Chapter 24 Chapter 24.

Chapter 24 Chapter 24.
Francesca stormed into her bedroom, her blood boiling. The memory of Lucien's unyielding grip around her neck stung like a fresh wound. Just then, her phone buzzed, piercing through the haze of her rage. She fished it out of her bag and saw the call she had been anticipating. With a swipe of her finger, she answered.

“Have you taken care of it?” she demanded, her tone steely.

“Yes, ma’am. The deed is done,” a masculine voice replied from the other end.

“I want all traces wiped clean, every clue buried,” she ordered, her voice carrying the weight of absolute authority.

“You got it, ma’am,” the voice affirmed before Francesca abruptly ended the call.

Setting her phone down, she studied her reflection in the mirror and let a bright smile break through her otherwise fierce demeanor. “Finally, some good news.”

She picked up her planner from the table, scanning her schedule for the day. Glancing at her wristwatch, she quickly grabbed her phone and bag and stepped out of the room.



Downstairs, on the path to the kitchen, two maids were engrossed in hushed conversation. 

"I really hope Miss Aria recovers soon," the first maid sighed. 

"Me too. She's always so kind," the second maid replied, her voice filled with genuine concern.

"Very nice," the first maid agreed. "But don't you think what happened to her is mysterious? Almost too convenient?" She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"What do you mean?" The second maid looked puzzled.

"I mean, I don’t buy that Miss Aria tried to take her own life. Something sinister is definitely at play here." The first maid's voice trembled slightly with suspicion.

The second maid leaned in even closer, readiness in her tone. "I had a similar thought, but—"

"But what?" Francesca interjected, her voice cutting through their conversation like a knife.

The two maids jumped on their feet, panic etched on their faces as they turned to confront Francesca. 

"I'm still waiting for your reply," Francesca urged, arms crossed, her piercing gaze darting between the two.

"Maybe you should join the ‘bitch’ in the hospital," Francesca hissed, her tone dripping with venom. "I could certainly help with that." The maids’ eyes widened in terror at the implicit threat.

“I can see how less busy you’ve become that you now have the time to gossip. Should I add to your job details, or should I relieve you of it?” she said icily, her gaze sweeping over the maids.

The maids fell to their knees, trembling as they begged to keep their jobs. But without a word, Francesca strode out of the house, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.



Lucien remained in the ward, his eyes never wavering from Aria. He watched her chest rise and fall slowly, a reminder that she was alive yet unreachable, suspended in a deep sleep that gnawed at his insides. Francesca's words from earlier haunted him: “I think she must have been so overwhelmed by her current situation that she decided to join her family.” He ran a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling beneath his stoic exterior.

Reaching out, he brushed a strand of hair from her face, exhaling a heavy sigh. "Did you really try to take your life? Why?" he murmured, feeling a sense of helplessness wash over him, as if she could magically provide him an answer.

His eyes flickered to the wedding ring glimmering on her finger, and a bitter smile tugged at his lips. "I think I know why now," he thought, but it was a reasoning shrouded in pain.

The door creaked open, and Francesca entered, her insides twisting in a mix of disgust and contempt as she took in the sight of Lucien so engrossed in Aria. 

Her hands clenched into fists, nails digging painfully into her palm. “Seems like I have to get rid of you completely, Aria,” she thought, the words slicing through her mind like a blade.

"Are you going to keep standing there in silence?" Lucien’s voice broke the thick silence, pulling Francesca from her dark brewing thoughts.

She forced a smile, stepping closer to intrude upon his moment. "You have a meeting with the Magoons at 11:30 PM on the dot, sir," she said, her tone sweet yet laced with an underlying threat.

Lucien finally tore his gaze from Aria, a conflict brewing within him. Lifting his hand, he pulled up his sleeve, revealing his gleaming golden Rolex wristwatch. The face of the watch now read 10:35 PM, a stark reminder of the meeting that loomed ahead, pivotal to his empire's future.

He turned his gaze back to Aria, her peaceful expression tugging at his heartstrings. The upcoming meeting could shape everything he had built, but his longing to remain with Aria was overwhelming.

"Reschedule the meeting," he declared, his voice firm yet gentle.

"What?" Francesca burst out, incredulous. "We can’t reschedule again, sir! We've done that three times already. If we push it back once more, our partners might lose their patience and walk away. You know what that could mean for us."

Lucien took a deep breath, weighing the consequences. The stakes were high, but his resolve strengthened as he simply couldn't leave her side just yet. With a slight nod, he declared, "I’ll attend the meeting."

Francesca’s expression brightened momentarily as she followed him toward the door. But his next words turned her joy into dread. "Alone. I’ll be going alone. You will stay right here with Aria and ensure she remains safe.”

Francesca’s mouth hung open, a mixture of shock and fury rendering her speechless.

"Do I make myself clear?" His voice dripped with authority, leaving no room for argument.

“Yes, sir,” she finally replied, forcing a tight smile that barely concealed her anger.

Lucien gave Aria one last lingering look before striding out of the ward.

As soon as he disappeared from view, the forced smile fell from Francesca’s face, her eyes narrowing into slits filled with venomous resentment. She turned to Aria, her voice virtually dripping with sarcasm. "You're quite the lucky charm, aren’t you? He's willing to risk everything for you. I wonder how he’d react if he knew the truth about you, you snake.”

Francesca’s gaze roamed Aria’s serene face, confusion and anger battling within her. What spell had this woman cast over Lucien? His fixation on her infuriated Francesca, making her bristle with jealousy and rage.

With a calculated maneuver, she pulled up a chair and sat beside Aria’s bed, her eyes never leaving the other woman's face. "You're not going to wake up anytime soon, Aria" she whispered, her voice laced with malice. "In fact, you're never gonna wake up. Because I'm gonna make sure of that."

With a swift motion, Francesca snatched the oxygen tube from Aria's nose, her eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure. Aria's chest wouldn't struggle, wouldn't gasp, wouldn't even flinch. The machines surrounding her continued to beep steadily, oblivious to the danger that lurked beside her.

Francesca's smile grew wider as she leaned in closer to Aria's face. "You see, Aria, Lucien may think you're precious, but to me, you're nothing but a threat. And threats need to be eliminated."

As she spoke, Francesca's fingers brushed against the IV line attached to Aria's arm. A tiny adjustment, almost imperceptible, but enough to send a lethal dose of medication coursing through Aria's veins.

The machines continued to beep, unaware of the ticking time bomb that Aria had become. Francesca's eyes never left Aria's face, watching for any sign of life, any hint of struggle. But there was none.

With a satisfied smile, Francesca settled back into her chair, her eyes fixed on Aria's face. "It's only a matter of time now," she whispered, her voice dripping with malice. "You're as good as gone, Aria. And soon, everything will fall right into place." 

"As it should be," she added, leaning back into the seat to watch Aria fade away. But the gasp she heard behind her sent her off guard.