Chapter 76

Angela POV

"Angela?" Sean's voice was tentative as he ended the call. We were still in the elevator, and I could feel his eyes studying my face.

"You look pale. Are you feeling alright?"

I managed a small nod, though my scraped palms still stung beneath their bandages. Before I could respond, Sean cleared his throat, a hint of apology in his voice.

"About Christina... she's still in the hospital, so I need to-"

"You don't need to explain," I cut him off, forcing a smile that felt brittle even to me.

Looking at his concerned expression, I made a decision. I wouldn't tell him about the attack, or my suspicions about Christina's possible involvement.

Without concrete evidence, he would never believe me. He loved Christina too much to even consider she might be capable of such things.

The drive home was quiet, Manhattan's evening traffic creating a cocoon of silence around us. His earlier tenderness in the office already felt like a fading dream, dissolving like mist in the harsh light of reality.

The next few days fell into a pattern.

Sean insisted on driving me to and from work, his protective instincts apparently triggered by my scraped hands though he never pressed for details about my "fall."

No more mysterious men appeared, no more threats were made. Perhaps I had been overly paranoid. Maybe the man had only meant to frighten me, not cause real harm.

I gradually let my guard down, though I couldn't quite shake the memory of his knowing words about my pregnancy. Still, life went on.

Until Friday arrived, and with it, Elizabeth's surgery. As I stood in her hospital room that morning, all other concerns faded away. Nothing mattered now except getting her through this.

Elizabeth lay propped against pristine pillows, her silver hair perfectly coiffed despite the early hour.

I couldn't stop myself from adjusting her blankets for the third time.

"You're fussing, dear," Elizabeth said fondly, reaching for my hand. Her grip was warm and reassuring despite her condition.

Victoria watched us from her position by the window, a gentle smile playing at her lips. In moments like these, I could almost forget the complexity of my position in the Shaw family.

"Angela," Elizabeth's voice carried that gentle authority I'd grown to love, "you look pale. Have you been taking care of yourself?"

I opened my mouth to reassure her, but Dr. Carter's appearance in the doorway cut me off. "Mrs. Shaw? It's time."

I couldn't make myself let go of Elizabeth's hand, even as the surgical team assembled around us.

Then Sean's arm slipped around my waist, strong and steady, helping me find the strength to step back.

"Everything will be fine, dear," Elizabeth assured me as they prepared to wheel her through the surgical doors. "Take care of each other while I'm sleeping, won't you?"

I could only nod, my throat too tight for words. Sean's arm tightened around my waist as we watched the doors close behind her.

The private waiting area of New York-Presbyterian's VIP surgical wing offered every luxury money could buy, but nothing could ease the weight of waiting.

I stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows, my forehead pressed against the cool glass as I watched the city below.

Sean remained close, one hand resting lightly on the small of my back.

When Sean's phone buzzed for the third time in an hour, Victoria's perfectly manicured fingers drummed against the armrest.

"Perhaps,you should put that on silent, Sean."

He complied without argument, though I felt him tense slightly beside me. The surgical wing's indicator light glowed steadily, marking the hours as they passed.

"You're shivering," Sean murmured, shrugging off his suit jacket and draping it over my shoulders. The fabric carried his warmth and familiar scent, and I found myself unconsciously leaning into it.

"Thank you," I whispered, both for the jacket and the steady presence beside me. His hand found mine again, our fingers intertwining with practiced ease.

The quiet moment shattered as Sean's phone lit up again, this time with rapid-fire text messages. Though he tried to angle the screen away, I caught glimpses of Christina's name and increasingly urgent messages.

Victoria angrily asked, "Who keeps calling you?"

Before Sean could respond, another message appeared-this one from Jennifer: Christina left the hospital. She's upset and no one knows where she went. Her injury started bleeding again.

I felt Sean's grip tighten on my hand, saw the conflict etched across his features. Drawing a deep breath, I made a decision that surprised even myself.

"Sean," I said softly, extracting my hand from his. "You should go check on her."

His head snapped up, eyes searching my face. "Angela-"

"She's injured and potentially in danger," I continued, forcing my voice to remain steady.

Even though I suspected she might be behind my attack, I could understand how devastating it would be for a young, beautiful woman to have a scar on her face.

People might do foolish things when acting impulsively. Just like Christina right now.

"However, before you leave, you should explain things to Victoria," I added.