Chapter 83

Lucas woke up with a start, feeling the absence of Alice's warmth beside him. Panic shot through him as he reached out, only to find the bed empty. "Alice?" His voice echoed in the room as he fumbled for his phone, checking the time—it was already past nine. Slipping on his slippers, he hurriedly checked the bathroom, but she wasn't there either. Alice's fever hadn't subsided much, keeping him awake the entire night. He had spent the night wiping her body with a damp cloth and placing ice towels on her forehead. When her fever finally seemed to lessen in the morning, exhaustion overwhelmed him, and he fell into a deep sleep. He searched every corner of the house, but Alice was nowhere to be found. Lucas felt a surge of distress coursing through him. His mind raced, unable to grasp the situation. Standing in the middle of the living room, he felt lost and bewildered. Then, a flicker of realization sparked in his mind, and he hurried back to the room to check his phone. Quickly accessing