tronger, a mother' s fierce, protective rage. She flattened herself against the glass door of

im," she snarled, her v

n her tone. They were used to a tearful,

nted, his eyes scanning her. "The boss want

ng around, looking for an escape, for a weapon, fo

ace, stepped forward. "Look, lady, we can do this th

ing his hand away.

bbed her arm again, his grip lik

free hand, pulling out her phone and the f

he first thug said into a wa

ough, and then a voice. Liam

er way to th

ght. Says the kid is s

ibs. She could hear the muffled sound of Scarlett' s w

e came back, devo

can wait. I have a better i

e air, more brutal t

the

ve

her, confused. "Boss? You w

t like his mother. He has the same rare blood type, doesn't he? We

n; he saw him as a resource. A biological asset. A spare part for his mistress. The blood she had b

agony and madness. She launched herself at the

NOT TOUCH HIM!

desperate frenzy. But she was weak and malnourished. The s

dy! You're mak

the ICU door. Ava screamed, a

! Don't you dar

ing. An idea, a desperate, wi

at the door paused. "You work

ah,

ar. "Because I know something he doesn't want you to know. S

ght. What are you gonna do,

. But she's playing him. She's not sick. Her doctor is a fake. They're just blee

how obsessed Liam was with Scarlett,

g said, but there was a flick

demanding. She needs more money, more 'treatments.' She's getting sloppy. Ask him. Ask him right now if he's

ie-talkie. "Boss... the woman... she's saying some

hat's ridiculous! She's a delusional, lying bitch! I to

s, it's

OW!" Lia

order was clear. He tur

er. She h

rcom on the wall next to the door. A nurse insid

his voice thin and reedy

e was dead silence from Liam's end. For a single, stretch

The man at the door froze. Even through the static, the

n, his voice filled wit

alkie. It was a sound of conflict, of a man bein

all Ava

for an instant. She tore herself free, shoved the other thug against the wall, and burst through

rs, and slammed through the emergency exit into the stairwell. She ran down flight after

didn't stop running. She ran until her legs gave out, an

looking up at her, his big eyes ful

that one, single moment of choked silence. It wasn't love. It wasn't remorse. It

pity. Only a profou

out what to do next, she heard two nurses walk

nother emergency. They're prepping her for a transfusion

ity snapped back into place. He would never stop. He would hunt them down, not for lo