Luna burst out of her office, her mind in chaos as she fumbled with her keys, her heart pounding. Arthur was hurt—no, worse than hurt. Bleeding. If she didn't reach him in time… she shook her head violently, refusing to let that thought take root.
Sliding into the driver's seat, her trembling fingers barely managed to turn the ignition. The engine roared to life, and she sped off, her tears falling freely, vision blurring. "Don't die, Arthur. Please don't leave me alone," she sobbed, her voice shaking as she weaved through traffic. The city lights blurred past her, but all she could think about was her brother. The bond they shared, their past, every promise she'd made him. It all hung in the balance.
When she finally reached the abandoned construction site Steven had described, night had fully descended, casting eerie shadows over the skeletal building. Luna slammed the car door shut and ran into the darkness, her voice cracking as she shouted, "Arthur! Arthur!" Her feet pounded up the concrete stairs as she searched floor after floor, her desperation mounting.
Then, on the fourth floor, she saw him. Her heart stopped. Arthur lay sprawled on the ground, his clothes soaked in blood. He wasn't moving.
"Arthur!" she screamed, rushing to his side. Blood pooled around him, seeping from deep wounds. Her hands shook as she knelt beside him, gently pulling him into her arms. He was heavier than she expected, but she didn't care. She had to get him out of here—now.
Gritting her teeth, Luna tried to lift him, but he was too heavy for her to manage alone. Panic clawed at her chest. She couldn't waste time, not now. Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her.
Emily and Sam appeared, their faces pale with worry. "We've called an ambulance," Emily said breathlessly. "They are here."
Relief flooded through Luna as the paramedics arrived. They lifted Arthur onto the stretcher, and Luna followed them into the ambulance. She held his hand tightly, her tears still falling as the paramedics worked to stop the bleeding. "Please, Arthur, don't leave me," she whispered, her voice breaking.
At the hospital, Luna watched helplessly as the doctors wheeled Arthur into the ICU. The doors closed behind them, leaving her alone in the hallway. She collapsed onto the nearest chair, staring at the doors as if willing them to open. Her brother, her only family—she couldn't lose him. Not like this.
Emily and Sam joined her soon after. Emily sat beside her, her hand warm on Luna's shoulder. "He's being operated on now," she said softly. "He's strong, Luna. He'll pull through."
But Luna couldn't stop blaming herself. "It's my fault," she whispered, her voice thick with guilt. "If I hadn't started Nexus… if I hadn't dragged him into this…"
Sam knelt in front of her, his voice steady. "You started your business to give Arthur a better life. You wanted him to have everything you didn't—wealth, security, respect. This isn't your fault."
Luna wiped her eyes, but the tears kept coming. "I did it all for him. I wanted to build something for him. Nexus, the hotels—it was all for his future."
Hours passed in a blur of fear and regret. Finally, the doctor emerged from the ICU, looking exhausted but calm. "He's stable," he said, and Luna exhaled for what felt like the first time in hours. "But his injuries are severe—multiple fractures in his arms and legs, a serious head wound. He's lost a lot of blood. He's out of danger for now, but we need to keep him under observation."
Luna nodded, barely processing the words. Arthur was alive, but at what cost?
As the hours dragged on, Sam went home, leaving Emily to stay with Luna. She brought Luna clean clothes and dinner, though Luna barely touched it. She couldn't stop thinking about Arthur lying in that bed, fighting for his life. When morning came, the doctor had more news, but it wasn't good.
"He might fall into a coma," the doctor explained gently. "We don't know when—or if—he'll wake up."
Luna's world shattered. Tears streamed down her face again as she clutched Arthur's hand, her voice trembling. "No matter how long it takes, I'll be here," she vowed. "I'll never leave your side."
In the quiet of the hospital room, Luna began to wonder. How had this happened? How had her identity been leaked to Steven? She thought of Max—he had been the one to investigate her, but he had stopped. He was out of the country. So how had Steven known?
She called Emily and Sam to the hospital, her mind racing. Sam told her that Max had returned the previous evening and participated in the bidding after she withdrew and also won the tender at the last moment, snatching the victory from JR Corp —he couldn't have been involved. Steven had found out about her before the tender, likely using the information to his advantage.
But none of that mattered now. All that mattered was Arthur, and Luna was determined to stay by his side, no matter what.