. The fluorescent lights above buzzed faintly, cas

ls digging into his palms. The rhythmic ticking of the clock above him drilled i

Instead, images of Ophelia flashed through his mind-her lifeless form collapsing into his arms, her blood soaki

of rage rolle

who had sunk her venomous fangs into everything

did his hands

ell? Why did the sight of her blood feel li

is fists. She deserv

t he kept te

d tried to kill Wren. So now seei

ed, something dark and painful. His breath came out ragged as his mind replayed

y my family? Why did you pu

n't do

e that woman suffer, had wanted to make he

helia's mother had fallen due to mental health

looked at him as if he were the one

he truth but he decided not to because he needed

couldn't afford t

ot when his mother had spent years drowning in grief, living in a house where every memory was a reminder of her suffe

pped up, rage burnin

ly. How dare she act like the vic

nt she used to be. The way she used to laugh with reckless abandon, a

had erupted, when his father's affair had come to light, his mother had only s

was always kind and g

t kindness and shattered

anted to hate her a

h seeping from her skin as she looked up at him with those

unted

room burst open making him

bilize her. The knife missed her major organs, but she los

the weight on his chest

ed. Alexander nodded stiffly,

s and legs.the wounds from the glass." She hesit

isted. "No," he said, voice

Alexander turned toward the window that looked into her hospital ro

es. He subconsciously stepped inside. She was still unconscious, a

ing at the edge of the bed, loo

o kill herself. For the first time, the realit

murmured but

He exhaled sharply, gripping

have we become?

ed his world upside down. The woman h

o tried to kill him. The

y the sound of the heart monitor between them,

t still hu

turned around and wa

snapping him back to reality. He turned his head to s

d, her hands reaching for his wound

h different thoughts and he turned to glare at her while sho

ent about the way he was l

forcing a weak smile. "Why ar

words, her accusations, the way Wren had screamed and stepped o

't try to help him at all. Inste

xander asked suddenly,

ed in fear

idn't try to stop her. You scream

out. Alexander took a step closer

y from fire, didn't y

way. "Of course! I-I was trying

ou look me in the

panic flashed across her face, so b

Wren let out a strangled gasp, her hands f

enough to make a point. "Tell me the truth, W

in terror. "N-No!

to struggle for breath. "If I find out you betraye

s eyes. "I love you! I l

released her. Wren staggered back, coughing, her hands fl

you. You're everythi

e right now, there was

said coldly. "Wh

till coughing. "T-

lipped from his lips. A flicker of relief fl

Ophelia?" Wren a

answer w

-B

ling her." His

d her gaze. "I understand.

or walked in. Alexander

te every hour,"

"Mr. Gray, I underst

repeated, his tone leav

hed but nodded

r left, Alexander tu

re the

ant bowed.

riously. "Where

e my c

ed. "Let me c

r immediately which

xand

anyone else there." H

fists holding her

another word, Alexander turned and left. As he disappeared do

had begun to

d the truth-She squeezed her ey

n't let t

and she sighed in irritation

ear, she kept her voice

et out a dry laugh. "You paid me for my silence once. But silen

s wasn't the deal. I gave you enough to

u make it look like Ophelia pushed Catherine down those stairs. I lied to Alexander. But if he ever finds out t

rembled with f

mil

million?! Are you insane?" she hi

d considering what Alexander did to the last

exander's rage, the way his grip had tightened ar

spare her if

don't have access to that k

w. But Oph

ha

s still there. Alexander never touched it. She's uncons

e tightened as her brai

n. Or I'll tell Master Alexa

already given that woman more money than she w

elia's hospital room where sh

won't be to