New plans

Lucas Blackwood stared down at the fragile woman who looked entirely confused by his sudden presence. He adjusted the cuff of his dark charcoal suit, his tone remaining businesslike and absolute. "Name your price for saving my son," he repeated, his deep voice carrying a heavy, transactional weight that left no room for sentiment.

 

Victoria blinked, staring up at the billionaire tycoon in sheer disbelief before looking around the sterile luxury of the room. She forced her throat to relax, keeping her voice even. "No, Mr. Blackwood, I think there has been a misunderstanding. I just happened to be locked in the same room as your son," she said, her defensive guards firmly sliding back into place. She didn't want his money. She wanted her anonymity. "Okay, just pay my hospital bills," she added flatly.

Lucas didn't argue. He gave her a single, curt nod, scooped his son back up into his arms, and turned on his heel. Without a single backward glance, his broad shoulders squared as he strode forcefully out of the room, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.

Victoria sat up slightly, still utterly surprised by the sudden whirlwind. She had never expected that a simple hotel storage room would lead her to cross paths with the most influential person in the country. But she didn't have time to dwell on him. It was time to get back to business.

Her gaze dropped to the dead phone resting on the bedside table. She gestured to the private nurse who was still standing by the door. "Could you please charge this for me?" she asked, her tone shifting into a polite but commanding murmur.

The nurse nodded quickly, plugging the device into the wall outlet. Victoria waited in silence, watching the battery icon slowly flicker to life. The moment the phone gained enough power to turn on, she booted it up and immediately dialed a familiar number.

"Anna," Victoria said the second the call connected, her voice dropping into a low, urgent whisper. "Come get me. I'm in the hospital

Anna, who thought Victoria had been seriously injured, dropped absolutely everything and rushed to the hospital. The door to the private suite burst open with a violent thud, and Anna stumbled inside, her chest heaving as she breathed heavily, panic flashing wildly in her eyes.

"Vicky! What happened?!" she gasped, rushing straight to the bedside to inspect her friend for broken bones or wounds.

Victoria couldn't help but crack a soft smile at her friend's sheer desperation. "Did you run all the way from the front gate?" she asked, her voice light and teasing.

"Can you stop it? You think this is funny?!" Anna snapped, crossing her arms and pouting angrily as she tried to catch her breath. "You scared me to death!"

"Okay, okay, I’m sorry," Victoria said gently, her tone softening to soothe her friend's frayed nerves. "I just had a sudden fever last night. That’s why I’m here. I promise I’m completely fine now."

 

Since all the medical payments and luxury suite expenses had already been taken care of by Lucas Blackwood's administrative team, there was no paperwork left to sign. The two women quietly slipped out of the hospital wing and headed straight back to the hotel. It was time to pack Victoria's things. The hotel room had served its purpose as a temporary landing pad, but now, Victoria was ready to move into a secure new house where she could plan her operations without a single prying eye. 

 

Packing was quick since Victoria didn't have many things. With Anna’s help, she had found a quiet one-bedroom apartment in a secluded part of town.

Anna drove them over to the six-story building. Once inside, Victoria realized her unit was on the very top floor. She stared at Anna, who was suddenly looking everywhere except at Victoria's face.

"You've got to be kidding me," Victoria wheezed, her legs burning as they finally reached the top of the stairwell. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"You know there’s an elevator, right?" Anna teased.

"Oh, and you're telling me this now?"

Victoria glared at her friend, who burst out laughing.

 

The apartment was simple but comfortable, furnished with just two sofas and a TV. The only things Victoria needed to supply were the bedding—which she hadn't even bought, having cheekily smuggled them out of her luxury hotel suite.

Once Anna left, Victoria unpacked her few belongings and collapsed onto the bed, letting the quiet of her new sanctuary sink in.

 

She woke up to total darkness outside. After quickly washing her face, she threw on a pair of sweatpants and a jacket. She needed groceries. Cooking wasn't her strong suit, but she could always survive on instant noodles.

Downstairs, she headed into the nearby supermarket and grabbed two six-packs of canned beer, several packets of noodles, eggs, onions, and fresh chilies.

On the walk back to the apartment, Cordelia’s massive corporate billboard caught her eye, glowing brightly against the night sky.

Victoria stared up at it, a sharp smile cutting across her face. "We will meet soon," she whispered into the dark.

 

While eating, Victoria spent the next three hours browsing everything she could find on the entertainment industry. Her father's company, Vance Entertainment, had Cordelia pinned as their most valuable asset.

Using her elite hacking skills, Victoria easily bypassed their security protocols and dug into her father's latest financial projects. A cold smile spread across her face as the data loaded.

On the surface, everything looked flawless. But on the inside? Her father’s empire was bleeding cash and struggling to stay afloat.

 

After finalizing her plan for tomorrow, she put on her makeup, pulled on a bowl-cut wig, and completely disguised herself as a man.

Hailing a taxi, she headed straight to the garage.

"Uh-oh! Is my baby ready?" she shouted in her deep, masculine voice as she walked inside.

The old mechanic turned around. "Victor! I almost thought you quit racing," he said, walking over to meet her.

 

Victoria was elated the moment she saw her motorcycle. Hopping onto the bike, she strapped on her helmet and roared out of the garage, yelling a quick "See you!" over her shoulder.

The highway was nearly empty. She tore through the night lanes, feeling a surge of pure relief as the wind whipped against her face.

A few minutes later, a group of riders caught up to her.