A paralyzing dread seized Evie. Liam Thorne. Right here. Her stomach dropped, the blood draining from her face as if someone had pulled a plug. Twisting sharply, she ducked behind a gurney piled with fresh linen, pressing herself against the cool metal frame. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the hospital's sterile hum. Peeking through a gap in the white sheets, she confirmed it. It was him. Unmistakable. His broad shoulders, the way his dark suit stretched across his powerful frame. The harsh line of his jaw, a familiar knot of tension forming there. He was older, perhaps, but no less formidable. He stood by Lily’s door, his gaze sweeping the corridor. A predator scanning its territory. Why was he here? How did he know? Fear, cold and sharp, pierced through her. He was supposed to be gone, a phantom from a nightmare she’d buried deep. Liam Thorne. The man who had almost ruined her, whose family had nearly crushed hers. The man connected to the very secret she was trying to protect. Every nerve ending screamed at her to run. To disappear. But she couldn't leave Lily. Not now. Not ever. He took a step, then another, moving slowly down the hall. Not towards her, but away from Lily’s room, towards the main elevators. Was he leaving? Or merely repositioning? She couldn't risk being seen. Not by him. Not again. Staying low, she moved with excruciating slowness, using the gurney as a shield. Her breath hitched in her throat, each exhale a silent prayer. His dark head turned slightly, a quick, almost imperceptible movement. Did he sense her? Had he seen a flicker of movement? She froze, holding her breath, her muscles screaming with the effort. A bead of sweat traced a cold path down her temple. Finally, he reached the elevator bank. The doors glided open, and he stepped inside without a backward glance. The doors hissed shut, taking her terror with him, for now. A shaky breath escaped her lips. Her knees felt like water, threatening to give out beneath her. She pushed away from the gurney, her hands clammy. She needed to get out. To think. To process this impossible encounter. Her secret, her entire life, felt suddenly exposed, vulnerable. Walking quickly, she made her way towards the main lobby. Her mind raced, replaying his image, the chilling realization that he was in her orbit once more. This wasn't a coincidence. Liam Thorne didn't appear somewhere without a reason. He was a man of calculated moves, of deliberate intentions. What did he want? Was he here for her? Or was he here for something else, something connected to her past, something that would inevitably lead back to her? Reaching the main lobby, she scanned the area instinctively. No sign of him. A small relief, quickly overshadowed by the lingering dread. Approaching the reception desk, she tried to appear casual. Her hands trembled slightly as she gripped the strap of her bag.

Unwanted Reunion