IN HER VEINS

CHAPTER 4

Xavier was a man of many talents—bodyguard, strategist, and confidant. But above all, he was the shadow working tirelessly to ensure Sylvester Jones survived the ticking clock of his rare genetic blood disorder. To the world, Sly was an impervious billionaire with an iron will, but Xavier knew better. He saw the cracks, the weight of the disorder, and the man’s stubborn refusal to succumb to it.

For two years, Xavier had been running a covert mission alongside Dr. Evelyn Harper, the brilliant hematologist determined to c***k the code of Sylvester’s condition. Every vial of blood, every data point, every failed test had been carefully orchestrated by Xavier, hidden from Sylvester’s increasingly jaded view of medical intervention.

Tonight, however, the stakes felt different.

Standing beside the car, Xavier held Sylvester’s blood-stained shirt with surgical precision, the crimson streaks a visceral reminder of the close call at the mall. He folded the shirt methodically, the creases sharp, as though the fabric were as fragile as the life it symbolized.

“Every drop counts,” he muttered, sealing the shirt inside a sterilized plastic pack he’d retrieved from the car’s hidden compartment. This wasn’t just another sample for the lab—it was hope, fragile and fleeting, but hope nonetheless. He placed the sealed pack into the secure transport box, handed the package to a standby dispatch and gave instructions on destination address. His movements were swift and practiced.

Sliding into the driver’s seat, Xavier glanced at Sylvester. His boss sat motionless, staring out the window, his crisp new shirt pristine but his mind clearly elsewhere.

“Who was that rider?” He asked, still staring into what seemed like nothing and without turning his head to Xavier.

“Some errand that was almost past due,” he replied. Then another silence and sly was visibly lost in thought.

“The woman?” Xavier ventured, breaking the silence.

Sylvester’s jaw tightened, his gaze distant. “I can’t stop thinking about her.”

Xavier nodded subtly. He knew better than to push. Instead, he started the engine, already planning his next move.

The quiet hum of the car was shattered by the shrill ring of Sylvester’s phone. He glanced at the screen, his expression sharpening as he saw the caller ID.

“Dr. Harper,” he said, answering with a terse tone. “What’s going on?”

“Mr. Jones,” Evelyn’s voice came through, calm but with an undercurrent of urgency. “I need you to come to the lab.”

Sylvester frowned. “At this hour? Can it wait?”

“No,” she said firmly. “You’ll understand when you arrive. Just come.”

Before Sylvester could press for details, the line went dead. He stared at the phone for a moment, a flicker of unease crossing his features.

“What’s wrong?” Xavier asked, his tone measured.

“Harper wants me at the lab. She wouldn’t say why, just that it couldn’t wait.”

Xavier’s grip on the wheel tightened, his mind already racing. “Then we go.”

Without waiting for further instructions, he executed a sharp U-turn, the car slicing through the night as they headed toward the hospital. He hoped this was good news and maybe, it could result from the bloodied shirt he sent to her earlier.

The hospital’s private research wing was quiet, the sterile corridors illuminated by harsh fluorescent lights. Dr. Evelyn Harper stood waiting in her lab coat, her sharp green eyes betraying a mixture of exhaustion and excitement.

“You’re here,” she said, wasting no time as Sylvester and Xavier stepped into the room.

“What’s this about?” Sylvester asked, his voice edged with impatience.

Evelyn gestured to a series of monitors displaying a complex array of data. “We’ve been running advanced genomic tests on your samples—every lead we’ve had. And tonight, we got a hit.”

Sylvester’s brow furrowed. “A hit? What kind of hit?”

Evelyn took a deep breath, her gaze flicking to Xavier for a brief moment before landing back on Sylvester. “A partial match. It’s not perfect, but it’s close enough that we can work with it.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with implication. Sylvester’s heart thudded, his carefully constructed composure faltering. “Who is it?”

“That’s the complicated part,” Evelyn admitted. “The match came from a new sample you inadvertently provided.”

Xavier’s spine stiffened. He knew exactly what she meant, but he kept his face impassive.

Sylvester, however, stared at her in confusion. “What are you talking about? I haven’t—”

“The shirt,” Xavier interrupted. “The one from the mall incident. The blood of that lady you saved. That was the errand I sent with the dispatch rider.”

Sylvester froze, the realization hitting him like a freight train. “You tested her blood?”

“It was unintentional,” Evelyn clarified quickly. “But once we ran the analysis, the results were... significant. Her blood contains a rare compatibility factor we’ve never seen before. It could be the breakthrough we’ve been searching for.”

Sylvester took a step back, his mind reeling. The stranger at the mall—she wasn’t just someone he’d saved. She might be the key to saving him.

“And you’re sure about this?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Evelyn nodded. “As sure as I can be without further testing.”

“Where is she?”

“She was discharged before we could get her information,” Sylvester admitted. “But if you think we should pursue this, we’ll need to find her.”

Sylvester turned to Xavier, his expression hardening into resolve. “Get everything we can on her. Every camera, every record, every lead. I want to know who she is.”

Xavier gave a curt nod, already mapping out his next steps.

Evelyn placed a hand on Sylvester’s arm, her voice softening. “This isn’t just about your survival, Sylvester. It’s about hers too. The earlier we find her, the better.”

The drive back was tense, the air thick with unspoken thoughts. Xavier’s mind churned with possibilities. The woman wasn’t just a fleeting encounter anymore—she was a pivotal piece of a puzzle he’d spent years trying to solve.

And if her blood truly held the key, she wasn’t just important to Sylvester’s survival. She was a lifeline, turning her from an anonymous stranger into the single most critical element in Sylvester’s fight for survival. Her existence now bridged the fragile line between hope and despair, making her invaluable not only to Sylvester but to the secrets and stakes surrounding his entire world.