Isabella's heart raced as she sped through the city, her hands gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles. The lawyer's words echoed in her mind: "Your father's condition has worsened." She had no idea how bad it was, but the urgency in his voice left little doubt. Time was running out, not just for her father, but for everything her family had built.
The skyscrapers of the city blurred as she pressed her foot harder on the gas. The hospital wasn't far, but every red light felt like an eternity. Her father had been her rock for so long, even when their relationship had been strained by his illness and the weight of expectations. Now, as she approached the hospital, the fear of losing him overwhelmed her.
When she finally arrived, she barely registered the nurses as she pushed through the hospital doors and made her way to the ICU. The smell of antiseptic and the sterile brightness of the corridors made her stomach churn, a stark reminder of the precarious line between life and death.
The lawyer, Richard, was waiting for her outside the room, his face solemn. He stood as she approached, his expression giving nothing away.
"Isabella," he greeted her, his voice low.
"How bad is it?" she demanded, not bothering with pleasantries.
Richard hesitated for a moment before answering. "It's serious. The doctors are doing everything they can, but... you should prepare yourself for the worst."
Her heart sank. Isabella had known her father's condition was deteriorating, but hearing those words made it all too real. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She couldn't fall apart now. There was too much at stake.
"I need to see him," she said, her voice trembling slightly.
Richard nodded and stepped aside, allowing her to enter the room.
Inside, the steady beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound, its rhythm slow and unnerving. Her father lay in the bed, hooked up to various machines, his face pale and drawn. He looked like a shadow of the man who had once commanded boardrooms with just his presence. Seeing him so vulnerable, so frail, sent a wave of grief crashing over her.
She walked over to the bed and gently took his hand, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. His skin was cold, and the once-strong fingers that had built an empire now felt brittle and weak. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay calm.
"Dad," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'm here."
His eyes fluttered open, and for a brief moment, she saw recognition flicker in them. But it was fleeting, quickly replaced by the haze of pain and sedation.
"Isabella..." His voice was hoarse, barely more than a rasp. "You... you have to protect it."
Her throat tightened as she squeezed his hand. "I will, Dad. I'm going to save the company. Don't worry about that."
But even as she said the words, she knew it wasn't that simple. The battle to save Harrington Industries was becoming more complicated by the day, and now with Felix Grayson's threat looming, it felt like the walls were closing in on her. The only reason she still had a fighting chance was Leon, and that thought alone filled her with a sense of dread.
Her father struggled to speak again, but the words were garbled, lost in the fog of his illness. Isabella fought back the tears, knowing this might be one of the last conversations she would ever have with him. She wanted to tell him everything—that she loved him, that she was sorry for all the times she had been distant—but the words stuck in her throat.
Finally, his eyes closed again, and his breathing became shallow. The steady beeping of the heart monitor was the only thing that kept her grounded.
As she sat there, holding his hand, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She ignored it at first, not wanting to leave her father's side, but when it buzzed again, she reluctantly pulled it out.
It was a text from Leon.
We need to talk. Grayson just made his move.
Her blood ran cold as she read the message. Grayson wasn't wasting any time. He was coming for them now, right when her father was at his weakest. The timing couldn't have been worse.
Isabella's mind raced. She couldn't afford to leave the hospital, not with her father in such critical condition, but she also couldn't ignore the threat Grayson posed. If she didn't act fast, everything her father had worked for would be torn apart.
She stood from the bedside, her heart torn in two. Richard was waiting just outside the door, watching her with a look of quiet concern.
"I need you to stay with him," Isabella said, her voice firm despite the turmoil inside her. "If anything changes, call me immediately."
Richard nodded, understanding the weight of her words. "Of course. I'll keep you updated."
With one last glance at her father, Isabella turned and walked out of the room, her heart heavy with guilt and fear. She knew she had no choice but to fight, but it felt like she was abandoning her father in his final moments.
As she exited the hospital, she dialed Leon's number, her mind already shifting into battle mode.
"Where are you?" she asked as soon as he picked up.
"At my office," Leon replied, his voice sharp and urgent. "Grayson just filed for a hostile takeover. It's moving faster than we expected. If we don't act now, we'll lose everything."
Isabella clenched her jaw, anger and frustration bubbling to the surface. She had known this was coming, but the speed of it had caught her off guard. Grayson wasn't just attacking her family—he was attacking everything she had left.
"I'm on my way," she said, ending the call before Leon could respond.
As she drove toward Leon's office, her mind raced with possibilities. They needed a plan, and they needed it fast. Grayson was a master of manipulation, and if they didn't outmaneuver him, he would take everything.
But as much as she hated to admit it, Leon was right. They were stronger together, even if she still didn't trust him completely.
When she arrived at Leon's office, he was waiting for her in the lobby, his expression grim. There was no trace of the playful arrogance she had come to associate with him. This was a man who knew he was facing a real threat.
"Come on," he said, leading her toward his private office. "We don't have much time."
Inside, the room was dominated by a large screen displaying charts, documents, and legal filings. Leon gestured for her to sit as he began explaining the situation.
"Grayson's playing dirty," he said, pulling up a document. "He's using a loophole in your father's contracts to push through the takeover. If we don't block him in the next 24 hours, he'll gain control of a significant portion of your shares."
Isabella's stomach twisted. "How did he find that loophole?"
Leon's eyes darkened. "He's been digging for months, waiting for the right moment to strike. And now that your father's in the hospital, he sees his chance."
Her hands tightened into fists. "So what do we do?"
Leon's gaze met hers, sharp and determined. "We fight back. Hard."