Felicia finally snapped out of her confusion. Why would Stephan say she was going to find Arnold? What kind of joke was that?

Her expression darkened. She opened her mouth to retort, but he kissed her before she could speak—a commanding, demanding, and relentless kiss that silenced her. She struggled, but Stephan was unyielding; his dominance left her no choice but to submit.

Felicia didn't have her silver needles, but she didn't need them. She knew the human body's meridians intimately—every pressure point and weak spot burned into her memory. Moreover, Stephan had sustained serious injuries from his fall in Alverton. With precision and speed, she curled her fingers into a claw and struck his waist, hitting a point that made him buckle. A low grunt escaped Stephan, his body stiffening as his dark eyes bored into hers. There was no pain in his expression, only a simmering danger that intensified the already charged atmosphere. Then, a faint coppery scent filled the air.

Felicia froze, her anger replaced by guilt. Had she hit him too hard? She knew she'd targeted a sensitive spot, but hadn't intended this level of injury.

"Don't move!" she exclaimed, quickly climbing out of bed. She flicked on the lights, revealing his disheveled state and the crimson seeping through his shirt. "I'll get the first aid kit. Just don't touch it!"

Stephan watched her scurry from the room, a smirk playing on his lips. Her flushed cheeks and swollen lips were evidence of their earlier confrontation, a fact that inexplicably pleased him. When she returned with the first aid kit, she carefully began tending to his wound.

She had been silently grumbling that Stephan deserved it; if he hadn't forced that kiss, she wouldn't have retaliated so forcefully. But when she lifted his shirt, her complaints died on her lips. A deep gash marred his waist—a wound from their fall off the cliff in Alverton, reopened by her attack. Stephan had shielded her then, taking the brunt of the sharp rocks. The cut had been healing.

Felicia felt a pang of guilt. Her movements softened as she carefully cleaned and dressed the wound. What she had initially intended as a quick fix became delicate and precise.

Stephan had been ready to dismiss it casually, to say, "Just patch it up, it's nothing," but he swallowed the words as he watched her furrowed brows and the guilt etched on her face. "At least this little brat has some conscience left," he mused.

The redness in his eyes faded, and though the heat of his earlier anger lingered, his gaze was calmer. Felicia, still tending to his wound, sighed dramatically as she sprinkled her handmade medicinal powder over the cut. "My medicine… this stuff is expensive, you know." "She has some conscience, but not much," Stephan thought.

Once finished, Felicia gritted her teeth and handed him the rest of the bottle. "Here, take this. Use a little each day. It'll stop the bleeding and help it heal faster." Stephan accepted it with a smirk, tapping the glass bottle thoughtfully. "This won't end up like last time, will it?"

They both knew what he meant. The last time she'd given him medicine—a scar-removal ointment—things had spiraled wildly out of control, a memory neither had forgotten.

Felicia's frustration boiled over. She snapped, "And what about just now? You weren't under the influence, yet you still pinned me down and…"

She bit back the rest. Instead of saying, "You gave me a long kiss!", she glared furiously.

When he didn't respond, she moved to snatch the bottle back. "If you don't want it, give it back! I made this myself. I could sell it for a fortune."

Mindful of his injury, she decided against it. She gathered her kit and stood to leave.

Just as she turned, Stephan's voice cut through the silence. "Are you that desperate for money?"

"I sure am," Felicia replied without hesitation, carefully tucking her homemade medicine into her backpack, padding it with clothes to prevent breakage. Her focus was unwavering.

"Who wouldn't want more money?"

As she zipped her bag closed, an idea sparked. Her eyes lit up, and she turned to Stephan, her gaze practically sparkling. Her tone shifted with sudden enthusiasm. "You know, I think I just came up with a business opportunity!"