Chapter 20
Seraphine looked at him, then put the gemstone ring away. "I'll come when I have time."
Valencia watched from the side, her eyes filled with warmth.
The visit didn't last long. Seeing that Orion was in good spirits and his condition stable, Seraphine decided not to linger.
"Mr. Orion FitzRoy, rest well. I'll come check on you in a few days."
"Alright, alright," Orion waved cheerfully. "Go on. Don't worry about me—I'm tough as nails."
Valencia also stood, nodding politely to Orion before leaving with her daughter.
As mother and daughter walked out of the room, the assistant was waiting at the door.
"Ms. Wipere, Mrs. Windsor, this way please."
The assistant led them through the corridor. As they passed the nurses' station, a few nurses glanced their way, whispering amongst themselves.
Valencia held her head high, her posture elegant and composed.
Seraphine walked beside her, calm and unhurried, as though completely unaware of the curious stares.
They reached the elevator. The doors opened, and they stepped inside.
The moment the doors closed, Valencia finally let out a long breath.
She turned to look at Seraphine, her eyes shimmering slightly. "Sera, you really impressed Mr. Orion FitzRoy today."
Seraphine glanced at her. "Just did what I do."
"What you do?" Valencia smiled gently. "Sera, you don't realize it, but Mr. Orion FitzRoy has high standards. Very few people earn his approval. The fact that he gave you that gemstone ring means he truly values you."
Seraphine said nothing, quietly gripping the ring in her hand.
It was warm, solid—like a promise.
The elevator reached the first floor. The doors opened.
Mother and daughter stepped out and headed toward the hospital entrance.
Just as they were about to exit, a sharp voice suddenly rang out from behind.
"Wait!"
Valencia paused and turned around.
Haven and Xiomara were rushing over, both slightly out of breath. Haven's face was flushed, her expression a mixture of embarrassment and anger.
"Ms. Mellon! Seraphine!"
Valencia frowned slightly but kept her tone polite. "Mrs. Wipere, is there something you need?"
Haven stopped in front of them, catching her breath before speaking. Her tone carried a strange mix of accusation and smugness.
"Ms. Mellon, I just want to ask—did you two actually see Mr. Orion FitzRoy?"
Valencia raised an eyebrow. "Yes. Why?"
Haven's lips curled into a sneer. "Really? You saw him? Then which room was he in? What did you talk about?"
Her tone grew sharper, more aggressive. "Ms. Mellon, I've been in this business long enough to know when someone's putting on airs. You and Seraphine went to the wrong wing entirely. Mr. Orion FitzRoy's room is in 708. You two went to the opposite end of the hall!"
Xiomara chimed in from behind, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "Ms. Mellon, we're not trying to be rude. We're just concerned. If you're going around pretending to have connections to the FitzRoy family, that's not good for anyone. People talk."
Valencia's expression darkened.
Seraphine stood beside her, utterly unbothered.
She glanced at Haven, then at Xiomara, her gaze calm and indifferent—as though looking at two strangers who had nothing to do with her.
"Mrs. Wipere," Valencia's voice turned cold, "we did see Mr. Orion FitzRoy. As for which room—that's none of your concern."
Haven's face twisted with displeasure. "None of my concern? Ms. Mellon, I'm just trying to help. If you keep lying like this and word gets out, it'll damage both our families' reputations!"
"Lying?" Valencia's tone grew icier. "Mrs. Wipere, I don't need to lie. And I certainly don't need your 'help.'"
She turned to leave, linking arms with Seraphine.
But Haven wasn't done. She grabbed Valencia's arm.
"Ms. Mellon, I'm not trying to embarrass you. I'm just being honest. You went to the wrong wing. Mr. Orion FitzRoy isn't even in this hospital anymore—he transferred out yesterday! I checked with the nurses myself. Room 708 is empty!"
Her voice grew louder, attracting the attention of passersby in the hospital lobby.
Xiomara added fuel to the fire, her tone laced with mockery. "Ms. Mellon, we're not stupid. That assistant who came to get you? Probably someone you hired to put on a show. But you can't fool us. We know the truth."
The lobby had gone quiet. Several people stopped to watch.
Valencia's face had gone pale—not from fear, but from anger.
She'd never been publicly humiliated like this before.
Seraphine, however, remained perfectly calm.
She gently pulled her mother's arm free from Haven's grip, her movements unhurried, her expression serene.
Then she looked directly at Haven.
Her gaze was cold, sharp—like a blade slicing through the air.
"Mrs. Wipere," Seraphine's voice was quiet but clear, each word cutting, "you said Mr. Orion FitzRoy transferred out of room 708 yesterday?"
"That's right!" Haven lifted her chin triumphantly. "The nurses confirmed it. Room 708 is empty. So where exactly did you 'see' him?"
Seraphine's lips curved into a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
It wasn't warm. It wasn't mocking. It was something else entirely—something unsettling.
"You're right," Seraphine said. "Mr. Orion FitzRoy did leave room 708."
Haven's eyes lit up. "See? I knew it! You're lying—"
"But," Seraphine cut her off smoothly, "he didn't transfer to another hospital. He moved to a different room. The super VIP suite at the end of the east wing."
Haven froze.
Xiomara's smile faltered.
"That area," Seraphine continued, her tone still calm, "requires special clearance to enter. Only family and specially invited guests are allowed. So naturally, you wouldn't have been able to get in."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over Haven and Xiomara with cool detachment.
"Mrs. Wipere, if you'd done your homework properly, you'd know that high-profile patients like Mr. Orion FitzRoy don't stay in regular VIP rooms. They use private suites with restricted access."
The color drained from Haven's face.
Xiomara stood frozen, her mouth slightly open, unable to form a response.
Seraphine didn't wait for them to recover. She turned back to her mother.
"Mom, let's go."
Valencia nodded, her earlier anger replaced by quiet satisfaction.
Mother and daughter walked toward the exit, leaving Haven and Xiomara standing motionless in the lobby, their faces pale, their earlier smugness completely shattered.
As they passed through the sliding glass doors, Valencia glanced at her daughter.
"Sera," she said softly, a hint of admiration in her voice, "you handled that well."
Seraphine's expression didn't change. "Just stated facts."
Valencia smiled.
Behind them, Haven finally snapped out of her daze.
She turned to Xiomara, her voice low and shaking. "Go ask the nurses. Check if what she said is true."
Xiomara nodded quickly and hurried back toward the nurses' station.
A few minutes later, she returned, her face ashen.
"Mom," she whispered, "it's true. Mr. Orion FitzRoy is in the east wing super VIP suite. They won't let anyone in without special authorization."
Haven's hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms.
Seraphine had been telling the truth.
She really had seen Orion.
And they—Haven and Xiomara—had just made complete fools of themselves in front of everyone.