Chapter 998:

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Donovan’s hand froze. He stared at the small bottle, his mind racing.

One dose.

He could only save one person. His daughter, Giselle. Or the woman Hilliard was fighting for, Cailin.

There was no choice to be made. He snatched the vial from Finch’s hand and turned to leave.

Eleonora was standing in the doorway. She had heard everything.

“Thank God!” she cried, rushing forward and grabbing Donovan’s arm. “We can go to the hospital now! We can save Giselle!”

𝗥еа𝖽 𝘄𝘪𝘵𝗁𝗼𝘂t іnt𝖾𝘳ruр𝘁i𝘰n𝗌 оn 𝗴𝗮𝗹ո𝘰𝗏e𝗅ѕ.𝗰𝘰𝘮

She assumed he would use the antidote as a bargaining chip, a direct trade for their daughter’s freedom.

But Donovan just gave her a cold, dead look. He placed the vial into a small, refrigerated briefcase and snapped it shut.

A knot of dread tightened in Eleonora’s stomach. “You’re not going to the hospital?”

“The antidote goes to Hilliard first,” he said, his voice flat.

“Are you insane?” she shrieked. “What if he takes it and goes back on his word? Giselle will die!”

She pleaded with him, her voice rising hysterically. She suggested they use the family’s private tactical team to storm the hospital and take Giselle by force. With their daughter secure, they could dictate the terms.

Donovan looked at his wife, at her wild eyes and desperate, grasping plans. He was filled with a profound sense of disgust.

“I will not bring further shame upon this family because of your foolishness,” he said, his voice like ice. “I gave Hilliard my word. A deal is a deal.”

Eleonora stared at him, aghast. She couldn’t believe he was choosing to honor a deal with an enemy over a chance to save their child.

Donovan ignored her. He set the combination lock on the briefcase and turned to his chief of staff.

“I want a complete file on Cailin Morton,” he ordered in a low voice. “Everything. From the day she was born. I want to know every connection she has to the Ashford family.”

The assistant nodded and disappeared.

Eleonora watched her husband walk away, a wave of pure terror washing over her. He didn’t believe her story. He was digging.

If he found out the truth about Cailin…

She couldn’t let that happen. She couldn’t wait. If her husband wouldn’t act, she would find someone who would.

She ran to her suite and changed into a severe, black dress. She stormed out to the waiting line of cars.

“Take me to the Rhodes estate,” she commanded the driver.

She was going to see her brother. The head of the Rhodes family, Sterling Rhodes.

The car swept through the imposing gates of the Rhodes estate. The architecture here was older, more severe than the opulent Van Doren mansion. It spoke of old money and unbreakable rules.

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