SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL

SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL
Xender's POV

I ran down the hospital hallway like my life depended on it, feeling as though I was completely losing my mind.

How could Seth be so inhumane? I wanted him to come after me, not Mike or anyone else.

I nearly collided with a nurse who was rushing past.

“Hi, I was called in for a friend. He was stabbed… he…” My voice trailed off as my grip around the nurse's arm tightened.

“I'm sorry, sir, but he was just wheeled into the operating room. You'll have to wait until the surgery is finished,” she replied. I loosened my grip on her wrist and watched her hurry away.

I felt so weak, like I was falling apart.

I didn't need anyone to tell me Seth was behind this.

But why? He had already gotten away with eliminating the fake body, so why would he target Mike?

He had nothing against him. I was the one who was supposed to be in the crosshairs. I had made myself an obvious target so he would come after me instead.

Then I remembered Anna. Mike had mentioned he suspected Seth was threatening her. Coming after Mike was Seth's way of sending a warning.

Which meant Seth could be at Mike's clinic looking for Anna right now. He might even have someone tipping him off to her whereabouts.

I pulled out my phone immediately and dialed Charles’s number.

“Xender, what's going on? I came back after dropping Emily and Elara off and you were gone,” Charles said as soon as he picked up.

“Good, I'm glad you're back. I need you to head to Mike's clinic and get Anna out of there right now!”

“Xender, what's going on?”

“Mike was stabbed, Charles. He was stabbed, and I know Seth is behind it. So go to the clinic right now and get some backup—the police, if possible. Anything to keep Anna safe until tomorrow. She's the only witness to Alda's death and the only one who can bring Seth to his knees.” I ran a hand through my hair, feeling utterly devastated.

“And Charles, after that, please go back to Emily and Elara. Stay with them until tomorrow. I'll make sure Seth gets an arrest warrant by the end of the day tomorrow,” I reassured him before ending the call.

Another call immediately popped up on my screen—it was the private investigator I had hired to look into the witness who testified against Alda’s driver.

“Tell me you found something useful,” I said desperately the moment I answered.

“I found more than you can imagine. It turns out Mr. Sebastian isn't just an alcoholic, he's also an addict. He runs a small ring selling hard drugs, and the guy is ruthless. He isn't just involving the homeless in his operation; he's forcing minors into it, too. He has a massive stash of those drugs hidden away at Glam Beauty.”

I needed information directly tied to Alda's death and her parents. “And the witness?” I pressed.

“He’s just a small fish in the game. I ran a thorough background check on Seth Sebastian and discovered his father used to be friends with Mr. Barnard. I don't know the exact details, but their relationship went south at some point. From what I have so far, they started a business together, but Mr. Sebastian backed out and vanished with a huge sum of money when the business hit a rough patch. Mr. Barnard managed to get the business back on its feet, and Mr. Sebastian returned, trying to claim a share of a company he never worked for. Mr. Barnard took him to court and won, and the court ordered Mr. Sebastian to pay back triple the amount he had stolen years prior.”

“Like father, like son,” I muttered, pinching the bridge of my nose and letting out a heavy sigh.

“Yep. I think that's why he got involved in Alda's life in the first place—it was an act of revenge from the very beginning. After the court ruled in favor of Mr. Barnard, Mr. Sebastian went bankrupt, and a few months later, he was found dead in his office. About a year later, Mrs. Sebastian died of heart disease, leaving their only son behind,” he added.

“Gather all this information and email it to my lawyer. Did you happen to find any solid evidence on the witness?” I asked.

“Don't worry, that's coming. I already have a contact who has had more than enough of Mr. Sebastian,” he said confidently.

“Okay, don't keep me waiting.” I ended the call and dragged a hand through my hair.

The operating room doors swung open, and I quickly approached the doctor as he stepped out.

“Doctor, how is he?” I asked urgently.

“Luckily, we were able to save him before things got out of hand. There was less damage than I expected. He’ll be moved to his ward shortly, and then you just need to wait for him to wake up.”

I thanked him before he walked away.

Moments later, Mike was wheeled out by a nurse. For the first time, the man who was always so full of energy looked completely vulnerable. It felt like a sick nightmare.

I made my way outside to call Troy, only to run into Emily rushing toward me with utter panic written across her face.

“Emily? What are you doing here?” I asked, startled.

“Xender, you need to go after Charles!” she cried, tears flooding her eyes. Her hands shook as she grabbed my shirt, a sob breaking from her throat.

“Emily, I need you to calm down. Where is Elara?” I asked, panic instantly surging through me.

“She's with her sitter and Maggie. But Xender, what's happening? Where on earth is Charles, and why did I hear gunshots in the background when I spoke to him? Why was Mike even stabbed in the first place?”

Gunshots? Oh God, things were spiraling completely out of control.

“Emily, I need you to stay here with Mike until I get back. I promise you I will bring Charles back in one piece,” I said, ignoring her desperate pleas to know what was going on.

I rushed to my car, sped off toward Mike's clinic, and dialed Charles’s number.