The night was slowly fading into silence, yet the hospital remained awake beneath the cold white lights that filled every hallway. Outside, rain continued falling endlessly against the glass windows, thunder occasionally rumbling through the dark sky above the city.
But inside the hospital—
Everything felt strangely still.
Lila stood quietly outside Aria's hospital room, staring through the glass window without moving. The machines beside Aria's bed beeped softly in slow, steady rhythms while pale light illuminated her unconscious figure.
She looked fragile.
Too fragile.
The sight made something tighten painfully inside Lila's chest.
"…Why did you save me…?"
Her voice was barely a whisper.
But no answer came.
Aria remained motionless beneath the blankets, an IV connected to her arm while faint bruises marked her pale skin.
For the first time in years—
Lila felt helpless.
"You still haven't slept?"
The soft voice behind her broke the silence gently.
Lila turned slightly.
Maya stood there holding two cups of coffee, concern clearly visible in her tired eyes.
Lila shook her head quietly.
"I can't."
Maya slowly walked closer before offering one of the cups to her.
"You're blaming yourself, aren't you?"
Lila accepted the coffee but didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she stared down at the warm cup in silence.
Maya let out a small sigh.
"This isn't your fault."
Lila's expression darkened slightly.
"You don't know that."
Her voice became quieter.
"Everyone who gets close to me…"
"…ends up getting hurt."
For a moment, Maya simply looked at her carefully.
Then suddenly—
She smiled faintly.
"Well," she said softly, "then I guess we're all already doomed."
Lila blinked in surprise.
"Because none of us are leaving your side."
For just a second—
The cold expression on Lila's face softened slightly.
Then—
Fast footsteps echoed through the hallway.
Ryan appeared moments later, walking quickly toward them with an unusually serious expression.
"I checked the security footage," he said immediately.
Lila looked at him sharply.
"What did you find?"
Ryan glanced around carefully before lowering his voice.
"…The footage was deleted."
Silence.
Maya frowned instantly.
"You mean someone erased it intentionally?"
Ryan nodded slowly.
"This wasn't an accident."
At that exact moment, Ethan came rushing down the hallway toward them.
"Guys—"
He stopped to catch his breath.
"I talked to the parking lot guard."
Everyone immediately looked at him.
"He said there was a black car near the hospital earlier tonight."
Lila's chest tightened instantly.
Black car.
The image of Adrian Noir immediately flashed through her mind.
Ryan crossed his arms slowly.
"…You think it's him?"
Lila stayed silent.
But her silence answered the question clearly enough.
Suddenly—
A nurse hurried out of Aria's room.
"Patient Aria's guardians?"
Her parents immediately stood up.
"The patient's condition became unstable," the nurse explained quickly.
The atmosphere in the hallway froze instantly.
Lila felt her heartbeat stumble painfully.
No.
Not again.
Doctors rushed into the room immediately while tension spread heavily through the corridor.
Maya gently reached for Lila's hand.
"She'll be okay…"
But even her voice carried fear now.
Lila slowly pulled her hand away.
"…I need some air."
Nobody stopped her.
Hospital Rooftop
The rain still hadn't stopped.
Cold wind swept across the rooftop while the city lights below looked blurred beneath the storm.
Lila slowly stepped toward the edge of the rooftop, her thoughts spiraling endlessly inside her mind.
Adrian Noir.
Was he truly behind everything?
Or—
Was there someone even more dangerous hiding in the shadows?
"Still chasing ghosts?"
The familiar voice instantly made her freeze.
Calm.
Quiet.
Dangerously calm.
Slowly—
Lila turned around.
A figure stood beneath the rain-covered darkness.
Black coat.
Wet hair.
Cold eyes.
Adrian Noir.
Lila's expression immediately hardened.
"…You."
Adrian slowly stepped forward.
"I came to see you."
Lila let out a cold laugh.
"You even have the nerve to come to the hospital now?"
But Adrian didn't react to her anger.
Instead, he calmly asked—
"How is Aria?"
For a moment, Lila stared at him in disbelief.
"…You're seriously asking me that?"
Adrian remained silent briefly before speaking again.
"I didn't do this."
Thunder crashed loudly across the sky.
Lila's eyes turned colder.
"So this is your new way of lying?"
"I'm not lying."
His voice remained calm.
And somehow—
That calmness felt even more terrifying.
Lila stepped closer toward him.
"Then who did it?!"
Adrian looked directly into her eyes.
For the first time—
She noticed something unusual in his expression.
Exhaustion.
And beneath it—
Fear.
Small.
Almost invisible.
But real.
"You're looking in the wrong direction," Adrian said quietly.
Lila frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Adrian's gaze darkened slightly.
"The game that started…"
"…isn't mine."
For a brief moment—
Lila actually felt confused.
Because Adrian didn't look like a man enjoying chaos anymore.
He looked like someone expecting something worse.
"What are you hiding?" Lila asked quietly.
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he slowly walked closer to her.
"You're in danger now."
"Stop pretending you care," Lila snapped through clenched teeth.
Adrian stared at her silently for several seconds.
Then he finally spoke.
Very softly.
"…If I didn't care…"
"…you would already be dead."
Lila's breath caught for a second.
At that exact moment—
Adrian's phone suddenly vibrated.
He glanced down at the screen.
And instantly—
His entire expression changed.
Cold.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
"…No," he muttered quietly.
Then he looked back at Lila immediately.
"Stay away from room 306 tonight."
Lila's eyes widened.
Room 306.
Aria's room.
"What are you talking about?!"
But before she could stop him—
Adrian stepped backward into the darkness.
The rain swallowed his figure slowly until he completely disappeared.
Leaving only silence behind.
Lila stood frozen for a few seconds.
Then suddenly—
Her eyes widened in realization.
And she ran.
Fast.
Straight back toward the hospital corridors.