Chapter 168: The Cost of Survival

Alyssa's POV

The car's engine roared as I pressed the gas pedal to the floor, speeding through the darkened streets. Blood stained my hands-Ethan's blood. It soaked through my shirt, warm and sticky, seeping into my skin as I held him against me.

"Stay with me," I pleaded, my voice barely above a whisper. "Don't you dare close your eyes, Ethan."

His breathing was shallow, each exhale weaker than the last. His face was pale, too pale, and the stab wound on his side was still bleeding despite the pressure I applied. My hands shook as I gripped the wheel tighter, forcing myself to focus. The hospital was too far. We wouldn't make it in time. There was only one option.

I hit a button on the dashboard, dialing Isabella's secure line.

She answered on the first ring. "Alyssa? What's wrong?"

"It's Ethan," I gasped, struggling to keep my voice steady. "Leon stabbed him. I need you to set up the medical room. Now."

A sharp intake of breath. "How bad?"

"Bad." My jaw clenched. "I'm five minutes out."

"I'll be ready."

The call disconnected, and I forced myself to breathe. Ethan shifted slightly in my arms, groaning. His fingers weakly brushed against mine.

"Y-you…" His voice was hoarse, barely audible. "You should have killed him."

My heart clenched. Even now, he was thinking about Leon. About how this would never truly be over.

"I did something worse," I murmured. "I took away everything he had."

Ethan's lips curled into the faintest, ghost of a smirk. "That's my girl…"

Then his body went slack.

"No!" I shouted, shaking him. "Ethan! Stay with me!"

The tires screeched as I took a sharp turn, my vision blurring with panic. I wouldn't lose him. I couldn't.

-

I barely remembered parking. I barely remembered hauling Ethan out of the car, stumbling into Isabella's underground medical room. Everything was a blur of flashing lights, frantic voices, and the deafening sound of my heartbeat hammering in my ears.

Isabella was already there, her sleeves rolled up, surgical gloves on. She and her team moved quickly, pulling Ethan onto the operating table, cutting away his blood-soaked shirt.

"Alyssa, move," Isabella ordered, snapping me out of my trance.

I hesitated.

"Now!"

I stepped back, my hands still trembling. Blood-his blood-covered my skin, smeared across my clothes, a brutal reminder of how close I was to losing him.

The machines beeped rapidly as Isabella worked. My body felt frozen, my mind stuck in an endless loop of what-ifs. What if I had acted faster? What if I had seen Leon's attack coming? What if…

A hand touched my shoulder.

I turned to see Xavier. His face was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes-concern, maybe even guilt.

"He'll pull through," he said. "He's survived worse."

I let out a shaky breath, my legs barely holding me up. "I should have seen it coming," I whispered. "I should have protected him."

Xavier exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "We were all caught off guard. Leon was playing a long game." His jaw tightened. "But he's done now. You ended him."

I wished I could believe that.

The minutes dragged by like an eternity. The sound of medical instruments, the steady beeping of monitors, Isabella barking orders-it all blurred together.

Finally, Isabella stepped back, peeling off her gloves. Her face was unreadable.

"He's stable," she said. "For now."

The breath I had been holding whooshed out of me. My knees nearly gave out, and I had to grip the back of a chair to stay upright.

"But he's not out of the woods yet," Isabella continued. "The knife hit dangerously close to his liver. He lost a lot of blood. He needs rest, and I need to monitor him closely."

I nodded numbly, barely processing her words.

Xavier exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "You should get some rest too, Alyssa."

I shook my head. "I'm not leaving him."

Isabella sighed but didn't argue. Instead, she handed me a damp towel. "Then at least clean up."

I took it without a word, scrubbing the blood from my hands, but no matter how much I wiped, it still felt like it was there-like I'd never be able to wash it off.

As I sat beside Ethan's bed, exhaustion crashed over me like a tidal wave. My body ached, my mind spiraled, but I couldn't let go.

Then, a knock at the door.

Xavier tensed. Isabella frowned, exchanging a wary glance with me before moving to answer.

A guard stood there, holding a sealed envelope.

"This was just delivered," he said. "No name, no return address. Just… this."

I took it, my fingers numb as I turned it over. The paper was thick, expensive. The wax seal on the back was deep crimson, pressed with an insignia I recognized all too well.

Leon's crest.

My stomach twisted into knots.

The front of the envelope had only three words, scrawled in his elegant, calculated handwriting:

For The End.

A cold chill ran down my spine.

Xavier leaned closer, his voice low. "That son of a bitch always had a backup plan."

I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening around the letter.

Leon was in custody. His empire was in ruins. But somehow… somehow, he was still playing the game.

And I had a sinking feeling this wasn't over.