Chapter 129: Chapter 129 When the Alpha Comes Running
Dominic
The call came at 10:00 PM.
I was in the middle of a conference call with Tokyo investors when my phone buzzed with an unknown number. Normally, I’d let it go to voicemail. But something made me glance at the screen.
Hannah’s panicked voice cut through the static: "Alpha King ? This is Hannah, Elara’s friend. She’s in the hospital and—"
I was already grabbing my keys.
When I arrived at the hospital, I found her curled up in the observation bed.
She lay there with her eyes closed, skin so pale I could see the faint blue veins beneath. Her brow was furrowed, creating delicate lines of distress.
I thought about the message she’d sent not long ago, claiming she was back at the hotel and going to sleep.
Now here she was, looking fragile and sick, like a porcelain doll that might shatter at the slightest touch.
The jealousy that had been eating at me finally gave way to concern.
I didn’t say anything. The IV bag on the stand was still half full. I reached out, my cool fingers gently pressing against the crease between her eyebrows.
Elara hadn’t been fully asleep. The sudden coolness startled her awake.
Her eyes flew open, blinking as if she couldn’t quite believe I was really standing there.
"Sleep," I murmured. "I’m here now."
My voice came out colder than I intended, but my eyes betrayed me, filled with worry I couldn’t hide.
Her lips parted slightly, then she closed her eyes again.
She was always so guarded, probably didn’t even realize how much she was trusting me in that moment.
I sighed softly. "Elara, when will I be your first choice?"
I saw her eyelids flutter, like she wanted to open them but couldn’t. Then she drifted into a deeper sleep.
Elara
When I woke up again, it was already the next day.
I looked around, trying to get my bearings. Somehow I’d been moved from the chaotic observation area to a private, peaceful hospital room.
The door suddenly opened and Dominic walked in carrying food.
"You’re awake?" His expression was neutral. "I brought porridge. The doctor said you need to stick to bland, liquid foods for now."
"No spicy food or seafood for a while."
"And no more coffee either."
He knew I was practically a coffee addict, downing several cups every day. "Coffee’s bad for your stomach. Doctor’s orders."
I gave him a rueful smile. "Got it."
"Thank you. I thought I was dreaming last night. So it really was you."
Before I’d passed out, I’d caught a glimpse of Dominic, but I hadn’t been sure if it was real or just my mind playing tricks on me.
But how had a man who was supposed to be back home suddenly appeared in my hospital room?
Dominic seemed to read my mind. "Your friend Hannah called me. She got my number from someone and told me what happened."
There was a hint of reproach in his tone.
I felt awkward.
After a moment of silence, I quickly tried to explain, "I wasn’t trying to hide it from you. I just figured telling you wouldn’t help when you were so far away."
"Oh, so your friend could help from far away, but I couldn’t?"
I felt like I was digging myself deeper into a hole, so I just shut my mouth.
"You know why I asked about your assistant that day?" Dominic handed me his phone, showing me a series of text messages. "I got this. I’m not saying I don’t trust you, but someone’s definitely pulling his strings."
I didn’t need to rack my brain to figure out who was behind it. We both knew.
"Sam and I are just colleagues. Nothing inappropriate ever happened."
A faint smile tugged at Dominic’s lips. "If there had been, I would’ve made a scene already."
I sipped the porridge slowly, stealing glances at him. His words were light and teasing, but his eyes held genuine warmth.
This man was an enigma. I could never tell when he was joking and when he was dead serious.
"Anyway, thank you."
I knew Selina had orchestrated this whole mess just to keep me from attending her wedding .Which meant I absolutely had to show up now.
Missing it would be like handing her exactly what she wanted on a silver platter.
"Dominic, I need a favor."
