Chapter 186: Remembered It

Blood trickled from the corner of Drake's mouth. He'd barely started to push himself up when the muzzle of a gun pressed against his forehead.

Felix stared down at him, his warning cold and clear. "Touch her again, and I'll have you shipped back to Germany in an urn tonight."

Cecilia slumped against the chair back, her consciousness drifting. Yet the drug forced color into her lips, turning them an unnatural red.

She lifted her gaze toward the tall figure in the doorway, her lashes trembling. "Felix..."

The word came out barely a whisper. Felix holstered the gun immediately, shrugged off his jacket, and wrapped it around her before lifting her from the chair.

"Hot..." Her body burned against him, yet her hands instinctively reached for his neck, her breath spilling across his throat.

Felix's jaw clenched hard. He kept his voice low, coaxing. "Just hold on a little longer. We're leaving now."

Cecilia's mind swam in confusion. Her fingers clutched his shirt, refusing to let go. Her forehead pressed against his neck, drawn to him like instinct.

Drake pushed himself off the floor, wiping blood from his mouth. His eyes blazed with venom. "Knightley, you dare bring a gun and break into—"

Felix glanced back at him. That single look was cold enough to cut Drake's words short.

Roman burst through the door with his team, immediately securing the room. "Boss, I've got this."

Felix strode out carrying Cecilia, his steps quick and steady. She shifted against him, her voice hoarse. "Don't go back to the Laurent Estate..."

Felix looked down at her. "Okay. We won't."

The car pulled into his private penthouse in the East District.

The elevator opened directly into the top floor. The moment the doors slid apart, the lights blazed on. Felix laid her on the king-sized bed and immediately called his family doctor. "Get here in ten minutes. Bring sedatives and cooling equipment."

He ended the call. Cecilia had already rolled over and sat up, her breathing ragged. The strap of her dress slipped down her shoulder. From her collarbone to the tips of her ears, her skin flushed an angry red from the drug's effects.

She raised a hand to tug at her neckline. The hair at her temples was damp with sweat.

Felix caught her wrist. "Don't move."

Cecilia looked up at him. Her gaze was unfocused, but she still recognized him. Her words came out blunt. "I feel terrible."

Felix's chest tightened. His Adam's apple bobbed as he grabbed a damp towel and pressed it against the back of her neck. "Hang in there. The doctor's almost here."

The cool touch made her shiver slightly, but she still leaned into him, gripping his arm like it was the only thing that could extinguish the fire burning through her.

"Felix..."

He closed his eyes briefly. His voice came out rough. "I'm here."

She pressed her forehead against his shoulder, her breath hot and frantic. She felt like she was drowning in a scalding tide. Felix sat on the edge of the bed, letting her cling to him. His other hand steadied her back, making sure she wouldn't fall.

Minutes later, the family doctor arrived carrying a medical kit, a nurse following close behind.

The examination was swift. The doctor withdrew the test strip. "It's a high-potency inducer commonly found on Germany's underground market. There's no antidote. We'll have to sedate her first to suppress neural excitation, then continue with physical cooling."

Felix's voice was tight. "Will it hurt her?"

"She'll be weak for a few days. Her emotions might be unstable too. But the good news is, you got her here in time." The doctor prepared the injection as he spoke. "Any later, and the consequences would've been much worse."

The nurse administered the injection. Cecilia frowned, still gripping Felix's sleeve.

Once the medication entered her system, her eyelids grew heavier. Her breathing finally began to slow.

As the doctor packed up his equipment, he mentioned casually, "By the way, I also checked in on old Mr. Knightley. That kind of episode doesn't look like ordinary emotional distress. Old Mr. Campbell's visit today—it wasn't just an argument."

Felix's gaze darkened sharply. "I know."

After the doctor left, only the two of them remained in the bedroom.

Cecilia lay in a haze, the flush on her face fading slightly. But the wound on her palm still seeped blood.

Felix rewrapped it carefully. His movements were steady, but his eyes churned with suppressed fury.

Half-asleep, she stirred, murmuring fragments of names. "Eloane... the factory... Scarlett..."

Felix looked up at her.

Her lashes trembled. She whispered again, "It was her..."

Meanwhile, at the Campbell estate.

Elliot had just returned to his study when his assistant handed him a new email. "From Knightley."

Elliot opened the attachment. His expression darkened instantly.

Inside were records of Scarlett's unauthorized use of permissions, stock intent agreements, misappropriation of liquid assets to purchase scattered shares of Verlan Group at inflated prices, and several irregular transactions that bypassed the board.

Before he could speak, the study door swung open. Scarlett walked in, her face equally grim. "Grandpa, Drake's side—"

A slap landed squarely across her face.

Scarlett's head snapped to the side. She stood frozen in shock.

"You fool! Who told you to touch the stock shares privately? Who told you to go after Verlan Group?!" Elliot's hand trembled.

Scarlett clutched her cheek, fury flashing in her eyes. "I was securing Campbell's backup plan! With Knightley and Laurent both closing in, if I don't grab territory first, if I don't expand, what are we supposed to use to hold them off?!"

"Use your brain!" Elliot glared at her, seething. "Did you have a follow-up plan for acquiring Verlan? How do you merge the channels? How do you carry the debt? How do you get it past the board? How do you renew the bank's credit line? Did you think through any of this?!"

Scarlett opened her mouth. Elliot threw the documents at her.

"Stock shares leaked, intent agreements signed externally—you handed Felix the ammunition yourself! The only reason he hasn't moved on you yet is because he's waiting for you to dig the hole even deeper!"

Scarlett bit down hard. "I'll fix it."

"You can't fix it." Elliot's voice was cold and heavy. "Go investigate. Find out who's been buying up Verlan's scattered shares behind the scenes. If I'm not mistaken, they're already in Knightley's pocket."

---

The next morning, a court summons was officially delivered to the Campbell estate.

Recipient: Scarlett Campbell.

Plaintiffs: Felix Knightley, Cecilia Laurent.

Charges listed one after another—abnormal stock transactions, malicious market interference, witness intimidation, intentional harm, conspiracy with foreign nationals to commit crimes.

Scarlett held the summons, her hands shaking. "This can't be happening..."

Her first instinct was to find Felix. But his phone went unanswered. His secretary refused to see her. Even the receptionist at Knightley Group wouldn't schedule an appointment.

She stood outside the building, her expression ugly, her eyes full of resentment and unwillingness. "What gives him the right to treat me like this..."

---

That evening, back at the private penthouse.

Cecilia still hadn't fully woken. The aftereffects of the sedative kept her in a deep sleep, though her forehead was no longer burning.

Felix sat at the edge of the bed, watching her peaceful face. His palm gently traced the bandaged hand resting in his.

Roman stood in the doorway. "Boss, all the prosecution materials have been submitted. Campbell's side is in chaos."

Felix didn't look up. "Keep the pressure on. Don't let any of Drake's people slip through."

"Understood." Roman paused, then added, "Also, the old factory records you asked me to pull—I found a batch of old photos and accident reports. They line up with a lot of Miss Eloane's trauma records from back then."

Felix finally looked up. "Bring them in."

Roman placed the file folder on the table. The top photo was singed at the edges. The spray-painted code on the factory's outer wall was clearly visible—it matched the old photo Cecilia had spread out the night before.

Felix stared at it for two seconds. His gaze sank deeper and deeper.

On the bed, Cecilia stirred. Her lashes fluttered lightly, as if she were about to wake.

Her lips were dry. She murmured softly, "I remembered..."