The VIP suite of the hospital felt more like a hotel suite than a hospital room. There was a sleek bed with crisp white linens at the centre, surrounded by neatly arranged medical equipment.
A grand chandelier on the ceiling cast a warm glow across the place, while sunlight filtered through sheer white curtains covering the large windows. Next to the window was a seating area with elegant white sofas arranged around a small coffee table for visitors, along with an attached bathroom and a small kitchen complete with a mini coffee station.
Such luxury was nothing new to the woman seated on the bed, scrolling through the iPad her assistant had handed her after arriving with her best friend, Jade.
Jade sipped her coffee quietly while keeping her green eyes fixed on her friend, who had worn a constant frown ever since she began going through headlines that had dominated the news during her month-long absence.
She shifted her gaze to the young man in a crisp navy blue suit, his dark brown hair neatly combed back, with golden-framed glasses resting on the bridge of his nose.
No matter how clean his appearance was, she could tell the poor man was sweating bullets in front of his boss, Aliana.
Jade could only feel sorry for Nigel. Now that the she-devil was awakened, a storm was bound to follow.
"Ali, you really don't need to look at those right now, you know? You've just woken up, and remember what your parents said before leaving? You still need a lot of rest. You can't be raising your blood pressure over those silly news articles." Jade tried to pull her friend away from the screen.
Ali shook her head slightly, a low murmur escaping her lips, "Just… look at this! How ridiculous! Do they truly think they can get away with posting such rubbish about me!"
She began reading the obnoxious headlines one by one, her voice dripping with venom.
"Archon Group Stocks Soar While Aliana Vanderbilt... Snores!"
"She-Devil or Tipsy Devil? Heiress Forgets Roads Aren't Runways!"
"Van vs. Archon: Did a Billion-Dollar Rivalry Just Spill Onto the Streets?"
"Corporate Queen Crashes Out… On the Actual Road!"
"Breaking: Billionaire Heiress Mistakes Road for Red Carpet, Gets Reality Check!"
Aliana's shakes shook with sheer rage as she held the iPad, reading it out loud.
"Listen to this one, Jade! IsShe-Devil silenced forever? Aliana Vanderbilt's Accident Sparks Industry-Wide Suspicion!"
With a sharp motion, Ali flung the iPad at the far corner of the bed, making Nigel flinch.
Turning her gaze back to Nigel and Jade. "Do they really think I'm already dead?! Our stocks must be crashing like my mother's happiness when a guest arrives too early."
Before either of her two companions could respond, Ali's eyes snapped towards her assistant, "Nigel, tell me you've already prepared a lawsuit against them! I want these tabloids gutted! I want the editors working at a carwash by Monday."
Poor Nigel adjusted his glasses as a fresh sheen of sweat formed on his forehead, "Of course, boss, I already have a list prepared and the notices ready to be sent through our lawyers, personally directed by Mr. Vanderbilt."
Ali crossed her arms, "Not surprising that Dad's already on it. What about our stocks?"
"Um… it's not looking pleasant. The board has been in an uproar ever since the accident, but I assure you Mr. Vanderbilt has been steadfast with damage control. Our PR team has been working overtime," Nigel explained, shifting uncomfortably where he stood.
"Good," Ali replied before she tossed the cover aside.
Both Jade and Nigel jumped in alarm as she began to swing her legs out of the bed, determined to stand.
"W-wait, what are you doing?!" Jade bolted from her seat, nearly knocking her cup over as she set it on the side table. She grabbed Ali's shoulders, "You cannot get up right now!"
Ali scoffed, wiping her long blond hair back, "Time to show them just who they've been messing with," she said it with such confidence that suggested she was about to conquer the world, before moving to stand.
But the moment she tried to stand, her legs betrayed her. They wobbled, sending Jade and Nigel into an immediate state of panic.
"Ali!"
"Boss!"
They both cried out in horror, lunging forward to catch her. Each grabbed an arm to carefully guide her back down onto the edge of the mattress before she could hit the floor.
"What were you thinking? Do you think people can just get up and sprint right after waking from a month-long coma? You need to undergo physiotherapy first to wake up those sleeping muscles!" Jade scolded her friend for getting so fired up.
Ali could only sigh in frustration, but the fire inside her was far from extinguished.
She turned her gaze to Nigel, who instantly stiffened.
"Go get the doctor," she commanded. "I need to get out of this hospital as soon as possible!"
"B-but boss, Mr. Vanderbilt won't be ha-"
"Nigel," she called his name softly, yet a single warning look from her steely grey eyes set the man in motion.
"Right away, boss!" Nigel stammered, already scurrying toward the exit.
He vanished into the hallway, leaving Jade to pinch the bridge of her nose at her impossibly stubborn friend.
….
Within a vast estate stood a mansion surrounded by lush greenery. The mansion was a blend of classic European architecture with modern elegance. Tall arched windows glowed warmly against the dusky evening sky, while ornate details and a mansard roof enhanced its aristocratic charm.
A sleek black luxury car sat in the driveway, reflecting the soft lights, as greenery framed the scene, giving the entire estate a polished, old-money grandeur.
At the back of the mansion lay a garden filled with beautiful, blooming roses. Their fragrance was rich in the air.
A tall figure stood among them, gently caressing a rose before closing his eyes and taking in its intoxicating scent, one that reminded him of a certain someone.
A soft evening breeze stirred the flowers and ruffled his raven black hair.
He was lost in the quiet, peaceful evening until a voice drifted from behind him.
"Haven't you been spending a lot of time here lately?"
The man neither opened his eyes nor turned around. Instead, he asked in a deep, low voice, "Why are you here, Cillian?"
Cillian Pierce smiled at his question, knowing how much the man detested having anyone disturb his peace.
Shoving his hands into his pockets, he informed, "I heard the woman from that night has finally woken up."
Cillian could only stare at the man's back, making it impossible to read any shift in his expression. Not that it would have helped, even if he were facing him. The man's stoic yet angelic face never revealed anything.
Still, Cillian had thought the news might stir something in him, especially given the man's unusual actions towards that woman that night.
But as seconds stretched into silence…there was absolutely nothing.
Receiving no response, Cillian continued, "Let's hope she doesn't cause any trouble for Archon Group. But knowing her reputation, she'll surely make waves."
It was only then that the stoic man finally opened his icy blue eyes and turned his face ever so slightly, glancing back at Cillian standing behind him in his well-tailored dark grey suit.
"Are you telling me that you are scared of her?" the man asked.
Cillian scoffed, "Scared? Me? How could I be? Even though she is known as the she-devil of Astoria…" he smirked before adding, "...unknown to her, I have a devil on my side as well."
The man stared at him a second longer before turning to gaze back at the red roses, as if he were already done with the conversation.
Cillian can only shake his head at his elusive nature. But he knew better than anyone that this version of the man was far preferable than seeing him angry.
"I'll take my leave, then," Cillian said, turning to walk away before pausing.
"Oh, right, I almost forgot. I brought you a cake from that French bakery you like. Hope you enjoy it."
That earned him another glance from the man.
Cillian gave him a wide grin before disappearing through the door that connected the mansion to the garden.
The man's icy blue eyes drifted back to the setting sky before he looked at the roses once again and whispered, "She smelled just like them."
With that single thought, the man turned and walked back into the mansion, only to be greeted by his loyal butler, who bowed at the sight of him.
"Master, shall I serve you the cake with some tea that Mr. Pierce brought for you?" the butler asked in a professional yet monotonous tone, aware of his master's fondness for desserts.
"What flavour?" the man asked.
"It's a decadent white chocolate raspberry cake, paired with rich sponge and vibrant raspberries, layered with white chocolate buttercream and fresh raspberry filling," the butler replied with quiet expertise, knowing his master enjoyed hearing the description before indulging, or that's what he assumed.
The man heard it all before giving a slight nod and then disappeared further into the mansion.