An hour later,

Blue Light Hospital was buzzing, not with the usual sterile calm of a medical center, but with whispers, rumors, and the sharp snap of camera shutters. Lily Ashton — the beloved Carrington heiress — was a public spectacle even in the aftermath of her crash. Every minute felt like the calm before the storm, and the reporters were ready to pounce.

But inside the ICU, Lily’s body was nothing more than a ragdoll, lying unconscious, machines beeping steadily as if mocking the fragile thread between life and death. The doctors had made it clear — coma. 

No signs of awakening...

No promises 

Her father, John Carrington, stood at the threshold of her room, his towering figure unwavering. The dark circles beneath his eyes were the only sign of any emotion, but they were quickly masked by his impervious mask of indifference. 

His tailored suit seemed to make the sterile hospital room feel even colder. John had already given the media the bare minimum: a brief statement about Lily’s accident, but he’d made it clear: no more. He had enough on his plate.

Beside him, his wife, Sophia, stood with an air of elegance that made her seem out of place in this hospital room. Her icy blue eyes swept the scene with a clinical detachment. Her platinum blonde hair was perfectly styled, her lips set in a thin line. She couldn’t bring herself to show concern, but her eyes did linger on Lily’s still form for a fraction of a second longer than necessary.

Behind them, the Carrington step-siblings had gathered. Avery, the oldest, stood tall with her impeccably styled blonde waves cascading around her shoulders. Her sharp blue eyes were like daggers — calculating and cold. She had no sympathy for Lily. To her, the family drama was simply a way to pass the time, a game she could easily win. 

Beside her, Bryce leaned against the wall, his hands shoved into his hoodie pockets, his eyes darting between the scene in front of him and his phone. Brody, the youngest, was pacing, his nervous energy palpable. He kept glancing around, like he expected something - or someone - to make this all more interesting.

Then there were the twins, Ava and Alexis. Ava, the louder of the two, was tapping her heel against the tiled floor, her face a perfect mask of feigned concern. Alexis, standing silently next to her, wasn’t concerned.

Emma, Lily’s younger sister, arrived next, her hurried footsteps echoing in the hallway. Her chest tightened when she saw Lily’s pale form through the glass window. She froze for a moment, the weight of the situation settling over her. She had hoped - no, prayed - that the news would be a lie. That it would all be a mistake. But reality had a cold, unforgiving grip on her heart.

“Lily,” Emma whispered, her voice catching as she stepped into the room. 

She wasn’t prepared for the sight of her sister like this. The machines, the silence, the emptiness. She barely heard the words of Lily's friends, Rachel, Mike, and Chris, who had followed her in.

Rachel, a petite, chubby but bubbly young woman with long, curly brown hair and bright hazel eyes, looked worried, her eyes fixed on Emma. Mike, a tall, lanky young man with short, spiky black hair and piercing blue eyes, looked calm, his eyes fixed on the doctor. Chris, a striking young woman with short, choppy black hair and piercing green eyes, looked fierce, her eyes fixed on anyone who dared to get in their way. They tried to comfort her, but nothing could ease the sickening pain that gripped her.

“Is she…?” Rachel’s voice trailed off as she stepped closer, not wanting to believe it either.

“She’s in a coma,” Mike said quietly, his hands jammed into his pockets, unable to mask the anger bubbling just beneath the surface. “How the hell did this happen?”

Emma barely registered the question. Instead, her gaze snapped to the man who had shattered her sister’s world.

Eliot Aston.

He strolled in, as if he were walking into a meeting at the office, his casual demeanor as cold as the marble floors beneath his feet. His dark brown hair was styled meticulously, his tailored suit made him seem out of place in the hospital room. The arrogance in his stride was undeniable.

“Eliot,” Emma spat, her voice low and sharp.

Behind him, Eloise followed, her blonde hair sleek and perfect, a pointed smirk on her face as though this entire situation was nothing more than a spectacle for her amusement.

“Emma,” Eliot’s voice was equally cold. “How is she?”

“How do you think?” Emma snarled, stepping closer to him, her fury rising. 

“You did this. You and that… that woman.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Eliot said, his gaze flicking to Lily briefly before returning to Emma. “She got into an accident. That’s all. I’m here to make sure she’s okay.”

Eloise let out a soft laugh, clearly amused by Emma’s outburst. “Oh please. You think Eliot’s here to help? The guy can barely remember her name, let alone care about your sister.”

“Enough.” John’s voice thundered, cutting the tension like a knife. He turned sharply toward Eliot, his expression turning even more hard as granite. “This is not the time for your games. Get out of here, Aston.”

Eliot opened his mouth to argue, but the warning in John’s eyes shut him down. Without a word, Eliot turned, signaling for Eloise to follow. 

As they left, the door clicked behind them, and the hospital room filled with a heavy silence.

“Can you believe them?” Emma hissed, her voice shaking with barely contained fury. “The audacity to show up here…”

“Emma, stop,” Rachel interjected, her voice soothing yet firm. “It’s not helping.”

“I’ll make them pay for this,” Emma muttered, her fists clenched at her sides. “They’re not getting away with it.”

John Carrington’s voice came from behind them, cold and calculated. “I’ll handle it.”

Emma turned to face him, her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

John’s expression didn’t change. “Eliot crossed the wrong line this time. And Eloise… Lily's not just some trophy. They’ll regret this. Trust me, Emma.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the glass, Bryce leaned against the wall, his phone still in his hand. He’d overheard everything and was already formulating his own plan. This family drama was only just beginning, and he knew exactly how to make it interesting. 

The seconds ticked by, but it wasn’t until John instructed his security to follow Eliot and Eloise that the tension began to shift. Emma turned back to her sister, the emotion rising in her throat.

“We’ll make sure they pay, Lily. I promise you.”

But just as they turned to leave the room, a shadow loomed outside, barely noticeable, but there nonetheless. A man in a dark suit stood on a rooftop across the street, his sharp gaze locked onto the hospital.

“Let the games begin,” the man muttered, under his breath with an evil grin.