Chapter 23 EXPOSED.

Chapter 23 EXPOSED.
LUCIAN’S POV:

The smell of antiseptic hit me the moment I pushed through the glass doors of the external infirmary. Cold. Sharp. Too clean. Like the place had scrubbed out every trace of warmth on purpose.

My boots echoed loudly against the white tiles as I headed straight for the reception desk, each step echoing louder than the last.

My pulse thudded in rhythm with the sound, hammering like it wanted to escape my chest.

A woman in a pale-blue uniform looked up from her screen, startled by the way I approached.

“Andrew Walton,” I said, voice low but firm. “Where is he?”

She blinked rapidly, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. “Uh… Andrew Walton?” She glanced at the screen, typed something, then looked back at me.

“Yes, he was admitted earlier today.” Her tone softened a little when she saw my expression. “He’s in Ward C, Room 04. Down the hall, then take the left corridor. You can’t miss it.”

I gave a short nod, already turning before she could ask who I was. The sound of my boots echoed down the sterile hallway as I moved — fast, focused, heart hammering against my ribs.

The air grew heavier the closer I got. There was something about hospitals that always rubbed me the wrong way — too quiet, too calm, like the silence was waiting to break.

Ward C. Room 04.

The door was slightly ajar, a thin strip of light spilling onto the floor. I reached for the handle… and froze.

Voices.

Two of them. Low, tense. One belonged to the doctor — measured, calm, clinical. The other voice… I recognized it immediately.

Mira.

And next to her… Cole.

My pulse kicked up instantly. For a second, I didn’t move. The words they exchanged blurred in my head, but the tone — the urgency, the weight behind it — was enough to make my stomach tighten.

I leaned closer to the crack of the door, careful not to make a sound.

“Doctor,” Mira said evenly, voice steady, “How is Andrew?”

The doctor said nothing at first, her gaze flicking between them both.

“Is… Andrew, okay?” Cole asked this time, voice tight, trying to hide the tension.

The doctor finally spoke, slow and  deliberate, almost too casual.

“Yes. We’ve managed to stabilize him… or should I say… her.”

I froze.

Mira’s eyes widened. Cole’s jaw tightened. Both stiffened, disbelief rooting them in place.

“Her?” Mira repeated, voice sharp, questioning.

The doctor’s gaze was steady, clinical, unyielding. “Yes. The patient you brought in… she’s a female, not male. When we first started treatment, it became necessary to run a full examination — basic medical protocols.”

The doctor paused a bit, allowing the words to sink in. “Clothing had to be removed so we could assess properly.”

“That’s when it became clear. The moment we examined her fully… the truth was obvious. Her body, her… anatomy, confirmed she’s female. There was no doubt.”

Mira’s hands clenched at her sides. Cole’s eyes widened further. Both frozen, struggling to process the news.

“H- how's this even possible?” Mira whispered, disbelief crawling into her tone.

“You mean… Andrew… is—” she faltered, glancing at Cole.

“Yes,” the doctor said, nodding once.

I could see the disbelief ripple across both of their faces — shoulders stiffening, jaws tight, eyes darting between each other and the doctor. My hand pressed harder against the door frame as my heart hammered.

The secret I’d buried so deep, the truth I’d sworn to protect — out in the open, exposed to them both.

My blood ran cold.

I’d known. Of course I had. But hearing it like this — seeing Mira and Cole frozen, seeing Cole’s jaw clench, - it hit differently.

They knew now.

Both of them.

The realization crawled down my spine, slow and heavy. The air suddenly felt thinner, harder to breathe.

My jaw tightened as I took a single step back from the door, mind racing. How the hell did the doctor find out? What the hell happened inside that room?

Because one thing was clear — the secret wasn’t a secret anymore.

And once something like that got out… there was no taking it back.

I exhaled slowly, forcing my heartbeat to remain steady. The initial shock burned away, replaced by something colder. Sharper.

This changed everything.

If Mira and Cole knew, they’d start asking questions — the kind that couldn’t be ignored or deflected. And if the truth spreads beyond these walls… Storm wouldn’t be safe anymore.

A muscle in my jaw twitched as I stepped away from the door completely. My voice came out barely above a whisper.

“Damn it.”

The word cut through the silence like a blade.

I straightened, shoulders squaring as my expression hardened. The calculation had already begun — every possible move, every consequence, every name I might have to confront.

And now… it was only a matter of time before the whole thing came crashing down…

Then, I made my choice.

I pushed the door open slowly, letting the hinges protest just enough to make a soft creak.

Immediately, the room went silent.

Every eye in the ward shifted toward me, and I didn’t even need to look directly to know their reactions.

From the corner of my vision, I caught Mira’s eyes widen slightly, that subtle, involuntary flicker of recognition. Her body stiffened, hands tightening into fists at her sides, like she’d forgotten how to breathe.

Cole, on the other hand, froze entirely, his jaw slackening for the briefest moment before tightening again.

His eyes were sharp, calculating, scanning me from head to toe, clearly trying to process who I was—and what the hell I was doing here.

He hadn’t seen me before, and it showed. He was sizing me up, testing for weakness, trying to measure whether I was a threat.

I ignored them, stepping fully into the room. My boots clicked against the sterile tiles, each step deliberate, each movement radiating controlled danger.

And then I locked eyes with the doctor.

She straightened immediately, eyes narrowing at my sudden presence. There was that professional coolness she wore, but now it was tinged with wariness. Her gaze traveled over me, sharp and assessing.

“And… who are you, mister?” she asked, voice tight, clipped. “You can’t just barge in like this.”

I didn’t flinch. I didn’t need to. My pulse was calm, deliberate, every inch of me tuned to the moment. I let the silence stretch, long enough for tension to coil and press against their ribs.

Cole’s eyes flicked between me and the doctor, confused but alert, his body half-shifting forward, ready to move if I made any sudden motion.

Mira, meanwhile, seemed frozen, caught between relief, recognition, and a flicker of something else—fear, perhaps, or uncertainty.

I let my gaze sweep the room slowly, deliberately, letting my presence settle like a weight. Every movement is measured, every glance intentional.

Then, in that low, even voice that brooked no argument, I said:

“I’m Lucian Vale.”