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.

***

her eyes, surprised to find William sitting

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

a mixture of gratitude

smiled gently. "How are

that morning and learned the real reason Serena had collapsed: she'd simply fainted from hunger. The explanation didn't sit right

sent Finn to

had come by to see Serena. No one knew what they'd talked about, but neighbors recalled that Serena had seemed unusually out of sorts afterward. Whatever Penelope had said, it had shaken

couldn't just ask Serena

from the hallway interrupted his thoughts: "Excuse me, does

voice

swept into the room, her silhouette framed by the

and threw her arms around her. "Finally! I've been searching everywhere

lines across Gabrielle's usually bright face when she saw Serena's

her way back to Northspire, Gabrielle had stumbled across the news online-Serena's recent TV appearance had gone viral. Eager to see her friend, Gabrielle had tried to get in

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

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