Security rushed into the ICT room in a jiffy, right after the man standing in front of Sam called. Sam later found out his name was Matt. He was part of the IT team and had gone on break. As the security came in, their heavy boots pounded against the tiled floor, their presence instantly suffocating the already tense air. “Arrest him!” Matt barked, still chewing. His voice was sharp with urgency as he pointed directly at Sam. “He’s the fraud! He came into this room without authorization—he’s the one hacking us!” The accusation hit the room like a spark in dry grass. Immediately, the security team moved into action, surrounding Sam before he could take a step back. Hands reached for him—firm and unyielding—ready to drag him away. “I am here on a job,” Sam said, his voice steady despite the chaos closing in around him. His eyes flickered briefly to the system screen behind them, tension tightening his jaw. “And if I don’t continue, the entire system will crash.” A few of the guards

“Warn me,” Matt barked, his face flushing a dangerous red. “Marcus, you can’t just let this guy talk to us however he wants!” Marcus’s jaw tightened, the muscles clenching with practiced control. He didn’t flinch, didn’t raise his voice—he never did. “It’s fine. When the MD arrives, he’ll face the consequences of his actions.” His words were calm, deliberate, designed to command authority. He turned, stepping toward the exit, but before he could take another step, Matt’s hand shot out, slapping Sam sharply across the shoulder. Sam barely flinched. A small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He had expected this, of course. Impulsive actions had consequences, and Matt would pay for his rashness long before Sam would. Words were unnecessary; the calm in his eyes alone was warning enough. Marcus led Sam toward the exit, cuffs clicking sharply with each step, the sound echoing off the sterile corridor walls. That’s when Zoya appeared, striding from the opposi

“We will try to make her better, we assure you,” one of the doctors said, his voice calm, almost clinical—but it barely grazed the storm raging inside Elena. Her chest tightened, a cold weight pressing down, and for a moment, she felt as if the room itself were closing in on her. “Ma’am, please relax so we can take our assessment,” another urged Veronica gently, his words soft but carrying a professional weight that felt distant to Elena, like a lifeline she couldn’t reach. “Please… help me…” Veronica’s voice broke, each syllable trembling like fragile glass. “My body… it hurts…” Her hands shook, clutching at the blanket, fingers curling as if trying to anchor herself to the world. “We know,” the nurse replied, her tone gentle, hands hovering protectively as if ready to catch her mother should she fall. “Just tell us exactly how it feels so we can help you.” “Get some pain relief—Diclofenac, 75 mg, precisely,” the doctor instructed firmly, cutting through the haze of panic a

Sam picked up the phone and immediately noticed the battery warning blinking on the screen. The faint beep echoed in the quiet room, a small but urgent reminder that his connection to the outside world was about to vanish. He felt a pang of frustration and loneliness twist in his chest. Maybe I should make a call… he thought, his thumb hovering over the keypad. But who could he call? He didn’t have Aiden’s number anymore, and Susan’s had long been erased. His shoulders slumped. He was utterly alone. A tight knot of anxiety settled in his stomach, making it hard to breathe. Then, almost as if fate were mocking him, the phone began to ring. Vanessa. His ex-wife. Again. “What does she want now?” he muttered under his breath, a mix of irritation and dread tightening his jaw. His palms grew sweaty. He hated that she still had this power over him, even after everything. ------------------- Meanwhile, Vanessa had left the office, certain she would find Sam home and finally confr

“You are going down, man. Alright?” Matt said, clearly not in a good mood, his voice edged with irritation that barely masked the anger boiling underneath. “Nothing about this is amusing, so quit with the smile.” Matt’s voice cracked with barely contained anger. His teeth clenched so hard it hurt, and his jaw felt locked. His hands trembled—not with fear, but with the frustration of standing face-to-face with a man who shouldn’t be this calm. Sam didn’t answer. He just smiled—that infuriating, knowing smile that made Matt’s chest tighten and his pulse spike uncontrollably. “You know what’s even funnier?” Matt spat, his voice low, venomous, dripping with restrained fury. “I’ll be recognized. Celebrated. And you… this dumb intruder? You’ll be locked up.” He paced back and forth, restless, each step echoing louder than it should, matching the panic building in his stomach. He couldn’t read Sam. Couldn’t predict him. Couldn’t breathe easy no matter how hard he tried. “I’ll wait to