Chapter 137: Don’t Take Risks Alone Again

Raymond staggered back half a step from the punch, clutching his chest as he stared at Eleanor in disbelief.

"Eleanor, you... why did you hit me?"

Eleanor glared at him, the corners of her eyes flushed red. "Hitting you is getting off easy!"

"Now talk. How did you end up here? I don't remember telling anyone where I was going tonight!"

Raymond rubbed his aching chest, looking like a kicked puppy. "I... I've been waiting downstairs at your office. I wanted to surprise you after work, but then you came out in different clothes, looking completely off, and just drove straight toward the outskirts."

He snuck a glance at Eleanor's face. Seeing her expression still dark, he quickly added more.

"I wasn't trying to follow you. It's just—seeing you like that, I knew something dangerous was happening. I was worried, so I came after you..."

"Eleanor, don't be mad. I was genuinely worried about you."

Eleanor fell silent for a moment before asking, "Then how did you know I was here? This place isn't exactly easy to find."

Raymond opened his mouth, then swallowed his words.

Black Claws's ice-cold face flashed through his mind...

No.

He couldn't say it.

Black Claws had called him out of concern for Eleanor's safety.

If Eleanor found out that Black Claws had given away her location, their relationship would definitely fracture.

He didn't want that to happen.

So Raymond only offered vaguely, "I followed your car the whole way. You were driving so fast, I almost lost you. Luckily, I heard the gunshots just now—that's how I found you!"

Eleanor studied him with obvious skepticism, but ultimately didn't press further.

Still, her expression didn't soften.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? You had no clue who you were dealing with, and you just barged in? Those two men had guns. If something had happened to you..."

Before Eleanor could finish, Raymond cut her off.

"I know."

His voice was gentle as he gripped her hand tightly. "But Eleanor, didn't you come here alone too?"

Eleanor froze slightly.

Raymond continued, "If you could come alone, why couldn't I? No matter how dangerous it is, as long as you're there, I'll follow!"

He stroked the back of her hand, his heart still racing with lingering fear.

"Thank God I came. Otherwise... I don't even want to think about what could have happened just now!"

As his words fell, he couldn't hold back anymore.

He pulled Eleanor tightly into his arms.

Eleanor instinctively tried to struggle, raising her hand to push against his chest—but then she felt a faint trembling.

The trembling wasn't coming from her.

She went still.

Raymond's arms tightened around her, as if trying to absorb her into his very body.

His chin rested on top of her head, his voice hoarse and barely audible. "Eleanor, promise me—don't do this again. Don't go rushing into danger alone without telling anyone, okay?"

Eleanor's throat suddenly felt tight. "This is my problem. I didn't want to put you in a difficult position."

"But aren't we lovers?"

Raymond asked softly, "If we're lovers, shouldn't we face everything together?"

"Eleanor, don't make me worry like this anymore..."

He held her even tighter.

"I don't want to wake up one day and suddenly hear that something happened to you. You doing this—it's worse than just killing me!"

At those words, Eleanor's body went rigid.

Once, long ago, an old man had spoken to her with this same heartache.

That old man who always smiled at her, the mentor she'd searched for so long, hoped for so desperately...

Eleanor's eyes suddenly burned.

She bit down hard on her lip, trying to force back the surging ache.

But this time, she couldn't suppress it.

Tears spilled silently from her eyes, dropping one by one onto Raymond's shirt.

"Raymond..."

Eleanor's voice broke. "My mentor... he might really be gone. Timothy just said... he might really be dead..."

Raymond went still for a moment.

He raised his hand, gently patting her back, his tone soothing. "I'm here. Whatever happens, I'll be by your side..."

Eleanor couldn't hold it in any longer.

She buried her face in Raymond's chest and broke down sobbing...

Raymond didn't say another word.

He simply held her quietly, letting her tears soak through his shirt.

Right now, any words of comfort would be meaningless.

What she needed was just an embrace where she could safely let her tears fall...

Twenty minutes later.

When Black Claws arrived with his men, this was the scene that greeted him.

Several men lay scattered unconscious by the entrance.

Inside the storage room, Timothy and Aaron had been tied up, rags stuffed in their mouths, lying face-down on the floor.

Beside them, Eleanor stood with her back against the wall, her face cold, eyes faintly red but her expression back to its usual composure.

Raymond stood at her side, his shirt wrinkled, still showing a small patch of undried tears.

Black Claws's steps faltered slightly.

He walked forward, swept a glance over the two men on the ground, then turned to order his subordinates, "Take them all away. Keep them under strict guard. No one gets near them, and don't give them any chance to escape!"

His men immediately sprang into action.

Only then did Black Claws approach Eleanor.

His gaze fell on the vial of SKTrelin serum still clutched in her hand.

"Boss, this is..."

"This batch of serum is fake."

Eleanor's voice was cold. "It's from the batch I deliberately leaked through the base back then. The formula is only half real. The active compounds degrade over time and eventually turn into useless waste."

She paused, then let out a bitter laugh.

"But Black Claws, Timothy just told me something—something not so good."

At her words, Black Claws's heart sank.

The next moment, Eleanor's voice broke. "My mentor... he might really be gone!"

"How is that possible?!"

Black Claws's eyes widened in shock.

For the first time, his usually stern face showed open horror.

He wanted to say something, but he didn't know how to comfort anyone.

Besides, faced with news like this, even he felt his heart twist in agony.

Joseph... how could he be dead?!

But before he could speak, Eleanor's expression turned cold again.

She raised her hand, wiping away the remaining tears on her face, and said coldly, "Jagger will soon find out this batch of serum is fake. When that happens, he'll be furious. And if my mentor really did die at their hands..."

"Black Claws, this isn't just about some grudge between him and us anymore!"