Page 94 of Ruined By Blood
Once the guards are secured, I retrieve the key cardfrom the pocket of one of the unconscious men. My pulse quickens as I slide it through the reader. The light turns green.
I push the door open slowly, entering a room that's more luxurious than the standard medical accommodations but still unmistakably institutional. Pale blue walls, a hospital bed with upgraded linens, a small sitting area by a window with bars disguised as decorative grillwork.
In the corner sits a woman, thin and fragile-looking, staring out the window. When she turns toward us, I see the same crystal blue eyes Sienna has too, though dulled by whatever medication they've been keeping her on.
"Charlotte Sterling?" I ask quietly.
She flinches at the sound of my voice, pressing herself against the chair. Fear flashes across her face as her eyes dart between Alessio and me.
"Mrs. Sterling, we're not here to hurt you," I say, keeping my distance. "We're here on behalf of Sienna."
Her eyes widen at her daughter's name, but suspicion hardens her features. "My husband sent you. Another test." Her voice is hoarse from disuse.
"No. Your husband doesn't know we're here." I take a slow step forward.
"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Charlotte whispers, her hands trembling. "Everyone lies here."
I consider my words carefully. "Sienna told me about the late nights you would spend together in the kitchen. Cooking when Henry was away on business."
Charlotte's breath catches. Something shifts in her expression.
"She said you taught her how to make chocolate chip cookies from scratch. That you would wait until after midnight, when the house was quiet and the staff had goneto bed." I recall Sienna's exact words. "You'd turn on the small radio and dance while the cookies baked."
Tears fill Charlotte's eyes. "No one knows about that. Not even Henry."
"Sienna remembers everything about you, Mrs. Sterling. She never stopped looking for you." I extend my hand. "I'm going to take you somewhere safe."
My chest tightens as Charlotte reaches for my hand with trembling fingers. There's so much of Sienna in her face.
"We need to move quickly," Alessio murmurs, checking his watch.
I nod, turning back to Charlotte. "Can you walk?"
She stands shakily, her hospital gown hanging loose on her frail frame. "They... they give me something every night. Makes everything foggy."
"Here." Alessio pulls a blanket from the bed and wraps it around her shoulders. "For warmth and dignity."
Charlotte clutches the edges of the blanket, her knuckles white. "Sienna? Is she truly safe?"
A knife twists in my gut. "She's with her father right now. But we're going to change that very soon."
Fear flashes across her face. We don't have time to sit and explain things now.
Alessio opens the door a crack, checking the hallway. "Clear. Noah has the elevator waiting."
I guide Charlotte with a gentle hand at her elbow. She's unsteady but determined, each step growing more confident than the last.
We move down the corridor where Noah holds the elevator with our fake orderly. Matteo stands guard by the stairwell, giving us a short nod.
"No alarms triggered," Noah confirms as we enter theelevator. "Security system thinks we're authorized medical staff doing a standard transfer."
Charlotte presses herself into the corner of the elevator, eyeing us warily. I can't blame her—she's been betrayed by everyone meant to protect her.
"You're doing great, Mrs. Sterling," I tell her as the elevator descends. "Just a little further."
The doors open to the ground floor. I tense, scanning for threats, but the lobby remains quiet. The night shift receptionist is focused on her computer, barely glancing our way as we pass.
"Medical transfer," Alessio says casually to the security guard, flashing paperwork. "Patient heading to specialized treatment."
