ALEX'S POV I walked down the quiet hospital hallway, my footsteps echoing against the cold floor. I came to see Ava since I left in such a hurry the last time. As I neared her ward, I noticed a nurse walking out of her room. She wore a nose mask and moved quickly, her head slightly lowered, as if she didn’t want to be noticed. For a second, I frowned. Something about her seemed off. My guts told me to stop her but I shook the thought away. Maybe she was just in a hurry. It wasn’t unusual for hospital staff to be busy. I pushed the door open and stepped inside and then my heart stopped. Ava was convulsing. Her body jerked violently against the bed, her fingers twitching uncontrollably. The IV stand rattled beside her. Her lips parted as if she was gasping for air, but no sound came out. Her face was pale – too pale. Panic slammed into my chest like a sledgehammer. “Ava!” I shouted, rushing to her side. My heart was pounding so loudly, that I could barely think. Her e
ALEX'S POV As I reached the entrance, a security officer swiped his ID card to enter. Before the door could shut, I slipped in right behind him. “Hey! You can’t be in here..." He yelled, trying to stop me. I ignored the startled officer and quickly moved forward, my eyes scanning the room. The security office was large, and rows of monitors covered the walls, displaying live footage from different parts of the hospital. Several officers sat at their desks, watching the screens, talking in low voices, monitoring every corner of the building. The air smelled of strong coffee and electronics, giving the room a tense, focused atmosphere. But right now, no one in this room knew the chaos happening in the emergency ward. I slammed my hands on the desk, making a young security officer jump. “I need to see the CCTV footage of VIP room 1005. Now.” The officer blinked at me in confusion then frowned. “Sir, you can't just barge in here and we can’t just give access to..." I grit
ALEX’S POV I watched as Carter’s fingers moved fast on the keyboard, searching the system. He pulled up the access records, scrolling through the list of employees who entered the VIP ward at that time. I stood behind him, my body tense, my hands curled into fists. My eyes stayed glued to the screen, waiting for something, anything that could tell us who she was. Then, a name popped up. “There,” Carter pointed. “An entry at the exact time she walked in.” Sandra Miller. I frowned. That was her real name? Why would she use her actual hospital ID to swipe into the VIP area? If she was trying to poison Ava, wouldn’t she at least try to hide her identity? That only meant one thing – she was an amateur. Carter clicked on her profile. A hospital ID photo appeared on the screen. A woman with brown hair tied in a ponytail, green eyes, and a neutral expression stared back at us. She looked ordinary. Just another nurse. I clenched my jaw. But she wasn’t just another nurse. Cart
JASON'S POVA call came in just as I was reviewing some documents in my office. Even though I was working, my mind kept drifting back to when Ava chased me out of her hospital room. When I glanced at the screen, I saw the Royal Crest hospital director’s name flashing. I answered immediately. “What is it?” “Mr. Campbell, your wife has been poisoned. She’s in critical condition at the hospital.” For a second, I didn’t process what he said. My grip on the phone tightened. “What?” My voice came out louder than I intended. “A nurse changed her fluid bag. We’re still investigating, but she was rushed into emergency care. It doesn’t look good.” The breath I was holding left me in a sharp exhale. My chest tightened. My mind screamed at me to move, but I was frozen in place for a split second. Then I shot up from my chair, grabbed my car keys, and stormed out of the office without another word. I didn’t care about work. I didn’t care about the meetings I had scheduled. I didn’t c
ALEX'S POV I didn’t know how long I had been sitting at Ava's bedside, but it felt like an eternity. The rhythmic beeping of the monitor was the only sound in the room, aside from the occasional footsteps of nurses passing by. If I'm not mistaken this should be the third time Ava has been hospitalized, and I am always the first one by her side. It made me feel somehow special. Jason left earlier because he knew Ava wouldn’t want to see him when she regained consciousness. Before leaving, he told me to take good care of her. He also reminded me that he hasn’t given up on Ava and will still try to win her back. I scoffed to myself. Jason could say all he wanted, but I wasn't sure if Ava would ever forgive him. And honestly, I didn't want her to. My eyes remained fixed on Ava, her face pale against the stark white hospital sheets. Even in sleep, she looked exhausted but still beautiful. My fingers curled into a fist on my lap. The image of her lying unconscious, poisoned by som
LAURA'S POVA small smirk played on my lips as I read the message on my phone. “It’s done.” Two simple words, but they made my body relax. Finally, that loose end had been taken care of. Sandra Miller was dead. I had no interest in killing her but when someone became a threat, they had to be removed. It was just common sense. If she had done her job and disappeared, she would still be breathing. But no, she had been caught, and I couldn’t risk her opening that stupid mouth of hers to expose me. So, I did what had to be done. I put my phone away, my fingers tightened around it for a moment. I had been worried when I first heard her identity had been discovered, but I should have known better. Riper never failed me. Riper had been my family’s loyal dog for years. My parents had trusted him with the dirtiest work, and he never asked questions. After they died, he had been handling their illegal businesses overseas. He only just returned, and I wasted no time putting him to
LAURA'S POV A sharp pain throbbed at the back of my head as I slowly regained consciousness. My body felt stiff, my limbs aching as if I had been in the same position for too long. My eyelids fluttered open, but darkness surrounded me. The air was thick and musty, carrying the faint scent of damp wood and something metallic – blood? My heart pounded in my chest. Where the hell was I? My stomach growled with hunger, my throat was dry as if I hadn't had water in hours. I tried to move, but something held me in place. Panic surged through me as I realized my wrists were bound behind me, and my ankles were tied together. My mouth was sealed shut with thick tape. I fought against the ropes, breathing hard as my heart pounded fast. This wasn’t happening. I rocked the chair back and forth, trying to loosen the ropes. The wood creaked beneath me, but I didn’t care. I had to get out of here. My fingers curled into fists, nails digging into my palms as I yanked at the ropes. My bo
AVA'S POV I stared at my reflection in the mirror and was finally satisfied. After what felt like hours of frantic searching, I had finally found a dress that would perfectly complement the earrings. Yes, those earrings – the ones I discovered hidden in Jason's pocket this morning. A pair of delicate and luxurious pearl earrings adorned with diamonds It was created by my favorite designer, Kokichi Mikimoto, one of only five such earrings in the world. Jason is so thoughtful that he would secretly buy the jewelry I like and give it to me as a surprise on our wedding anniversary. Yes, I was sure he would give this gift to me tonight. I kept checking my dress and makeup in the mirror, and couldn't help imagining how stunning I would look in those earrings. My hands smoothed down the fabric of the dress, which clung to my body in a way it hadn't just a few weeks ago. I turned to the side, my eyes drawn to the slight, but unmistakable curve of my abdomen. A secret I had
LAURA'S POV A sharp pain throbbed at the back of my head as I slowly regained consciousness. My body felt stiff, my limbs aching as if I had been in the same position for too long. My eyelids fluttered open, but darkness surrounded me. The air was thick and musty, carrying the faint scent of damp wood and something metallic – blood? My heart pounded in my chest. Where the hell was I? My stomach growled with hunger, my throat was dry as if I hadn't had water in hours. I tried to move, but something held me in place. Panic surged through me as I realized my wrists were bound behind me, and my ankles were tied together. My mouth was sealed shut with thick tape. I fought against the ropes, breathing hard as my heart pounded fast. This wasn’t happening. I rocked the chair back and forth, trying to loosen the ropes. The wood creaked beneath me, but I didn’t care. I had to get out of here. My fingers curled into fists, nails digging into my palms as I yanked at the ropes. My bo
LAURA'S POVA small smirk played on my lips as I read the message on my phone. “It’s done.” Two simple words, but they made my body relax. Finally, that loose end had been taken care of. Sandra Miller was dead. I had no interest in killing her but when someone became a threat, they had to be removed. It was just common sense. If she had done her job and disappeared, she would still be breathing. But no, she had been caught, and I couldn’t risk her opening that stupid mouth of hers to expose me. So, I did what had to be done. I put my phone away, my fingers tightened around it for a moment. I had been worried when I first heard her identity had been discovered, but I should have known better. Riper never failed me. Riper had been my family’s loyal dog for years. My parents had trusted him with the dirtiest work, and he never asked questions. After they died, he had been handling their illegal businesses overseas. He only just returned, and I wasted no time putting him to
ALEX'S POV I didn’t know how long I had been sitting at Ava's bedside, but it felt like an eternity. The rhythmic beeping of the monitor was the only sound in the room, aside from the occasional footsteps of nurses passing by. If I'm not mistaken this should be the third time Ava has been hospitalized, and I am always the first one by her side. It made me feel somehow special. Jason left earlier because he knew Ava wouldn’t want to see him when she regained consciousness. Before leaving, he told me to take good care of her. He also reminded me that he hasn’t given up on Ava and will still try to win her back. I scoffed to myself. Jason could say all he wanted, but I wasn't sure if Ava would ever forgive him. And honestly, I didn't want her to. My eyes remained fixed on Ava, her face pale against the stark white hospital sheets. Even in sleep, she looked exhausted but still beautiful. My fingers curled into a fist on my lap. The image of her lying unconscious, poisoned by som
JASON'S POVA call came in just as I was reviewing some documents in my office. Even though I was working, my mind kept drifting back to when Ava chased me out of her hospital room. When I glanced at the screen, I saw the Royal Crest hospital director’s name flashing. I answered immediately. “What is it?” “Mr. Campbell, your wife has been poisoned. She’s in critical condition at the hospital.” For a second, I didn’t process what he said. My grip on the phone tightened. “What?” My voice came out louder than I intended. “A nurse changed her fluid bag. We’re still investigating, but she was rushed into emergency care. It doesn’t look good.” The breath I was holding left me in a sharp exhale. My chest tightened. My mind screamed at me to move, but I was frozen in place for a split second. Then I shot up from my chair, grabbed my car keys, and stormed out of the office without another word. I didn’t care about work. I didn’t care about the meetings I had scheduled. I didn’t c
ALEX’S POV I watched as Carter’s fingers moved fast on the keyboard, searching the system. He pulled up the access records, scrolling through the list of employees who entered the VIP ward at that time. I stood behind him, my body tense, my hands curled into fists. My eyes stayed glued to the screen, waiting for something, anything that could tell us who she was. Then, a name popped up. “There,” Carter pointed. “An entry at the exact time she walked in.” Sandra Miller. I frowned. That was her real name? Why would she use her actual hospital ID to swipe into the VIP area? If she was trying to poison Ava, wouldn’t she at least try to hide her identity? That only meant one thing – she was an amateur. Carter clicked on her profile. A hospital ID photo appeared on the screen. A woman with brown hair tied in a ponytail, green eyes, and a neutral expression stared back at us. She looked ordinary. Just another nurse. I clenched my jaw. But she wasn’t just another nurse. Cart
ALEX'S POV As I reached the entrance, a security officer swiped his ID card to enter. Before the door could shut, I slipped in right behind him. “Hey! You can’t be in here..." He yelled, trying to stop me. I ignored the startled officer and quickly moved forward, my eyes scanning the room. The security office was large, and rows of monitors covered the walls, displaying live footage from different parts of the hospital. Several officers sat at their desks, watching the screens, talking in low voices, monitoring every corner of the building. The air smelled of strong coffee and electronics, giving the room a tense, focused atmosphere. But right now, no one in this room knew the chaos happening in the emergency ward. I slammed my hands on the desk, making a young security officer jump. “I need to see the CCTV footage of VIP room 1005. Now.” The officer blinked at me in confusion then frowned. “Sir, you can't just barge in here and we can’t just give access to..." I grit
ALEX'S POV I walked down the quiet hospital hallway, my footsteps echoing against the cold floor. I came to see Ava since I left in such a hurry the last time. As I neared her ward, I noticed a nurse walking out of her room. She wore a nose mask and moved quickly, her head slightly lowered, as if she didn’t want to be noticed. For a second, I frowned. Something about her seemed off. My guts told me to stop her but I shook the thought away. Maybe she was just in a hurry. It wasn’t unusual for hospital staff to be busy. I pushed the door open and stepped inside and then my heart stopped. Ava was convulsing. Her body jerked violently against the bed, her fingers twitching uncontrollably. The IV stand rattled beside her. Her lips parted as if she was gasping for air, but no sound came out. Her face was pale – too pale. Panic slammed into my chest like a sledgehammer. “Ava!” I shouted, rushing to her side. My heart was pounding so loudly, that I could barely think. Her e
AVA’S POV Grandpa’s words kept repeating in my head even after he left. “Over my dead body will Laura become Mrs. Campbell.” My chest tightened. He had always been good to me and always treated me like family. But hearing him say that… made me realize how much he truly cared about my feelings. Before leaving, he took out a small container from the bag his driver held and placed it on my bedside table. “I brought you some supplements,” he said in a calm voice. “You’re weak right now, Ava. Take care of yourself.” A lump formed in my throat. Even after everything I had lost, even after knowing I wouldn't be with Jason anymore, he was still here, still thinking about me. Still treating me like I mattered. I blinked back my tears. “Thank you, Grandpa,” I whispered. He hesitated for a moment, then reached into his coat pocket. When he pulled his hand out, I froze. The bracelet. The same bracelet I had returned to him just now. Confused, I looked up at him. “You don’t h
LAURA'S POV Sitting in my pathetic hospital bed, I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms. The dull white walls of this cheap room suffocated me. Sleeping here last night made my anger rise I didn’t belong here. I should be in the VIP ward, pampered and cared for. I should be the one everyone was visiting. But instead, I was rotting here alone. No one had come to see me. Not a single soul, not even Jason. But Ava? That wretched woman? She was basking in the attention. She had a lot of people by her side but I had no one. A knock on the door made me snap my head up. One of the nurses I had paid handsomely to keep an eye on Ava and report back to me slipped inside. Her gaze flickered with hesitation, but I didn’t care about her nerves. I wanted information. “Well?” I snapped, sitting up straighter. The nurse swallowed before speaking. “Mr. Campbell came to visit her, but she didn’t let him in.” I froze. “What?” I hissed, my hands gripping the shee