Dr. Kian showed her the report he was holding in his hand in response to her question, but Grace was barely able to focus.
Since he was no longer wearing the mask, she finally got her first look at his face in this lifetime. He was nothing like what she recalled. Back when they met in her previous life, they both were survivors who hadn't fed properly for a while, hadn't bathed for several days. They were anything but beautiful or handsome, graceful or elegant.
But in this lifetime... everything was different. They were meeting each other during a period where they both were at the very peak of their lives and their youth. They were untouched by the horrors of apocalypse.
She found herself taking her time to admire his looks. He was striking with a sharp jawline, icy blue eyes, and a hint of smile tugging at his lips. His thick, dark hair framed his face perfectly, and she couldn't help but notice how his skin looked smooth, flawless.
Her heart skipped a beat while her pulse quickened as she stared at him, unable to tear her eyes away. He was the kind of handsome that made everything around him fade, leaving only him in sharp focus. It was like seeing him for the first time, as if the man behind the mask had been hiding a secret all along.
Then... he caught her gaze and the smile playing on his lips became slightly bigger as if he was amused by what he saw. "Ms. Blackwood, are you okay?"
Grace quickly shook her head and then nodded, eventually getting confused by her own response. She tried her best to not blush as she stepped forward and stretched her hand out to take the report from him. There was only one thing she wanted desperately at that moment - to get as far away from him as possible.
Dr. Kian was a very dangerous man... for her sanity.
"Though you keep saying otherwise, I believe that you aren't alright. There's something affecting you very strongly and it's quite visible from your expression and breathing." He countered but didn't sound accusing.
Grace watched him in silence for a few moments before she finally spoke, "I'm sure you didn't have to personally send these reports to me. Is there something you need from me?"
Much to her surprise, she saw his smile growing even bigger while he gave a slight nod of his head in response. Fixing his gaze on hers, he answered, "No, I didn't need to do it personally, and yet I did. I'm not sure why but I felt like coming here and seeing you again."
He was too straightforward and his honesty left her stunned as she wasn't expecting him to say something like that.
By appearance, he appeared cold and aloof, the kind of person who would never spare her a second glance. And yet, here he was... showing too much interest in her.
He suddenly took a step forward, almost forcing her to take a step back... almost. But somehow, she succeeded in standing her ground despite the weakness she was suddenly feeling in her knees.
Her gaze was fixed on his face as he came to stand so close to her that there were merely a few centimeters of space separating them. He inched his face closer, hovering over her as he spoke in that low, deep voice of his. Every word sending a chill running down her spine.
"You look at me in a way no one ever has. I can't tell what kind of look it is exactly, and that alone... is making me curious about you." His gaze was sharp and promising as he stared straight into her soul.
She felt him sliding the report in her hand as he added, "Until we meet again, Ms. Blackwood."
And then... he pulled away, stepping back and exiting her personal space that finally allowed Grace to let go of the breath she didn't even knew she had been holding. Without another word or even a glance, he left.
She kept watching him until he disappeared from her sight, leaving her flustered and shocked in the parking lot. She no longer wasted any time and climbed into the car. Barely a minute later, she was making her way out of the parking lot and away from the hospital and the dangerous doctor working in there.
She didn't stop until she reached the base. Instead of climbing out of the car immediately, she kept sitting inside and allowed herself to calm down first as she needed to take care of a very important matter soon.
Once she was feeling much calmer, she finally climbed out of the car and headed toward her office. There were still a few hours left before the grand plan, and she wanted to use this time to make some further preparations for her future plans.
For next two and a half hours, she remained locked inside her office and busied herself with work, eventually forcing herself to forget about Dr. Kian and everything that happened at Outpatient Hospital.
Evening finally arrived and the world outside the windows turned dark as the night took over its shift. She just finished her work when she received a message from Kevin, stating that he and the others from Inner circle had arrived at the base.
Grace stood up from the chair and grabbed the flash drive that Ryan left for her before she made her way out of the office. It was finally the moment for which she had been waiting since she woke up in this lifetime hours ago.
She was ready for her revenge...!