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Chapter 26: Aftermath-3
A little over an hour after Maya was brought in, The attending physician-Dr. Levin, a senior trauma lead personally requested by Ashcroft-walked out holding a folder.
“You’re her proxy for the evening?” he asked, voice calm.
James nodded. “Personal Secretary of Mr. Blackwood. I’ll be her point of contact until further notice.”
Dr. Levin gave a short nod and opened the confidential file in his hand. “Vitals are stable. No internal bleeding. She has bruising consistent with restraint and struggle. There’s trauma to the back of the skull – not blunt force from an object, but from an impact with a hard surface. Floor, most likely. A sudden pull, or a fall.”
“Mild concussion?”
“Likely,” Levin confirmed. “She’s showing typical signs – slow response, light sensitivity, shallow breathing. We’ve sedated her for comfort. No need to induce a coma. She should wake on her own in a few hours.”
James’s jaw clenched. “The drugs?”
Dr. Levin’s expression darkened. “There are two in her bloodstream. The first is an aerosolized sedative – minimal dose, but fast-acting. Likely introduced through ventilation. That would explain her initial blackout. The second… was injected directly. Far more concentrated.”
James stayed silent, his expression unreadable.
“Fortunately,” the doctor continued, “she was still fighting. Her body metabolized only part of the second dose before we intervened. There’s no sign of paralysis or neurological damage, but she’ll be weak. Disoriented.”
Dr. Levin closed the file. “She’s safe now. We’ll monitor her overnight in isolation. Room 614. No visitors except pre-cleared staff.”
James nodded. “She’ll have visitors before sunrise. I’ll send them through. Thank You!”
James stepped into the marble-lined hallway outside the trauma wing, where the air was cool and still-too still.
He pulled out his phone and dialed.
One ring.
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Chapter 25. Aftermath-3
“Update,” Damien’s voice came-quiet, sharp, dangerous.
James cleared his throat, steadying his voice.
+25 Points
“She’s stable. No internal bleeding. But there’s confirmed trauma to the head. The doctor said it looks like she was pulled or thrown backward and hit the floor. Hard. Bruising around the
skull.”
He paused, jaw tightening.
“They moved her to a secure recovery suite. Room 614. She’s in isolation-monitored around the clock. The doctor says she’ll wake up within a few hours. She’ll be weak, disoriented, maybe confused… but she will wake up.”
A beat of silence followed-tense, stretching like a wire pulled taut.
“Two drugs found in her system,” James continued. “The first-an airborne sedative, likely administered through the AC system. The second was injected. Direct. Potent.”
He drew a breath.
“But she fought it. Physically. Mentally.”
Then came the sound on the other end-faint, but unmistakable.
Something dragging.
A dull thud.
A wet cough.
Then a scream-raw, male, cut off too fast.
Another sound followed. Not pain. Not anger.
Begging.
Damien’s voice returned-quiet and lethal.
“He’ll wish he never touched her.”
James swallowed hard, throat tightening. His chest burned with something sharp- something close to rage. He wasn’t just an executive secretary tonight.
He was a man watching over the woman his boss would destroy the world for.
And that meant something.
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Chapter 26: Aftermath-3
+25 Points
“I’ll stay here until she wakes,” James said firmly. “I’m calling Monroe now to bring Jamie and the neighbor in. I’m sure Ms. Thompson will ask for her brother first.”
“I want to be updated the moment they arrive,” Damien replied, voice like broken glass.
“Understood.”
The call ended with a click.
James lowered the phone slowly and looked down the hallway toward Room 614.
He exhaled.
Whatever Maya meant to Damien… that hospital bed wasn’t just holding a survivor.
It was holding the future queen of Blackwood’s empire.
And somewhere deep in the dark, Beckett began to learn that Damien Blackwood’s version of mercy was worse than death.
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.