His heart pounded. This was it. the moment he had imagined countless times. Yet none of those imagined versions looked like this. None involved tears. None involved hospitals. None involved pain. “My name is Lucas Sterling,” he said quietly. Hannah frowned slightly. The name sounded familiar, but before she could respond, a doctor suddenly emerged from the emergency unit.
His expression was serious. Very serious. Hannah Brooks. She immediately stood. Yes. The doctor took a breath. We found something concerning. Fear flooded her face. Lucas felt it too because whatever the doctor was about to say wouldn’t just affect Rose. It would change everything. And as Hannah hurried toward the doctor, neither she nor Lucas noticed that someone else had just entered the hospital lobby.
Marcus Reed. And the moment he learned Rose Brooks was hospitalized, his first concern wasn’t her health. It was whether she had revealed the secret hidden inside the old wooden box before collapsing. Because if she had, his entire plan could be ruined. The doctor’s next words shattered what little stability Hannah had left.
