"I also got your favorite milk and snacks." Giovanni smiled.

I glanced at the unusually cozy study but didn’t step inside.

Giovanni looked at me expectantly. "Honey, I bet you’ll love it."

I responded flatly, "Hmm, I like it."

Then I turned and walked into the bathroom. Warm water cascaded over my weary body, but my memories ran uncontrollably backward.

When the company was first starting, Giovanni was nearly at his wits’ end. The newly hired researchers all refused to perform pathological dissections on cadavers, quitting one after another.

I took on all the dissection work myself, reassuring him, "As long as I’m here, you can rest easy."

We made it through those tough times. I thought life was finally on the right track—until I discovered Giovanni’s clandestine meetings with Lianna.

Forget it. Let it end here.

As I stepped out of the bathroom, I froze.

The dining table was set with steak and red wine, a trail of rose petals leading the way.

Giovanni stood holding a sheer black silk robe, adorned with delicate sparkles.

"Honey, I made this for you with my own hands."

"You’d look stunning in it. I’d love for us to enjoy this together."

He leaned close, his breath hot against my ear. "You smell so good. I’ve missed you so much."

Was this his way of compensating for betrayal?

Feigning ignorance of his insinuation, I silently distanced myself and turned on all the lights. "Let’s eat. Finish up and get some rest."

After all, tomorrow I needed to check on the progress of the data uploading, which was important for the smooth execution of Project X.

Giovanni didn’t get angry. Instead, he asked softly, "Not feeling well lately?"

I forced a faint smile.

Some wounds can never be healed, no matter how hard you try to make amends.

The sharp chime of the doorbell interrupted us. Standing at the villa entrance was Lianna.

Her face darkened at the sight of the candlelit room and scattered roses. She deliberately emphasized each word, "I’m here to deliver a special research report to Mr. Collins."

"He needs to return to the company immediately to personally inspect this batch of medical equipment."

I lowered my gaze. It seemed they couldn’t bear to be apart for even a moment.

Giovanni quickly changed and left with her. "Dr. Lopez has an important surgery tomorrow night. I need to check all the medical equipment."

I didn’t respond, silently watching them leave.

After he was gone, I pulled out my phone and checked the surveillance feed.

On the company’s heavy-ion radiotherapy machine, a red ribbon fluttered in the air.

One end was tied to the equipment, the other around Lianna’s waist.

As for Giovanni, he looked utterly content.

My phone buzzed again. The caller ID displayed that familiar unknown number.

"The black-market evidence chain is complete. Target for this operation: Lianna, female, 28 years old."

"Over the past six months, 12 cadavers have been sent to her secret lab without any proper documentation."

I gazed at the city lights outside the window and calmly replied, "I guarantee the mission will be completed on time."

—

The next day, Giovanni followed me to the dissection room.

He was acting oddly today—clinging to me like a shadow.

As I organized materials, he volunteered to sort the documents.

When I cleaned the instruments, he eagerly handed me cleaning supplies and clothes.

Even when I went to the restroom, he waited outside the door.

Just as I was reaching my limit, Giovanni leaned against me like a spoiled puppy, brushing his shoulder against mine.

"Honey, I want to stay by your side forever."

"You’re the love of my life. I can’t live without you."

I turned away coldly, trying to break free from his embrace, but Giovanni held me even tighter.

His voice was unbearably soft. "I’ve already bought a house in Switzerland. Next year, we’ll move there and enjoy life together."

This was the same man who had been tangled up with Lianna just that morning, now performing a heartfelt act in front of me.

Some lies, no matter how beautifully told, remain lies.

Lianna sauntered into the dissection room, swaying her hips and deliberately drawing out her words. "Mr. Collins is such a caring husband."

"Alice, if you’d be willing to give him to me, that would be perfect."

I kept my head down, continuing to sort the experimental data, pretending not to hear her provocations.

But she stepped closer, her actions growing bolder. "Alice, you should really take care of yourself. If you overwork and drop dead, Mr. Collins will be mine."

My fingers paused briefly on the keyboard.

Before I could respond, Giovanni’s face darkened with rare anger. "Dr. Lopez, watch your mouth. My wife doesn’t appreciate jokes like that."

Jealousy flared in Lianna’s eyes. She tried to push further, but Giovanni shoved her out of the room.

Watching this performance, I found it laughable.

Was Giovanni putting on a show for me? Or had he lied so much that he started believing it himself?

Not long after, Giovanni’s phone began vibrating incessantly.

The familiar ding of a new message echoed.

I watched him type a reply, then delete it, retype, and delete it again. After several attempts, he finally spoke up.

"Honey, there’s an urgent meeting I need to attend."

"When I get back, let’s go out for dinner tonight."

I looked up at him, and he immediately averted his gaze.

Calmly, I replied, "Alright."

In truth, I had already seen the message from Lianna.

[Giovanni, you better come see me now.]

[Afraid to show up? Fine, I’ll go find Alice myself. Let’s see if you’re ready for everything to blow up.]

As I watched his hurried retreating figure, I shook my head lightly.

I glanced at my watch. It was time to prepare for tonight’s surgery.

—

Two hours later, I would be lying on Lianna’s operating table, allowing her to extract my blood.

What she didn’t know was that I was here to capture the prey.

I changed into surgical attire and laid down in the medical pod.

Jaden, disguised as a medical assistant, leaned in close, speaking in a low voice, "There’s still time for me to swap you out. You don’t have to use yourself as bait."

I met his gaze, speaking firmly. "The police already have substantial evidence against the criminals, but the buyer network isn’t fully mapped out yet. And there’s no direct proof linking Lianna to the surgeries."

"This mission could save many lives. Don't worry. I’ll ensure my own safety."

Jaden frowned, worry evident on his face. "This operation is critical. You’re risking everything to break this case open."

"If anything goes wrong, just bite down on the alarm trigger in your tooth. I’ll step in immediately."

I nodded in acknowledgment.

The medical pod opened, and I was slowly wheeled out.

Lianna, dressed in her lab coat, stood waiting. To my surprise, Giovanni was there too.

My heartbeat quickened, but thankfully my face was concealed. Giovanni shouldn’t be able to recognize me.

Suddenly, he made a puzzled sound. "Hmm?"

My heart leaped into my throat.

He casually remarked, "I think a horizontal incision would look prettier."

I smiled bitterly in my heart.

Giovanni, when you discover that the person on the operating table is me, will you regret this joke?

After Lianna playfully pushed Giovanni out of the operating room, her expression shifted, becoming cold and calculating. As the anesthesia began to take effect, Alice’s consciousness faded. The needle pierced her arm, and the scalpel hovered ominously over her abdomen.

Lianna pressed a finger to the earpiece in her ear, a devilish grin spreading across her face.

“Inform them on the other end—”

Before she could finish, the sound of urgent footsteps echoed outside the operating room, followed by a panicked voice.

“Mr. Collins, Alice is missing!”

Another voice shouted in alarm, “The person inside is Alice!”