The fans were stunned into silence by the sudden turn of events.

Fear rooted them to the spot.

No one dared to move a muscle.

Annabelle Sinclair stared, her mind reeling.

"Isn't he supposed to be a useless, scorned man?" she whispered, utterly confused. "How does he command such a force?"

Before she could process it, hands grabbed her, pulling her back.

"Annabelle, run! They're too many!"

Panicked, she was swept away in the frantic retreat.

Alexander Blackwood finally exhaled.

He released Evelyn gently, his hands moving to her shoulders. "Evelyn, are you hurt?"

Tears traced paths through the dust on Evelyn's cheeks as she stood. She saw his disheveled state, his clothes askew.

A sharp pang of guilt pierced her heart.

"I'm fine. You protected me." Her voice trembled. "But you... you took all those hits. You must be in pain."

A soft, relieved smile touched Alexander's lips. Seeing her unharmed was all that mattered.

"Your safety is my only concern. A few bumps mean nothing. You're my wife. Letting anything happen to you is not an option."

Evelyn's eyes brimmed with fresh tears.

She looked down, her voice a hushed confession. "Alexander, I'm so sorry. I kept things from you. These people... they were after me. I thought I could handle it alone. I never meant for you to get hurt because of my secrets."

Alexander shook his head gently.

His thumb brushed away a tear on her cheek. "Don't you dare apologize. You did nothing wrong. The fault lies with those who attacked you. Not with you."

He paused, his gaze steadying.

"You need to get to the car. My men will take you home. You'll be safe there."

Evelyn's brow furrowed with worry. Her hand shot out, gripping his forearm. "Aren't you coming with me?"

Alexander flinched slightly at the pressure on a hidden injury, but his expression remained calm.

"Your safety comes first. I need to ensure this threat is neutralized. I won't let anyone who tried to harm you walk away unscathed. Go now. Let me handle this."

"But..." Evelyn started to protest.

Alexander intertwined his fingers with hers.

Warmth spread from his hand to hers, a silent promise.

"Trust me, Evelyn." His eyes held hers, filled with a deep, unwavering determination. "Please."

Evelyn bit her lip.

She did trust him.

The situation was volatile. Staying would only complicate things further.

"Okay," she whispered, nodding reluctantly.

She allowed his security team to guide her to the waiting car.

Alexander stood motionless, watching until the vehicle disappeared into the city's flow.

Only then did his posture slump.

A sharp, suppressed hiss escaped his lips as his hand flew to his ribs, the pain finally breaking through his composed facade.