LOGINThe moment the guard outside announced Claraâs arrival, the ward door suddenly flew open.Clara barged inside without waiting for permission.Her appearance was pitifulâhair disheveled, clothes wrinkled, eyes swollen and red as though she had cried endlessly for days. Before anyone could react, she dropped heavily to her knees.Bang!Her forehead slammed against the polished hospital floor.Again.Bang!Again.Bang!The sound echoed sharply through the luxurious executive ward, making Eli flinch slightly in her sleep.âPlease forgive me⊠Iâm sorry⊠Iâm sorryâŠâ Clara sobbed incoherently between each violent bow.Blood slowly stained the floor beneath her forehead.Adrianâs expression darkened instantly.âWhat the hell is the meaning of this?â he barked coldly.The terrifying sharpness in his voice caused even the guards outside to stiffen.But before Adrian could say another word, Evelyn gently placed a hand against his chest.Her touch stopped him immediately.Clara continued crying h
âUselessâŠâ Adrian muttered under his breath, struggling to keep his anger under control.The veins along his jaw tightened as he stood inside the bathroom, one hand braced against the marble sink while the other gripped his phone so tightly his knuckles turned white. The cold bathroom lights reflected against his sharp features, making the fury in his dark eyes even more frightening.âAnd the Shadows?â he asked coldly.On the other end of the line, the guard swallowed nervously before replying.âThey couldnât pursue the suspect, sir. Your orders were clearâunder no circumstance should any Shadow leave the person assigned to protect. Once Madam returned safely to the hospital, the biker disappeared into traffic.âAdrian closed his eyes briefly.Damn it.The fact that someone could boldly follow Evelyn after everything that had happened meant only one thing.The Black Circuit was preparing another move.âItâs fine,â Adrian finally said, though his voice carried a dangerous calm that ma
Evelyn slowly opened her eyes to the soft hum of machines and the faint scent of antiseptic filling the hospital room.For a moment, her mind was blank.Then reality rushed back all at once.Ethan.Her body jolted instinctively, but a dull ache spread through her limbs the moment she tried to sit up. She realized then that she had fallen asleep on the couch beside Ethanâs hospital bed.The ward was quieter now.Warm afternoon sunlight filtered through the partially drawn curtains, casting golden streaks across the polished floor and bathing the room in a calm glow. Compared to the chaos and terror that had filled the hospital over the past two months, the room finally felt⊠peaceful.And crowded.Her eyes slowly scanned the room.Her parents were there.Mrs. Chase Sr. sat quietly near the window with her cane resting against her chair, pretending not to wipe the corners of her eyes every few seconds. Isa and Alex stood nearby talking softly to Eli, while Adrian leaned against the tabl
Gradually, life began returning to normal.Well⊠almost.The world outside continued moving as though nothing had happened. Cars still filled the roads of Ellington City every morning, business deals were still signed inside towering corporations, and people still laughed freely in cafĂ©s and restaurants.But for the Chase family, time had remained frozen two months agoâthe night Ethan was carried into the hospital soaked in blood.Two whole months had passed.Yet Ethan still hadnât opened his eyes.His condition had stabilized weeks ago. The gunshot wounds were healing slowly, the bruises fading little by little, and the doctors repeatedly reassured the family that his vitals were strong.But he still wouldnât wake up.It was as though his body had returned⊠but his soul was still trapped somewhere far away.And every passing day slowly drained the life out of Evelyn.She barely left the hospital anymore. The once radiant designer who dazzled runways with elegance and confidence now s
Adrian sat near the floor-to-ceiling window, his laptop glowing softly in the dim light of the private hospital suite. Outside, Ellington City shimmered beneath the night sky, distant lights flickering like a world that still believed everything was normal.Inside this room⊠nothing felt normal.Ethan was asleep on the hospital bed.Eli rested on a smaller bed nearby, her tiny body finally calm after everything she had endured.And EvelynâŠEvelyn had finally agreed to eat and take a shower after hours of persuasion. Now she lay asleep beside Ethanâs bed, her hand still loosely resting near his arm, as if afraid he would disappear again the moment she let go.Adrian watched them silently.For a brief moment, he allowed himself to breathe.ThenâBuzz.His phone rang sharply.Adrianâs eyes darkened instantly.He stood up without hesitation and walked into the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind him.The moment the call connected, Bruceâs voice came throughâtense, controlled, and un
The gunshots echoed again.BANG. BANG. BANG.Closer this time.The guard standing near the door stiffened, his fingers tightening around his weapon as the sound tore through the walls like thunder trapped indoors. Sweat gathered at his temples despite the cold air-conditioned room.âS-sirâŠâ His voice wavered despite his effort to steady it. âTheyâve breached the outer perimeterâââI can hear that.âCharles didnât turn.Didnât flinch.Didnât even blink.His voice was calm.Too calm.The kind of calm that didnât belong in a situation like this.The smile on his lips didnât fade. Instead, it slowly stretched wider, curling into something darkerâsomething that made the guardâs stomach twist uneasily.It was the smile of a man who wasnât afraid of death.Or worseâA man who welcomed it.âInteresting,â Charles murmured, lifting the glass of whiskey from his desk. The amber liquid caught the dim light as he swirled it lazily, completely detached from the chaos unfolding outside.Then, in one
Got it.That was Evelynâs short reply. She wasnât going because of Adrian â she was going because of Mrs. Chase Sr., who had always been like a second mother to her. Through all the years Adrian had treated her coldly, his grandmother had been her comfort. She would scold Adrian, defend Evelyn, and
âAdrian, please save me. I ran into a problem at the club and the manager is threatening to call the cops on me.âAdrian read the message in silence. âDamn it, Clara. Why now of all times?â he cursed under his breath.He wanted to ignore it, but another message popped up â this time, a picture of t
Evelyn stared blankly at the doctor, wanting to laugh but not daring to.âHow can I be pregnant, Doctor? Are you sure youâre holding my test results?â she asked, disbelief painting her face.The doctor frowned. âMrs. Chase, Iâve been your family doctor for decades. Do you think your father would st
A whole week had passed, yet Evelyn still refused to go home. She stayed with her mother, doing everything she could to avoid anythingâor anyoneâthat would bring her close to Adrian.He had tried reaching out to her countless times in the past few days, but she ignored him completely. Even Clara co







