Silverbook was a beautiful city.

Quite different from the one she had left behind, Elena thought, inside Evan's luxurious car. He would be the one keeping an eye on her while she stayed at Clara's house.

The streets of Silverbook were adorned with lush trees and colorful flowers that contrasted vividly with the well-preserved, old architecture buildings. The morning sun illuminated the city in a postcard-perfect way, and for a brief moment, Elena managed to forget the tension and fear that had accompanied her since her last... conversation with Evan.

The car stopped smoothly in front of an elegant and imposing house, surrounded by a well-tended garden.

"You didn't mention your sister lived in such a beautiful house," commented the Wolf, the first sentence he had spoken during the entire trip.

"I didn't know. But she probably got it because some rich man financed her," the woman replied, looking at him. "And why didn't you let her bring me here herself? How did you manage to convince her? After all, Clara has no idea who you or James are."

"Questioning my authority, pet?"

"No, no, of course not," she quickly tried to appear more submissive, adjusting her clothes. "I just—"

"Don't worry about the details and specifics. Just do what you came to do."

Taking that as a cue to get out of the car, Elena did so. Evan rolled down the driver's window and warned:

"Don't forget, dear. I'll be watching all the time." And he drove off.

Elena took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves as she walked to the front door. Before she could ring the doorbell, the door opened, revealing Clara with a welcoming smile.

"Elena! It's so good to see you," Clara said, pulling her into a warm hug. "Come in, come in. You must be exhausted from the trip. I was wondering if your friend would really bring you here."

It was so strange to see her older sister being nice to her. The woman looked back again, almost as if she wanted Evan to be there too.

Once inside the house, Elena decided to go straight to the point:

"What time can we visit Mom?"

Clara's smile quickly faded.

"I'm going there at nine tonight. Her doctor... he wants to talk to you."

"Did you tell him about me?"

"Well, he asked more about our mother, if she had any other relatives nearby. Those things."

Sitting on Clara's red sofa, the journalist asked:

"Is there any specific reason he did that?"

"I don't know."

The rest of the afternoon was tedious, filled with anxiety and worry. There were many questions Elena wanted to ask: how were the years living there, in that place, if they were well-settled, if Clara had finally stopped seducing men to get resources from them and got a real job...

When they finally reached the entrance of the hospital, she felt a chill in her stomach. She even looked around to see if one of Evan and James's eyes, perhaps Evan himself, was there.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Clara asked.

"Doing what?"

"It seems like you're expecting someone."

Elena bit her lip, trying to think of an answer that wouldn't raise suspicions.

"It's just the nerves."

The hospital reception was softly lit, with a steady flow of patients and healthcare professionals. The white walls and the unmistakable smell of antiseptic were omnipresent. Clara led Elena to the elevator, and they rode in silence to the floor where their mother was hospitalized.

When the elevator doors opened, they were greeted by a smiling nurse who led them to the doctor's office. Sitting in the small waiting room, the silence between the sisters was heavy, filled with unspoken worries.

After a few minutes, the door opened, and a man in a white coat, with graying hair and a kind look, appeared.

"Elena, Clara, please come in."

Inside the office, Elena felt a bit more comfortable seeing that the doctor seemed genuinely concerned. He closed the door behind them and sat at the desk, picking up some papers.

"First, I want to say that your mother is a very strong woman," he began, looking at the sisters. "However, her condition has worsened in recent weeks. We need to discuss some treatment and care options."

Elena felt a knot form in her throat, but she maintained her composure.

"What exactly is happening, doctor?"

"She has metastasis. Advanced cancer. It has spread to her kidneys and lungs."

Hearing this, Elena's eyes filled with tears. Clara remained motionless, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"What are the options?" Elena managed to ask, struggling to keep her voice steady.

The doctor sighed and looked at the papers in front of him. "We can try aggressive treatment, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but the chances of success are low, and the side effects are severe. The other option is to focus on palliative care, to ensure she has the best quality of life possible in the coming months."

Elena felt as if the ground had disappeared beneath her feet. The doctor's words sounded distant, like they were coming from a bad dream from which she couldn't wake up. "How much would the treatment cost?"

The doctor handed Elena a sheet of paper. When she looked at the amount, her heart almost stopped. It was an exorbitant sum, far beyond what she could afford.

Noticing the expression on the journalist's face, the doctor said, almost as if he were ashamed:

"I believe you have agreed that the expenses would be your responsibility, Miss Elena."

"What?!" she asked, exasperated. Then she looked at Clara, who wisely avoided her sister's eyes, focusing only on her own intertwined fingers nervously.

Nervously, Elena questioned directly:

"Clara, why didn't you—"

"Listen here, Elena," her older sister's tone was now authoritative and somewhat squeaky, very much like their mother's when they were children. "You have a great job, earn an excellent salary. You're single, have no children, and will probably spend the rest of your life alone. Of course, you are in a much better position to pay for the treatment."

Elena was speechless for a moment, processing the accusation and the coldness in Clara's voice.

"Are you serious, Clara? How can you think like that? This isn't about me, it's about our mother!"

The doctor, sensing the rising tension, calmly intervened. "Ladies, I understand this is an extremely stressful situation, but we need to stay focused on your mother's health. If you can't afford the treatment, we can discuss alternative financing or payment plans."

Elena took a deep breath, trying not to succumb to anger.

"Thank you, doctor. We'll need some time to discuss this as a family."

She stood up, signaling that the meeting was over. Clara followed in silence, her face hardened.

They left the office and headed to the room where their mother was. The atmosphere there was more peaceful, with the soft sound of heart monitors and their mother's steady breathing. Seeing their mother asleep, so fragile and vulnerable, made Elena's heart ache.

Elena approached the bed and took her mother's hand, feeling the cold, pale skin.

"Mom..." she whispered, tears finally streaming down her face.

Clara remained by the door, watching in silence. It was evident that despite her cold attitude, she was also suffering.

Seeing the face of the woman who had once been so cruel but now looked not only pale but also beaten and tired, memories began to flood Elena's mind. Evan's words also wouldn't leave her head.

Repaying evil with evil had never been an option. How could she see her mother in that state and turn her back on her? Even though, after all, Elena had been abandoned by her and her sister a few years earlier.

The same sister who had plotted against her. The same sister who stood there, impassive, waiting for Elena to solve everything.

Trembling, Elena took out her cell phone and sent a text message.

. . . . . . . . . .

Elena didn't want to sleep at Clara's house. She said she would look for a hotel and stay there for the night. Wisely, Clara didn't try to dissuade her from the idea.

What she was going to do, in fact, was a bit more complicated.

Sitting in the square in front of the hospital, feeling the early morning's cold wind, Elena patiently waited for Evan.

Finally, Evan's car approached, the headlights cutting through the darkness. He parked and got out of the vehicle with the same calculated calm he always displayed. Seeing him approach, Elena felt her heart race.

"Good evening, pet," he said, with that enigmatic smile that always made her suspicious. "I see you didn't waste time looking for me. Let's take a walk, we have a lot to discuss."

She got into the car, feeling a chill run down her spine. Evan started the engine, and the silence between them was heavy, filled with unspoken expectations. As they drove through Silverbook's deserted streets, the billionaire finally broke the silence.

"You know everything has a price, Elena. Are you willing to pay?"

"I'll do whatever it takes to save my mother," she replied, trying to sound more confident than she felt.

"That's exactly what I like about you, pet. That determination," he said, not taking his eyes off the road. "But you need to understand what you're asking. The money you need doesn't come without certain... obligations. After all, this wasn't part of the agreement we drafted."

A kindness. A favor. This was a favor to her.

Elena swallowed hard.

"And what do you want in return?"

Evan paused, as if pondering the best way to express his demands. "I want you to get a specific piece of information for me. Something only someone like you could obtain."

"What

kind of information?"

"When I saw that the city you needed to stay in was Silverbook, I confess I was tempted. I held back my impulses, though, out of respect for your mother and your suffering. Isn't it ironic how things work?"

She said nothing, just waiting for the new orders. He continued:

"There is an important document, kept in a secure place. A place where only trusted people have access. I need you to find a way to get into that place and bring the document to me."

"What document is it?" Elena asked, feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"Don't worry about the details. All you need to know is that this document is crucial for my business. Can you do that, pet?"

She knew she was being dragged into a dangerous game, but she saw no other option.

"Yes, I can."

"Great," Evan said, his smile widening. "Then it's settled. I'll take care of your mother's treatment, and you take care of this little task for me."

Stopping the car in front of the hotel where she intended to stay, Evan leaned closer to her, his voice low and threatening.

"Remember, Elena, I'm always watching. Don't try to deceive me."

"But where do I have to find this document? Where—"

"Ssssh. No questions. Now go up, have a good night's sleep, and wait for me. I'll be here at nine in the morning."

Leaving no room for Elena to argue or ask more questions, Evan drove off, leaving her alone.

Elena took a deep breath before turning around and climbing the steps leading to the lobby.

As she walked, she couldn't help but feel a tightness in her chest; a strange sensation that someone was watching her.