A wave of relief washed over Isabella.

She bowed deeply, her voice trembling with emotion.

“Thank you. I can’t express my gratitude enough.”

“It’s our duty,” the specialist replied kindly. “Just make sure you take care of yourself. Your grandmother requires you to be strong.”

Once the medical team left, Isabella collapsed into the chair beside the bed.

She watched Eleanor’s peaceful face, her breathing even and steady.

For the first time in what felt like forever, the crushing weight on Isabella’s chest finally began to lift.

Utterly drained, she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep right there, her head resting near the hospital bed.

The ward fell into a hushed silence.

In another VIP room down the hall, Sophia Reed tossed and turned.

She had been waiting for Ethan all afternoon, but he never showed.

“Where are you, Ethan?” she muttered under her breath, flinging a fashion magazine onto the side table in a fit of irritation.

A nurse entered with a cart to change her IV drip.

“Excuse me,” Sophia asked, forcing a sweet tone. “Have you seen Mr. Blackwood by any chance?”

The nurse paused, choosing her words carefully. “Mr. Blackwood… I believe he was with Mrs. Vance earlier today.”

“Mrs. Vance?” Sophia’s eyes narrowed. “Why was he there?”

“Rumor is he brought in a team of top specialists for a consultation. I heard her condition was critical, but it’s stabilized now. They say she might even wake up soon,” the nurse explained while efficiently switching the IV bag.

“Wake up?” Sophia’s face went pale as she turned sharply toward the nurse.

The thought of Eleanor regaining consciousness filled her with pure terror. Would the old woman tell Ethan what she had said? What she had done?

Sophia had only meant to scare her with a few harsh words. She never expected the woman to be so weak, to collapse from a heart attack.

She refused to accept any blame for the incident.

But the memory of Ethan’s icy, accusing stare still made her shiver. She could not allow Eleanor to wake up.

A dark, terrifying idea began to form in her mind.

Her hands shook slightly as she reached for her phone on the bedside table. She dialed a number she hadn’t called in a long time.

“Vincent? It’s me,” she whispered, her voice unsteady.

A rough, familiar voice answered. “Miss Reed. This is a surprise. Need another problem solved?”

“I have a job for you… A permanent solution,” Sophia said, her voice tight with tension.

“Permanent?” The voice on the other end let out a low chuckle. “That’s a significant request, Miss Reed. The price will reflect that.”

“Five million,” Sophia stated flatly, without hesitation.

There was a short, silent pause before a scoff came through the line. “Five million for a life? You can’t be serious.”

A desperate edge crept into Sophia’s voice.

This was no ordinary task, and the man on the phone was not easily swayed.