The night air outside Sovereign was cold and sharp.
Sebastian Wolfe stood perfectly still for a moment.
Then the pain hit.
It exploded through his side, deep and vicious, stealing the breath from his lungs.
Behind him, Ethan was shouting as security guards finally rushed forward, tackling him to the ground. The knife clattered loudly against the pavement, skidding a few feet away.
"Get off me!" Ethan snarled, struggling violently.
Two guards pinned his arms behind his back.
"Sir!" another guard shouted, running toward Sebastian.
"Mr. Wolfe—are you alright?"
Sebastian didn't answer immediately.
His hand pressed tightly against his side.
When he pulled it away for a moment, his palm was covered in dark red blood.
The guard swore under his breath.
"Jesus—."
Another guard grabbed his phone.
"I'm calling an ambulance."
"No."
Sebastian's voice was low, but firm.
The guard froze.
"Sir?"
Sebastian lifted his head slowly. His expression was pale, but his eyes were sharp.
"No hospital."
"Sir, you've been stabbed."
"I'm aware."
Blood continued dripping down his side, soaking through the fabric of his shirt.
The guard hesitated.
"You need medical attention."
Sebastian's patience was already gone.
"Call my driver," he said coldly.
The guard opened his mouth to argue again, but one look at Sebastian's expression made him stop.
Even injured, the CEO of Sovereign looked completely in control.
"Yes, sir."
The guard hurried to make the call.
Behind them, Ethan was still shouting threats as security restrained him.
Sebastian ignored him completely.
The black car pulled up only minutes later.
The driver stepped out quickly.
"Mr. Wolfe—."
Sebastian walked toward the car before the man could finish.
Each step sent another sharp wave of pain through his side.
He ignored it.
By the time he reached the back seat, blood had begun soaking through his shirt.
The driver looked horrified.
"Sir, you're bleeding."
Sebastian leaned back against the leather seat, one hand pressing firmly against the wound.
"Drive."
"But—. "
"Now."
The driver didn't argue again.
The car pulled away from the curb.
Inside the vehicle, the silence was heavy.
Sebastian's breathing was slower now.
More controlled.
But blood continued slipping through his fingers.
He stared out the window as the city lights passed by in long golden streaks.
Hospitals.
The thought alone made his jaw tighten.
Bright lights. Doctors. Endless questions.
He hated them.
He would deal with this himself.
His hand pressed harder against the wound.
Pain pulsed through his side.
For a moment, his vision blurred slightly.
He closed his eyes briefly.
And somehow, the first thing that came to mind was Lillian.
Her stubborn expression.
The way she argued with him without hesitation.
The way she had looked at him that night in his bedroom.
The almost kiss.
Sebastian exhaled slowly.
"Sir?"
The driver's voice pulled him back.
"We're here."
The car rolled through the gates of the massive modern mansion and stopped in the circular driveway.
Sebastian opened the door.
The moment he stepped out of the car, the cold air hit him.
He steadied himself against the door briefly.
The driver hurried toward him.
"Sir, you really should go to the hospital—. "
"I'm fine."
He walked toward the front door.
The driver followed nervously but didn't push further.
Sebastian unlocked the door and stepped inside.
The mansion was silent.
Completely empty.
His footsteps echoed faintly against the high ceilings.
Then—
A drop of blood hit the marble floor.
Another followed.
Then another.
Sebastian walked forward slowly, leaving a dark trail across the polished white surface.
The contrast was stark.
Red against white.
He moved through the vast entrance hall toward the staircase.
Each step up the stairs took more effort than the last.
His breathing was heavier now.
But he kept moving.
He reached the second floor and continued down the long hallway toward his bedroom.
When he finally pushed the door open, the room was dark and quiet.
He removed his jacket first.
The fabric was soaked with blood.
He tossed it onto the floor without a second glance.
Then he walked straight into the ensuite bathroom.
Bright lights flicked on automatically.
The room was immaculate.
White marble counters.
Glass shower walls.
Everything spotless.
Sebastian stepped inside and leaned one hand against the counter.
For a moment, the room tilted slightly.
He clenched his jaw and forced himself to stay upright.
Focus.
He pulled his shirt aside.
The wound was deep.
Blood ran slowly down his side.
"…Damn it."
He opened the cabinet and pulled out the first aid kit.
Bandages.
Gauze.
Antiseptic.
He grabbed a towel first and pressed it against the wound.
It soaked through almost immediately.
Sebastian sat down heavily on the cold marble floor, leaning his back against the wall.
The chill of the stone barely registered.
Working quickly, he cleaned the wound as best as he could.
The antiseptic burned sharply.
He ignored it.
Then he wrapped thick gauze tightly around his side.
Layer after layer.
Finally he secured it with a wide bandage.
For a moment he sat there breathing slowly.
The bleeding seemed to slow.
Sebastian leaned his head back against the wall.
But after only a few seconds—
A dark red stain began spreading through the bandages.
Slow at first.
Then faster.
Sebastian looked down.
The blood was already soaking through.
The wound was deeper than he had thought.
He pressed his hand against it again, applying more pressure.
Warm blood seeped between his fingers.
His breathing grew heavier.
The bright lights above him suddenly felt too harsh.
His vision blurred again.
The massive mansion around him was silent.
Empty.
Sebastian closed his eyes briefly.
Just for a second.
And once again, the only person who came to mind was Lillian.
Her voice.
Her stubborn determination.
The way she had looked at him that night.
He exhaled slowly.
Blood continued staining the bandages.
And the marble floor beneath him.
The mansion remained perfectly quiet.
As Sebastian Wolfe slowly began to lose consciousness.