chapter three

Aline stood between the bed and the man as her maternal instincts kicked in. She looked at the man again and asked firmly, "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

She had a strange feeling about this man.

"Well, Ms. Wilson, my name is Advocate John Williams. I am the legal advisor of Mr. Xavier Blackstone. I've come here regarding the unfortunate incident that occurred last night at Black Villa involving your sister," he said calmly.

Aline was a little stunned and was still processing his words when he put forward a sleek black file.

"What is this?" Aline asked, confused.

"These are the hospital bills, which have already been paid. The Blackstone family also intends to pay the rest of your sister's treatment expenses," he replied, making Aline's blood boil.

The audacity of these people.

First, they did such a horrible thing to Amy, and now they think they're being generous by paying the hospital bills? As if it wasn't because of that Alex Black, her sister would be lying in a hospital bed, fighting between life and death.

"We don't need your generosity," she snapped. "I can manage my sister's bills. What I need is justice! I want the person who is responsible for all of this to pay the price for his actions!" she burst out, her voice sharp with fury.

John, being a professional advocate, didn't flinch at her outburst. He had seen many scenarios like this and had grown accustomed to them. Responding in a calm and composed voice, he said, "Ms. Wilson, please try to think rationally. This bill payment is what the Blackstone family owes you—and your sister. And I'm well aware of your family's financial situation. Unless you sell all your assets, you won't be able to pay these bills, let alone continue your sister's treatment. You don't need to feel guilty accepting this... little favor. Which, in truth, isn't a favor at all."

John had always been a calm, level-headed professional. He was not only Xavier's legal advisor but also one of his few close friends. While Xavier was known to be cold and ruthless, John was composed and sympathetic. Funny enough, his gentle nature didn't suit his fierce profession—but strangely, that trait always helped him defeat his opponents with silent precision.

His feelings toward the Wilson sisters were genuinely sympathetic. After he'd run a background check on them, he found out that these girls were simple-minded and just too poor in luck. He also knew that Aline's rage could burn her from the inside out—because Xavier would never let anyone lay a finger on his brother.

John had personally seen the extent Xavier could go to protect his family, and he really didn't want this girl to get tangled with such a merciless man.

"And as for the justice you want," John continued, taking a small folded piece of paper from his pocket, "Mr. Black has said..."

"You can fill in whatever amount you want as compensation for your sister. He wants me to inform you that all the expenses for your sister's treatment will be covered by the Blackstone family for as long as she's alive—to make up for the mistakes of his younger brother."

The rage that had slightly calmed in Aline's heart suddenly burst out a hundredfold.

"Are they trying to say I should just shut my mouth?!" she shouted. "Mr. John, your boss thinks he can buy my sister's life with a piece of paper?"

Aline grabbed the check and tore it into pieces, her hands trembling.

"If the roles were reversed—if it had been Alex Black lying on that hospital bed—do you think your boss would've been as forgiving as he's trying to portray now?" she asked bitterly, looking him directly in the eyes with cold fury. "Do you really think they would have let my sister go?"

John remained silent. He couldn't respond. Because what Aline was saying was, unfortunately, the truth. They might have made the Wilson sisters' lives a living hell. And he hated to admit it, but it was perhaps their twisted luck that Amy was the one who had been pushed—not Alex.

That way, only one sister had been touched by the tragedy.

And he didn't even want to imagine what could have happened if it had been the other way around.

"Why are you silent, Mr. John? Don't you know?" Aline asked, her voice seething. "Would the Black family have been just as forgiving towards my sister as they expect me to be toward theirs? Just because I don't have that much money or power, they want to silence me?"

She took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside her, then looked back at him with glassy eyes.

"You know what? Let Alex Black be in the same position as my sister—where waking up again is uncertain. I would be generous enough to pay his hospital bills and take care of him for the rest of his life. Do you think they would let me do that?" she paused, giving him no chance to respond. "No. They wouldn't."

She answered her own question and continued with quiet rage, "You know that quite well, don't you, Mr. Williams? Then why are you expecting me to be forgiving towards them?"

"Go and tell that savior Plagg," she spat the name like poison, "that if I have to go to hell to bring justice to my sister, I will not hesitate. This lean Wilson will do whatever is in my power to get that arrogant bastard, Alex Plagg, behind bars."

Her eyes were now glowing red with rage, burning with the same intensity as the tears that had been falling since last night.

These people didn't know what it felt like—to watch the only person you call your own, fighting just to stay alive. They didn't understand the agony of a 23-year-old woman who had seen everyone close to her fade away, one after the other—first her parents, then her aunt, and now her sister.

No.

No, Emmy wouldn't go away. She would be alright.

Aline mumbled to herself as she wiped the fresh tears off her cheeks.

John looked at her, and for the first time in a long while, a strange, unfamiliar worry stirred in his heart. He wasn't a gentleman. He'd done more than enough shady work for clients, friends, and even family—but something about this young woman, who had nothing yet wanted to fight with everything she had, made him feel guilty.

But he didn't want this girl to unknowingly destroy herself either.

So he gave her a serious warning.

"Ms. Wilson," he said firmly, "I am fully and truly sorry for your pain. But you should also know—the family you want to oppose is powerful enough to erase two people from this city without leaving a trace."

He stepped closer.

"This justice you speak of... don't let it trap you in something you won't be able to get out of. You have someone to care for. Don't forget that."

He placed a clean, embossed card on the small coffee table beside the hospital bed.

"I'll leave my card here. Think properly. You can give me a call. I'll try my best to negotiate any demands you make—to fulfill the compensation your sister deserves. But if you're thinking about entering into a legal battle... you can forget that."

With that, he turned towards the door, then stopped at the threshold.

"I have paid the bills. And the medical expenses of your sister will continue to be taken care of by the Blackstone family. That clause is not up for discussion. Whatever else you want—it will be separate from this."

Saying that, he walked out of the room before she could respond.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind John, Aline's legs gave in. She slowly walked over to the hospital bed and sank into the chair beside her sister. The sterile scent of disinfectant filled her lungs, but it did nothing to clear the heaviness pressing against her chest.

She reached out and gently held Emmy's cold, limp hand.

"Emmy," she whispered, her voice breaking, "please wake up... I don't know what to do without you."

Her fingers trembled as they brushed a strand of hair off her sister's forehead. The rhythmic beeping of the monitors felt like cruel reminders of time slipping by—every second a silent scream.

"I need you. I can't lose you too. Everyone's gone, Em... Mom, Dad, Aunt Lucy… you're all I have left. You can't leave me like this. Not now," she choked out, tears spilling quietly down her cheeks.

She leaned forward, placing her forehead softly against Emmy's hand. The warmth from her own skin felt like the only sign of life between the two of them.

After a few long moments of silence, she wiped her face with the back of her hand and pulled out her phone, almost reluctantly. The screen lit up.

16 missed calls. 8 unread messages.

Aline sighed.

Aline sighed.

Most of the missed calls were from her colleagues at the office .

A few were from Ms. Clara, the floor manager, and some from Mia, her closest co-worker and only real friend there. She also noticed a voicemail blinking at the top of the screen.

She opened her messages.

"Where are you, Aline? Are you okay? Ms. Clara's getting mad."

"Aline, call me. I heard something bad happened at the emmy. Is it true?"

" Is she alright, message me when you have time. "

Her heart tightened.

Yes. It was all true