The hospital lights were harsh against Elena’s eyes, even through the dark sunglasses she wore. Adrian hadn’t spoken much during the drive, his jaw locked tight, hands gripping the wheel like they were the only things keeping him grounded.
They took the private entrance reserved for high-profile patients. No waiting rooms. No cameras. Just sleek halls and silence that buzzed louder than any noise.
Lila met them near the ICU. She looked shaken, the usually calm administrative powerhouse visibly rattled.
“She’s stable now,” Lila whispered, pulling Adrian into a quick hug. “Barely. They pumped her stomach in time.”
“And my father?” Adrian asked, voice like steel.
Lila’s expression turned brittle. “He arrived minutes before you. Made quite the show of it. PR team in tow. Nurses say he was
