The Blood Contract
Chapter 76: I’ll be back

Chapter 76: I’ll be back

Serena had just finished the final page of her book, the words still echoing faintly in her mind as she slowly closed it. She was about to set it down when a soft knock at the door made her pause. The evening shadows stretched long across the room, a sign of the quiet descent into night. It had been a long, exhausting day. Lucian had finally fallen asleep after Marlowe administered another dose of the bitter medicine that had become his daily companion. Serena had taken the chance to slip away to her room for a moment of stillness.

She rose from the bed and opened the door to find Darrell standing there, his face mostly calm, a polite smile perched carefully on his lips.

"Good evening, madam," he greeted with a respectful nod.

"Good evening, Darrell," Serena replied, but her eyes immediately narrowed. That smile—she saw through it. There was a storm behind his eyes, a shadow of worry he couldn’t mask. "Is something wrong?"

Darrell shook his head almost too quickly. "Nothing’s wrong, madam. The rescue is happening tonight, and Boss said you should prepare—we’ll be leaving in two hours."

She watched him closely, catching the stiffness in his posture, the way his hands fidgeted at his sides. "You don’t look very happy," she said as he turned to go.

He stopped, exhaled slowly, and finally admitted, "It’s not like I’m not happy, madam. It’s just that Boss’s health deteriorated further a few hours ago, and the doctor is scared if he doesn’t remain in bed, he’ll completely break down. We’ve told him we can handle the rescue, that he should just rest, but he’s being... stubborn. Adrian and I can do it perfectly—we already know what to do. But he can barely walk, as it is."

The frustration in Darrell’s voice bled through every word. He wasn’t just worried—he was angry, helpless, protective. Serena’s heart clenched.

"Don’t worry," she said softly. "I’ll try to convince him."

Darrell nodded, visibly relieved. "Thank you, madam." With that, he walked off, his footsteps echoing faintly down the corridor.

Serena didn’t waste time. She changed into something more fitting for the mission ahead, hands moving swiftly, mind racing. Once dressed, she headed straight for Lucian’s room.

The sight that greeted her made her stop for a heartbeat.

Lucian was already dressed, though he sat against the headboard, clearly conserving his strength. His breathing was uneven, labored, and pale strain marked the edges of his usually confident features. Beside him sat Marlowe, the grim look she’d been wearing for days now etched even deeper into her face.

"You ready?" Lucian asked when he noticed her enter, his voice a little too casual.

"I am," she replied, stepping closer. "But you don’t look like you should be going anywhere."

His eyes sharpened. "You don’t want to see your brother anymore?"

Her brow furrowed at the question. "I won’t get to see him if you don’t go?"

"Yep," he said with a nod, the expression on his face unreadable.

Serena bit down on her lower lip, caught in a whirlwind of thought. "Fine then," she said finally. "If that’s the only reason you have to go out, then I can let go of seeing Elias. The knowledge that he’s out and fine is enough. Please... remain in bed."

Lucian stared at her for a long moment. Her resolve was carved into every inch of her posture, unwavering, strong. And then, unexpectedly, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Serena blinked. "Why are you smiling?"

"You’d really give up seeing your brother one last time with his original face... because of me?" he asked, eyes twinkling with something unreadable.

She frowned. "I already said it. Why are you asking again?"

"Because that is such a huge sacrifice for someone you don’t even like—and declared a few days ago that you didn’t care if he died," he said, laughter teasing his voice.

Marlowe let out a sigh, clearly unimpressed. Serena, on the other hand, shot him a withering glare that only made him laugh harder. She knew what he was doing. He was trying to provoke her, to twist her resolve so she’d argue, so she’d relent, so he’d have an excuse to leave.

But she wasn’t going to let him win.

She folded her arms and said nothing, her silence iron-clad.

"Won’t you say anything?" Lucian asked, brows raised.

"Stop trying to provoke her, Mr. Draven," Marlowe cut in sharply. "We care about your life, even though you’re making it very obvious you don’t."

"I’m not trying to provoke her, Marlowe. This is her only chance to see her brother one last time before he becomes a different person. She shouldn’t waste that opportunity because of me," Lucian argued, his voice dropping a note into seriousness.

"There’s nothing you’ll say that’ll make me change my mind," Serena snapped back, arms still tightly folded. "So don’t even bother."

A smirk curled at the edge of his lips. "There’s also nothing you can sacrifice right now that will stop me from going out."

Her eyes narrowed in warning.

"If I don’t appear in person at that hospital," Lucian continued calmly, "Doctor Vishan will not admit your brother, even after the rescue is successful. So unless you don’t want your brother to get his surgery... you won’t try to stop me from leaving the house."

Silence fell like a curtain.

"So," he said, eyes locked with hers, "you’re seeing your brother whether you like it or not."

Serena felt her chest tighten at his words, not out of anger, but from the bitter truth of them. He’d made it impossible for her to shield him anymore.

Lucian then turned to Marlowe, his tone softening. "Don’t worry, Marlowe. I’m not going to be part of the rescuers. I only need to show up at the hospital. Once he’s admitted... I’ll be back."

Serena didn’t say another word.

There was nothing left to argue.

But deep inside, worry bloomed like wildfire.

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