Lady Virelia Nightbane

Ava Carter stood still, her expression frozen in disbelief.

She gazed again at Leo—his handsome, calm face exuding loyalty and quiet strength. Deep down, she struggled to accept what she was seeing.

Could Leo truly possess such remarkable medical skills?

No… She had to question him thoroughly later.

Still trying to maintain composure, Ava cleared her throat and said in a cool voice, "You did well."

Leo responded with a modest smile. "That's thanks to your training, Miss."

At that moment, all the members of the Carter family looked at Ava with admiration and awe.

If even such a skilled miracle doctor like Leo was under her command, then how great must Ava's abilities be?

The implication was clear—Ava's medical knowledge must be even more impressive than Leo's.

Seeing the room full of respectful gazes, Ava twitched her lips and gave a stiff smile.

She didn't know how to explain this misunderstanding.

Old Mr. Carter, lying on the bed, now sat up with more energy. He reached out, clasped Leo's hand with gratitude, and said, "Thank you, Master Leo. You pulled me back from death's door."

But Leo only shook his head and smiled, redirecting the praise. "It was Miss Ava who instructed me to help. If you want to thank someone, thank her."

Hearing this, the old man turned to Ava and bowed his head sincerely. "Thank you, Miss Ava. You saved my life. I'm eternally grateful."

Ava nodded slightly and replied with grace, "We're all from Riverdale. We should support each other."

Those words warmed everyone's heart.

Was this really the same Miss Ava they had misunderstood all these years as a reckless socialite?

It seemed… they were wrong.

But not everyone was pleased.

"No! Impossible!!" came a broken scream.

Everyone turned toward the voice.

Xiao Tian had climbed back to his feet. His expression was twisted, his eyes wild with disbelief.

He pointed a shaking finger at Leo and shouted, "It's fake! All of it is fake!"

"Leo, you couldn't have healed him! There's no one else in this world who can use true energy but me!"

"I am the Dragon King! What I cannot do, no one else can!"

His voice cracked with obsession. Then, as if grasping at straws, he pointed to Mr. Carter and exclaimed, "See?! You just coughed up the blood! That's proof! It was just internal congestion being cleared! I cured you!"

Mr. Carter's expression darkened. He clenched his fists, his patience wearing thin.

"Xiao Tian," he said coldly, "enough. My recovery has nothing to do with you."

Just then, Rachel stepped forward, her face flushed with anger. She jabbed a finger at Xiao Tian's nose and snapped, "Get lost, you fraud! You've caused enough shame for one day!"

The entire Carter family moved in, berating him with words sharp as daggers.

"You're a disgrace!"

"Still pretending to be a genius doctor? After all this?"

"You've been exposed!"

The barrage of accusations left Xiao Tian speechless. His face twisted with humiliation, the collapse of his pride visible to all.

In the corner, Ava watched him with intrigue, clicking her tongue.

"So this is what happens to the so-called Dragon King…" she thought. "Even in my past life, he didn't fall this badly this soon."

Leo turned to Ava and whispered with a grin, "Miss, enjoying the drama?"

Ava glared at him with mock irritation.

She wanted to deny it, but truthfully—it was satisfying to watch.

Still, in the pit of her stomach, a sense of unease lingered.

This is great… but I'm the one destined to die.

She looked away bitterly, hiding her thoughts.

But Leo noticed the flicker of emotion in her expression and chuckled softly. "That's good."

Ava blinked. "What?"

Did he just misinterpret her glare as approval?

Leo didn't realize Ava was worried for herself, not admiring his performance.

Then again, maybe… maybe he wasn't wrong. She was impressed.

The scene wound down, and Leo leaned in closer. "Miss, it'll be lunchtime soon. Where shall we go?"

How did we suddenly jump to food?

Then again, it was almost noon. And this Dragon King debacle had finally ended.

Ava pondered for a moment before replying, "Anywhere is fine. After lunch, we're heading to the Carter Group."

"I just took over the family business, and I need to assess the situation."

The Carter Group—Riverdale's most renowned enterprise.

Leo's heart skipped a beat.

He remembered what Rachel had said the night before—that Ava had returned to the Carter family and taken control of the company.

But… according to the original timeline, that wasn't supposed to happen yet.

Was this the butterfly effect of my presence in this world?

Leo stood straighter, determination in his eyes.

"I understand, Miss," he said solemnly. "I'll accompany you."

If the story is already shifting, then the villain may not survive as long as expected.

Before anything happens to Ava… I will protect her.

Ava was taken aback by the intensity of his expression. There was something deeply familiar in the way he looked at her—as if he'd made a silent vow.

And… strangely, she felt it too.

In her previous life, she had no one like Leo beside her.

Could he be part of the butterfly effect from her rebirth?

That had to be it.

Yes, she decided. This time, fate gave her Leo—to make up for everything she'd lost.

Then she smiled quietly to herself.

"I'll need to treat Leo better," she thought.

They looked at each other and exchanged faint smiles.

Both wondered: What's she (he) smiling about?

Meanwhile, Xiao Tian remained frozen amid the crowd.

Everywhere he turned, he heard only ridicule, contempt, and rejection.

His mind spiraled.

Why…? Why did everything go so wrong?

His steps were flawless. His technique perfect.

Where—where did it all fall apart?

He spotted Ava and Leo in the distance, standing close, their smiles subtle and full of mutual understanding.

Suddenly, something clicked in his head.

"That's it!"

He spun around, his voice rising to a crazed pitch.

"I'm not wrong! I can't be wrong!"

"It was all a setup! They stole my credit!"

He pointed at Mr. Carter again. "That blood was just internal blockage! I healed you!"

Then he turned to Ava and Leo, eyes bloodshot. "You two—bastards! You plotted this! You stole what was mine!"

SLAP!

A blur passed through the crowd.

Leo appeared like a phantom and struck Xiao Tian hard across the face.

The slap echoed through the ward, leaving Xiao Tian reeling.

Leo's aura exploded with righteous fury.

He growled, "How dare you insult my young lady?"

"You think a worthless man like you could speak her name so casually?"

"She is brilliant, unmatched—and would never need to stoop so low as to take credit from anyone."

"You're the one who nearly killed Mr. Carter with your incompetence."

"And now you bark like a mad dog, exposing your own foolishness."

"You're not even a clown—you're a joke."

Everyone in the ward fell silent, awed by Leo's terrifying presence.

Ava watched, stunned.

He had appeared beside her just moments ago—how did he move so fast?

She covered her mouth with her hand, eyes sparkling with complex emotions.

"Leo…" she murmured.

Something stirred in her heart. For the first time, she felt truly protected.

---

End of Chapter 17

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