"Drop that needle right now, or I’ll make sure you rot in prison, Doctor!" Olivia screams loudly.
Her hand roughly pushes away the wrist of a man in a medical uniform holding an unlabeled syringe. The clear liquid inside the glass tube splashes slightly, droplets falling onto the cement floor, creating a thin cloud of pungent smoke.
The foreign doctor is startled, his eyes wide with panic. Without saying a word, he drops the syringe, quickly turns around, and rushes out the emergency door before Olivia can reach for his collar.
"What’s going on, Olivia?" Alexander’s deep voice rumbles as his sharp eyes scan the chaotic room.
Alexander doesn’t waste time. He pulls out his phone from his wet jacket and presses the speed dial button.
"Daniel, lock all the exits on the fourth floor of the hospital now!" Alexander commands sharply, keeping his gaze fixed on Ethan’s IV line. "There’s an intruder disguised as a medical staff. Secure the CCTV footage from the west corridor!"
He ends the call, then kneels beside Ethan’s bed. His large hand, usually signing billion-pound deals, trembles slightly as he checks his little son’s pulse.
"Ethan is still asleep," Alexander whispers, a sense of relief washing over his strained voice. "The fluid hasn’t entered him yet."
Olivia sinks into the chair next to the bed. Her face is pale, eyes swollen with tears that haven’t dried since the dock.
"Victoria has been caught by the police," Olivia says, her voice hoarse and trembling. "Who else wants a five-year-old girl dead? Who else hates her existence?"
"Victoria is just a pawn being used," Alexander says softly, but each word feels as heavy as a stone. "There’s another hand controlling this chessboard from behind the scenes."
"What do you mean?" Olivia lifts her head, her brows furrowing.
"Ashford Corporation didn’t have direct access to hack the hotel security system five years ago," Alexander turns, gazing directly into Olivia’s eyes. "There’s only one party in London with the authority to delete guest recordings and falsify police files without leaving a trace."
Olivia gasps. A name she knows well suddenly flashes through her mind, sending a colder chill than the storm outside.
"My family," she whispers, voice barely audible. "The Carter family?"
"Your father, Richard Carter," Alexander states firmly, without hesitation. "He’s not just kicking you out because he’s ashamed. He deliberately erased your existence from London’s radar to protect his business deal with the Monroe family."
"Richard knew if I found you that night, the Rington Group would take over Carter Corp’s entire port project," Alexander continues, stepping toward the window overlooking the dark London landscape. "He sold your future and Ethan’s to secure his investments."
The hospital door slides open gently. Daniel rushes in, panting, holding a glowing tablet.
"The intruder managed to escape via the emergency stairs to the underground parking," Daniel reports quickly, his eyes filled with concern as he looks at Olivia, who sits stiffly. "But we managed to hack his phone data left in the corridor."
Alexander swiftly turns around. "Who paid him?"
Daniel glances at Olivia for a moment before shifting his tablet. "His last call comes from the Carter family’s main residence in Kensington."
"For five years I think I was discarded because I’m a stain in the family," Olivia says flatly, emotionless but deeply fragile. "Turns out I’m just a failed commodity."
Alexander steps closer, kneeling before Olivia so their eyes meet. He takes both her hands, gripping them tightly, offering a pure warmth that’s not meant to intimidate.
"You’re not a commodity, Olivia," Alexander says firmly, his voice softening with genuine sincerity. "And no one will hurt you or Ethan anymore. I stake the entire Rington name to make sure of that."
Olivia looks at Alexander’s fingers wrapping around her hands. "Why are you risking your business for us, Alex? Not just because of guilt, right?"
Alexander pauses. His eyes search Olivia’s, looking for remnants of the woman he knew five years ago in the dark hotel room.
Olivia turns her face away, slowly trying to release Alexander’s grip. "Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Mr. Rington. Our worlds are too far apart."
"Then I’ll bridge that gap," Alexander replies determinedly.
Richard Carter enters with a silver-headed cane in his right hand. His steps are steady, exuding the arrogance of an old corporate boss used to controlling everyone’s life.
"What a sad family drama," Richard’s cold voice echoes in the room.
"What are you doing here, Dad?" Olivia asks sharply, emphasizing "Dad" with pure bitterness.
Richard doesn’t even look at Olivia. His sharp, soulless eyes lock onto Alexander, who now stands guarding Ethan’s bed.
"I’ve come to take back what belongs to the Carter family, Mr. Rington," Richard says flatly, raising official documents in his left hand. "As Ethan’s legal grandfather, I’ve filed for emergency custody in the city court."
"You have no right over Ethan!" Olivia shouts, stepping forward to stand alongside Alexander. "You abandoned me when I was pregnant! You ordered someone to kill my child just minutes ago!"
Richard smirks.
"Those accusations are baseless, Olivia," Richard replies casually. "You’re suffering postpartum mental disorder. Our family’s personal doctor has signed medical records stating you’re psychologically unfit to raise a child."
"You faked my medical records?" Olivia points at the old man with trembling fingers.
"I did what was necessary to protect the family’s name," Richard responds without remorse. He shifts his gaze to Alexander. "Hand over the child now, Alex. If you interfere in Carter’s internal affairs, I’ll ensure the entire Rington port project gets canceled by the transportation ministry tomorrow morning."
Alexander steps forward. His tall posture completely shields Richard from Ethan and Olivia. A cold, dangerous smile curls on his lips—the kind that spells death.
"You threaten me with that old port project, Richard?" Alexander’s voice sounds like a whisper of death. "I don’t care about ministry permits when the safety of the child and the woman I love is at stake."
"Don’t be stupid, Alexander!" Richard’s voice rises for the first time. "Your company’s shares will plummet if you get involved in this child custody scandal!"
"Then let the shares crash," Alexander cuts in without hesitation. "Daniel, call the top legal team. We’re filing for bankruptcy against Carter Corp on charges of fraud and tonight’s attempted murder."
Richard stumbles back, realizing the insane bravery of the young man before him.
"Try me," Alexander challenges coldly. "Get out of this room before I order my security to throw you out the fourth-floor window."
Richard clenches his fists around his silver cane. His face flushes with suppressed rage as he takes a step back, then turns and leaves with the police officers who look helpless.
Olivia watches Richard’s retreating figure with a mixture of fear, relief, and resignation.
"Why are you risking your business for us?" she whispers.
"Because without you guys, all that wealth means nothing," Alexander answers softly.
He presses the green button and holds it to his ear.
"Alexander Rington," a refined, aristocratic female voice with a heavy European accent sounds from the other end. She’s calm, elegant, but with a pressure that’s even more formidable than Richard Carter’s threats.
"Who is this?" Alexander asks, eyebrows furrowing.
"You’ve been so busy playing family, Alex, you forget who controls the main inheritance of Rington Group," she replies with a gentle yet chilling laugh. "Your mother just arrived in London, and I’m bringing the original marriage certificate of you and Victoria, signed five years ago in Geneva."
Alexander’s eyes widen. His grip tightens on the phone until his knuckles turn white.
"What do you mean?" he whispers, disbelief filling his voice.
"The child in that bed may have Rington blood," the voice continues coldly. "But legally, she’s still an illegitimate child who has no right to touch a single penny of our family’s assets. Bring the woman and the child to the main residence now, or I will execute a seizure order on all Rington Group operational funds tonight."