Chapter 2238 by Marina Vittori
An Understated Dominance
Brianâs face displayed confusion and embarrassment as Alicia stirred awake. Although her regaining consciousness surprised him, the bruise on his ego stung him even more.
The way Dustin and Grace eyed him only made him feel more like a fool. Now that Alicia was awake, everything he had done before seemed like a farce, and he had never felt so humiliated.
At that moment, his hatred toward Dustin and Grace reached its peak.
âAlicia, how are you feeling? Do you feel any discomfort?â Aurora asked, leaning in with concern.
âMy headâs throbbingâ¦â Alicia grimaced and massaged her temples. Then, she asked, âWhy am I here? What happened?â
She felt disoriented. Her mind was shrouded in fog, and she had no memory of what had happened, which left her utterly bewildered.
âYou were poisoned and in critical condition. Faith and Dr. Rhys came to your aid just in time, or you might not have made it,â Aurora recounted the harrowing experience.
Upon hearing that, Aliciaâs gaze shifted to Grace, and she was surprised to see her. âFaith, what brings you here?â
âI heard about your illness and brought a skilled doctor with me. Luckily, we arrived just in time. Otherwise, who knows what might have happened.â Grace smiled faintly.
âThatâs very thoughtful of you.â Alicia returned the smile before turning her attention to Dustin. âSo, youâre Dr. Rhys? Thank you for saving my life. If you ever need anything, just let me know.â
âNo need to thank me. I acted at Faithâs behest,â Dustin replied promptly.
âOh? Looks like thereâs more going on between Dr. Rhys and Faith,â Alicia teased and winked at Grace.
âEven in your state, youâre cracking jokes? Just lie down and get some rest,â Grace responded in exasperation.
âIâve been stuck in bed for days. If I donât move, Iâll fall apart. I need to get up and move around,â Alicia insisted with a faint smile as she rose from the bed.
However, she felt dizzy, and her whole body began to sway.
âTake it easy,â Aurora said as she supported her sister.
âIâm okay,â Alicia dismissed Auroraâs concern, closing her eyes briefly and taking a deep breath.
After the dizziness passed, she opened her eyes with a smile. âJust stood up too fast and felt light-headed. Nothing serious.â
âMs. Marshall, I need to be honest with you. The poison affecting you isnât ordinary. Itâs a potent form of voodoo,â Dustin stated thoughtfully.
He continued, âThe person behind this is a highly skilled mystic artist. While I might be able to save you once, doing it again could be dangerous. To protect yourself, we must locate this person and either make them an ally or kill them.â
âAlicia, have you recently offended anyone? Or perhaps had any past conflicts with someone?â Grace asked tentatively.
âOffended anyone?â Alicia frowned and pondered before shaking her head.
She added, âI donât usually go out much. But I heard about the Combat Tournament at Sacred Wrym Summit, so I decided to join in for fun. Iâve been sightseeing along the way and didnât cause any trouble with anyone.â
âThatâs strange,â Grace remarked. She turned to Dustin, who nodded in response.
Though no words were exchanged, they both understood each otherâs thoughts. If it wasnât revenge, it was likely a scheme from the Hall of Gods.
They intended to use Aliciaâs death to incite a war between the Mystic Arts Order and the Celestial Alliance. Thereby, the Hall of Gods would benefit from the ensuing chaos.
âWait! I remember now!â Alicia suddenly exclaimed as if recalling something.
She raised her voice and said, âA few days ago, a strangely dressed person approached me and asked for directions. I caught a whiff of a peculiar scent during the conversation.
âI didnât think much of it at the time. But shortly after, I passed out. Could it be that person used voodoo on me?â
âItâs possible.â Dustin nodded.
âDo you still remember that personâs features?â Grace asked.
âYes, I do. I could even sketch it.â Alicia turned to Aurora and said, âCould youfetch some paper and a pen?â âSure thing,â Aurora replied and quickly left. Soon, she returned with the supplies.
Alicia paused to think before drawing. Soon, a clear portrait emerged before everyone.
Dustin was impressed by the exquisite artwork.
The ability to remember someoneâs features after just one encounter and sketch them out so accurately was genuinely remarkable.
âHere, this is the guy.â Alicia handed the sketch to Grace.
Grace glanced at it and passed it to Dustin, who then handed it to Aurora.
The sketch showed a man in his 40s with an unremarkable appearance. Without Aliciaâs sharp memory, recalling such an ordinary face would have been difficult.
âHey! Get this sketch photographed and send it to all nearby members of the Celestial Alliance. We need to catch this guy within three days!â Aurora promptly ordered.
Whoever dared to harm Alicia would face severe consequences, no matter who they were.