Elizabeth paced around her bedroom after the call with Stefan, her brows furrowed in deep thought. The evening''s events swirled like a storm in her mind—Ivy''s threats and Ruby''s shaken expression. It was all spiraling out of control.

    She stood by her bedroom window, her arms folded tightly across her chest as she watched the moonlight filter through the trees swaying in the wind. Something had to be done. And it had to be done fast.

    Ivy—that girl had always been unpredictable, but Elizabeth had never imagined she could be this dangerous—malicious, even.

    Elizabeth began pacing again, her satin robe trailing behind her as she muttered softly to herself. "How do we get rid of her? How do we make sure she never hurts Stefan or Ruby again?"

    She stopped by her dresser and leaned against it, her fingers tapping anxiously on the wood. Then a thought hit her—Eliana.

    Her eyes widened as the memory resurfaced: Ivy leaning over Eliana''s unconscious body in the hospital room and saying those malicious words.

    What if Ivy really had something to do with Eliana''s ident? Peri, she could use that to get Ivy locked up for good. But how?

    Her heart began to race.

    "If we can prove Ivy caused that ident… if we can connect her to it…" she whispered, eyes narrowing with resolve. "We need Eliana awake. She might be the only one who knows what really happened."

    But as quickly as the idea formed, a darker thought crept in, cold and terrifying.

    What if Ivy had already realized Eliana could expose her?

    What if, after the scandal tonight, Ivy nned to finish what she started?

    Her chest tightened at the possibility.

    "No," she said aloud, turning on her heel. "I can''t risk it."

    She can''t allow that to happen. She would need to do something quickly before it''s toote. But what could she possibly do right now?

    It waste in the night and there was no way she could leave now. But what if before she could go there tomorrow morning, something bad had already happened to Eliana?

    What was her n even? It was one thing to go to the hospital but it was another to know what to do and right now, she didn''t know and not just that, she was alone.

    She couldn''t tell Stefan about this. It was going to cause Ruby distress. She needed to handle this on her own and now. She''d think about any other thingter.

    Having decided that, Elizabeth rushed to her wardrobe, pulling out a dark coat and slipping into it. Then she grabbed her phone and speed-dialed the head of her security detail.

    "Meet me outside in five minutes. We''re heading to Zeden General. And bring backup," she said firmly. "I want all eyes on alert."

    By the time she stepped outside, three of her most trusted guards were already waiting in the SUV. They knew better than to ask questions when she had that look in her eyes.

    "We''re going to the hospital," she said as she climbed in. "Eliana is in danger."

    Even though they know nothing about Eliana or why Elizabeth wants to save her at such an odd hour, they climbed into the car and drove off.

    Once they arrived at Zeden General, Elizabeth turned to her men before getting out of the car. "Two of you will change into nurse uniforms. I want you stationed outside Eliana''s room but don''t make it obvious. Watch every corridor. Anyone suspicious, anyone who even looks like they don''t belong, alert me immediately. You have to be at alert. Understood?"

    "Yes, ma''am," they replied in unison.

    Elizabeth walked briskly into the hospital, requesting to see the night manager. But the receptionist, clearly exhausted, informed her that managerial matters would have to wait until morning.

    That was fine by her. She didn''t need permission to do what she wanted to do. She''d only wanted to speak to the manager so that it could be easy to catch anyone suspicious but since he wasn''t here, she was going to do it all by herself.

    Without another word, Elizabeth turned, made her way toward the patient wing, and slipped into the quiet corridor where Eliana''s room was located.

    She took a moment to nce around before pushing open the door and entering.

    The room was dimly lit, with soft beeping from the monitors filling the silence. Elianay still, her face pale but peaceful under the light blue sheets.

    From all indications, she could see that Eliana was still very alive and that meant Ivy was yet to take actions. Since she was here now, she''d need to be extra vignt and pray Ivy doesn''t disappoint, otherwise, she''d be asked to leave the next morning.

    Elizabeth pulled a chair closer and sat beside her bed, gently reaching out to brush a strand of hair from the girl''s face.

    "I don''t know if you can hear me, sweetheart… but I need you to wake up now. I need your help," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "We need to stop her. We need the truth. Before it''s toote."

    Outside the room, her guards—now dressed as nurses—took their positions on the far end of the corridor, pretending to be busy with their phones while their eyes scanned every person who passed by, and every shadow that moved.

    Whatever Ivy was nning, they would be ready.

    And Elizabeth?

    She was no longer just protecting Stefan and Ruby. She was preparing for war.

    The morning sunlight streamed gently through the half-closed blinds in Eliana''s hospital room, casting soft shadows across the pale sheets and the still figure in the bed. The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor continued its steady tempo, a quiet reminder that life still lingered.

    Elizabeth stirred in the chair beside the bed, her body stiff from the awkward position she''d fallen asleep in. She blinked groggily, unsure of where she was for a moment until the sudden buzz of her phone snapped her fully awake.

    She reached for it quickly and unlocked the screen to see a new text message from one of her guards. Her brows furrowed as she quickly tapped on it.

    "Ma''am, one of our men spotted a doctor heading toward Room 203 to check on the patient. You should step out now before he arrives."

    Her eyes widened, sleep vanishing from her system instantly. She stood, ran a quick hand through her hair, and looked at Eliana onest time before murmuring, "Hold on a bit longer, please."

    Because somehow, what she was doing was illegal, she had to make sure she wasn''t caught before she can catch Ivy.

    Stepping out swiftly, she found two of her guards now back in their regr clothes, standing casually at opposite ends of the hallway. The one closest to her approached.

    "He''s not far off," he said. "They saw him enter from the east wing. White coat, face mask. Couldn''t see much."

    "Alright. Let''s go," Elizabeth said sharply, already moving. "We''ll watch from a distance. No one else gets in that room until we''re sure he''s legitimate."

    They were halfway down the hallway, slipping toward the nearby waiting area, when a man in a white coat brushed past them. He was short, dark-haired, with firm steps and eyes hidden behind thick-rimmed sses and a surgical mask. He didn''t even nce their way as he entered Room 203.

    Elizabeth slowed down. Something about the man''s energy seemed... off. But before she could voice her thoughts, another doctor rounded the corner from the opposite direction.

    "Elizabeth?" the new arrival called out, surprise in her voice.

    Elizabeth turned sharply and then her eyes softened. "Dr. Noreen?" she said, both shocked and relieved. "You work here?"

    Noreen smiled as they embraced briefly. "Yes! I was transferred recently. Just started a week ago. I didn''t know you were in town let alone in the hospital I work. What are you doing here?"

    "I came to see someone," Elizabeth replied quickly, trying to keep her tone casual. "You were transferred to Zeden General? Since when?"

    Noreen chuckled. "Not long ago. They needed extra hands with some sensitive cases, especially the patient in Room 203."

    Elizabeth froze, her brows instantly pulling together in a confused frown. The number struck her like a p. Didn''t a doctor pass by just now to check that same room? Eliana''s room?

    "What did you say?" she asked, her voice low. What was going on?

    "Room 203. The girl that''s been unconscious for a while. They brought me in to treat her personally."

    Elizabeth''s heart dropped. "You''re her doctor? Is any other doctor seeing her too?" Elizabeth asked, her heart beat doubling its pace.

    Noreen nodded proudly. "I''m her doctor and I''m solely in charge. That case is mine. No one else has been assigned to her since I came in. She''s a sensitive one."

    Hearing that, Elizabeth''s breath caught. Panic surged up like a rising tide. "Then—then who just entered that room now?"

    Noreen blinked, frowning. "What? Someone just went into 203?"

    "Yes," Elizabeth said urgently. She turned to her guards, voice sharp. "Go get him. Now. That''s not a doctor. That might be an assassin."

    The color drained from Noreen''s face. "What? Wait—an assassin? Elizabeth—what''s going on?"

    "No time to exin," Elizabeth said, already breaking into a run. "Juste with me. We have to make sure that man doesn''t touch that girl."

    The hallway erupted into movement as the guards charged back down toward Room 203, Elizabeth and Noreen close behind.

    The click of hurried footsteps echoed through the sterile halls as Elizabeth''s heart pounded in her chest.

    Please, she prayed silently, please don''t let us be toote.