Chapter 343

Viktor Petrov was silent.

His eyes widened slightly, though his expression remained eerily calm.

But the shock was undeniable. He clearly hadn’t expected someone as delicate-looking as Evelyn Carter to strike with such brutal precision.

Not only had she moved faster than he could react, but he hadn’t even seen the attack coming.

"Care to tell me now?" Evelyn tilted her head, her voice icy. "Who sent you?"

Viktor snapped out of his daze, his lips curling into a cold smirk before he turned his face away, refusing to answer.

Evelyn didn’t care.

She strode toward him, bent down, and patted his pockets until she found his phone.

Fingerprint-locked.

Without hesitation, she grabbed his limp hand, pressed his thumb against the sensor, and unlocked it. Then, with visible disgust, she snatched a tissue from the bedside table and wiped her fingers clean.

As she tossed the tissue aside, her gaze landed on a small tray left by Ivan.

Recognition flickered in her eyes.

She picked it up, settling back into the chair with the tray balanced on her lap. One hand held the phone, scrolling through recent calls, while the other idly tapped the syringe resting beside the vial of unknown liquid.

"Let me guess," she mused, her voice deceptively light. "This number? Recent contact. Not random. So… this is your boss?"

She turned the screen toward Viktor.

He didn’t even glance at it.

But it didn’t matter.

Evelyn’s attention shifted to the tray—the needle, the syringe, the small bottle of clear liquid.

She didn’t know what it was.

But she knew it wasn’t anything good.

Carefully, she filled the syringe, then attached the needle.

Now armed with both the phone and the loaded syringe, she approached Dmitri Sokolov.

She nudged him with her foot. "Still breathing?"

A pained groan escaped him as he blinked up at her, terror flashing in his eyes.

"Good," Evelyn said, shaking the phone slightly. "Then make a call."

"W-what call?" Dmitri stammered.

"Call your employer. Tell them the job’s done. Ask when they’re coming."

Dmitri swallowed hard. "H-he won’t be here for two days—"

"Shut up!" Viktor snarled.

Evelyn sighed. "Ah, right. You."

She turned, syringe glinting in the dim light. "You talk too much."

One sharp jab toward his throat, and Viktor fell silent again.

Dmitri paled, watching her like she was something out of a nightmare.

"Two days is too long," Evelyn muttered, tapping the syringe against her palm. "That messes with my schedule."

If the mastermind wanted to stop her from competing in the finals, they’d have to try harder.

"Change of plans," she decided. "Tell them I overdosed. See if that speeds things up."

Dmitri’s eyes bulged. "Y-you want me to say you’re—"

"Dead. Yes." Evelyn arched a brow. "You had no problem drugging me earlier. Don’t tell me you’re scared now."

Dmitri stayed frozen.

Evelyn sighed, lifting the syringe. "Fine. Maybe you need a little… motivation."

The needle glinted as she stepped closer.