Chapter 21: The Calm And The Storm

The Oaktown General Hospital was quiet at 2:00 AM, but I couldn't sleep. The smell of the cleaning stuff and the hum of the machines kept me awake. I was lying in a private room, my arm wrapped up and hurting, but my heart was beating fast in my chest.

Edward was asleep in the chair next to my bed. His hand was still holding mine, even while he slept. His suit was wrinkled, and his face looked tired, but he looked peaceful. He didn't know yet that Lily was in jail. He only knew that I was safe and that we were having a baby.

I looked at my stomach. It was still flat, but everything had changed. I wasn't just Serena Blake anymore. I was carrying a new Vance.

The door made a small sound, and Michael stepped in. He looked like he hadn't slept in a week. He put a finger to his lips so we wouldn't wake Edward. I gently pulled my hand from Edward’s and sat up.

"Is she in?" I whispered, my voice rough.

"Lily is behind bars," Michael said, leaning against the end of my bed. "And Gabriel Bennet is right next to her. The DA is already working on the case. It’s over, Serena."

I should have felt happy. I should have felt like I could finally breathe. But a cold feeling was moving up my back. I thought about the shooter at the docks. I thought about the way the bullet had gone past Edward’s head.

"Michael," I said, looking him in the eye. "Who was the shooter? Edward said he was a hired man paid by Gabriel, but it felt... different. It felt personal."

Michael sighed and rubbed his face. "The police are asking him questions now. He’s a pro, but he’s not talking yet. We’ll find out soon. For now, you need to rest."

He left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I tried to close my eyes, but I kept seeing Louise Bennet's face. The way she had looked at me at the glass house, like I was a bug she wanted to step on.

The next morning, the hospital was busy. My parents and my brothers and sisters came, filling the room with noise and hugs. My mother was crying, my father was thanking Edward over and over, and my brothers were already arguing about baby names.

"He’s going to be a king," my father said, his hand on my shoulder. "A Vance with a Blake heart. Arthur would have been proud."

Edward smiled, a real, warm smile that showed in his eyes.

As the day went on, the hospital room felt safe. But the world outside was still moving. By noon, Edward had to leave to meet with the lawyers and the bank.

"I’ll be back in two hours," he said, kissing my forehead. "Michael is outside. Two guards are at the door. You’re safe, Serena."

"I know," I said, trying to believe it.

After he left, the room got quiet. My family had gone down to the food area to eat. I was alone, looking at a bunch of lilies someone had left on the table next to the bed.

Then, there was a knock.

It wasn't the heavy knock of a guard or the quick tap of a nurse. It was soft. Careful.

The door opened, and Louise Bennet walked in.

She wasn't wearing her fancy clothes. She was in a simple flower dress, her hair pulled back in a neat bun. She looked like a different person, softer, nicer. But I remembered the cold look in her eyes at the docks.

"Serena," she said, her voice sweet as honey. "I heard about what happened. I came to see if you were okay."

I sat up straight, my hand going to my stomach without thinking. "Louise. I didn't think you'd come here after your father was arrested."

Louise walked closer, her eyes on my arm. "My father made mistakes. I’m here to make things right. I want to say sorry for everything my family did to you."

She sat on the edge of my bed. She was so close I could smell her perfume. It smelled like roses and something sharp, like metal.

"Edward told me about the fake papers," I said, watching her every move. "He told me how your father paid to keep the lie going."

Louise nodded, her eyes filling with fake tears. "He didn't tell me, Serena. He kept me in the dark. I thought Edward and I were really... Well, it doesn't matter now. You’re the one he loves. You’re the one carrying his baby."

She reached out like she wanted to touch my stomach, and I pulled back.

"Don't," I said quickly.

"You're very protective," she said softly.

"What’s a shame?"

She stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the city. "Did Edward tell you about the library? About the floorboards? There’s a contract there, Serena."

"You're lying," I said, my heart starting to race.

Louise turned around, and this time, the act was gone. Her face was full of cold, pure anger.

You think Lily was the monster? Lily was just a woman scared of being poor. But I’m a woman who knows what she’s owed."

She stepped back toward the door. "Enjoy the quiet while it lasts, Serena. Because the trial starts soon. And I’ve made sure that the witness list has some... very interesting names on it. Starting with your father."

"My father didn't do anything!"

"His name is on the car logs from the night Arthur died," Louise smiled. "Your father took a life."

She didn't wait for me to answer. She walked out, shutting the door behind her.

I sat there, frozen. But as I looked at the lilies on the table, I knew they weren't a gift.

I reached into the flowers and found a small note hidden in the stems.

The shooter never misses twice. See you in court.

I grabbed the phone to call Edward, but my hands were shaking so hard I dropped it. Just as I bent down to pick it up, the light in the room blinked and went out.

The backup power came on, but the hallway was silent. No guards. No Michael.

The door handle turned slowly.