Xander clenched his jaw. If Harry was here, it wasn’t by coincidence. He was either following Bruce’s orders or handling business of his own.


    What if Fiona was his target?


    Without wasting another second, Xander got out of the car, grabbing his crutches, and Samantha hurried to follow him as they entered the hospital.


    At the front desk, they asked about Fiona’s condition, but the receptionist refused to give them any information. She likely assumed they were just more reporters trying to sneak inside. Fiona’s attack had already sent the inte into a frenzy, and soon, the hospital would be swarmed with the media.


    Xander and Samantha exchanged nces before stepping away from the counter. They would have to find Fiona’s room on their own. Since she was a high-profile patient, it was likely she had been ced in the ICU before being moved to a VIP room.


    As they searched, they spotted Harry again. This time, he appeared to be searching for someone as well. But he didn’t spot the couple as they stared at his back.


    Xander hesitated. He didn’t want to believe that Bruce had ordered a hit on Fiona—especially not after theirst conversation where he’d used Mr. Wace of murder. But he couldn’t ignore the sinking feeling in his gut.


    He could have easily called Harry over and ask him of his business in the hospital, but his instincts told him not to.


    Something wasn’t right.


    Outside the ICU, Tracie stood rigid, her arms crossed as she paced in front of the door. She had just ended a call with Anastasia, Xavier, and Ezekiel, updating them on the situation.


    Fiona’s life was still in danger—not just from the person who had already attacked her, but from whoever had sent the attacker in the first ce. The hospital was supposed to be a safe ce, but Tracie wasn’t taking any chances.


    She didn’t trust anyone at the moment.


    Even Fiona’s bodyguards that were stationed outside the room made her uneasy. They’d tried convincing her to change out of her bloody clothes but she’d refused. The enemy could be hiding in in sight.


    When the green light above the ICU door flicked off, signaling the operation had ended, Tracie’s pulse quickened. The doctor stepped out and informed her that Fiona had survived the surgery and was being moved to a VIP room.


    Relief washed over her, but it was brief. She knew this wasn’t over, at least not yet.


    As Fiona was transferred to a VIP room for recuperation, Tracie debated whether to finally change out of her bloodstained clothes. But as she was about to leave, something caught her attention.


    A man in a dark hoodie and cap, his head lowered, moving around the hallway with suspicious steps.


    Tracie’s instincts red.


    The bodyguards seemed to sense it too. They stiffened as the man approached, their hands hovering near their weapons ready to fire if need be.


    But, without warning, the man pulled a gun from his pocket and fired.


    The guards copsed to the ground instantly, blood pooling beneath them. The silencer on the weapon made it nearly impossible for anyone outside the hallway to hear the gunshots.


    Tracie barely had time to react or check it the bodyguards were dead before the man turned the gun on her.


    "Don’t move if you don’t want to end up like them," Harry sneered, his yellowed teeth shing in a smirk.


    Tracie remained perfectly still. But unlike Fiona’s guards, she wasn’t just some hired protection. She had done this kind of work before.


    And she wasn’t about to die here.


    With a sharp, precise movement, she dropped low and kicked his legs out from under him. Harry hit the ground hard, groaning in pain, but his grip on the gun didn’t loosen.


    Before he could recover, he raised the weapon and fired—but he missed. Tracie was already moving.


    In a sh, she lunged at him, knocking the gun from his hand. It skidded across the floor as she pinned him down, pressing the stolen weapon against his temple.


    Harry red up at her, frozen in ce.


    "I’m only going to ask this once," she said coldly, pressing the barrel harder against his skull. "Who sent you?"


    Before he could answer, a voice cut through the tense silence.


    "Harry?"


    Tracie nced up, locking eyes with Xander. Beside him, Samantha stared, wide-eyed.


    "Oh look," Tracie smirked, her voice dripping with amusement. "You’re here."