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Chapter 89: Dangerous Games
Chapter 89: Dangerous Games
(Elena’s POV)
Two days later, I exited the Surgical Wing of the Northern Territory Central Healing Institute. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the marble floors as I made my toward the main entrance
Looking up, I spotted Nathan Sterling pacing near the revolving door. People flowed around him like water around a stone, but he seemed oblivious to the bustling crowd.
I approached him with curiosity. “Brother Nathan?”
Nathan turned to me, a hint of a smile flickering across his face. “Oh, it’s you.”
“What are you doing standing here?” I asked, noting the restless energy radiating from him.
He avoided my gaze, his amber eyes focusing somewhere over my shoulder. “Waiting for someone.”
h
In truth, he had come to find me. He was unsure of his reasons and worried that I might be avoiding after Marcus’s harsh words the other day.
I chuckled softly. “It doesn’t cost anything to sit in the lobby. You could wait there.”
“I’m too restless to sit.” His gaze briefly flickered toward my abdomen before meeting my eyes again. “How is
your mother?”
1 nodded, touched by his concern. “She’s doing well.”
“About that day…” Nathan began hesitantly, his usual confidence wavering. “I left so suddenly, without saying goodbye to you or your mother. Do you think I’m a bit off?”
I shook my head. “It wasn’t your fault. I didn’t expect Marcus to show up.”
Nathan seemed relieved, his shoulders relaxing slightly. Then his expression grew serious, almost troubled.
“If you ever found out I did something to wrong you, would you cut me off completely?”
I looked puzzled by the strange question. “Have you done something?”
…What if?” he pressed, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Well…” I pondered for a moment, studying his anxious face. “It depends. I’m usually pretty generous. If it’s minor, I can forgive it.”
Nathan smiled without answering, but something dark flickered in his eyes. The question hung in the air
between us like an unspoken confession.
Before leaving, Nathan paused and turned back to me. His playful demeanor had completely vanished, replaced by something deadly serious.
“Oh, and be careful with your stomach.”
I was taken aback by the gravity in his tone. It was a stark contrast to his usual lightheartedness.
Be careful with my stomach? Why would he warn me about that?
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Soon after, the warning became a chilling reality.
As I walked through the Medical Center Stairwell during lunch break, the corridor was unusually empty. My footsteps echoed off the concrete walls.
Suddenly, someone pushed me hard from behind.
Caught completely off guard, I tumbled down the stairs. My body hit each step with brutal force, pain shooting through my limbs.
Dazed and disoriented, I lay crumpled on the cold floor. Blood trickled from a cut on my forehead, and my right arm throbbed with agony.
Hospital Cleaner Murphy heard the commotion and rushed over. “Luna Elenal What happened?”
They immediately called for a pack nurse, their voice echoing through the stairwell.
After X–rays at the Imaging Diagnostics Wing, I was diagnosed with a minor fracture in my right arm and a mild concussion. The doctor wrapped my arm in a pristine white cast.
“You’re fortunate it wasn’t worse,” the healer said, reviewing my scans. “But you need complete rest”
Marcus, accompanied by his Elite Guards, emerged from the Steel Ascent and headed straight for th Imaging Diagnostics Wing. His golden eyes were dark with fury when he found me.
I was slowly making my way down the corridor with my medical results, my arm heavy in its cast.
Frowning deeply, he approached me with predatory grace. Before I could say anything, he swept me up into
Embarrassed by the stares of surrounding patients, especially while wearing my white healing coat, I protested weakly. “I’m on duty!”
“You’ve been injured on the job. No more work,” Marcus retorted as he carried me away, his voice brooking no
argument.
The Surgical Department Nurses were stunned to see Marcus carrying me through the corridors. I could hear their whispered conversations trailing behind us.
In their minds, Sophia was still Marcus’s “true mate,” and the rumors of me being the “other woman” resurfaced with renewed vigor.
“Marcus!”
In the Underground Parking Caverns, Sophia approached us. She hid the malice in her eyes behind a mask of
concern.
Seeing Marcus carrying me, she feigned surprise. “Healer Elena, you’re hurt? I heard this kind of situation requires hospitalization.”
I looked at her suspiciously. “What kind of situation?”
1 heard you’re pregnant. It’s easy to miscarry after a fall,” Sophia said with false concern dripping from every word. “As a mother, I understand the pain of losing a child”
The pieces clicked into place with terrifying clarity.
Nathan’s warning to “be careful with your stomach implied that he thought I was pregnant. Someone was
I
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targeting my supposed unborn pup.
But I wasn’t pregnant at all.
Not only did Nathan have this misunderstanding,” but even Sophia knew about it? Her immediate concern about miscarriage seemed to confirm her involvement in my “accident.”
“Alright,” Marcus frowned, his patience clearly wearing thin. Til take her home first.”
Sophia was speechless, watching him carry me into the Shadow Moon Alpha’s Phantom Rolls–Royce. Her carefully laid plans crumbled as we drove away, leaving her standing alone in the parking cavern.
Inside the car, I watched Sophia’s figure disappear in the rearview mirror. For a moment, I saw my past self in her desperate expression.
It was all so ridiculously ironic. I had been mated to Marcus for years, but he hadn’t cared when I truly needed him. Now that I was letting go, he seemed to care.
Marcus examined my medical scans with intense focus. “How did you fall?”
I met his gaze directly. “What if I told you I was pushed?”
He looked up at me, his golden eyes searching my face for deception.
Knowing he wouldn’t believe me even if I told him the truth, I remained silent. The evidence would
itself, or it wouldn’t.
After a long pause, he said quietly, “I’ll have someone investigate.”
I looked out the window at the passing Northern Territory landscape, not expecting him to actually do anything meaningful.
During the three days I was forced to stay home to recover, I was confined to Moonhaven Estate like a caged bird. Catherine Hayes took care of me during the day, and Marcus at night.
with surprising
He helped me onto the bed, off the bed, to the bathroom, and to shower. He did everything w
gentleness.
Perhaps because of my injury, he refrained from touching me intimately. The restraint seemed to cost him
considerable effort.
As Marcus dried my hair in the Alpha’s Private Chamber, I stared blankly at the vibrant night outside the
window. The city lights twinkled like fallen stars.
His gentle care during these three days gave me the dangerous illusion that we were still the loving mates we
had been during our first three years together. I almost wavered in my resolve to leave.
Just then, his phone rang. Sophia’s name flashed on the screen like a cold slap of reality.
The call reminded me that this wasn’t a dream, but harsh reality.
“I can do it myself,” I said, taking the towel from his hands.
Marcus glanced at me, then stepped outside to take the call. His voice was low and urgent as he spoke to
her.
He didn’t return all night. I lay alone in our bed, staring at the ceiling until dawn.
The next day, I learned from a message from Sophia that Oliver had nearly drowned. Marcus had spent the
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entire night with him at the hospital.
The accompanying photo showed Marcus by Oliver’s bedside, his face etched with concern.
[You’ve seen Oliver’s place in Marcus’s heart. Even if you’re pregnant, do you think he’ll treat your pup well?
[Elena, face the facts. He doesn’t love you.
I read the message without expression, completely used to Sophia’s two–faced behavior. She was anxious to secure her position as Marcus’s mate.
Thinking I was pregnant and threatening her future, she sent these poisonous messages.
Annoyed by my lack of response, Sophia sent a barrage of insults and taunts. She even mentioned their “sleeping together” in graphic detail.
It was absolutely disgusting. I was grateful that my arm injury prevented Marcus from touching me, or l
would have thrown up.
(Marcus Blackwood’s POV)
Meanwhile, I had obtained the surveillance footage around the Moonstone Reflecting Pool. It was crystal
clear that Oliver had been pushed into the water, but the footage didn’t capture the culprit.
The child had already been traumatized by his previous fall down the stairs. Now the near–drown
made him even more withdrawn and fearful.
Sophia approached me in the recovery room, her eyes red and swollen from crying. “If I hadn’t found him in time… Why does my pup have to suffer like this? Should I not have brought him to the Blackwood family?”
I rubbed my temples, feeling a hint of annoyance creep into my chest. I used to feel genuine sympathy for her tears, but now they only irritated me.
Seeing that I wasn’t going to comfort her as usual, Sophia fell silent. Her tears dried up remarkably quickly.
Grace Burton brought in the two Estate Nannies responsible for watching Oliver. They were trembling with fear, knowing they had failed in their duty.
I scanned them with cold authority. “Why was he near the pool? Where were you?”
One of the nannies spoke nervously, her voice shaking. “He’s been spending time alone in the Manor Courtyard these past few days, not letting us follow him. We thought he’d come back soon. We didn’t
he’d go to the pool.”
know
“Yes, and his mother came to see him today, so we didn’t think anything would happen,” the other added desperately.
Sophia’s expression changed subtly, worried about being implicated in the incident. She quickly deflected
blame.
“Marcus, I can tell Oliver hasn’t been happy lately. I heard Isabella say that Elena met with Oliver alone.”
“I don’t know if she said something to him. I’m sure she wouldn’t do anything harmful, but I’m worried about
Oliver’s behavior.”
“What could she possibly say?” I turned to her, my voice sharp.
Sophia hesitated, playing the part of reluctant witness perfectly. “She hates me so much, she probably
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doesn’t accept Oliver.”
Grace Burton scoffed openly. “Miss Rivers is being biased. If the Luna wanted to bully Oliver, the Elder Matriarch would have kicked him out long ago. What’s there to accept?”
“But… Isabella told me all this. She said she saw it with her own eyes. I didn’t want to believe it,” Sophia
feigned distress convincingly
Before I could respond, Grace Burton ordered a Manor Servant to bring Isabella Blackwood immediately
Soon, Isabella arrived looking unusually subdued. She glanced at Sophia, her expression strangely complex
“Marcus, did you want to see me?”
I repeated the accusation directly. “Did you see Elena bullying Oliver that day?”
Sophia lowered her eyes, confident in Isabella’s support. They had always been allies against Elena.
Isabella hesitated, clutching her designer bag tightly. “Actually, I didn’t see it.”
Sophia’s expression froze in shock.
“I saw Oliver running away crying, and then I ran into Elena. I don’t know what actually happened b them… Isabella said truthfully, refusing to look at Sophia
Sophia forced a smile, her voice strained. “Isabella, that’s not what you told me on the phone.”
“You know I hate Elena. I said it on purpose to cause trouble,” Isabella admitted with brutal honesty.
Sophia was completely speechless, her carefully constructed narrative crumbling.
Something had definitely changed in Isabella’s attitude. I made a mental note to investigate further.
I turned to Grace Burton with final instructions. “Il find someone to counsel him, but try not to leave him
alone again.”
Grace Burton nodded efficiently. “Of course, Alpha.”
Isabella suddenly realized the gravity of the situation. “Oliver is hurt?”
“Yes, he fell into the water. If I hadn’t been there, he would have…” Sophia covered her mouth dramatically, feigning overwhelming fear.
Isabella looked at her with new eyes, recalling what she had overheard in the Manor Courtyard. Beneath Sophia’s gentleness, kindness, and compassion was a terrifying face.
She had been deceived by this mask for ten years!
(Isabella Blackwood’s POV)
After Sophia left the recovery room, Marcus and I walked toward the Great Hall together. The silence between
us was heavy with unspoken thoughts.
I stopped him before we reached the main corridor. “Marcus!”
“What is it?” He turned, his golden eyes impatient.
I lowered my eyes, gathering courage for what I was about to say “I think this whole situation is strange. No one was around when Oliver fell into the water, but Sophia just happened to find him. Could she have staged
it?”
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Marcus narrowed his eyes dangerously. “Are you saying Sophia pushed Oliver into the water and staged her
own rescue?”
“It’s possible…” I took a deep breath. “Elena is pregnant, right?”
“Who told you that?” His voice was sharp with suspicion.
“…Just asking I couldn’t reveal that I had overheard Sophia’s phone conversation about getting rid of
someone’s pup
If she didn’t eliminate the threat, she wouldn’t be able to enter the Blackwood family. If it wasn’t Elena’s pup
she was targeting, whose could it be?
“Don’t overthink it. Oliver is her flesh and blood. A mother would never harm her own pup,” Marcus said
dismissively.
He adjusted his coat and entered the Great Hall, clearly considering the matter closed.
Seeing that he didn’t take my words to heart, I scoffed bitterly. It was his pup at risk, not mine!
didn’t
care what happened anymore!
(Sophia Rivers‘ POV
I returned to the hospital, my face dark with frustrated rage. My carefully laid plans were falling ap
every turn.
In the Underground Parking Caverns, as I was about to get out of my car, a strong hand grabbed my neck and dragged me into the back seat.
1
After struggling in panic, I recognized my attacker and immediately calmed down. “You scared me to death!”
Nathan’s voice was ice cold. “Did I tell you to touch Elena?”
I was taken aback by his fury, then casually slid my fingers into his shirt. “I just wanted her to miscarry, not
kill her. Besides, it’s Marcus’s pup, not yours.”
Nathan’s jaw tightened with barely controlled rage.
Sophia became bolder, wrapping herself around him seductively. “Don’t be angry, Mr. Sterling. It’s been so long. Don’t you miss me?”
I had a natural talent for this. I understood men’s weaknesses and knew exactly how to control them.
Even though he wasn’t in the mood, his body responded to my touch. He flipped me over roughly, refusing to look at my face as he vented his anger without any tenderness.
Afterward, Nathan straightened his shirt with cold efficiency. “Don’t act behind my back again, or you know
what I’ll do to you”
I opened a new pack of stockings and put them on slowly, smiling with false sweetness. “I understand perfectly
After he left, my face darkened with pure hatred. Nathan’s roughness reminded me of all the controlling men from my past who had treated me like a disposable toy
Everyone except Marcus. I had never been truly respected by other men, including my own adoptive father.
I hated my biological parents for abandoning me, cursing them to live miserable lives! If not for their
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heartless abandonment, I wouldn’t have to live at the mercy of others!
(Elena’s PO
Nathan exited the Steel Ascent and ran directly into me in the main corridor. He paused, clearly startled by
the encounter.
“Brother Nathan, what a coincidence, I greeted with a genuine smile.
I noticed the fresh marks on his neck immediately. I knew exactly what those marks were from intimate
encounters.
I was just surprised that he had a girlfriend. He’d never mentioned anyone special.
Sensing my gaze, Nathan quickly pulled up his collar to hide the evidence. “Don’t think too much. I don’t have
a woman
At least not in the conventional sense, he thought bitterly
I assumed he was simply embarrassed about his private life and didn’t press the issue further.
Just then, Sophia emerged from the same Steel Ascent elevator. Our eyes met across the corridor, and she glanced meaningfully at my abdomen,
“Healer Elena, you’re back at the hospital so soon?”
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