To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 53

If everything before was just Brian being far away, powerless to protect her—

Then today's attack made one thing clear: he was here, yet he still chose Lina.

A cold shiver crept down Elara's spine.

She was about to try and escape on her own when a hand suddenly closed around her throat.

Before she could react, the attacker was already dragging her roughly across the smoke-filled room.

Judging by the brute force, Elara knew this person was no savior.

Her throat burned, and though she tried to scream, nothing came out. Desperate, she dug her nails deep into the back of their hand, breaking skin.

The grip tightened in retaliation. Elara gasped for air, her vision swimming.

Through the haze, she glimpsed a window ahead.

In that instant, she understood: they were planning to throw her out.

It was only the second floor, but the ceilings in these old commercial buildings were nearly fifteen feet high. A fall from here meant crippled or dead.

She fought wildly, and just as she was about to be hoisted up, another force crashed into them, yanking her free.

Her attacker was kicked into the thick smoke.

Elara stumbled backward into a solid chest.

Before she could get her bearings, a man spun her around and hefted her onto his shoulder.

"Smoke's toxic. Slow your breathing."

His deep, steady voice resonated in her ear. Dizzy, Elara's senses filled with the mysterious, woody scent that clung to him.

He stepped over shattered glass and carried her out of the burning studio. By the time they reached fresh air, Elara's eyes stung so badly she could barely open them.

"Mr. Lawrence—" someone called.

An assistant hurried over and opened the car door.

Elara froze. Not him again.

The man set her gently in the back seat and gave an order: "Take us to Mercy General."

Mercy General was Kingston City's best hospital—the same one Elara usually went to, where Nanette was currently admitted.

Clenching her aching throat, Elara managed to protest, "I don't want to go there."

Silence filled the car for a few seconds.

The assistant hesitated, about to instruct the driver to head for Mercy General anyway, when the man in charge let out a low chuckle. "Take us to 547."

The assistant nodded and relayed the new instructions.

Seeing the bandages over Elara's eyes, she rushed to her side.

"What happened to your eyes? I was counting on my golden goose pulling through—you are going to recover, right?"

Elara stayed calm. "Just some chemical irritation from the smoke. They put ointment on it—should be fine by morning."

Summer finally let out a sigh of relief—then her temper flared.

"What's Brian's problem? He went to save his side chick and left you behind, then played the hero by calling me to check on you. Is he auditioning for a soap opera?"

Before Elara could answer, her phone rang again, only to die halfway through from a dead battery.

Bandages over her eyes, Elara didn't even try to answer.

"Good. Don't pick up. Let him stew."

"He's not worried," Elara replied flatly. "He just wants to confirm I'm still alive."

Whatever feelings she might have imagined, she knew now—Brian had none. To him, she was just Lina's human shield.

Summer looked even more furious.

"If you'd just held out a little longer after graduation—skipped the whole marriage thing, started that business with me, partnered up with your skills—we'd be in a completely different place right now."

As she spoke, Summer handed her the legal agreement the company's lawyer had drawn up for the transfer of assets.