"Max, I heard Rose Harrison finally woke up. Should we go pay her a visit?" Delilah Kelly purred, curling into Maximus Anderson’s chest.

"She’s awake?" Maximus spat, his expression darkening. "Forget it. That report she filed... it’s clearly the reason the Anderson Group is having such trouble with those contracts. She’s behind all of it."

Delilah tilted her head, her gaze tracing the heavy, bruised shadows under Maximus’s eyes. "Is that why you’ve been so stressed? You look like you haven't slept in days."

"It’s a headache," he muttered.

"Maybe I should go to the hospital," Delilah said, her tone suddenly frantic as she pushed herself up. "I’ll humble myself. I’ll go and apologize to her—would that help?"

Maximus gripped her shoulder, his jaw tightening. "Don't you dare. It’s Rose’s doing, not yours. She’s just waiting to bait you. I won’t let her keep acting like she owns the world."

Delilah settled back into his arms, hiding a cold, triumphant smirk. "If you say so. Just be careful, Max—the Harrison family has a long reach."

"Sleep," he whispered, patting her back. "You have a job to get to in the morning. Stop overthinking it."

"Of course, Max. Whatever you say." As she turned away, her face settled into a mask of pure, calculated malice.

The next day, Delilah sauntered into the hospital, looking as if she were walking a runway rather than visiting a ward. Flora, the caregiver, was the only one in the room; Rose’s mother had stepped out.

"Still kicking, Rose?" Delilah shrieked, her voice gratingly sharp. She adjusted her thick layer of makeup, sneering at the woman in the bed. "I heard you tried to end it all. Too bad you failed. Let me tell you something—even if your daddy pulls every string he has, Maximus isn't coming back to you."

Rose squinted, her voice rasping with a new, dangerous edge. "I was a fool before, wasn't I? If I had died, you would’ve won. I’m not going anywhere, Delilah. I plan to stick around just to watch you and your pathetic lover tear each other apart."

"You manipulative bitch!" Delilah screeched, lunging at the bed.

Flora didn't hesitate. She shoved Delilah aside with enough force to send her sprawling onto the sterile tile floor.

"Delilah!" Maximus’s voice boomed from the doorway. He rushed in, hauling her back to her feet as if she were made of glass.

He turned his icy, hateful glare toward the bed. "Enough, Rose! Isn’t it enough that your father destroyed my company’s contracts? Delilah came here out of the goodness of her heart, and this is how you treat her?"

Delilah immediately buried her face in his jacket, shaking with practiced, silent sobs. "It’s my fault, Max. Don’t be angry. I shouldn't have come... it's all my fault."

Flora stood back, utterly dumbfounded. The speed of the woman's emotional pivot was nothing short of a professional performance.

"I don't need your pity," Rose wheezed, her hand trembling as she pointed toward the door. "Get out. Now."

"Rose!" Maximus roared, the sound echoing off the walls. "Is this what your father taught you? Your lack of basic decency is truly sickening."