"You poor, foolish girl." Mrs. Harrison gathered Rose’s head into her arms, her sobs echoing through the sterile room.

"Alright, that’s enough! The girl is finally stabilizing, let’s not upset her with more tears," Albert Harrison interjected, patting his wife’s shoulder.

Mrs. Harrison wiped her eyes, stood up, and gently blotted the tears from Rose’s cheeks. "Yes, of course. Everything is going to be alright now. I’ll go get you some warm chicken soup."

Once her mother had left, Albert sighed, his expression hardening. "Rose, I’ve looked into the situation. Maximus Anderson has crossed the line one too many times. I’ve already set things in motion to make him feel the sting. Don’t let this eat away at you."

He paused, his voice softening with a heavy, paternal weight. "And about the baby... we have to let it go. You’re still young, Rose. You have your whole life ahead of you. Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that again—your mother nearly had a heart attack when she found you. You can't be so reckless with your life."

"I know, Dad," Rose whispered, her voice brittle. "I won't be foolish again."

"Good. Now, get some rest. Close your eyes." Albert smoothed her hair, his eyes lingering on her with a mix of pity and affection.

As Rose closed her eyes, the image of her baby flashed before her—tiny, chubby hands reaching out as if waving goodbye. She stared at the vision until the dam finally broke; cold, salt-stung tears leaked from her lashes and disappeared into the tangle of her hair.

***

Meanwhile, at the Anderson Group headquarters, the atmosphere was frantic.

"Sir, we’re in trouble," Miles Cook burst into Maximus Anderson’s office, his face pale. "Several of our key partners are demanding to terminate their contracts immediately."

"What?" Maximus didn’t bother to scold his assistant for the lack of protocol. He stood abruptly, snatching the legal documents from Miles’s hands.

His eyes scanned the pages, his face darkening with every line. He flipped through the files, his knuckles turning white. "How is this possible? Who is behind this?"

"The word from Starlight Media is that this is coming directly from the top," Miles said, his voice barely a murmur. "It’s Albert Harrison."

"Harrison!" Maximus spat the name out, his teeth grinding together in a fury. "I don’t care if I have to burn the city down—I will not be brought to my knees by him."

Maximus grabbed his phone. "Miles, get me Trevor Morrison on the line."

"Right away, sir."

Maximus hesitated for a split second. "Actually, never mind. Give me his private number. I’ll make the call myself."

***

The night air was crisp and biting. Inside the Gilded Lounge, the bass hammered against the walls, and the dance floor was a sea of bodies swaying in the neon haze.

"Trevor, man, let’s keep it going! We’re not leaving until the bottles are empty," Maximus said, pouring a drink and forcing a subservient smile.

Trevor Morrison, already slurring his words from a night of heavy drinking, clinked his glass against Maximus’s. "You’ve got guts, Anderson! I like it. Tonight, we don't stop."

"I’m counting on you to put in a good word for me with the big boss," Maximus said, leaning in close, his tone desperate. "Help me pull this off, and I’ll never forget it."

"Yeah, yeah, sure," Trevor mumbled, swaying on his feet. "You’ve treated me well tonight. I’ll see what I can do."

Suddenly, Maximus’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen—it was Delilah Kelly. He stood up immediately, offering a polite, apologetic nod. "Excuse me, Trevor. It’s an emergency at home. I’ll be right back."

He stepped away into the hallway, his cold, sharp demeanor melting into something sickeningly sweet. "What’s wrong? Why are you still awake?"

He felt like a man tending to his most precious treasure. Delilah had been suffering from night terrors for days, and Maximus had been hovering over her, only venturing out for this meeting once she had finally settled. He was counting the minutes until he could get back to her.

"Max," Delilah’s voice trembled through the speaker. "Where are you? Why aren't you here? I’m all alone and I’m scared."

"Shh, don't be afraid. I’m just out dealing with some business, but I’ll be home soon," Maximus soothed her, his voice a gentle, rhythmic lullaby. "Be a good girl and try to sleep, okay?"

"Oh... okay," Delilah replied, feigning a small, pathetic sigh. "Just... please hurry back."

"I will, I promise. Don’t overthink anything. Just close your eyes and wait for me," he whispered, hanging up the phone with a tender expression that was entirely absent when he looked at his own wife.