LOGINAzrielle’s POVThe doors to the procedure unit glided open with a sharp, heavy hiss. I surged forward, every instinct screaming at me to reach my son, but the figure striding out made my blood run cold.Declan burst into the hallway, his shirt unbuttoned at the collar, a spot of fresh blood soaking through his sleeve where he had yanked out his IV. His dark eyes swept the corridor like a predator on the hunt until they locked onto mine."Where is she?" his voice rumbled, deadly and harsh, cutting through the sterile silence of the ICU waiting area.The chief doctor stepped out behind him, holding up a clipboard to intervene. "Miss Vance, the transfer was completely successful. The donor marrow has taken, and his vitals are completely stable."A breath I felt like I had been holding for five agonizing years finally escaped my lungs. Relief crashed over me so hard my knees trembled, but I forced myself to stand tall. "Can I see him? Please.""We are transferring him to a private recover
Declan’s POVI only came here to make sure she was okay.The second Marcus’s text flashed across my phone, Pediatric ICU—my stomach dropped into a dark, bottomless abyss. I abandoned the gala floor, ignored my father's endless barrage of incoming calls, and drove like a complete lunatic through the rain-slicked city streets. I expected to find her handling some sudden corporate emergency, or maybe dealing with an unexpected illness of her own.I never, in a million years, expected to walk into the hallway and hear her raw, shattered voice tearing through the quiet corridor: "My child is lying down there! My child! My son!"I froze dead in my tracks, the cold air rushing out of my lungs. A child?My mind spun completely out of control, dark, suffocating pieces assembling themselves in the worst possible way. I stared at her tear-streaked face, and then my eyes dragged over to Jasper, standing tall right beside her, his large frame positioned so naturally to protect her, his arms ready
Azrielle’s POV"No, that's not possible! There has to be another way!" I screamed, tearing myself frantically from Jasper's grip. I stumbled forward, my hands violently clutching Arthur's lapels as my tears blurred the world into streaks of sterile white. "Old man, please! Look at me! Tell me there's another way! He can't get to know about him! Not now... God, please, no!""Az, there is almost nothing else we can do," Arthur choked out, his shoulders shaking as heavy tears ran freely down his weathered, tired face. He put his hands over mine, but his grip was utterly helpless. "Look at him through that glass panel... Asher is slipping away from us.""No, you don't understand!" I sobbed, my voice breaking in the cold, quiet hallway. "He might not even want the child! Five years ago, I went to his family's estate to show him the medical report, but I was thrown out like trash! How could I possibly go back to him now and tell him I need him to save a child he probably doesn't even want?!
Declan’s POVThe moment Mireille whispered into her ear, the atmosphere completely shifted. The cold, razor-sharp aura Azrielle had been projecting vanished, replaced by an absolute, blind panic that made her face go deadly pale. She wrenched herself away from me and sprinted toward the doors with that dickhead Jasper right at her heels.I stood frozen in the middle of the ballroom floor, my brows pulling down into a deep frown as I watched them disappear into the night. Something was wrong. Very wrong. I had never seen Azrielle look terrified like that.Before I could take a single step toward the entrance to follow her, Skye intercepted me, her posture stiff with fury, her fingers digging violently into my forearm."Declan! What on earth is the meaning of that?!" she demanded, her voice shrill enough to draw subtle, amused glances from nearby sports executives."Meaning of what, exactly?" I asked coldly, my eyes cutting over her shoulder to catch Marcus’s eye near the VIP lounge. I
Azrielle’s POV"What if I want your life for mine?"The breath hitched in Declan’s throat. I could feel the sudden, rigid tension running through his entire frame, the pulse in his jaw hammering wildly against my hand anchored to his collar."What if I want to break you completely," I whispered, leaning closer until my dark gaze locked onto his wide, stunned eyes, "and make you beg for your life?"The color drained from his face. For a fleeting second, the arrogant, controlling captain vanished, leaving behind a man who looked like he had just been struck by lightning. He parted his lips, about to say something, when a sharp, frantic tap on my shoulder shattered the suffocating trance between us."Az," Mireille’s panicked voice cut in, hovering right behind us. "Az, you need to step away right now... Asher is..."My fingers instantly let go of Declan’s collar as if the fabric had caught fire. The burning hatred in my chest vanished, replaced by an instant, sickening drop in my stomach
Declan’s POVWhere on earth did this guy even spring from?One second, Azrielle was tripping on her hem, and the next, this human skyscraper with a salon-model jawline slid across the floor like he had been custom-ordered by the universe just to ruin my night.He caught her, wrapped her in his jacket like he was starring in some cheesy romantic drama, and then—as if that wasn't enough—had the audacity to kiss the back of her hand like a medieval knight.I stood near the pillars, my teeth grinding together so hard my jaw felt ready to snap. Look at him. Dressed like a billionaire peacock, smiling like he owned the room. And who does he think he is, calling her "darling"? I wanted to march over, rip his tailored suit in half, and remind him that the woman he was gallantly guiding down the stage steps was mine.Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Skye’s expression. For a split second, when Azrielle got drenched in wine, Skye looked practically giddy—her eyes gleaming with malicious sat







