We're Even

Back in the hospital room, Mrs. Sterling was still seething.

The documents Rue had produced refused to leave her mind.

Sterling Corporation had gone to great lengths to keep those records buried. The fact that Rue had somehow gotten her hands on them was alarming enough. The fact that she'd been willing to use them was worse.

If Mrs. Sterling had known things would come to this, she never would have let the girl walk away so easily.

Her gaze shifted to Hans.

The young heir lay in bed wearing a thunderous expression.

Mrs. Sterling had never thought particularly highly of him. He was spoiled, irresponsible, and spent more time chasing women than learning how to run a business.

Unfortunately, none of that changed the fact that he was the only grandson in the Galloway family line.

One day, everything the Galloways owned would be his.

The Sterling family needed that connection.

And at the moment, there was only one thing standing in the way.

Rue.

Mrs. Sterling's expression darkened.

Whatever it took, Hans and Ariana needed to get married as soon as possible.

The longer they waited, the greater the chance something would go wrong.

A knock sounded at the door.

Assuming it was a nurse, she barely looked up.

"Come in."

The door opened.

Instead of hospital staff, a group of men in dark suits stepped into the room.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

At their head stood a refined-looking man in gold-rimmed glasses.

"Mrs. Sterling?"

His tone was polite but carried an unmistakable authority.

Mrs. Sterling's eyes widened.

She recognized him immediately.

Kieran Vaughn.

Personal assistant to Julian Vanderbilt.

One of the most trusted people in the Vanderbilt organization.

For a split second, Mrs. Sterling wondered if she was imagining things.

The Vanderbilts operated on an entirely different level from families like hers. Their influence stretched far beyond Kingsley. Most people spent a lifetime trying—and failing—to secure even a single introduction.

Yet one of their representatives was standing in her hospital room.

Mrs. Sterling rose so quickly she nearly knocked over her chair.

"Yes," she said with a practiced smile. "How can I help you?"

Kieran's gaze swept across the room before settling on Ariana.

Relief flickered across his face.

"This is Miss Sterling?"

Mrs. Sterling glanced at Ariana, confused by the question.

"Yes."

"Excellent."

For the first time since entering, Kieran allowed himself a smile.

At last.

The young master's condition might finally have a solution.

---

By the time Rue returned home, it was fully dark outside.

The apartment lights were still on.

Gyle and Rita sat waiting in the living room.

The moment they saw Rue and Cody walk through the door unharmed, Rita visibly relaxed.

She hurried over.

"Are you alright?"

Cody laughed. "We're fine."

He threw an arm around Rue's shoulders.

"If anything, they should be worried about her."

A grin spread across his face.

"Rue had the entire room speechless."

That finally earned a smile from Rita. She swatted his arm.

"And you need to stop solving everything with your fists."

Then she turned back to Rue and gently squeezed her hand.

"Come on. I finished getting your room ready."

When Rue stepped inside, she immediately noticed the changes.

Most of Ariana's belongings were gone.

Fresh sheets covered the bed.

The room smelled faintly of clean laundry.

Everything had been carefully prepared.

Then Rita reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded stack of cash.

The bills were worn and uneven, clearly collected from different places.

After sorting through them, she pressed several into Rue's hand.

"You'll probably need some clothes."

Rue looked down.

The money wasn't much.

Back at the Sterling estate, it wouldn't have covered lunch.

Yet Rita was offering it without hesitation.

"Tomorrow, have Cody take you shopping," Rita said. "And if you need more, just tell me."

For a moment, Rue said nothing. Then her fingers closed around the bills.

"Thank you, Mom."

Rita's eyes immediately grew damp. She blinked rapidly and turned away.

"Get some rest." Her voice softened. "We can talk more tomorrow."

After she left, Rue closed the bedroom door behind her.

A few moments later, her phone vibrated.

Mrs. Sterling.

Rue answered without much interest.

"What is it?"

Gone was the arrogance from earlier.

When Mrs. Sterling spoke, her tone was noticeably restrained.

"What medication have you been giving Zach?"

A faint smile appeared on Rue's lips.

"And why would I tell you?" A brief silence followed. "In your eyes, Zach stopped mattering years ago."

Mrs. Sterling nearly snapped back immediately. Only sheer self-control stopped her.

Earlier that afternoon, representatives from the Vanderbilt family had arrived at the hospital personally.

They were looking for medicine.

Vital Essence Pills.

And according to them, they were willing to pay almost any price.

After reviewing hospital security footage, Mrs. Sterling finally discovered the truth.

The medicine Rue had been quietly providing Zach for years was exactly what the Vanderbilts wanted.

Watching her casually hand over an entire bottle had nearly given Mrs. Sterling a heart attack.

Those pills were worth a fortune.

Yet Rue had been using them on a boy doctors had practically given up on.

The thought alone made Mrs. Sterling furious.

Unfortunately, she needed something from Rue now, so she swallowed her pride.

"Zach is still my son." Her voice softened. "Of course I care about him."

Rue laughed. The sound carried no warmth whatsoever.

"If you cared, you'd visit him."

Mrs. Sterling's expression stiffened.

Rue continued calmly. "Don't worry. Zach will outlive you."

A beat passed.

"And when the time comes, I'll make sure he sends flowers to your funeral."

Mrs. Sterling nearly exploded. "Rue! Our family raised you for eighteen years!"

"And I saved your son's life." Rue's voice remained perfectly calm. "We're even."

Before Mrs. Sterling could say another word, the line disconnected.

Rue tossed the phone onto the bed.

The room finally fell quiet.

Then a knock sounded at her bedroom door.

“Was it the Sterling family again?” Cody stepped inside, concern evident in his eyes.

Rue merely shrugged. “Just another nuisance call. I can handle it myself.”

“If you ever need anything, just tell me.” He gave her an encouraging look.

Rue nodded and smiled.

After her brother left, she sat alone on the bed and looked around the room.

It was obvious that while the Blackwood family couldn't compare to the Sterling family's wealth, they were still doing everything within their power to make up for the years she had lost.