Not safe.
Never safe.
But not simple danger either.
A week later, Vanessa Sterling came to the hospital.
She arrived in sunglasses and a camel coat, flanked by two lawyers and a publicist who looked like she had not slept since the video leaked. You were in the hallway getting coffee when she stepped out of the elevator.
For a second, neither of you moved.
The last time you had seen her, your blood had been on her ring.
Now her face looked thinner, her mouth tight with humiliation rather than remorse. She removed her sunglasses slowly.
“Iris,” she said.
Your fingers tightened around the coffee cup.
“What are you doing here?”
Her eyes flicked toward the security guard at the end of the hall. Roman’s security guard. She knew it too.
“I came to apologize.”
You almost laughed.
“Did your lawyer write it for you?”
Her cheeks colored.
One of the lawyers stepped forward. “Miss Sterling would like to express sincere regret—”
“No,” you cut in. “If she came to apologize, she can use her own mouth.”
Vanessa’s eyes flashed.
There she was. The real her, still alive beneath the forced humility.
“You ruined my life,” she hissed.
Your fear disappeared so quickly it startled you.
“No,” you said. “You hit me. You lied to the police. You threatened my brother. You ruined your own life because you thought no one would care what happened to a waitress.”
The publicist paled. “Vanessa.”
But Vanessa was staring at you with pure hatred.
“You think he cares about you?” she whispered. “Roman Cross doesn’t love women like you. He collects loyalty. He turns gratitude into chains.”
The words struck deeper than you wanted.
Vanessa saw it and smiled.
“He’ll dress it up as protection. He’ll make your brother better. He’ll make you feel chosen. Then one day, you’ll realize there is no door out.”
Your stomach twisted.
Then a voice behind you said, “That is enough.”
Roman stood at the end of the hallway.
He had arrived without sound, but the entire temperature changed. Vanessa’s lawyers stepped back at once. Her publicist looked like she might faint.
Vanessa lifted her chin, but her eyes betrayed her.
Roman walked toward her slowly. “You were told not to come here.”
“I came to apologize.”
“No,” he said. “You came to poison what you could not control.”
Vanessa’s lips trembled. “You destroyed my family.”
Roman stopped inches from her. “Your family destroyed lives for profit. I only removed the curtains.”
