Todos os capítulos de The Secrets Beneath His Crown: Capítulo 71 - Capítulo 80

The memory did not arrive with noise or warning. It simply opened, clear and cold, as if someone had turned a page she had tried to keep closed.In the first life it had been a quiet afternoon in the private hospital wing. The pain had been manageable that day, so the nurses left her alone for longer than usual. Lisa lay propped against the pillows, watching the slow drip of the IV, when Claire walked in carrying a small paper bag and a soft smile.“I brought the tea you like,” Claire said, setting the bag down and pulling a chair close to the bed. She took Lisa’s hand without asking, her fingers warm and gentle. “You look a little better today.”Lisa had been glad to see her, even though her sight was too poor to notice the feigned pretence. At that point Claire was still the one person who came without making her feel like a burden. Richard visited, but his visits had started to feel careful and distant. Claire still sat close and spoke like a friend.They talked about small things

Outside, the night air struck her face, carrying the smell of wet asphalt and exhaust fumes. The street was nearly empty, except for a few motorcycles and a bus groaning toward the next junction.Then a black car slowed beside the pavement.It was a sleek, expensive vehicle with darkened windows and headlights that swept across her shoes before stopping. She couldn't see the driver, but she felt the attention inside it settle on her.Her body reacted before her mind could catch up.The dungeon returned in flashes: the cold floor, the smell of disinfectant, the masked guard who had laughed when she begged for water, the syringe pressed against her arm. She tasted panic at the back of her throat and forced it down.The car window lowered.A man sat in the back seat, his face partially hidden by the shadows. He wore a dark suit, and a silver ring glinted on his finger as he rested his hand against the window.“You look terrible,” he said.The nurse stared at him.She knew that voice.Not

At dawn, the guards brought them breakfast. Two pieces of bread, a cup of lukewarm tea, and a bowl of watery porridge.Mira barely touched hers.Elias had fallen asleep against the wall, and the third doctor, Dr. Samuel sat several feet away with his back turned to them. He had barely spoken since their capture. A specialist in pharmacology, Samuel had been the quietest member of their team, the one who checked every dosage twice and never trusted a diagnosis that arrived too neatly packaged.Now he was staring at the floor.“Samuel,” Mira called.He didn't respond.“Samuel.”He lifted his head slowly.“Have you noticed anything unusual about the guards?”“Besides the fact that they kidnapped us?”“Besides that.”He glanced at the door before moving closer. They change shifts every four hours. The first team carries ordinary weapons. The second carries medical kits.”Mira frowned.“Medical kits?”“Not first-aid kits. Proper emergency equipment. Oxygen, monitoring devices, intravenous

“Before you? Two groups.”“And where are they now?” Nathaniel looked at him.“I don't know.”The answer was quiet, but it carried more weight than any threat. Samuel moved closer as he thought wildly, people can be really creepy though!!! staying in a locked room with a hole without making a noise?“Have you examined the records concerning Sylvara?”“Not directly. But I saw her name in a file that wasn't supposed to be here.”“What file?”Nathaniel hesitated.“A list of patients whose medical histories were altered.”Samuel's jaw tightened.“Why would anyone alter her medical history?”“That's what I wanted to know.”He rose slowly and approached the locked cabinet.“There's something else you need to understand. The people holding us are not all working for the same person.”Samuel frowned.“What do you mean?”“Some answer to the Chairman. Others answer to someone whose name they won't even say aloud. They share this facility because their interests overlap, not because they trust on

The following morning began like any other.Students entered through the university gates, security officers checked identification cards, and lecturers hurried towards their departments. Nobody expected the ordinary routine to collapse before noon.The first vehicle arrived without warning, then another. Within minutes, several dark vehicles had surrounded the main entrance. Men dressed in black stepped out, some carrying weapons, while others moved towards the administrative buildings.A security officer approached them."Excuse me, gentlemen. Can I help you?" Te man in front displayed an identification card."We're conducting an authorised search.""Authorised by whom?"The answer came in the form of a hard shove that sent the officer stumbling backwards."Clear the entrance."Students began retreating as the men spread across the campus. Doors were forced open, offices searched and security personnel ordered to surrender their access cards. Lectures were interrupted as frightened