Chapter 52

On the outskirts of the city, a dilapidated warehouse concealed a chilling secret-ahidden underground complex with five levels, all kept in complete darknessfrom the outside world. This secluded base was one of many places where Alexander's enemies found themselves brought to face brutal consequences for their betrayals.

In a dimly lit room on the fourth level, Alexander stood over a table cluttered with an array of grim tools and weapons. His icy eyes locked onto a young man, bound and suspended on a stool, with a thick rope cutting into his neck. The room reeked of blood and fear, as the man winced in pain from his ongoing torment. Terror gripped him as he saw the gleaming butcher's knife in Alexander's hand.

"Please..." the captive begged, his voice trembling, as tears ran down his battered face. He had only followed orders to run down a woman,unaware of the dangerous game he was entangled in.

"Please?" Alexander sneered, his voice low and mocking. "Not until I get what I want."

The young man's body trembled violently as he desperately tried to control his breathing. "If I were you, I wouldn't do that," Alexander said,his voice chilling as he watched the man struggle. "A little too much movement, and you'll strangle yourself." "I'd rather die than endure this," the man muttered, his face contorted in pain before he kicked the stool from under him, the rope tightening around his neck.

Alexander's cold gaze never wavered. "Hold him steady," he commanded.His men,hidden in the shadows, swiftly rushed forward, stabilizing the stool, keeping the man from choking to death.

Gasping for air, the man whimpered, his throat raw. "Why won't you just let me die?" he rasped.

"I'm not finished with you," Alexander replied, his voice laced with venom.

He approached the man and plunged the butcher's knife into his foot, the blade sinking deep, causingthe man to scream in agony.

Up above, on the first underground level, Ethan's car screeched to a halt.

A guard greeted him with a nod.

"Where's your boss?" Ethan demanded.

"In the torture room," the guard answered with a somber tone.

Ethan strode toward the elevator, déscending into the depths of the building. He made his way through the shadowy corridors, the unsettling silence broken only by the sound of his boots hitting the cold floor.Reaching the torture room, he swung open the door, revealing the grisly scene: Alexander standing over the tortured young man, blood splattered across the floor.

"Alexander!" Ethan called out, his voice sharp. When Alexander didn't respond, Ethan's frustration boiled over. "Stop!" he shouted, his eyes burning with urgency.

It was only then that Alexander paused, turning toward Ethan, his face unreadable. "Lilly has woken up," Ethan said in a voice thick with urgency, causing Alexander to stop dead in his tracks. The nurse trembled, her voice barely above a whisper. "Dr. Sophia went to the ICU." Alexander's gaze darkened, a dangerous edge creeping into his voice." What did you say? This better not be a joke, or you'll regret it."

"Lilly woke up. I was just at the hospital. You weren't answering your calls, so Richard told me you were here," Ethan continued. Alexander dropped the knife, his face momentarily softening before he made his way toward theexit, but Ethan stepped in front of him.

"Are you really going to see her like this?" Ethan asked,noting the blood stains on Alexander's clothes.

Alexander glanced down at his attire and then dismissed the question,pushing past Ethan with a cold, calculated stride. He made his way to the fifth floor to clean up. Ethan sighed, his gaze lingering on the suffering man in the room.

After a quick shower and a change of clothes, Alexander rushed to the hospital, his mind racing. He arrived to find his bodyguards tense, their faces strained.

"Sophia has taken Lilly out of her room," one of them reported.

The news sent a wave of anger through Alexander. "Where?" he demanded.

"Sophia's office."

Rage simmering beneath his calm exterior, Alexander stormed into the office,but only found a nurse there, clearly flustered.

"Where is the doctor?" he barked, his patience thinning. Realizing where Lilly had been taken, Alexander's heart quickened. He rushed to Sandra's room, his pulse hammering in his ears. As he neared,he could hear the sound of muffled sobbing. There, against the glass,stood Lilly-her face pale, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stared at Sandra's lifeless body. Lilly's hand was connected to an IV drip, her fragile statebarely holding together.

Sophia caught sight of Alexander's approach, her eyes widening in surprise. He walked over to Lilly, gently wrapping his arms around her,offering her a semblance of comfort despite the chaos swirling around them.

"Alexander," Lilly whispered, looking up at him. She had never looked so vulnerable, so broken.

He wiped away her tears with a tender hand. "I'm here," he reassured her,his voice soothing yet firm.

Lilly's voice quivered with guilt. "It's my fault. I was the target, but Sandra's the one fighting for her life."

"Shhh," Alexander hushed her gently, pulling her closer. "It's not your fault. She'll pull through. Don't blame yourself."

Lilly rested her head against his chest, her sobs softening. "You need to rest," he urged. "You're not strong enough yet."

"No," Lilly protested weakly, shaking her head. "I want to stay and watch over her." "Listen to me," he said, cupping her face so she could see the concern in his eyes. "A sick person can't take care of another. You need to recover first. You know that, right?" Lilly reluctantly nodded, but her gaze lingered on Sandra, her heart heavy with the weight of thesituation.

"I caught the hitman," Alexander said, his voice quiet but intense, bringing a flicker of hope to Lilly's eyes. "And the driver who hit Sandra.We're closing in on the gang leader. We'll find out who ordered this."

Lilly's relief was palpable, but she didn't want to be left behind. "I want to be there when you interrogate them."

"You will," Alexander promised, placing a kiss on her forehead. "But first,you need to rest and take care of our baby. Can you do that for me?"

Lilly nodded, the exhaustion evident in her face, yet there was a glimmer of determination behind her eyes.

"Good girl," Alexander whispered, leading her back to her room. As they walked, his eyes shot a chilling glare at Sophia, who was clearly uneasy under the weight of his gaze. He hadn't forgotten that Sophia had taken Lilly out of her room without permission.

Sophia felt a chill crawl up her spine. She knew she was in deep trouble.Desperate, she made her way to Richard for help.

Richard, weary from an eight-hour surgery, was just trying to rest when Sophia barged into his office. She immediately climbed onto the bed,disturbing his peace.

"Richard," she whispered, her voice filled wvith panic. Richard blinked, his eyes softening as he looked at her. "What's wrong,baby?" "I'm in trouble," Sophia confessed, her voice trembling. "I need your help before Alexander sends someone to drag me back to his base."

Richard, now fully awake, sat up in bed. "What did you do?"

Sophia's voice dropped to a guilty whisper. "Lilly woke up... and I..."

Richard's eyes widened. "Lilly finally woke up? That's amazing!"

Sophia nodded, but the dread was still in her voice. "Yes. And when she asked about Sandra, I told her Sandra was fine. But she insisted on seeing her. So, I took her to the ICU. I didn't think Alexander would show up so quickly, but he did. I tried to get Lilly back to her room before he arrived,but..."

Richard sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead. "You've really done it now,haven't you?"

Sophia's face crumpled, terrified. "What's he going to do to me?"

"Don't worry. He won't do anything," Richard said, though his tone lacked conviction.

"Why not?" Sophia asked, looking at him in confusion.

"Because Lilly is his weakness," Richard replied with quiet certainty. "If Lilly pleads for you, he won't touch you."

Sophia breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived as the reality of her actions settled in. "I hope you're right," she muttered.

Richard lay back down, pulling the covers up to his chest. "Now,go to sleep. You're safe for now. But remember, fear of Alexander is the first step to wisdom."

Sophia snuggled beside him, still uneasy but grateful for the small comfort his words gave her. As Richard drifted off to sleep. she lay awake.wondering just how far Alexander's wrath would stretch.