Chapter 257

Chapter 257

The moment Elena thought about Indigo—about the vicious way he'd used Nora as leverage, about Kian lying pale in that hospital bed—her resolve hardened.

"Fine." She lifted her head. "I'll do it. I'll keep watch over things for now. But the second he wakes up, I'm handing everything back."

Arthur's relief was visible. His tense shoulders sagged.

"Good girl. I know this isn't easy for you. Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease."

"I'll have the lawyers contact you about the shares tomorrow. Day after, we'll go straight to the Lancaster Group and put those vultures in their place."

After leaving the Lancaster Manor, Elena drove straight back to the hospital.

When she pushed open the pediatric ward door, Nora was propped against the headboard working on a puzzle. Her little face was still pale, but her energy had clearly improved.

The moment she saw Elena, her eyes lit up. She dropped the puzzle and threw her arms wide.

"Mommy!"

Elena crossed the room and gathered Nora into a hug, touching her forehead gently. The fever had broken. Relief flooded through her.

"Were you good? Does anything hurt?"

"I was so good! The nurses said I was brave."

Nora nestled against her shoulder, her voice soft and sweet. Then suddenly she leaned closer to Elena's ear.

"Mommy, I want to tell you a secret."

"That tall man who saved us? I think I've seen him before."

Elena froze. "Hmm? When was that?"

"When I was just born."

Nora's little brow furrowed as she concentrated on the memory.

"I was in a clear box. The man looked at me through the glass. His eyes looked like mine—all bright and shiny."

The child's words pierced Elena's chest like a thin needle.

Her mind flew back five years.

Nora had been premature, rushed straight into an incubator.

Felix and Dr. White had mentioned that Kian came by. He'd stood outside that incubator for nearly an hour.

So Nora had registered his presence even then.

Blood ties were a mysterious thing.

Elena's nose stung. She ruffled Nora's hair, keeping her voice gentle.

"Don't think about it now. Close your eyes and rest some more. You need to eat well so you can get better quickly."

"Okay!" Nora nodded obediently, burrowing under the covers. Within moments, her breathing evened out into sleep.

Elena tucked the blanket around her and tiptoed out of the room.

The ICU was at the end of the corridor. Kian's room was over there.

She stood rooted to the spot, hesitating. Then her feet seemed to move of their own accord, carrying her step by step in that direction.

The nurse said Kian had just had his dressing changed. She could visit for ten minutes, but she shouldn't disturb his rest.

Elena nodded and slipped quietly inside.

Kian lay on the bed with his eyes closed, his face so pale it was almost translucent. His left shoulder was wrapped in thick bandages, and the exposed skin had an icy pallor.

He looked like a discarded rag—lifeless, broken.

The monitors beeped steadily, each sound a reminder that he was still in danger.

Elena pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed. Looking at him like this, so vulnerable, left her feeling strangely unmoored.

She thought back ten years, to when she'd pulled Kian from the rubble.

She'd been injured and hospitalized. After Kian woke up, he'd come to her room every single day.

He hadn't said much, but he'd taken care of everything she needed.

That was when she'd fallen for him.

She'd thought she was marrying the love of her life. Thought they'd build a simple, steady life together.

But after the wedding, the distance between them only grew. He was always cold, always buried in work, always putting Chloe first.

She'd accumulated enough disappointment to finally steel herself and fake her death to escape.

Ten years of circling back, and here they were again—in a hospital.

Only this time, he was the one in the bed.

"Kian, you're really something."

Elena stared at his face, muttering under her breath. There was a note of grievance in her voice she didn't even recognize.

"You deliberately threw yourself in front of that bullet. Deliberately put yourself in this state. You just wanted to make me soften, didn't you?"

"And now you've dumped your company's mess on me. So that's why I came back—to clean up after you?"

She pressed her lips together and delivered a harsh warning.

"I'm telling you right now—if you dare stay asleep forever, I'll sell your company, take Nora, and disappear. I'll never forgive you. You'll regret it for the rest of your life."

The moment she finished speaking, his phone on the bedside table lit up.

It was a push notification from the Design Haven app. Half the message flashed across the screen:

[E has confirmed the donation. I'll follow up on the rest.]

The username clearly read: K.

Elena went completely rigid.

K?

Instinctively, she leaned closer. The screen hadn't dimmed yet—it was still open to a chat interface.

Right there were messages she'd sent:

[I'm heading back to Harmony City. My daughter's sick. I'm not in the mood for the event. Consider the donation good karma for her.]

Her mind exploded with a deafening roar.

The contact who'd been there for her over the past five years—the one who always connected her with exactly the right resources—K…

Had been Kian all along.

No wonder he knew everything. No wonder K's way of speaking had always felt oddly familiar.

Elena sank back into the chair, staring at Kian's unconscious form. Her chest felt tight and sour, like someone had knocked over a bottle of mixed emotions inside her. She couldn't name what she was feeling.

She turned her face toward the window. Her eyes burned.

---

The next morning, Elena changed into a sharp black suit and pulled her hair into a clean updo before heading straight to the Lancaster Group headquarters.

The receptionist saw an unfamiliar face but couldn't miss the commanding presence. She hurried over. "Hello, do you have an appointment?"

Before Elena could answer, footsteps echoed behind her.

Howard and Indigo walked in side by side. They both froze when they spotted Elena, then sneers crept across their faces.

"Well, well. If it isn't Elena."

Howard's face darkened as he waved at the security guards.

"What are you waiting for? Throw her out!"

Several guards rushed forward, reaching out to grab her.

Elena stood her ground. She simply lifted her gaze and swept it coldly over them.

That one look—calm, authoritative—made the guards hesitate mid-step.

At that exact moment, Ryan emerged from the elevator with members of the legal department. He walked straight to Elena, bowed slightly, and spoke clearly enough for the entire lobby to hear.

"Ms. Reed, you're here. The conference room is ready. We're about to notify the board members for the meeting."

Everyone present stood frozen in shock.

Elena's lips curved into a faint smile. She pulled the share transfer documents from her bag and casually held them in front of Indigo. Her tone was even, but the weight behind it was unmistakable.

"Mr. Lancaster, is your memory failing you? Forgot that Arthur transferred all his shares into my name? The shares I hold are second only to Kian himself."

"So tell me—do I really need your permission to attend a meeting at my own company?"

Indigo's face cycled through shades of red and white. His fists clenched, but no words came out.

Howard's expression turned stormy, his eyes vicious, but he didn't dare call the guards again.

With those shares in hand, Elena was the legitimate second-largest shareholder. If this escalated to the board, they'd be the ones humiliated.

Elena didn't spare them another glance. She turned on her heel, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she followed Ryan into the elevator.