Mag-log inThe door opened quickly.Doctors rushed in, drawn by the change in his vitals.“Step back, please,” one of them said gently, already moving to check him, monitors lighting up with new activity.Sera moved aside, but she didn’t let go of his hand.She stayed close, watching every movement, every reaction, her heart still racing as reality settled in.He was awake.The doctor leaned in, checking his pupils, his pulse, asking him simple questions.“Can you hear me?”Adrik nodded faintly.“Do you know where you are?”“…hospital,” he muttered.“Good. Do you feel any dizziness? Pain?”“Everything hurts,” he said quietly.The doctor allowed a small smile. “That’s expected.”Sera let out a soft breath at that.Everything was… normal.After a few more checks, the doctor straightened.“He’s stable,” he said, glancing at Sera. “No internal complications. We’ll keep him under observation, but…”A small pause.“He’s going to be fine.”Sera closed her eyes briefly as more tears slipped free, this t
Morning came soft, almost calm.Sera stood by the entrance, adjusting her coat as two guards positioned themselves just behind her, already alert, already scanning.The routine had become second nature now. But before she stepped out she turned.Damian was already in the therapy room, seated, waiting. Nikolai leaned against the doorway, arms folded, watching like he was pretending not to care.Sera’s gaze moved between them.“You have a session in an hour,” she said, her tone shifting easily into that familiar, no nonsense calm. “And this time, you’re not skipping anything.”Damian raised a brow slightly. “I never skip.”“You argue,” she corrected.Nikolai snorted softly.Sera’s eyes flicked to him.“And you,” she added, “are supervising.”Nikolai blinked. “Me?”“Yes, you,” she said simply. “Make sure he does everything properly.”Damian looked at him, something faintly amused flickering through his expression.“This should be interesting.”Nikolai shrugged, trying to look indifferent
“Damian!”Sera’s voice cut through immediately as she moved, Nikolai pulling back in alarm.“Hey, hey, don’t move!” she said quickly, already crouching beside him, her hands hovering before settling firmly on his shoulders.Nikolai stood frozen for a second then rushed closer.“Are you okay?” he asked, panic creeping back into his voice.Damian exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening as he tried to push himself up again out of pure instinct.“I’m fine,” he muttered.He wasn’t, not even remotely.“Stop,” Sera said immediately, her tone shifting.She pressed a hand lightly against his chest, keeping him down. “I said don’t move.”Damian frowned slightly, stubbornness flickering through the pain.“I can get up,” he said, already trying again.“Damian,” she said his name sharper this time.He paused.Her eyes locked onto his. “You’re not getting up like that again,” she said. “You’ve already pushed past your limit.”He let out a quiet breath, frustration evident. “I needed to stand.”“You did
The ward was quiet.Damian was wheeled in slowly, his eyes already on Sera before the nurse even stepped aside.Sera sat on the edge of the bed, her forehead freshly bandaged, a faint bruise blooming beneath the gauze like something trying to surface.She looked there but not fully like part of her was still in that warehouse.Still on her knees.Still hearing that laugh.Damian watched her for a moment before speaking.“They cleared you,” he said quietly. “No internal damage. Just shock and the head injury.”Sera nodded faintly. Her hands were still trembling.Not as violently as before but enough.She hadn’t looked at him yet.“I...” he started, then stopped himself.There were too many things to say.Too many things that didn’t fit into words right now.So he chose something else.“Adrik is here.”That made her look up immediately.Her eyes sharpened, fear replacing the numbness.“Where?” she asked, already moving.“I’ll take you,” Damian said.Adrik’s room smelled like antiseptic
The silence stretched.An older man stepped forward.His presence alone shifted the space, power, authority and loss.“You should be dead,” he said.Lysandra’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Excuse me?”Another man spoke from the side, his voice colder. “You had one job.”Realization flickered.“…you’re upset?” she said slowly, almost disbelieving. “Because I didn’t finish her?”A humorless laugh left one of them.“Because you failed,” he corrected.Lysandra’s expression hardened instantly.“Failed?” she repeated, her voice sharpening. “I had her. She was seconds away from...”“And now she’s alive,” the older man cut in.Lysandra looked between them. “…why do you care?” she asked.That was the wrong question because it pulled everything to the surface.The older man stepped closer, his gaze locking onto hers.“Do you know what it means,” he said slowly, “that Seraphina Vale is alive?”Lysandra didn’t answer but she knew. Still she didn’t speak.Another man stepped forward, his voice tight w
Sera frowned faintly, her mind struggling to keep up.Lysandra’s smile sharpened. “Bow.”Sera didn’t move.“I said bow,” Lysandra repeated, her tone colder now. “And not just that…” She leaned closer. “Apologize.”Sera’s heart pounded louder.“Apologize for coming between me and Damian,” Lysandra continued, her voice almost sing song now. “And thank me… for ending your life.”Sera stared at her. Stunned. Because this wasn’t just cruelty anymore. This was madness.“You’re insane…” she breathed, her voice shaking.Lysandra’s smile widened.“Maybe,” she said. “But you’re still going to do it.”Sera shook her head weakly. “No…”Lysandra didn’t even react. She simply glanced at the men and that was enough.They moved.They forced her down hard. Her knees slammed into the concrete, pain shooting up her legs as she gasped sharply.“Do it,” Lysandra said softly.Sera resisted for half a second.That was all she got.A hand grabbed the back of her head and slammed it down.Her forehead hit the
The door closed harder than necessary.Damian exhaled slowly.Anton stepped forward quietly.“The narrative has shifted entirely.”“Good.”“Public sympathy is high.”“I don’t care.”“Miss Velez will retaliate.”“Let her.”Anton studied him carefully.“You were very clear.”“Yes.”“Why so absolute?”
Damian leaned forward slightly.Voice softer.“But I bought it for you.”Nikolai shifted awkwardly.“I know.”“And you like it.”“I do.”“Then what’s the problem.”“…Everything?”Damian exhaled faintly.Then turned back to Sera.“I’m not taking it back.”“Damian...”“No.”She froze slightly.Becaus
Adrik’s parents entered the scene like a shift in atmospheric pressure.The air changed.Subtly for most.Violently for Damian.Mrs. Volkov’s eyes landed on him first, and the displeasure was immediate, unfiltered, almost impressive in its intensity.“Well.”That single word carried enough weight t
Sera remained completely unaware of the storm gathering far beyond her field of vision.Morning unfolded gently over Moscow, pale winter light slipping through the curtains of the apartment as the city stirred beneath its soft blanket of snow. Inside, the world felt almost deceptively ordinary.Rou







