Drake looked around the room.
"Protect her?" He laughed. "My family's second name is protector. If protection is the issue then none of you need to worry."
Robert looked at him from the bed.
"Young man. It seems like you don't know what is at stake. So you won't understand."
"Understand?" Drake said. "There is something all of you need to know. My father previously formed a corporation with the Crane family. He is my father's sworn brother, having helped him with some issues. The Crane family has the backing of the Vex family. The Vex family and the Cole family who own the Meridian contract, are very close. Like siblings."
The room went quiet.
Relief followed after hearing that, as if there was real hope the company could recover what it had lost.
Harlan's eyes lit up. He moved closer to Drake with the look of a man who had just discovered he was standing beside someone far more powerful than he had realized.
"Young Master Drake is amazing," he said.
"So when are you two getting married?"
Mark said it easily. Like a man asking about weekend plans.
William turned.
"Yes yes yes yes!" Harlan was already moving toward Drake with a wide smile. "My uncle is right. When are you —"
"Enough."
William's voice cracked across the room.
Everyone went still.
"Am I a ghost?" He looked at Mark. "Am I standing here or not. Under my nose, you are making decisions about my daughter's marriage without my consent. When did I become unimportant in my own daughter's life? When did that happen? Someone tell me."
Sophia stood a few steps away. She did not speak. But she nodded. Slowly. Firmly. Cheering her father with everything she had.
Margaret turned her gaze to William.
"And when did you start disobeying my orders Mr. William the almighty. You are the one who spoiled this girl, and you think it is only your daughter. She stopped being only your daughter the moment she came into this family. I gave birth to you. The only thing you owe me is a granddaughter. Don't I have a say in my own granddaughter's marriage?" She looked at him directly. "Answer me."
"Mum." William's voice dropped. "Not like that."
"Then like what exactly?"
He was silent.
"I can see your father's health is not really something that matters to you."
"You are getting it wrong —"
"Call it whatever you like. I have given my word and there is no going back."
William murmured heavily. His face became tight.
Veronica stepped forward. "Listen to mother just this —"
"Enough." William raised his hand sharply without looking at her. "I don't want to hear a single word from you."
He turned his face away from her completely.
"Mum you should be taking sides with your husband," Sophia said.
The slap came out of nowhere.
The sound echoed.
Sophia's head snapped to the side. her hand flying to her cheek, eyes wide in shock. For a second, no one moved.
Everyone turned. For a second, everything froze.
Harlan stood there, hand still half-raised. "I warned you," he muttered. "Learn to behave yourself."
Elena's eyes burned. Her eyes went to Sophia. Then to Drake.
There was no hesitation in her steps as she walked straight toward him and stopped right in front of him. With her eyes blazing.
"You," she said, her voice shaking with anger. "What exactly do you want from my family?"
Drake smiled, slow and deliberate. "What else, Elena? Everything I'm doing is because I'm interested in—"
The slap cut him off, sharp and clean. His head jerked slightly.
It was as if she had taken the pain Sophia received and thrown it right back.
Clara's voice rang out. "What!"
Everyone was shocked, nobody expected that.
"Elena! That is too far!" William said.
Drake's hand went to his cheek.
"What has come over this girl," Mark said.
Harlan stepped forward, furious. "You dare hit Young Master Drake? Are you looking for death?"
He didn't get another word out.
Another slap.
This time, it was his turn.
Harlan froze. His hand goes slowly to his cheek. "What. You slap me."
Veronica did not hold back. She stepped forward and her hand came across Elena's face.
"How dare you slap my son?"
"Elena." Margaret's voice came sharply from the bed. "You have grown wings that you can now hit someone in my presence."
"Enough."
Robert's voice cut through everything.
The room went still.
He looked at Drake. "Young man. Thank you for today. I know what you did today. It would have been something else without you. But please. Can we talk this over next time? As you can see... everything is already out of control. Please. My son."
Silence.
Then a cough.
Everyone gasped.
"Easy. Easy."
Robert's body was turning weak again. His hands reach for the bedsheet. "What is happening to me?" His voice was faint. "Please. Lay me back down. My body is getting weak."
They moved toward him immediately.
Panic spread instantly.
"What's happening?"
"Doctor!"
Dr. Zhou Fen stepped forward. He checked
Robert carefully. The room watched him. Waiting.
He straightened up slowly.
"I thought today's treatment would suppress his illness for about three days before the final treatment." He paused. "His condition is beyond what I imagined."
"What?" Clara said.
"What are you trying to say Doctor," Margaret said.
"I am sorry. He might not survive past noon tomorrow."
The room went cold.
The words hit like a collapse.
"No..." Clara shook her head. "No, that's not possible."
Margaret grabbed the doctor's arm. "Then do something. Anything. Save him."
"Absolutely. That is why I am here." Dr. Zhou Fen looked at Drake. "As soon as Young Master Drake gives me the go-ahead."
"No need," Drake said sharply. "Since they don't want my offer I will just go."
"No. No. No." Clara was on her feet. "It has not gotten to that."
Margaret looked at Elena. Then at Drake. "Elena is yours already. Just make sure my husband does not die. Please. Take her if you want to."
Mark did not waste another moment. He crossed the room and grabbed Elena's arm.
"Let's go." He pulled her toward the door. "I am helping you take her to your car."
Drake let out a laugh. Long and satisfied.
"In that case, I will not refuse you."
He looked at Elena.
Then he laughed again.
"As for you." His eyes stayed on her. "Tonight. It depends on how well you can make me a happy man. That will determine if your grandfather is treated by tomorrow morning."
"You —" Elena said.
"Over my dead body."
"Let's go," Drake said and walked out.
Elena struggled. But Mark's grip was too strong. They reached the car. He forced her in and closed the door.
Drake got into his car.
Mark leaned toward his window. "Please Young Master Drake. Regarding this matter. Please don't take it to heart."
Drake let out a wicked laugh. "To heart you said." He drove off without giving any assurance that he would return for the treatment.
Mark turned back to Harlan who was standing nearby.
"You see what this girl has cost us."
"Don't worry," Harlan said. "As long as Elena treats him well tonight he will definitely come back tomorrow."
Sophia stood at the front of the house. Her hand was still on her cheek. Her eyes were on the road where the car had gone. Not moving. Not looking away.
Inside the car, Elena could not struggle anymore. The grip holding her was too firm. The door was locked. All she could do was think. About her grandfather. About what Drake had said. About whether there was any way out of this.
There was not.
If what Drake said about her grandfather's condition was true then there was nothing left she could do. Drake would never let her go even if she resisted. She knew that now.
She wept. Quietly at first. Then something broke open inside her and she let out a loud cry that filled the car and went nowhere.