The hospital canteen buzzed softly with the quiet clatter of cutlery and murmured conversations. Nurses passed through in scrubs, doctors grabbed rushed coffees, and the scent of lukewarm food hung faintly in the air. But Savannah sat still at a corner table, untouched tea growing colder by the minute in front of her.
Her fingers absently traced the rim of the cup, eyes unfocused, mind nowhere near the hospital walls.
She hadn't replied to Blaze's text.
Have a good meal, Ana.
Just a simple message. One that carried a warmth she used to cherish, a sweetness that once held meaning. Now, it only left her feeling empty. The name he called her—Ana—felt like a bittersweet memory and a cruel reminder all at once.
She couldn't bring herself to reply.
Her appetite had disappeared days ago. Yet, she knew she had to force herself to eat, to drink, to keep going. Not for her own sake—but for him.
For Theo.
Her child.
Alive or...
She shut her eyes, halting that thought before it could fully form. She couldn't let herself go there. If she did, she would shatter. And breaking wasn't an option—not when there was still even the faintest glimmer of hope.
She had been holding her emotions at bay, stifling the scream that threatened to burst from her chest whenever she found herself alone. But even now, surrounded by people, it was there—tight in her throat, lurking behind her eyes.
She didn't cry. She couldn't. Not yet. She needed every bit of her strength.
Lifting the cup, her hands trembled just a bit—and that's when a shadow fell across the table.
Savannah's gaze shot up.
A figure in dark clothing lowered himself silently into the chair opposite her. His face was obscured behind a black mask, and a cap sat low on his forehead. Most wouldn't look twice at him. But she knew.
"Elijah?" she whispered, a hint of caution in her voice.
He gave a single nod, his tone steady. "Yeah. It's me."
Her gaze darted around the canteen, suddenly on high alert. "Are you out of your mind?" she hissed. "You can't just show up like this. There are eyes everywhere in this place—"
"It's safe," Elijah reassured her, his calm demeanor unwavering. "I checked. You don't need to worry."
She clenched her jaw but leaned back a bit, attempting to hide her unease. "What are you doing here?"
He rested his hands on the table. "I thought you might want to talk. Even if you didn't realize it yet."
Savannah stayed silent, her fingers nervously picking at the edge of a napkin, tearing it without thinking. The air between them grew thick with unspoken tension.
Elijah was the first to break the silence.
"When's he coming back?"
"Four days," she answered, her voice flat, eyes still cast down. "He'll be back in four days."
Elijah nodded slowly. Then, after a pause: "He's attending one of the most important meetings of the year. For the company. It starts tomorrow night-around 8 p.m. Runs until at least 10 or 11. Maybe longer."
Savannah's eyes lifted to meet his, sharp and suspicious. "How do you know that?"
"I have my ways," Elijah replied cryptically, but there was not a hint of pride. Then he leaned in just a little closer, voice barely a whisper. "Do you want to take this chance?"
Her heart skipped.
"It's your decision, Savannah. Only if you're ready-"
But before he could finish, Savannah interjected, quick and decisive.
"Let's do it tomorrow."
Elijah blinked, taken aback by her swift choice.
She looked around again, lowering her voice. "Are you sure he won't find out? Because this is the only chance."
Elijah gave a short nod. "I can't hack the security cams. Can't tamper with anything-he'd trace it back to me in a second. But that meeting? It's high-level. Locked room. No phones, no electronics allowed inside. His attention will be locked down for hours. And so will his."
Savannah let out a slow breath. The internal battle within her was growing stronger—caught between guilt and desperation, fear and a mother's instinct to fight for survival.
"This is your chance," Elijah pressed on. "The only moment I can promise he won't have a clue about what you're up to—until you've got something in your hands."
Savannah fell quiet, her mind racing. Her thumb absentmindedly brushed against her fingers, feeling the texture of her skin as if it could anchor her.
Will I find him? Will I finally see my child?
And if she did...
Would he still be alive?
She stared at the table for what felt like an eternity before slowly lifting her gaze back to Elijah. Her eyes were heavy with fatigue, her skin paler than usual, but her voice remained firm.
"Okay," she replied.
Elijah held her gaze. "Okay," he repeated.
He studied her for a moment longer, concern lurking behind his composed exterior. She looked so worn down. So delicate. Yet, beneath it all, he could see the strength in her. The fight that hadn't faded.
"I'll be close by," he said softly. "Watching. Just in case anything goes sideways."
Savannah offered him a faint nod, and for the first time, he noticed it: the subtle glimmer in her eyes.
Not tears.
But hope.
Even if it scared her to believe in it.
Author's Note :
See you guys in the final chapters:)
Have a good day/night<3<3