The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Benson felt a wave of relief when he saw that Stella wasn't hesitating or refusing

at such a critical moment.

With Haynes' condition still uncertain, there was a mountain of things left for him

to handle. He didn't have the time or energy to coax Stella any further.

He was just about to hang up when Stella's voice stopped him.

"Benson, if anything happens, keep me updated."

"Of course, Ms. Cameron. Don't worry. If there's any news about Mr. O'Brien, I'll

let you know right away."

Stella didn't insist on coming to the hospital, and Benson didn't invite her either.

After all, if the assassin had managed to attack Haynes, there was no reason to

think Stella would be any safer. Her rushing over now would only put her in more

danger.

At Neo-Vespera Medical Center, just outside the operating room.

Callie stood by the doors, her face ghostly pale.

Footsteps echoed down the empty corridor.

She turned, and the moment she saw the tall, refined man approaching, her eyes

lit up with hope. It was as if, finally, her anchor had arrived to steady her.

"Foreman!" Her voice trembled, her eyes red and swollen from crying for so long.

She was shaking all over, barely able to get the words out. "Foreman, my brother

-he got hurt saving me. Someone tried to kill me, and he... he took the hit

instead. There was so much blood. The doctors said his injuries are really bad..."

She choked on her words, guilt flooding her voice. "It's all my fault. I shouldn't

have ignored his warnings and snuck out to have fun. I even managed to lose the

security detail he arranged for me. He told me to stay home lately, avoid crowded

places, but I just couldn't help myself..."

Foreman gently patted her back, trying to comfort her.

"Callie, this isn't your fault. Please, don't blame yourself. Honestly, if anyone's to

blame, it should be me..."

A shadow of regret passed over Foreman's face.

"I was the one who suggested you go to that escape room."

He and Callie had known each othernoveldrama

for years, but until recently, their

interactions had been little more

than polite small talk. Only over the

past few months had they really

become friends.

She'd discovered that they shared a

love for escape rooms, and Foreman

had recommended a new place he'd

heard about. Callie had originally

planned to go with her friends, but

they all canceled at the last minute,

so she ended up joining a group of

strangers.

The moment she stepped inside, something felt off.

Those supposed teammates-men and women alike-disappeared one by one.

Her first instinct was to call for help from the staff, but the walkie-talkie was dead

silent.

That's when she realized someone had been tailing her-a shadowy figure who

clearly wasn't part of the game.

Panicked, she called Haynes.

The escape room was cramped and

dimly lit, filled with blind spots and

dead angles on the

cameras perfect for someone to

hide. And the assassin wasn't alone;

there were five of them in total. The

"strangers" she'd teamed up with?

Every last one was a killer. They

even had night-vision goggles.

Haynes had to fight them off while trying to protect her, and he'd gotten badly hurt

in the process.

If he hadn't been trained from a young age, if he hadn't been so skilled, neither of

them would have made it out.

Callie covered her face, sobbing.

She didn't see the strange, fleeting glint in Foreman's eyes.

The Lerman family estate.

Leonard stood by the window, phone pressed to his ear.

On the other end, Sellers' voice trembled with suspicion and disbelief.

"Leonard... was what happened to Haynes your doing?"