THE NEXT EVENING

LA CYBRIC CONVENTION CENTER

Selene's POV

Ramiro and I decided to attend the medical themed event in which Wayne Linkser will be awarded with best doctor of the year. I got to the event ahead of Ramiro, and went with Jana instead. The code for the event was black so Jana wore a black mermaid while I wore a black silk ball gown. Luckily, people were continuing with their conversations, and Jana and I swept through the crowd easily.

Some from the other rival companies saw us and came towards us happily. We had a bit of a chat, but...

"We heard you and Ramiro got together. So, are you two a thing now?"

"You two looked two together, I was wondering when the flirting would stop!"

"I can't say at the moment, but..." I said, unable to finish my sentence since I saw Ramiro enter the venue along with Damiano but surprising enough, Noa was nowhere to be found. I couldn't stop looking at Ramiro... his outfit was not of the outfits he normally wears. It felt as if he went all out for this evening - to make me feel some kind of emotion.

"Oh, we see he has arrived," one of the girls said, nudging my shoulder. "Guess we should leave you two to it."

I snapped back into reality and looked at them. "Not at all! I was just... admiring," I admitted. "You caught me. What were you saying?"

Before they could continue, I felt someone's looming presence behind me and leaning his head on my shoulder. I didn't need to look for I knew it was Ramiro. The girls quickly excused themselves, including Jana and I turned to look at Ramiro.

"You love making public entrances, huh?" I asked, a smile creeping onto my lips. "Ramiro, stop."

"Stop what?"

"Stop flirting with each other and get married," Damiano added, his arms folded. "Anyway, Noa is doing her magic with Mr. Linkser. She will be out in no time."

"But what if it doesn't work?" I asked. "Linkser is a stubborn man. He would rather be fed to the wolves than side with anyone."

"Then we do what we have been doing best."

"We?"

"Destroy his license permanently."

Ramiro quickly moved back and we all turned to see Noa was back with us. She moves like a mouse, and returns back to us like a shadow. Noa has always been that way since she was a teenager. Even hearing that she got married makes me shocked.

"You are right Sel," Noa spoke, "Wayne is not agreeing with us. We will have to take the initial plan. Expose all his secrets and that way, make him pay. He knows the rules about the medical field. Once involved in a crime, forever banned in medicine forever. "

"I managed to ask Ria to get all evidence on him and send them to me," Noa continued, looking at Damiano. "You have to give a speech, right?"

He nodded. "I never expected him to purposely try to kill off my dad by worsening his conditions. It is either he is confident of his abilities, or he is being paid by someone."

"Someone, you mean either Kevin or Alaina?" I asked. "Both of them sound like culprits."

"Indeed," Ramiro added, before pulling out his phone. He received a phone call from his sources, in which his expression turned dark. He turned to look at me.

"It's Beckham or Irina."

"Or?" I asked, puzzled.

Then he turned to Noa and Damiano. 

"And it's either Jamson or Tessa."

We all got puzzled. It seemed like the person was not speaking in English, but the Cybrican language - the official language along with English. I clutched my fists, contemplating whether to stay at the party or deal with the current situation we have. One thing was sure though. 

Alaina, Kevin and Summer were behind this.

"I will go deal with this problem," I said, taking a glass from one of the waiters, gulping the drink in seconds. "I will tell you how the situation is."

Noa and Damiano nodded. "We will let you know on our end too."

With a nod, I walked out with Jana, leaving Ramiro on his phone, but giving him a kiss on the cheek before heading out. Jana looked at me, as if she wanted to tease me.

"Go ahead," I said, shaking my head. "I know what you want to do."

"Just get married, Sel."

"Just keep quiet Jana."

45 MINUTES LATER

Noa's POV

Ramiro was still on that phone call, and I haven't heard a word from Selene ever since she left with Jana. I tapped my foot, irritated at how everything seemed to be going so slow. Damiano drew small circles around my hand, which soothed me more than I realized. I looked at Damiano and gave him a small smile. It wasn't the time to let my guard down.

Wayne Linkser needed to be exposed. For good.

Soon enough thankfully, Damiano was asked to come on stage to share his thoughts. One thing that I recently learned was that he was usually sent to attend such occasions apart from Lee Romano. Damiano then began his speech with the slideshow that I sent him. I looked around to see everyone shocked, others embarrassed; especially his friends and professors.

"Is this what the medical field is all about? Killing off patients and smuggling their organs?"

"Mr. Lanzo, I can explain-"

"Explain? Elaborate please, Mr. Linkser, how does one continue to break the trust of their loyal families by purposely killing off their family member?"

Immediately, the event was cancelled and everyone was escorted out. I remained on my chair however, watching the drama unfold, before standing up and heading out before Ramiro took my arm and jerked me away from the door.

"What for Ramiro?" I asked, tempted to tease him, which I followed my intrusive thoughts. "I am not Selene just so you know."

"Get your husband," Ramiro said. "Now."

"What's going on?" I asked.

"This was a trap all along."

"I'm confused-"

"This place will blow up in a minute."

I paused, then nodded. I ran towards Damiano and grabbed his hand, rushing out. The others were shouting at us, but then from the corner of my eye, I saw a sniper under the table, which was an odd position for one. Before I could react, Damiano took me down in an instant, surviving a bullet by a second.

"Keep crawling. Then we will find our way to the car."

I nodded and continued crawling until we got to the door, which Ramiro kept it open from the outside and we quickly rolled over, got up and ran to the cars. I then got a call from Selene and answered it.

"Selene? What's going on? You took forever to-"

"Noa! I didn't expect you to be part of
the rebellious team."

I froze. It was Alaina.

"So you had the nerve to fight against
your grandma?"

"The last time we spoke was 4 years ago, and
I wasn't your granddaughter anymore."

"I feel hurt."

"..."

"I wouldn't bother coming to Selene
if I were you."

My steps came to a halt.

"What did you do to Selene?"

"Kept her detained."

"I am going to ask again. What. Did. You. Do to Selene?"

"Fine. I. Shipped. Her. To. The. North."

My eyes widened in shock. 

"You sold her to Ray's mafia friends?!"

"I said shipped. Not sold."

"Shipped, sold, sent, they are one and the same thing!"

"Be careful."

"..."

"You might be next in the very next minute."

Before I could react, I felt something sharp hit my side, but not slightly since Damiano was the one bearing the pain. Horrified, I pushed the man away, and took Damiano's bloody hand and continued running.

"Princess, you are bleeding-"

"Same to you."

"But not as severe. Princess, let us-"

"Prince, no. We... we have to get to Selene-"

"Ramiro's heading to Selene right now. I know you care about her, but not now," I said. "I care about you. My wife."

I clutched my side to stop the bleeding and keep my consciousness, but Damiano picked me up and ran over to the car, while keeping watch over the attackers. I kept coming and going but tried to keep myself focused.

"Faster," I said. "This building... will blow up."

Without a second word, Damiano got into the driver's seat, placing me comfortably on his lap as he removed his tie and jacket and wrapped it around my wound.

"I need you to stay with me, okay?"

I nodded, "I will try."

Starting the engine, he drove out of the convention center quickly at high speed, in which minutes afterwards, it blew up, but the attackers were hot on our tail. I clutched my hand tightly on Damiano's shirt. The pain was unbearable - I forgot my weak state reacts quickly and almost fatal to wounds. 

"Princess, stay with me, alright?" Damiano pleaded once more. "I know it's hard, but stay with me."

I nodded, even though I wasn't sure I would keep my end of that promise. Instead of heading home, he took me to the private hospital and I saw Jamson and Raella outside the hospital. I gathered my last strength to speak.

"Why are you...here?" I asked, speaking slowly.

"Your mom, Tessa, was injured."