As the car pulled up in front of my house, the silence between us lingered. Not awkward—just heavy with unspoken things. Alex stepped out first and hurried over to my side, opening the door for me like he always did.
"Thanks, Alex," I said quietly, unbuckling my seatbelt.
"Can you walk alright?" he asked, still worried.
"I'm fine. Just a little sore, that's all," I replied, standing slowly. He instinctively reached out to support me, his hand hovering behind my back as I straightened up.
We walked up the steps together. I was about to say goodbye when he paused at the front door.
"You want me to stay for a while? Just in case you need something?" he asked, almost hesitantly.
I smiled. "I'll be okay. I just need a hot shower and clean clothes… and maybe a warm drink."
He gave a short nod but didn't move right away. "If anything happens, call me. Don't shut off your phone again. I mean it."
"I won't," I promised. "Thanks for bringing me back"
He gave my head a gentle pat "Go get some rest, Mia. You've had a long day."
I waved at him and stepped inside. Walking straight to an elevator and entering my room.
The moment I was alone, I let out a long sigh. My body ached, my stomach felt like it was tying itself in knots, and emotionally… I was drained.
I slipped out of Caspian's coat, holding it for a second before neatly folding it. The faint scent of his cologne still lingered.
Caspian… Alex… Lucas.
I groaned, tossing the coat gently onto a nearby chair.
***
Ceneric Mansion, Midnight
While the mansion slept under the hush of midnight, a single light on the fifth floor glowed softly from the study. Inside, two men sat across from each other—both sharp-featured, blue-eyed, and calm on the surface, yet the room pulsed with a quiet tension.
Martin leaned forward slightly on black leather soda, his expression— unreadable. "So, what did you find out from your trip to Andrea?"
Mikael took a deep breath, his voice low and steady. "Not everything I wanted. But I did uncover something—a hidden organization producing illegal drugs and smuggling them overseas. Velmaria included."
Martin frowned. "Are you serious?"
"I tried digging deeper, but halfway through... I lost the trail," Mikael said, his tone tightening. "It felt like someone was watching me. I couldn't shake the feeling I was being followed."
Martin leaned back, his eyes narrowing. "Did you find any leads? Anything we can act on?"
"Not yet. But we need to be careful from here on. Especially with Mia." Mikael paused, locking eyes with his brother. "We need to monitor her movements more closely—know who she's meeting, where she's going."
Martin nodded. "Agreed. I heard she went out today?"
"I asked her. She said she was meeting Alex for lunch."
Martin raised an eyebrow. "Did you believe her?"
"I wasn't sure, so I asked Mike to confirm. He hesitated, but his answer made sense. Mia's only ever close with Alex."
Martin sighed. "Alright, it does make sense. But we can't be too relaxed." His expression suddenly turned grim. "Did you know Nelson is back? And that he's taken over Alistair's law firm?"
"What?" Mikael sat up straight. "Since when?"
"Recently. I only found out by accident." Martin's voice was hard now. "Keep a close eye on Mia. We can't let her see him again. Not after everything he put her through."
Mikael's jaw tightened. "Just thinking about him makes me furious. What he did to her back then... I swear, I've imagined killing that bastard a hundred times."
Martin didn't smile. "Don't let emotions cloud your focus. Right now, we've got bigger problems. This drug case isn't small—it feels familiar. Too familiar."
Mikael went quiet, already guessing where Martin was going.
"I'm afraid this might be tied to what happened to Mom and Dad," Martin said softly. "It's been nearly twenty years, but something about this feels exactly like the old case. We can't take it lightly."
Mikael exhaled slowly, a deep crease forming between his brows. "I'll start looking into it. You want me to involve Mike and the others?"
"Yes. Get Matteo and Leon on board too. And ask Alex if he's willing to help."
Mikael nodded, then frowned. "What about Mia? She's been on edge lately. And honestly, I think she's starting to lose trust in us."
Martin turned to him sharply. "Then stop arguing with her."
Mikael blinked. "What?"
"I mean it, Mikael. Put aside whatever anger or disappointment you've been holding. You're her older brother. She needs to feel safe around us—not judged."
Mikael looked away, guilt flickering in his eyes.
"Our parents died protecting her," Martin said quietly. "On their last breath, they made sure she lived."
"I know..." Mikael said after a long pause. "You're right. I'm sorry."
Martin stood, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Then let's protect her the way they did. No matter what it takes."
***
I woke up with a jolt, the sharp pain in my stomach piercing through the fog of sleep. It felt like something was twisting inside me, stabbing deep and unrelenting. Cold sweat soaked my back and forehead, and for a moment, I couldn't move.
"It hurts…" I whispered, clutching my stomach with both hands. I curled into myself on the bed, trembling. This wasn't just a normal cramp. I knew what those felt like—uncomfortable, yes, but bearable. This was something else entirely.
A sudden wave of nausea hit me like a truck. I barely made it to the bathroom before I fell to my knees and threw up everything I'd eaten. The spicy ramen, the ice cream—it all came back with violent force.
"Bleghhh—" I gagged again, my throat burning, my body shaking from the effort.
When it was finally over, I sat slumped against the wall, panting. I could barely catch my breath. My vision blurred at the edges as dizziness crept in. I had to get help.
Dragging myself back to my room, I reached for my phone on the nightstand. My fingers were trembling so badly I almost dropped it. My first instinct was to call Alex—but it was past midnight. What if he was sleeping? Mike was out of town. Who else…?
With the last bit of strength I had, I scrolled through my contacts and pressed on a familiar name.
"Hello?" a deep, calm voice answered after a few rings.
"Dr. Leon…?" I croaked, my voice hoarse from retching. "It's Mia…"
"Mia?" His tone immediately sharpened with concern. "What's wrong? Why are you calling this late?"
"Please… help me. My stomach—it hurts. It hurts so bad. I don't know what's happening…" My voice cracked. "Please… come save me…"
The phone slipped from my hand as another bolt of pain ripped through me. I could still hear his voice shouting my name through the speaker. But I couldn't answer. I collapsed on the floor, hugging myself, too weak to move.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I cursed my poor decisions. Ice cream, spicy ramen, on top of period cramps? Really, Mia?
Just as the darkness started to close in, I heard loud footsteps outside my room—followed by urgent knocking.
"Mia! Are you in there? Mia, open the door! Mia Isabella!"
It's Martin.
I tried to respond, but my voice was gone.
"Find the spare key!" he shouted. His voice shook with panic.
"No time—let me do it!" another voice snapped, just before I heard someone throwing their full weight against the door.
Bang!
Of course. Mikael. Only he would try to break down a door with brute force.
Bang!
Good luck trying, third brother… I thought weakly, a flicker of amusement crossing my mind.
But then everything went black.