Aria
The steady beeping of the monitors filled the hospital room, an ever-present reminder of Ethan's fragile state. Aria sat at his bedside, her hand resting lightly on the blanket that covered him, her gaze fixed on his pale face. His breathing was shallow, his chest rising and falling with labour, each movement a silent fight against the poison coursing through his veins. No one in the room spoke at first. The weight of what had happened loomed too large, suffocating the air. At first, the injury had seemed minor—a shallow cut, hardly enough to slow him down. But then came the symptoms. The trembling, the fever, the disorientation. It wasn't the wound itself but the poison laced on the blade that had brought him here, fighting for his life.
Rowan stood by the window, his posture still but tense, his arms crossed as he stared out at the street below. Cass had taken up a spot near the wall, leaning against it with her arms folded tightly across her chest, her expression hard. James, sitting in the chair near the door, leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees, his fingers lightly steepled as his eyes stayed locked on Ethan.
"He didn't deserve this," Aria finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. She wasn't sure if anyone had heard her, but Rowan stirred, his head tilting slightly in her direction.
"No, he didn't," Rowan replied, his voice low but firm. "But whoever planned this knew exactly what they were doing."
James shook his head, his frustration visible in the sharp movements of his hands. "It wasn't random," he said. "It couldn't have been. People don't carry poison on a blade for a simple mugging. There's no way this was anything but planned."
Cass scoffed softly, her voice cutting through the quiet. "Planned for who, though? That's what doesn't make sense."
Rowan turned away from the window, his gaze landing on Cass. "It wasn't Ethan."
Cass narrowed her eyes, her jaw tightening. "You think it was Elena?"
Rowan nodded slowly. "According to the footage I saw, the attacker went for her first. Ethan just... got in the way."
Aria swallowed hard, her fingers curling against the blanket. She hadn't seen the attack herself but the details they'd pieced together made sense. The knife hadn't been aimed at Ethan; it had been meant for Elena. The attempted grab for her handbag had been nothing more than a ruse to close the distance. The real goal had been the strike—the poisoned blade meant to silence her permanently.
"But why?" Aria asked, her voice trembling slightly. "Why go after her?"
James leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. "She's powerful. That's reason enough."
Cass shifted against the wall, her expression darkening. "Well, they failed. If they were trying to silence her, they've only made things worse."
"She's the only one who knows who would do this," James muttered. "And she's not here."
Rowan's gaze sharpened. "She's with the Dominion, she didn't leave because she doesn't care."
Aria glanced at him, her brows furrowing. "You really believe that?"
Rowan nodded. "I do."
Cass sighed heavily. "Maybe you're right. But it doesn't change the fact that Ethan is here because of her. He's the one suffering for her enemies."
Aria looked at Ethan again, her heart aching at the sight of him so still, so fragile. "He didn't hesitate," she murmured. "Not for a second."
"That's who he is," James said softly. "Protective to the point of recklessness. He'd rather take the hit than let someone else get hurt."
Cass pushed off the wall, pacing a few steps before turning back to the group. "Whoever sent that man isn't done. They didn't get what they wanted, and if the Dominion doesn't figure out who's behind this—"
"They'll try again," Rowan finished grimly.
The room fell silent again, the reality of their words settling heavily over them. Aria reached out, brushing her fingers lightly against Ethan's arm. His skin was warm—too warm—but she held on to the hope that the antidote would work, that he'd pull through.
"They'll find them," Aria said finally, her voice steady. "They have to."
No one argued. They all wanted to believe it, but whether or not it was true remained to be seen.
Luelle
Luelle stood in the doorway, unseen. The soft glow of the hospital room spilled into the dim corridor, casting shadows over her figure as she lingered just out of sight. The muffled beeping of the monitors mixed with the hushed voices of Ethan's friends as they stood around his bed. Every word they said reached her clearly.
"He didn't deserve this," Aria's voice was quiet, thick with emotion.
"No, he didn't," Rowan replied firmly. "But whoever planned this knew exactly what they were doing."
Their words hit Luelle like stones. Her hand rested against the doorframe, steadying herself as guilt gnawed at her insides. Ethan shouldn't have been the one lying in that bed, fighting for his life. He shouldn't have been the one taking a poisoned blade that wasn't meant for him. That was on her. She had put him in danger simply by existing near him, by dragging him unknowingly into her world.
The air in the room was heavy with speculation. They didn't know the full truth—how could they? To them, she was Elena King, the enigmatic CEO of EK Enterprises. Someone untouchable, beyond the reach of danger. They didn't know the secrets buried beneath that persona. They didn't know that every detail of her life was calculated to protect herself and those around her. But this time, her calculations had failed. Even she doesn't know why the attack happened, the scenarios of who wants her dead is countless.
She tuned back into their conversation as Cass spoke, her voice hard. "Whoever sent that man isn't done. They didn't get what they wanted."
"They'll try again," Rowan finished grimly.
Luelle swallowed hard. She knew they were right. The Dominion was already searching for the attacker, working their resources to uncover who had orchestrated the attempt on her life. But she cannot afford that they catch the culprit, that was why her own operatives were in the field, tracking leads, dismantling false trails. She needed her people to find him first—for Ethan's sake as much as her own. She needs answers. This couldn't be allowed to happen again.
Her hand tightened on the doorframe, but she forced herself to take a deep breath, to centre herself. The room fell silent again. It was now or never. Steeling her expression into a mask of calm, she stepped into the room.
The conversation stopped immediately. All eyes turned to her as she moved, her heels clicking softly against the tiled floor. She didn't meet their questioning gazes, her focus landing on Ethan. He was pale, far too pale, his chest rising and falling with slow, labored breaths. The sight of him like this made her throat tighten.
"How is he?" she asked, her voice soft but steady.
Aria, standing closest to him, glanced up at her, her expression guarded but not cold. "The doctors say the next few hours are critical. They're monitoring him and working on countering the poison, but…" She trailed off, unwilling to voice what they were all afraid of.
Luelle nodded, stepping to the other side of the bed, opposite Aria. She stood silently for a moment, her hands clasped in front of her, her gaze fixed on Ethan. She could feel the weight of their eyes on her, the unspoken questions hanging in the air, but she didn't acknowledge them. She couldn't. Not now.
Suddenly, Ethan's eyelids fluttered. It was so faint that at first she thought she had imagined it. But then, slowly, his eyes opened, unfocused and hazy with fever. Her heart leapt, a mix of relief and dread coursing through her as she leaned closer.
"Ethan?" Aria said quickly, her voice rising with hope as she moved toward him. "Ethan, can you hear us?"
His lips parted, his breath shaky as he tried to form words. For a moment, there was nothing but the faint sound of his breathing, then—
"Luelle," he murmured, barely audible, his voice rough and weak.