HIS SECRET

ALEXA POV

"What did you just say?" I asked.

The second I said it, his expression changed. The shock on his face disappeared and was replaced by a blank mask,he turned and walked out of the hospital hallway toward the elevators.

"Victor, wait!"

He didn't stop. I hurried after him and caught up just before the elevator doors opened and grabbed his arm. 

"What did you take from that room?" I asked, breathing hard.

He looked at me with a completely blank expression. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"The card. It was on the table and now it's gone."

Victor shook his head, . "Alexa, you're stressed because of Lily. You're imagining things. You've been here for hours."

"I know what I saw."

His hand slipped into his right pocket. He always touched his right pocket when he lied. A nervous habit from when we first got married. 

My stomach tightened.

"Give it back."

He stared at me for a long moment, debating, hen he pulled the business card from his pocket and held it between two fingers. I snatched it from his hand before he could change his mind. The name was right there in clean, embossed black print.

TRAVIS COLE

Chief Executive Officer - Cole Industries

Direct Line - Private

"You took it," I whispered.

Victor's jaw tightened. "I wanted to know who that man was. Who hit my daughter."

"He didn't do it on purpose!" I defended him before I could stop myself. "It was an accident!"

Victor's eyes narrowed at my tone. "You're defending him already? You met him an hour ago."

Heat rushed to my face. "Why do you always make things more difficult than they already are? Why is everything a fight with you?"

My voice shook. I was so tired of fighting him every single day.

"He stayed, Victor. Do you understand that? He stayed. He called the ambulance himself. He paid the hospital deposit so they would start treating her immediately without paperwork. What did you do? You showed up drunk and stared at him like you saw a ghost."

Victor's expression hardened. "Oh, so now you're comparing me to him? To a billionaire who can afford to feel guilty?"

"This isn't about money. This is about you disappearing and lying to me."

Victor stepped closer, his voice dropping lower so no one else could hear. "Why would he be so worried about Lily? A little girl he doesn't know? Why would a billionaire CEO stay for hours, upgrade her room, bring you coffee? Does that sound normal to you, Alexa?"

"He hit her! Of course he's worried! Any decent person would be!"

He looked down at the card in my hand, and his eyes stayed there.

"What did he say his last name was?" he asked quietly.

Something in his tone was wrong. It wasn't angry anymore. I was afraid.

"Cole. Travis Cole," I said.

Victor's head snapped up so fast it startled me. All the color drained from his face.

"Are you sure? Did he say Cole?"

"Yes. Why? Do you know that name?"

"No," he said too quickly. "I don't know him."

"You're lying."

"I'm tired, Alexa. Quit asking me these questions. You're paranoid from no sleep."

He turned and started walking away toward the elevator again.

"I want to go back to Lily," I said quietly.

He stopped and turned around. He stepped in front of me, blocking my path with his body. He didn't shout this time. He lowered his voice until it was almost a whisper, and that made it worse.

"Alexa, listen to me,. You just need to stay away from him. Promise me you won't let him near Lily again. Promise me you'll keep your distance."

"I don't trust you right now," I said, holding his gaze. "You show up drunk, you steal his card, you want me to promise you something?"

The words landed right where I wanted them to. I saw it in his face,he reached out and gripped my wrists with both hands. Not hard enough to bruise yet, but tight enough that I couldn't pull away. His fingers dug in.

"You need to stop fighting me on everything, Alexa," he whispered harshly, his face close to mine. "I'm trying to protect you. I'm trying to protect Lily. You think I'm the villain here, but I'm the only reason we're still safe."

"Don't touch me," I said, my breath catching.

I yanked my hands free with all my strength. At that exact moment, a nurse turned the corner with a clipboard. Victor immediately stepped away from me. His entire expression softened,

"I'm just worried about my wife," he told the nurse, his voice suddenly gentle and concerned. "Our daughter was in an accident and she's exhausted."

I stared at him, my wrists throbbing, red marks forming. 

How could someone change so quickly? 

One second he was gripping me, the next he was standing there looking like the perfect husband everyone expected him to be. I didn't even recognize him anymore.

Before I could say anything, I heard footsteps in the hallway behind us.

I looked up and saw Travis walking toward us. 

His arms were filled with gifts , a large bouquet of white lilies, a big gift bag from the hospital gift shop, a stuffed animal, plus a coloring books and a small children's box wrapped in shiny paper.

How sweet, I thought before I could stop myself. How thoughtful.

He looked almost shy as he approached us, which surprised me.

"I wanted to apologize to Lily properly," he said, glancing between me and Victor, sensing the tension immediately. "Is everything okay?"

I forced a smile so fake it hurt my cheeks, tucking my wrists behind my back so he couldn't see the red marks. "Yes, everything's fine."

Travis held out the gifts. 

"I know none of this can change what happened. I know a bunny doesn't fix a concussion." He looked down, genuinely ashamed. "I just wanted her to know I'm sorry. That I will do anything to make this right."

Something twisted inside my chest. He didn't have to do this. Most people would have sent a lawyer.

"Thank you," I whispered.

He nodded, then turned toward Victor, trying to be polite, extending a hand. "I'm sorry about what happened to your daughter. I take full responsibility. If there's anything your family needs

Victor said nothing, he didn't take the hand. He just stared at Travis, his face completely blank and cold. I had never seen him look like that before, like he was looking at a ghost and a threat at the same time.

It became so uncomfortable I could feel the silence sitting between us and i quickly stepped in.

"Lily is awake," I said to Travis. "You can go see her. She was asking about you earlier."

His face softened immediately. He nodded and walked past us toward her room, carrying the bunny carefully with both hands.

Victor remained rooted to the spot, watching Travis's back disappear around the corner. For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.

"We'll finish this conversation later," Victor said finally, 

He walked away and disappeared toward the elevators without looking back.

I watched him go, my stomach twisting. I took a step toward Lily's room and remembered the business card still clutched in my palm. 

My fingers froze the second I turned it over.

There were three words written on the back, in Victor's messy, rushed handwriting. Not Travis's print. 

Richard Cole's son.

Who the hell is Richard Cole? My curiosity got the better of me. I pulled out my phone and searched his name with shaking hands.

Hundreds of results appeared. I scrolled past the first few obituaries and business pages until one headline caught my attention.

Richard Cole, Founder and Former CEO of Cole Industries, Dies at 72 — Leaves Empire to Estranged Son

My stomach dropped.

Cole Industries. I had heard that name before. Everyone in this city had. It owned half the buildings downtown. It was one of the biggest companies in the country.

I clicked on the article, my eyes skimming fast.

Then I saw a photo at the bottom. A younger Travis, standing next to an older man with the same cold eyes.

The caption read: Travis Cole, Current CEO of Cole Industries and only son of Late Richard Cole, takes over family empire at age 30 after 10-year estrangement.

Estranged. For ten years. Why?

A strange feeling settled in my chest. What if the accident wasn't the first time Victor had ever heard of Travis Cole? What if Victor wasn't surprised to see him, what if he was terrified to be found by him? 

My mind was racing so loud I almost didn't hear it.

"AHHHH!"

Lily's scream tore through the hallway from inside her room.

My heart stopped completely. I dropped the phone.

"LILY!”