Lucas's pov

The rain ceased when I stepped back into the hospital, but the call with Matt lifted my spirits a bit before a familiar chill attacked and clung to me like the past-unchangeable and bitter.

My shoes clacked against the tiles drawing a few glances from nurses. I didn't take too much notice of them. I moved like a man with purpose.

Lucia.

Her name felt like a memory in my mind. Short. Soft but layered with strength.

She had disappeared down that hallway thirty minutes ago and I remained outside longer than I had hoped. The call from Matt came to mind again but I quickly shoved it aside. My mind was elsewhere.

Not on my mother's diagnosis or business or my empire waiting for me but on Lucia.

The fierce woman who intrigued me, a feat few women managed to achieve.

She reminded me of my sister - Clara.

I hadn't really thought of her in months. Years, maybe. Not really. But something about Lucia - the flames hidden in her icy eyes,the sharp edge of her voice, her natural instinct to protect someone smaller - brought back memories of Clara I had buried beneath towering buildings and business deals.

Clara had been soft but fierce. A gazelle in motion. At thirteen, she had twirled her way into national competitions and won as the youngest in her class. The paparazzi couldn't get enough of her,calling her a ballet prodigy. I just called her gazelle.

Until the day the music stopped playing. A car crash. Instant death.

I hadn't been there to save her.

I couldn't save her.

But maybe, just maybe, I won't be so useless this time.... maybe I could do something finally.

I moved past the hallway where Lucia had passed through and found the billing desk. My voice, low but commanding.

"There was a young woman here. Lucia. Mid twenties. She brought in a younger patient today - Sophia."

The receptionist, a slender woman with worn out eyes blinked slowly. "I - I can't give you information on our patients sir."

"I'm not asking for bullshit information," I said smoothly. "I'm here to settle the medical bills for the girl."

The woman was skeptical. "Even if I had the power to allow that - these things require authorization."

I leaned forward, producing my black card and sliding it across the counter like a secret weapon. The receptionist looked at it with wide eyes before I continued, "you'll find that authorization comes quite quickly when the hospital board is partly funded by Marano group charities,love."

The receptionist looked flustered now.

"Right. Forgive me sir."

I didn't stick around for the process. I moved back into the hallway, my eyes scanning for Lucia.

I found her outside the pediatric ICU.

She stood as her arms were wrapped around her body, her back against the wall, head tilted back like she was communing with a ceiling that had no God.

Her eyes were tightly shut, lashes wet.

She murmured words too quiet to hear.

I didn't disturb her.

I just stood there and watched.

And for a second something squeezed in my chest. She was so tiny next to the huge hospital walls. So loud in her quietness. Everything about her screamed vulnerability - and yet not once did she beg for assistance.

She really reminded me of Clara.

She seemed like someone who still had faith that love alone could hold the world together.

When she finally opened her eyes, she saw me. Her expression darkened.

"You again," she said, cleaning her cheeks. "What,you want round two of the vending machine?".

I couldn't help but offer the smallest of smirks. "Thought, I'd check if you somehow managed to win the snack war."

She exhaled before laughing loudly. "Not quite sir. The war continues till I get my twix."

It was my turn to laugh now, she still managed to be funny which was impressive.

"How's your sister?" I asked, shifting the mood quickly.

Lucia's jaw tensed before she replied. "She's stable for now. But they're refusing to run some of the scans for her. Because I can't afford them."

Her voice cracked just a little.

I didn't let my expression waver as I continued, "What if you could?"

Lucia blinked.Three times."What?"

I shifted forward, my voice even."What if someone already handled it?"

She frowned deeply."What are you talking about?"

"I mean," I said, sliding my hands into my pockets," your baby sister's medical bills have been paid for. In full."

She went deathly still.

"No way." She shook her head defiantly. " I can't accept it. I didn't ask for that. I didn't want that."

"I didn't do it because you asked for it."

"Then why?" she snarled,tears falling now.

"Because you felt pity for me? Is that it?

Am I part of some kind of billionaire charity project now?"

I didn't flinch at her words.

"I did it," I began calmly, "because I lost someone once.someone who danced like the entire world was at her feet.someone who would still be alive if she had been helped sooner."

She stared at me,surprised.

"I don't need rescuing," she murmured softly, but her voice wavered.

"I'm aware," I replied, moving closer.

"That's precisely why I did it. Because you're too proud to ask."

For a long moment, she stayed silent as her eyes examined the floor then she whispered,"Thank you."

I nodded once."You're welcome."

Before she could say more,my phone buzzed. I took a quick look at it.

Matt Richards - again.

"Excuse me, I need to answer this," I said, stepping out.

I answered Matt's second call with practiced calmness."Mr.Matt."

His voice boomed through."Twice in a day - this must be destiny Lucas."

I smirked."or just poor timing."

"Same difference. Just checking in because I'm bored. Thought I'd trouble your ass a little more before your work swallows you whole."

"You're doing a perfect job of troubling me now."

"Well good.Anyway tell your mother I said hi though. And hey - next time we hit LA, let's swing by that poker place you love so much. God knows we need to gamble for real."

"I'd be careful if I were you, you know you always lose right?" I said with amusement in my voice.

"It's still fun regardless."

"So no drama in your life, huh?"

My eyes darted back towards the hallway where Lucia stood a few seconds ago.

"No drama," I said coolly. "Just..a storm on the way."

Matt laughed. " Ain't that the truth. Catch you later Mr. Ghost Marano."

"Later asshole."

I ended the call, pocketed my phone and shifted my gaze towards the hospital where Lucia stood moments ago. I didn't believe in fate or destiny.

But this?

This felt like an opportunity, a second chance in disguise and I would gladly take it.

Lucas's pov

I should have left. I had a chauffeur waiting,a schedule full of billion - dollar choices - but I couldn't leave. Not when I caught a glimpse of her through the window, holding her sister like she was holding the last bits of herself together. Lucia Moretti wasn't just shattered - she was hurting from within, and something about that quiet hurt made it quite hard for me to leave.

After their hug, she stood at her sister's bedside,her fingers dabbing a damp cloth over the child's forehead. Her dark hair was pulled into a messy bun,strands framing her face. I chuckled to myself. She always fails to notice me.

I coughed,loud enough to catch her attention.

She looked startled, like a deer in headlights."Ahh...Mr.Marano again.."

"I was just about to take my leave," I said, nodding towards the exit.

"I just wanted to properly say my goodbyes."

Her face fell, just a little."You have my thanks...for your help. I still don't understand your reasons, but...thank you."

"You don't need to understand," I said.

"Just do your best to make sure she gets better."

Lucia's arms folded around her, her voice a whisper. "She's all I have."

Her words lingered in the air like the smell of antiseptic - sharp and painful.

I moved forward, closer to her. "You make me remember someone. Someone I lost."

"My sister. She used to be a ballerina." I didn't speak more. It simply wasn't the time. "Anyway.. goodbye, Lucia."

She nodded slowly, lips parted like she wanted to speak some more. But there were no words.

I gave her a curt, respectful nod and walked out.

I didn't look back.

But I bet she won't forget me.

The city outside lit up like nothing had happened, but something in me felt different. I undid my ties as my chauffeur drove away from the hospital, the cold leather of the backseat offered little comfort.

"Your destination,Mr.Marano?"

Cassius asked from the driver's seat.

"Marano holdings. And call Adrian. I need all we can find on someone. Lucia Moretti."

Cassius didn't argue. He would never.

Three hours later, I was in my corner office, its intricate windows showing the skyline like a work of art. But I wasn't focused on the view.

Adrian entered, tablet in his grip, his face blank. "You requested a background check on Lucia Moretti."

I motioned for him to speak.

He flipped open a file. " She's twenty five. Formerly a professional ballerina - a global prodigy. Danced in New York, London,and Paris. Headlines from about two and a half years ago. She was arguably one of the best."

I looked up, shocked. "She didn't tell me any of that."

"There's a lot more," Adrian continued.

"She was the wife of Matt Richards."

The name knocked me out of breath.

Matt. My best friend.

I laughed at myself mentally...to think I was hiding Lucia from him, when he knew her very personally.. to put it mildly.

But Adrian didn't notice my reaction as he continued again. "Their divorce was finalized about a year plus ago after a very public scandal. Headlines blamed her for destructive behavior, missed performances and a meltdown on stage. Her career went downhill after that. No charges. No police business. Just silence."

I snatched the tablet from him and scrolled. The pictures were jarring. Lucia mid twirl,her face glowing with happiness and passion. In the next photo, she curtseyed low before the crowd,her eyes shining.

And then the final photo - Lucia outside a courthouse, sunken eyes and ruined makeup. The headline said: "Ballet's Brightest star Burns out in public meltdown."

The article was cruel, heartless.

I gripped the tablet tighter.

"I'm sure she doesn't even know that I know Matt," I sighed.

"She obviously doesn't," Adrian snorted.

"You've always been a shadow,boss."

"Don't speak of this to anyone, not even Cassius."

"Yes,boss."

Adrian left. I stared out at the city once more - but now the view was icy, like glass against my skin.

I really shouldn't care.

But here I am. Caring.

Lucia's softness wasn't a weakness. It was a cry for help buried under silence.

And now I knew she was once a part of the world of grace,stages and beauty - just like Clara.

No wonder the way she carried herself, even after everything,felt regal. She didn't let the world destroy her totally. At least not yet.

I recalled the way she covered Sophia, shielding her like a tigress but she was sinking slowly.

And no one cared.

But I did.

I slipped back into my sofa, clutching a stress ball.

Matt had never mentioned her name before. Not in all the years that we've been friends which means either he'd forgotten her..or he had buried her somewhere deep.

My phone rang but I shoved it aside. I was in no mood to take business calls.

I had a gut feeling that there was more to her fall than what the world knew.

I'd seen Matt twist media narratives before and suddenly, I wasn't sure who the bad guy was in their story but I was going to find out for myself.

Lucia's pov

Something felt off the moment I stepped into Sophia's ward.

The monitors were still beeping, but not in the serene, mechanical way I'd grown used to. This was erratic. Disordered. Like a countdown I couldn't grasp.

Her skin looked sick. Her lips had a bluish hue to them. And her little chest moved slower than it should. I let my bag fall to the floor as I rushed to her side.

"Sophia," I whispered, touching her hand.

"It's me. I brought your favorite jacket - yes the one with the ducks on it."

Nothing. She didn't even flutter her lashes.

I moved in closer. "Please Sophia, don't freak me out like this."

She moved. Not just a twitch, a full body jolt that pulled her head back and triggered a terrible gagging noise from her throat.

My heart leaped violently in my chest.

"Help! I NEED help over here!"

The door flew wide open. Nurses stormed the room instantly. A male doctor appeared in their midst, already giving orders.

"Seizure onset. Put her on some oxygen. Call Dr. Roman immediately!"

I was shoved to a corner.

I couldn't speak, couldn't breathe.

All I saw was my sister's body writhing on the bed while wires curled around her like vines. One of the nurses looked at me and gently pushed me towards the door.

I didn't fight back. I just stumbled forward, my legs weak beneath me.

"She managed to survive the seizure," Dr Roman said to me two hours later in his office, but her condition is only getting worse."

My voice was barely audible. "What do you mean "only getting worse?"

"Her lungs are weakening. We can't manage the internal damage here any longer."

"There has to be something else. Another hospital another -"

"There is," he cut in. "A remote hospital abroad. They've managed to develop a regenerative treatment procedure. It's not a hundred percent but it's her only saving grace."

"Well then, why are we still wasting time?"

I snapped. " Transfer her, Immediately!"

He didn't move. He just pushed a paper over the desk. " It'll cost one hundred thousand dollars. All of the payment up front."

My breath left my lungs. "You CANNOT be serious right now."

"Oh but I am." He replied. Then continued.

"Lucia, this must be so hard for you but she has more or less three weeks. If she doesn't get the treatment soonest. Her lungs will fail forever."

Three weeks.

A hundred thousand.

The numbers felt like a nightmare.

The ICU was chilly as I sat beside Sophia, holding her palm.

It felt more clammy than before.

Her eyelids finally opened.

"Sophia?" I leaned in closer.

She forced a faint smile before speaking.

"Don't....go."

"I'm not going anywhere," I cut in quickly.

"I swear. I'm going to fix everything."

She blinked at me with so much effort - like staying awake cost too much energy for her.

"I'll save you," I muttered, though I had no clue how.

Because saying it was the only thing I could hold on to right now.

I blasted through the billing office.

"I want full details of everything paid,"

I said to the woman at the front desk.

She raised her brows. "You just got the invoice."

"Generate it again."

A few minutes later, I held it in my shaky hands - staring at it still made my skin crawl.

There were huge payments. Unchecked.

Made in the last four weeks.

Definitely not from me.

Someone else was covering Sophia's bills.

Someone with money.

But I guess the money wasn't enough.

I got back to the waiting room and the walls felt like they were closing in on me, like I was trapped.

I called my old ballet academy. Left messages.phoned everyone on my contact list. Old classmates. College friends. No one bothered to respond. And the few that did gave me pity and excuses.

I needed more than pity.

Money was the goal.

And I had so very little of it to give.

No investments. Little savings. People just didn't bother to help when they weren't directly affected.

Just then a terrible idea invaded my head.

A last ditch attempt.

Something people only thought of out of desperation.

I smiled bitterly to myself...

Well I WAS in fact desperate so I was going to try it out.

The morning came and I couldn't eat. Couldn't sleep in fact. I stormed out of the hospital with a singular goal in my mind.

I left for a remote clinic downtown - the type that advertised nothing and monetized everything.

I stalked up to the front desk, hands sweaty.

"I'm here to register for egg donation. Or surrogacy. Whichever pays quickest."

The woman looked surprised. "Do you have a previous appointment, Miss?"

"No," I blurted out. "But I really must do this. Now."

She frowned. "Do you even know the risks and legal procedures?"

"I know that my sister is dying," I replied coldly. "So unless you like the death of a child on your conscience, fix me on the wretched list."

She held up a clipboard. "Wait a moment."

I found myself on the corner sofa, knees shaking, heart pounding. I lost track of how much time had passed.

Then the door opened wide.

A man strolled inside.

Average height. Grey suit. Rolex watch. Intense eyes.

He didn't strike me as a doctor.

In fact he reeked of trouble.

The desk lady pointed in my direction.

He grinned - and it wasn't a friendly grin.

"So, you're looking for fast cash huh?"

He asked.

I got up slowly. "Who are you?"

"Just a guy who can help."

His eyes scanned the file in his hand.

"Lucia, twenty five. Ballet instructor. Legal guardian. No family support whatsoever. No legal assets."

I froze. "You have access to medical records?"

He moved in closer. "I have premium access to important things."

"Who are you exactly?"

He grinned once more. "Let's just say I work with individuals who delight in giving hopeless people another shot. For a price of course."

Unease washed over me.

"What sort of price do you want?"

He clicked his tongue. "You sure ask a lot of questions for a desperate girlie.Do you want the money or not?"

I hesitated. "Of course I want the money but what's the catch?"

"Well you're correct. There's always a catch," he drawled. "But if you need it badly...you'll sign."

He gave me a tiny envelope. Weighty, sealed and suspicious.

"Read it when you're alone and ready. But once you do - there's no turning back."

I snatched the envelope.

I didn't say thanks.

I didn't even look him over again.

I just left the clinic, the envelope feeling like heavy metal in my hands.

And for the very first time ever. I wasn't sure of myself or who I was becoming.