Chapter 21 Stay With Me

​The steady beep of the heart monitor echoed through the hospital room.

​Alex sat beside Javier's bed, his fingers still wrapped around hers. He hadn't moved in over an hour, afraid that if he looked away, she would disappear again.

​Javier slowly opened her eyes. The room was dimly lit, and the first person she saw was Alex. Leaning forward in his chair, he had fallen asleep while still holding her hand.

​For a long moment, she simply watched him.

​His suit was stained with rain and blood, a bandage covered the cut on his forehead, and his usually neat hair was a complete mess. He looked utterly exhausted. Javier had never seen him like this before.

​She gently tried to move her hand, and Alex's eyes flew open immediately.

​"Javier." Relief flooded his face. "You're awake. How are you feeling?"

​A faint smile appeared on her lips. "I should be asking you that." She slowly lifted her free hand toward his forehead. "You're hurt."

​Alex gave her a soft smile. "It's just a scratch. I'm fine."

​Javier studied him for several seconds before asking quietly, "You stayed."

​"I'm not going anywhere," Alex nodded without hesitation.

​A gentle knock interrupted them as the doctor entered with a nurse.

​"Good morning, Mrs. Swan," the doctor greeted warmly. "How are you feeling?"

​"A little weak."

​"That's expected," he said, reviewing her chart before looking up. "The baby is doing well."

​Javier released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Thank God."

​The doctor's expression then turned serious. "But you've been under severe emotional stress. From now on, I want you to avoid any excitement—no arguments and no unnecessary pressure."

​He turned to Alex. "Mr. Swan, your wife needs peace. If she continues experiencing this level of stress, it could affect both her and the baby."

​Alex met the doctor's gaze and answered firmly, "It won't happen again."

​The doctor gave a small nod. "I certainly hope so."

​After checking Javier's vitals one last time, the doctor and nurse quietly left the room. Silence settled between them once again.

​Alex lowered his eyes. "I'm sorry."

​Javier sighed softly. "You've already said that."

​"I know," Alex said, "but it doesn't feel like enough."

​"It isn't," her voice wasn't angry; it was simply honest.

​Alex accepted her words without protest. "I forgot our anniversary. I hurt you. I made you feel alone. I can't change what I did... but I can change what I do from now on."

​Javier held his gaze. "You always know the right words to say." She swallowed hard. "What scares me... is whether those words will become actions."

​Alex nodded slowly, tightening his grip on her hand. "Then don't believe my words. Watch my actions."

​Outside the room, Camille stood quietly with a bouquet of white lilies in her hands. She had come to check on Javier, but before she could knock, Alex's voice reached her through the slightly open door.

​"I love you, Javier," Alex said softly. "I should have reminded you every single day."

​Standing in the hallway, Camille slowly closed her eyes as a bittersweet smile touched her lips.

​"So..." she whispered to herself, "I really was part of the misunderstanding."

​She looked down at the bouquet of white lilies in her hands. After a moment of hesitation, she gently placed the flowers beside the door. Without knocking, she quietly turned and walked away, unwilling to interrupt a moment that belonged only to them.

​A few minutes later, downstairs in the hospital lobby, Inspector David Cole arrived with two officers. Soon, he met Alex outside Javier's room.

​"Mr. Swan."

​Alex stepped into the hallway. "Inspector."

​"We recovered the abandoned SUV."

​Alex's eyes narrowed. "Did you find anything?"

​"The vehicle was stolen, as we expected," David replied. "But we found something else."

​He handed Alex a transparent evidence bag containing a small metal pin engraved with the symbol of a black phoenix.

​Alex frowned. "The Phoenix Circle."

​David nodded. "There's more. We also recovered several fingerprints."

​Alex's expression hardened. "Do they belong to the attackers?"

​The inspector hesitated before answering. "One set matched someone in our database."

​"Who?"

​David took a slow breath. "A former Swan Group employee... Daniel Brooks."

​Alex froze. "The same Daniel Brooks from the recording?"

​David gave a grim nod. "Yes. But here's the problem—Daniel Brooks was officially declared dead... twenty-six years ago."

​Alex's eyes widened. "That's impossible."

​"We verified the records twice," David said. "According to government records, Daniel Brooks is deceased."

​"Then whose fingerprints did you find?"

​David shook his head. "That's exactly what we're trying to figure out."

​Before Alex could say another word, his phone vibrated with a new anonymous message. He opened it, and his blood ran cold.

​The message contained a recent photograph of his father, Kendall Swan, walking alone toward Swan Group Headquarters. The timestamp at the top read: LIVE.

​Beneath the image was a single chilling sentence:

​You chose your wife. Now who will protect your father?

Alex's face drained of color. He immediately called Kendall, but got no answer. He called again—still nothing. A third attempt went straight to voicemail.

​Alex looked at Inspector David, panic flashing across his face. "My father's in danger."

​Without another word, the two men sprinted toward the hospital exit.

​Behind them, Javier had just stepped into the doorway in time to see Alex disappear down the corridor. A terrible feeling settled deep in her chest.

​She pressed a trembling hand against her heart and whispered, "Please... don't let me lose him too."