Burn the Marriage, Keep the Crown

Chapter 258

William's eyes flashed as he met Aaron's gaze across the dimly lit corridor.

A silent tension simmered between them-unspoken words and hidden motives swirling beneath the surface.

No one could say how long the standoff lasted. Suddenly, a nurse's voice cut through the quiet: "You two at the end—it's late! Head back to your rooms, please!"

At her urging, William finally broke eye contact. He spun his wheelchair around and rolled back toward his hospital room.

Aaron was just about to follow when his phone buzzed. Cynthia Lynwood's name lit up the screen-again.

He answered. On the other end, Cynthia's voice was ragged with fear: "Aaron, please you have to help me! I...I'm being "

"What's happening?" Aaron's brow furrowed in concern. But all he could hear now was Cynthia's frantic, uneven breathing.

He glanced back toward William's room, hesitated for a heartbeat, then turned and hurried away.

***

opened her eyes, surprised

more was the calm that greeted her; for the first time in days, she hadn't woken from a nightmare. A

didn't go home?" she asked, a mixture

are you feeling?

the real reason Serena had collapsed: she'd simply fainted from hunger. The explanation didn't sit right with him-it was just

sent Finn to

they'd talked about, but neighbors recalled that Serena had seemed

William couldn't just ask

his thoughts: "Excuse

voice

the room, her silhouette

around her. "Finally! I've been searching everywhere for you. Why are you back in

across Gabrielle's usually bright face when

gone viral. Eager to see

eventually found Serena's apartment, only to find it empty. In the end, it was a well-meaning neighbor who told her Seren@had been hospitalized.

concern softening her voice. "If you keep this up, you'll have to come stay at my