Imperial Crown Hospital – Emergency Ward
The corridors echoed with the frantic footsteps of doctors and nurses.
Selina sat on the cold metal bench, her hands trembling, her blood-soaked dress clinging to her like a second skin.
Her eyes were red and swollen, her lips bitten raw from holding back sobs. Her trembling hands clutched Damian's blood-stained watch to her chest as if holding it could somehow keep his heartbeat alive.
How many more times must she watch him fight for his life? How many more times could she survive the unbearable thought of losing him forever?
Every second in that waiting room felt like a lifetime. Every silent moment dragged her further into the abyss.
Her heart was a broken compass, spinning wildly without direction, lost in a storm of despair.
Suddenly, the operating room doors swung open.
The lead surgeon stepped out, his face grim.
"He's alive… for now."
Selina's knees gave out beneath her.
Scene Switch – Imperial Crown Boardroom
While Damian fought for his life, the empire he bled for was already slipping through his fingers.
The massive boardroom fell silent as the door creaked open.
A new figure walked in—elegant, commanding, and cloaked in undeniable power.
The man removed his gloves with deliberate precision, his cold, piercing gaze sweeping across the room like a predator surveying his prey.
Grandfather Lu stood to greet him, his old eyes filled with rare respect.
"You kept us waiting long enough," the old man rasped.
The mysterious man chuckled darkly.
"The real king arrives only when the pawns have exhausted their moves."
Selina's mother stood behind him, her expression cold and satisfied.
"Meet the true heir of the Lu Empire," she announced. "The man who will replace Damian… and finish what he couldn't."
A chill colder than death settled over the room.
The final player had stepped onto the board. And this time… there would be no mercy.
Scene Switch – Hospital Rooftop
Selina stood under the stormy sky, rain pouring down her face, mixing with her tears.
Her shoulders shook uncontrollably, her arms wrapped tightly around her body as if she could hold herself together through sheer will.
She had fought too long. Lost too much. But this… this was the final battle she couldn't afford to lose.
Her hope felt like a fragile flame battling against the howling winds—weak, flickering, but not yet extinguished.
Her phone vibrated.
A new message popped up on the cracked screen.
"You have one chance left, Selina. Surrender Damian's shares, or lose everything you hold dear. You have 24 hours. — The True King."
Selina's fingers tightened around the phone, her eyes blazing through the tears.
"Come for me if you dare. But this time… I'm ready to fight to the death."