Beyond the Family's Shadow

The intense pain made Elara gasp, but she didn't cry out, not even a flinch.

She just looked at Dante quietly.

This man who once promised to protect her from any harm, who vowed to shield her from all storms, was now roughly handling her, his anger so palpable it felt like he wished he could choke the life out of her, all for another woman's lie.

"Get out."

A tall male nurse, assigned by Julian, stepped in front of Elara like a wall.

His face was grim, muscles tense. He spoke to Dante, "This is the ICU, sir. Please show some respect. Otherwise, I'll call security to have you thrown out."

Dante froze for a moment, seemingly surprised that an outsider would dare to stop him.

He pointed at Elara, his finger trembling.

"Elara, she's your own sister! How could you be so cruel, capable of even pushing her down the stairs!"

"She fell on her own," Elara's voice was hoarse, defending herself.

She knew it was useless to explain. It always had been.

"Still lying! You're a liar!" Dante shoved his phone into Elara's face.

On the screen was a photo of Serena in her luxury hospital room, tears streaming down her face, a tiny bandage on her forehead.

The caption read: 'My heart aches from the betrayal of someone I trusted most. Why does family become a weapon?'

Elara let out a mocking laugh. "She typed a few lines, and you believed it?"

She knew explanations were futile, yet she hadn't expected him to be so biased.

Dante looked at Elara's disappointed expression, his mouth opening as if to speak.

Could this really be something more to it?

But then, his phone rang.

It was a special alert tone, Serena's personalized ringtone.

Dante glanced at it, his face instantly changing.

"Serena's having heart palpitations... Damn it."

He turned and left in a hurry, not sparing Elara another glance, not asking "Does your wound hurt?" or inquiring about who gave her the blood transfusion.

He didn't even know the blood bag that saved her wasn't from the hospital, let alone a donation from the Vane family.

He didn't know Elara had Rh-null blood.

He never cared. All he knew was her blood could save Serena, but he never thought about who would save her.

Only after his back disappeared down the corridor did Elara expressionlessly pull out the IV needle from her arm.

Blood welled up, dripping onto the white sheets like plum blossoms in the snow.

But she felt no pain.

"Miss Vane, you can't move! You just had surgery!" the nurse exclaimed, shocked.

"I want to be discharged," Elara said, pressing her wound, her gaze as firm as rock. "Help me contact the police. I need to file a report."

"A report?"

"Apply for a restraining order," Elara said coldly, a glint of ice in her eyes.

An hour later, Elara walked out of the police station.

Her phone vibrated.

It was a text from Dante.

'Stop acting out. Serena is terrified. Take a taxi home. And Elara, you owe Serena an apology. You need to make amends, or... I can't guarantee I'll be able to shield you from Father's anger. He's furious.'

Elara looked at the message, a mocking smile curling her lips.

Shield me?

He would soon find out who really needed shielding.