But though Elliana and Paulina wore masks of calm, they both knew the reality. Danger crept closer with each passing moment.
Then it struck. A thunderclap erupted, so violent that it seemed to rattle the hospital’s foundation. The main gate was smashed open. Men draped in black raincoats surged through the opening, colliding instantly with the bodyguards stationed in the courtyard.
Whether they served Maxine or Miguel remained unclear, but their intent was unmistakable. They had come prepared. Every man carried a weapon. They wasted no breath on words. Their sole ive was breaching the building.
The instant the assault began, reports cascaded to Jason and Matthew.
Jason couldn’t abandon the third floor. The possibility haunted him that someone might scale the walls, slip through a window, and reach Elliana or the babies. He had to remain posted outside the operating room, the final barrier between them and harm.
Matthew would have to face the onslaught at the main entrance alone. He seized command without hesitation. His orders cut through the chaos of battle, directing the Star Society members to hold their position at any cost. Eliminating the enemy would be ideal, but their primary ive was absolute. The intruders could not breach the upper floors. They could not get anywhere near Elliana.
More men draped in black raincoats flooded in from the storm, a relentless tide of trained fighters.
But Star Society had its own elite warriors, men not to be dismissed lightly. Matthew himself was a formidable opponent. Though the attackers pressed forward with savage intensity, shattering Matthew’s defensive line proved impossible. The two forces locked in a brutal stalemate. The intruders couldn’t advance a single inch.
“Useless fools!” A furious roar tore through the chaos from somewhere beyond the entrance.
The effect was immediate. The men in black halted mid-strike and then swiftly withdrew, falling back to form two disciplined lines flanking either side of the doorway.
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From his position at the hallway junction, Matthew’s eyes narrowed to slits.
This was unmistakable—the leader of the men in black had arrived. He steadied himself, curious to witness what manner of man inspired such instant obedience.
The main doors swept open. A tall figure stepped through the threshold. He wore a long black trench coat that fell past his knees, paired with leather shoes polished to a mirror shine. A black mask concealed the lower half of his face. His hair was cropped short and meticulously styled, lending him an air of polish and refinement. But that veneer of elegance dissolved beneath an overwhelming aura of threat.
His eyes were the most striking feature—twin blades that seemed to slice through the air. A single glance felt like a wound opening across skin. Though he had crossed through the storm, he carried with him a cold, damp chill that permeated the space. A subordinate hovered at his shoulder, angling an umbrella with such precision that not a single raindrop marred his immaculate clothing.
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