Their grips reluctantly began to loosen. Rowan turned away, ending the silent tension between them.
He headed toward the elevator, and Lucas moved at the same time, trying to get there before him.
Lucas's mind was racing. All he could think about was Lyra.
He had to get to her. He had to see her.
"Lucas!" Oliver barked. "Stay where you are, or…"
But Lucas didn't listen to his father's warning. Oliver rubbed his temple. This son of his was going to be the death of him.
He shot Owen a sharp order with just a look.
Before Lucas could reach the elevator, Owen stepped forward and his fist connected hard with his twin's jaw.
The crack echoed. Lucas hit the floor, dazed, blood at the corner of his lip.
"Idiot!" Owen growled, flipping his long hair back before seizing Lucas by the arm and dragging him away.
Both fathers exhaled in unison, like they had just survived a family disaster. The tension between their sons finally eased—at least until the next round.
Thankfully, Hudson had acted fast.
He had already come clean and apologized for deleting the footage. He hadn't known Lyra was married to Rowan—Lucas had insisted it was nothing more than a rumor.
Hudson honestly thought Lucas was just trying to make peace with her. After all, they'd been in love for three years and had their own way of settling things.
If he had known the truth, he never would've gotten involved.
Whatever it was, Hudson would face punishment for what he'd done. Oliver would deal with that later. Right now, they had a far more important problem to settle.
Now, all attention turned to Lucas's troublesome secretary.
Albert shifted his gaze to Oliver, his voice low and icy beneath the controlled tone.
"How do you want to handle the secretary? She dared to harm my daughter-in-law."
Nadia flinched, fear flickering across her face before she lowered her head in a practiced, pitiful act.
"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't do anything wrong. I was only trying to correct that woman's behavior."
Albert let out a sharp, disgusted snort. "Correct her behavior? You must think I'm blind."
He pointed up at the CCTV camera. "Everything's recorded. Still want to lie?"
Oliver's expression stayed calm as he stepped closer, meeting Nadia's trembling gaze.
"Go back, pack your things, take your final pay—and disappear."
Nadia broke down, crying and pleading, but Oliver didn't even blink. He lifted a hand—a simple gesture.
The guards moved in, seized her by the arms, and dragged her out. Her sobs echoed down the hall until only silence remained.
Oliver turned to Hudson, his voice cold and final. "Inform HR. I want her termination handled at once."
Hudson nodded quickly, understanding the weight behind the order, and rushed to carry it out.
…
Rowan rode the elevator down to the ground floor and headed straight for the hotel entrance.
That was when he noticed his car was gone. His men had already taken Lyra to the hospital.
Footsteps approached, but he didn't bother to look.
"I'll take you," Theodore said, brushing past his younger brother without slowing.
A black sports car slid to a stop in front of them. One of the hotel staff hurried out and handed Theodore the keys with both hands, head lowered.
"Hurry, get in," he ordered.
Rowan didn't answer. A faint smirk tugged at his mouth. Theodore always came through when it mattered.
He went to the passenger side and climbed in. The car growled to life and sped straight toward the hospital.
Theo kept his hands steady on the wheel as he drove, stealing a quick glance at his brother.
Rowan sat rigid in the seat, arms crossed tight, his foot tapping against the floor—impatience bleeding through every movement.
"So," Theo said, his voice low as he broke the tense silence. "Marriage has changed you," he remarked, a faint smile tugging at one corner of his mouth.
Rowan just shrugged and lifted his brows in response.
Theo chuckled under his breath as his eyes fixed on the road.
"Mom told me you tried to push that girl onto me—said she nearly became my wife," Theo said.
He was referring to the time Rowan tried to escape the marriage—at least until he found out who the bride actually was.
"That was before," Rowan replied quietly. "She's my wife now." There was a warning in his tone.
The car rolled to a stop at the red light. Theo leaned toward him, eyes narrowing as he studied his brother.
"So it's true, then? You did push her before."
Rowan didn't argue, didn't push, didn't correct. He simply replied, calm and steady,
"That's fate. What isn't meant to happen never will and what's meant to happen already has."
He gave Theo a knowing, unmistakably firm glance.
Theo let out a low laugh, surprised his brother had actually fallen in love. But beneath that laugh, he could sense it. Rowan was afraid of losing her.
Theo nodded in agreement with Rowan.
"You're right. Fate already decided she'd end up as your wife. I can see it now. Just look at how she slipped right out of Lucas Arden's hands."
Rowan exhaled slowly, controlled, but the darkness in his eyes stayed sharp.
"He was never worthy of Lyra. Not for a single second." The venom in his voice bled through the calm.
Rowan remembered it all too clearly. The first time he'd crossed paths with her in that cab—she was so broken, her cries barely sounded human. Like someone pushed past their limit.
And the very next day, reporters circling her like a pack of predators. And that wasn't even counting the killer who tried to finish her.
"Then tell me—do you honestly think your wife can forget Lucas Arden? They were together for three years. History like that doesn't vanish."
Theo's voice cut through his thoughts, pulling him back.
The question landed exactly where it hurt most, like a blade pressed straight into Rowan's one weak spot. But Rowan said nothing.
From Theodore's point of view, he wasn't trying to offend him. He was testing Rowan, making sure no cracks were already forming.
He didn't want his brother repeating the same mistake he once made—the kind of mistake that allowed a third person to ruin his marriage.