Chapter 525 Climbing the Edge

Yunice clenched her fingers as she registered the most important detail in Wyatt’s words.

The story’s already spread online?

That meant this had been premeditated—deliberately staged for maximum exposure. Once it spiraled into a public scandal, it would no longer be easy to control or reverse. It was no longer just a case—it had become a social event.

And that’s when Yunice understood.

This wasn’t about Oscar.

It was about her.

That’s why Owen had exploded on the phone—because in his eyes, this wasn’t just a betrayal from Oscar. This was a trap aimed at Yunice. Oscar’s downfall was collateral.

She thought of Oscar’s unreachable phone earlier, and the three-ring missed call—it must’ve been his desperate final attempt to reach her before the police took him away.

Yunice steadied her breath. A plan formed instantly.

“I need to see Elsie,” she said, voice trembling.

If this really was a rape case, she’d definitely be at a hospital now.

Whether this was a setup or not, Elsie would know better than anyone what had really happened.

She was the key.

Wyatt moved to follow, but Yunice hesitated. “The gala’s not over. I can ask Freya to come with me….”

Wyatt didn’t stop walking. “You think I’m letting you go alone?”

Yunice fell silent. It was just a charity event. At most, some people would be disappointed. That hardly mattered now.

Wyatt used a few tricks to find out which hospital Elsie had been taken to.

But she was under heavy watch. Even in the examination room, two police officers stood guard outside.

From a distance, Yunice spotted Owen pacing in front of the room, his eyes bloodshot, whole body radiating the kind of fury that made you wonder if he had a knife stashed under his shirt.

Wyatt and Yunice didn’t get close. They’d already noticed a few undercover media nearby trying to snap photos, so they kept their distance from Elsie’s room.

Owen was just a pawn—no use getting tangled up with him.

Yunice scanned the area, then turned to Wyatt to speak—

Only to find her lips brushing his cheek.

She instinctively pulled back, startled.

When had he gotten so close?

Wyatt, completely calm, withdrew his gaze from the hallway and turned to her like nothing had happened. “What?”

Yunice didn’t even know how to respond.

Refocusing, she said, “The floor above the exam rooms has patient rooms. If I climb down from one of the windows, I can reach Elsie’s exam room directly. It’s a gynecological unit—there’s usually one doctor and one female officer inside. I’m guessing the evidence has already been collected and now they’re waiting for lab results.”

In sexual assault cases, samples are collected as quickly as possible. The faster they acted, the higher their chance of catching the setup before it locked Oscar in a losing position.

Yunice was already moving toward the stairs when Wyatt caught her wrist.

“You’re saying you plan to climb down to Elsie’s room?” he asked, brow tightening.

Yunice blinked. “Got a better plan?”

Wyatt exhaled sharply and tightened his grip on her wrist. “You think I’m just here to look pretty?”

A woman risking her life to climb windows when there was a man standing right beside her? That wasn’t initiative—it was an insult.

Yunice was stunned.

She hadn’t even considered asking him to do it.

She was used to acting alone. Depending on others never felt safe. If you rely on a mountain, the mountain might collapse. If you lean on a wall, the wall might run. She feared losing her ability to survive by leaning too much.

Just like with Owen.

Wyatt added, “You and Elsie fight the moment you see each other. Even if you got in, she’d withhold the truth just to spite you. But if I go in, at least she’ll be afraid.”

It was logical. She couldn’t deny it.

Still… this was her problem. She wasn’t used to letting others take the risk.

Wyatt pressed his thumb to the crease between his brows. “Jordan’s bringing a drone. You’ll stay with him and act as lookout.”

He glanced at his watch. “I’ll head up first.”

As he turned to leave, his eyes briefly flicked to her lips—a deliberate glance.

Once he disappeared around the corner, Yunice touched her lips with a sigh.

That was intentional… childish.

A head suddenly popped around behind her, grinning into her space. “Mrs. Cooper? What are you thinking about?”

Yunice flinched and turned—face burning.

“Jordan?”

He straightened up, all business. “Where’s Wyatt?”

“He’s upstairs already.” She quickly shifted the topic. “Wyatt said you know how to handle a drone?”

Jordan pulled a compact drone from his bag and began assembling it. “I was in the drone club back in college. I’m no pro, but good enough for surveillance.”

They picked a hidden corner near the building. Yunice kept watch on the exam room from a distance while Jordan guided the drone out through a ventilation window and looped it around—

Until it hovered outside Elsie’s window.