OWNED BY THE ENEMY

Chapter 8 : Race Against Time

The rain hit the windshield of Richard’s coupe in heavy, violent sheets as he wove through late-night city traffic. Tires hissed against wet asphalt, the engine roaring every time he cleared an opening in the gridlock.

Beside him, Eliza sat with her hands clamped tightly in her lap, her knuckles white. Her phone was open to the internal security portal, using her newly granted master access to monitor the live feed from St. Mary’s Hospital.

Richard kept one hand firm on the steering wheel, his gaze flicking periodically to her side of the cabin. He didn't offer empty reassurances or tell her everything would be fine—he knew her intelligence deserved better than placating words. Instead, he maintained a steady, unwavering presence, driving with a focused, surgical intensity that made her feel, for the first time in hours, that she wasn't facing the darkness alone.

Ten minutes later, the coupe screeched to a halt under the emergency entrance awning of St. Mary’s.

Marcus was already waiting in the lobby, surrounded by two plainclothes guards. "The floor is secure, sir," Marcus said quickly as they approached. "The intruder attempted to gain entry to Mrs. Rossi’s private room using a forged administrative badge. When the secondary lockdown triggered, they fled through the stairwell."

Eliza didn't wait to hear the rest. She pushed past the security perimeter and ran down the quiet, dimly lit hallway toward Room 412.

She burst through the door, her heart hammering against her ribs.

Her mother was sitting up in bed, a paperback book resting on her lap. Aside from a slight pallor under the fluorescent lights, she looked entirely unharmed. She looked up, her soft brown eyes immediately catching the terror written across Eliza's face.

"Eliza?" her mother asked softly, setting the book aside. "What’s wrong, sweetheart?"

Eliza rushed to the bedside, grasping her mother's hands. "Nothing... I just... there was a security concern downstairs. I needed to see you."

Her mother studied her face, her gaze sharp despite her illness. She reached up, gently brushing a stray lock of hair behind Eliza’s ear. "Your father always said fear makes people careless," she said quietly, her voice ringing with steady conviction. "Don't let them see yours, Eliza. Whatever is happening out there, you stand your ground."

The words struck Eliza like an anchor in a storm. The trembling in her fingers stopped. Fear gave way to a cold, crystalline resolve. She nodded, kissing her mother’s forehead. "I will, Mom. I promise."

When Eliza stepped back into the corridor, Richard and Marcus were examining a printed transcript of the intruder's forged credentials near the nurses' station.

"Look at the registry alias," Eliza said, stepping into the circle. She took the sheet from Marcus and scanned the digital timestamp. "Vanguard Consulting... I processed their executive visitor clearance last month. Caldwell insisted they bypass the usual registration process."

Marcus looked astonished. "Caldwell? He sent someone here?"

"Wait," Eliza said, her eyes narrowing as she cross-referenced the log on her tablet. "The alias belongs to Caldwell, but look at the terminal authorization code used to generate the badge. It was approved using a device registered to Chief Legal Officer Linda Graves."

Richard’s dark eyes sharpened. "A joint operation... or someone is deliberately framing Caldwell using Graves’ clearance."

"Either way, the pool is shrinking," Eliza said, her voice completely steady now. "They're getting sloppy because they're terrified."

Richard watched her for a long beat, taking in the transformation from the panicked woman in the car to the resolute partner standing before him now. Without a word, he turned, walked down to the waiting room vending area, and returned a moment later carrying a hot paper cup.

He held it out to her.

"You can't fight this on an empty stomach," Richard said quietly, his voice lower than usual.

It was a simple gesture—no grand speeches, no physical overreach—just a quiet, practical declaration that he was looking out for her. Eliza took the warm cup, her fingers brushing his. "Thank you, Richard."

Richard glanced at his watch for the first time that night. If the board moved before they had evidence, everything they'd uncovered could disappear with a single vote.

Before Eliza could take a sip of her coffee, Marcus’s phone chimed with a high-priority alert. He answered it, listened for three seconds, and his face turned rigid.

He lowered his phone slowly, looking at Richard.

"Sir... the emergency board meeting isn't tomorrow morning anymore."

Richard frowned, his posture instantly stiffening. "What do you mean?"

"They've moved it," Marcus said, his voice laced with urgency. "They've called a vote of no confidence against you as CEO. And it starts in one hour."

Richard slowly turned to look at Eliza.

"If I lose that vote," he said quietly, "we lose the investigation."

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