Third Person's POV
Inside Oakwood Teaching Hospital
The ward was quiet except for the faint hum of medical equipment and the distant echo of footsteps in the hallway.
Elena sat upright on the hospital bed, fingers lightly curled in the sheets as she watched Alexander adjust the curtain by the window. The late afternoon light fell across his shoulders, calm and steady, as though nothing in the world could truly disturb him.
She swallowed.
"I think Piper Redding is in love with you."
Alexander turned slowly. There was no anger in his expression, only mild surprise, and then amusement.
"In love with me?" he asked gently. "Why would you think that?"
Elena held his gaze, forcing herself not to look away. "The day Evan was rescued from that lackey… she was in my living room. Waiting for me."
The faint amusement on his face disappeared.
"She made me call you," Elena continued. "She stood there and told me exactly what to say. Word for word." Her voice softened. "It felt like she wanted you to hate me so that she could have a chance in your life."
Alexander stepped closer. "She made you call me?"
Elena nodded. "She left me no choice."
The air between them changed.
Alexander's jaw tightened, not in jealousy, but in something colder. Something calculating.
Elena reached for his hands before he could slip into that coldness. Her fingers wrapped around his firmly.
"Promise me you won't tell anyone," she said. "Not yet."
He searched her face. "Why?"
"Because you will only be putting Evan and I in greater peril."
He studied her for a long moment before nodding once. "I won't say anything."
Elena breathed a sigh of relief.
Without allowing herself time to hesitate, she leaned forward and pressed a soft, lingering kiss against his lips.
Alexander froze.
For a moment he looked almost boyish, stunned by the simplicity of it. A faint flush rose to his ears. He cleared his throat awkwardly, bent slightly, and brushed a quick peck against her lips in return before straightening.
"I'll come back later," he said, almost too quickly.
Then he left the ward.
Elena watched the door close, unaware that the hallway outside had just become far more dangerous than the room she was in.
***
Outside Oakwood Teaching Hospital, 7:00PM
Several hours later, Elena stepped out of the hospital with a pass in her hand. She wanted to visit Evan, who as she was told, was staying in the principal's house. The night air felt cooler than she expected.
Stone was waiting by the car. His expression unreadable.
He opened the door for her. "We should move. The principal is expecting us."
As they drove, the city lights thinned into long stretches of dark road. After a while, Stone spoke again.
"There is a shorter route. It will save time."
Elena nodded absently, her thoughts still lingering on Alexander's expression earlier.
The car turned onto a narrow road lined with abandoned structures and scattered trees. The streetlights were sparse, leaving long pockets of shadow.
The first vehicle appeared in the rearview mirror.
Then another.
Then one from the front.
Stone's hands tightened on the steering wheel.
"Ma'am," he said quietly, "stay down."
The next seconds happened too quickly.
A car swerved across their path. Another rammed into their side. The impact jerked Elena violently against her seat.
Men poured out of the vehicles.
A rough voice growled, "We've found her. Don't let her escape."
Stone forced her head down just as a metal rod shattered the window.
The door was dragged open. Rough hands reached inside.
Stone moved first.
He stepped out of the car and shut the door behind him, physically blocking them from reaching her. His body became a wall between Elena and the chaos.
The blows came fast and hard. He was not spared from being hit by the rod either.
Elena screamed his name, but the sound was swallowed by the night.
Stone did not fall immediately. He endured, striking back when he could, but there were too many of them.
One of the men tried to reach past him. Stone caught him by the collar and slammed him against the car.
Another blow struck his ribs. A sickening crack followed.
Finally, as abruptly as they had arrived, the men retreated. Engines roared. The vehicles disappeared into the darkness.
Silence returned.
Elena stumbled out of the car and dropped to her knees beside Stone.
Blood stained his shirt. His breathing was shallow but steady.
"Stone… please…"
Her hands trembled as she reached for her phone.
****
At Oakwood Teaching Hospital, 9:00PM
When Stone opened his eyes again, he was staring at a white ceiling. The scent of antiseptic lingered in the air.
A doctor stood beside his bed, reviewing a chart. "Two broken ribs. Severe bruising. You will remain admitted for observation."
Stone nodded his head once. "Understood."
The doctor left.
Moments later, Elena entered the room quietly.
She stopped near his bed, her eyes still red from crying. "You saved my life," she said softly. "Thank you
Stone's expression remained steady. "It is my duty to serve Master Alexander."
There was no hesitation in his voice.
Elena lingered a moment longer before nodding. "You should rest."
She left him alone.
The ward was silent for several minutes.
Then the door opened again.
A woman stepped inside gracefully, closing it behind her without a sound. It was Seraphina.
Seraphina crossed the room in slow, deliberate steps and lowered herself into the armchair beside Stone's bed. She crossed one leg over the other, studying him with quiet satisfaction.
"You did well," she said.
Stone did not respond.
"You've lived up to your reputation as the silent mole." Her smile deepened.
"Sending Piper Redding alone clearly was not enough. Elena is far more stubborn than I expected."
Her gaze shifted to the bandages wrapped around his torso.
"Now Alexander will trust you completely. After tonight, he will never question leaving her safety in your hands."
She leaned back comfortably.
"The engagement party with Collins is a necessary distraction. Alexander would never suspect that I am the one in control of the Five Foes organization."
Her tone held pride, almost amusement.
She leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping.
"When the opportunity comes… kill Elena."
"Understood", Stone said calmly.
Her gaze turned cold.
"Alexander belongs to me."
Stone's face remained calm.
He nodded once.
Outside the ward, Elena walked towards her ward. Her footsteps echoed faintly in the corridor, unaware that the man assigned to protect her was the one ordered to end her life.