Alexander POV.
“Christiana..” Daniel’s voice cracked as he said her name, and it was all I could do to keep my fists from tightening.
“Daniel.” Christiana called out, her voice weak but filled with something I couldn’t quite place. Relief? Gratitude! “I’m glad you’re here.”
She didn’t look at me. Her eyes were locked on him as if he were the only one who mattered. As if I hadn’t been standing by her side this entire time, trying to help her through this nightmare.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to keep my mouth shut. I couldn’t afford to upset her, not now, not when she was still lying in that hospital bed with her ankle twisted and her body bruised. But it took every ounce of self–control I had to not lash out, to not tell Daniel to get the hell out of this room and away from my family.
Daniel crossed the room in a few strides, the kids still attached to him as he reached Christiana’s side. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder, and I could see her body relax under his touch, a small, tired smile forming on her lips.
“Thank God you’re okay,” he whispered, his voice barely audible but thick with emotion.
I felt a surge of jealousy so intense it nearly knocked the wind out of me. How could she respond to him like that? How could she just… let him be the one to comfort her when I was right here? When I had been the one trying to protect her and our kids, trying to find a way to make this right?
Christiana’s eyes flicked toward me briefly, but there was no warmth in her gaze. No acknowledgment of the turmoil brewing inside me. She was focused on Daniel, on the way he was looking at her as if she were the most precious thing in the world. And that only made my blood boil even more.
The kids had settled beside Christiana, Ethan still clutching Daniel’s hand while Emma rested her head against her mother’s arm. The sight should have been comforting, should have eased some of the tension in my chest. But all I could feel was the burning sensation of being pushed aside, of being the outsider in this scene.
I clenched my jaw, biting back the words that were threatening to spill out. I couldn’t do this here, not in front of the kids, not while Christiana was in such a fragile state. But damn it, I wanted to rip Daniel away from her, to remind him that this was my family, my responsibility, not his
But instead, I stayed silent, watching as Christiana leaned into Daniel’s touch, her eyes closing briefly as if she were finding solace in him. It was a punch to the gut, a reminder that no matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, I might never be able to fix what was broken between us.
“Thank you for coming.” Christiana finally said, her voice soft but sincere. “It means a lot.”
Daniel just nodded, his hand still resting on her shoulder, his eyes never leaving her face. I could see the unspoken connection between them, the way they seemed to understand each other without words. It was infuriating, maddening.
And there was nothing I could do about it.
it
The hallway outside Christiana’s room felt like it was closing in on me, the walls pressing down as if echoing the turmoil inside my chest. I was pacing, my mind racing, when I heard the door swing open and Daniel stormed out, his face twisted with rage. He locked eyes with me, his expression one of pure, unbridled fury.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” Daniel roared, his voice cutting through the stillness. Before I could even react, he shoved me against the wall, his hands gripping my collar.
The force of the push pinned me hard against the cold, sterile surface, and I could see the barely contained hatred in his eyes. “This is your fault!” he spat, his breath hot and angry against my face. “Someone close to you, someone who hates Christiana, set that fire. You’re responsible for this! You need to stay away from her.”
The accusation hit me like a sledgehammer. My mind raced, trying to make sense of his words. I was angry, but there was a nagging sense of confusion gnawing at me. Daniel was going too far, making it seem like I was somehow behind this attack. It was infuriating, and a part of me was desperate to defend myself.
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Chapter 46
“You think I had something to do with this?” I growled, shoving him back with all my strength. “You’re out of your goddamn mind!”
Before I could fully comprehend his claim, my fist flew through the air, connecting hard with Daniel’s jaw. He staggered back, a look of shock and pain flashing across his face. My own knuckles burned from the impact, but the surge of adrenaline was like a drug.
“You bastard!” I shouted, my voice cracking with rage. “How dare you accuse me of this! You think you know me? You have no idea what’s going on.”
Daniel’s face was a storm of emotions, his eyes narrowing as he wiped blood from his lip. He lunged at me again, but just as we were about to collide in a full–blown fight, the sound of approaching footsteps cut through the tension.
Security guards burst into the hallway, their presence abruptly halting our confrontation. They pulled us apart with firm, practiced hands, their expressions was of confusion and authority.
“Both of you need to calm down and step away!” one of the guards commanded, his voice stern as he stood between us. “No fighting allowed here. This is a hospital, for Christ’s sake!”
Daniel and I glared at each other over the shoulders of the security personnel, the hate between us evident. I was breathing heavily, my heart pounding, but I could see the boldness in Daniel’s eyes. He wasn’t finished yet, and neither was I
As the guards separated us further, I felt a deep, unsettling confusion mix with my anger. Daniel’s accusations had stirred something inside me, a question I couldn’t ignore. But there was no time for answers right now. Not while the chaos of the night still lingered and Christiana’s pain was fresh.
I watched as Daniel was led away, his eyes still burning with that same fury. I felt a surge of frustration, but I knew I had to focus on what mattered. Christiana, the kids, and the nightmare that had unfolded. The fight with Daniel was just another layer of the hellish night, a d
istraction from the real issues that needed my attention.
