny it. If it was really one of the girls from the group chat who couldn’t keep her mouth shut, I’ll find her and give you an explanation."

Faith Donovan was a stand-up person, not one to beat around the bush, which was a personality trait Mia liked. Her values were just a mess—she knew Adrian Preston had a wife but still refused to give up.

Mia Kane put her phone down and was about to drive off when her car was suddenly hit from behind.

Her body lurched forward uncontrollably before being thrown back hard against the seat.

’I got rear-ended?’

She quickly got out to check the damage. Her car’s taillights were shattered, and the rear was severely deformed.

Smoke was coming from the other car’s hood, a clear safety hazard.

Fortunately, the road was remote and there weren’t many people around, but she still took out the emergency hazard triangles and placed them in front of and behind the cars.

The people from the car that had rear-ended her also got out. The driver’s forehead was bruised and swollen; it looked like he’d hit the steering wheel.

He paid no mind to his own injury and hurried to open the back door, looking nervous. He was clearly just a chauffeur. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"Councilman, are you all right?"

"What kind of driving was that? Hurry up and ask if the lady is all right!"

"Yes, yes, sir..."

Hearing the man’s reprimand, Mia Kane’s mind suddenly went blank. She felt as if she had heard that voice somewhere before.

The driver walked up to her with a sincere attitude. "This was my fault. I’ll contact the insurance. Ma’am, are you okay? If you’re feeling unwell, I can take you to the hospital."

"I’m fine. We just need to get the vehicle damage assessed."

"Ma’am, I’m terribly sorry. Would it be convenient to exchange contact information? I suppose there’s no better way to get acquainted than by accident, right?"

The man walked up to her. Mia Kane finally noticed him; she had been so focused on the car that she hadn’t paid attention to anything else.

In that instant, the blood in her veins seemed to flow backward, and her hands and feet turned to ice.

She wanted to turn and run, but her legs felt as if they were nailed to the ground.

Fear, disgust, hatred... all these negative emotions surged through her.

That man was extending his hand to her.

As the hand drew closer, Mia Kane couldn’t breathe, as if a fist were squeezing her throat. Her face went deathly pale, and her pupils contracted.

’I have to run!’

’Get away from this man!’

’He’s a monster!’

The man standing before her was none other than the leader of the kidnappers from that ship!