The sterile scent of the hospital began to fade, replaced by the crisp autumn air as Nick finished the last of the discharge formalities. Ellie, pale but awake, was bundled into her coat. The doctor had been firm with Nick: “She’s fine, Mr. Vance. The sedative will cause extreme exhaustion for the next twelve to twenty-four hours. Apart from feeling like she’s run a marathon, she is perfectly healthy. Get her home and let her sleep.”
When they finally made it to the car, Ethan, ever the efficient brother, was already in the driver’s seat. Nick took the passenger side, positioning himself as the guard. Freya and Ellie climbed into the back seat. No sooner had the car started moving than Ellie, succumbing to the drug's effects and the sheer emotional drain of the last two days, leaned her head onto Freya’s shoulder and was instantly asleep.
Tony, who had silently slipped into the middle seat behind Nick, looked back and smiled softly at the sight of Ellie resting. The scene was one of quiet, profound relief.
As Ethan merged onto the highway, the three men resumed their hushed conversation about the police station.
“The charges are sticking to Peter Paul, and David is singing like a canary to save his own skin,” Ethan updated Nick. “We managed to get the documents sealed under a corporate espionage warrant. No names or photos of any VH Group employees are being released, just the fact that we were the victims of attempted industrial sabotage.”
Freya, ever protective of her best friend, interrupted gently. “But are you going to keep this as a secret from your parents, Nick? They deserve to know what almost happened to their company—and their daughter-in-law.”
Nick and Ethan immediately said, "No."
“Absolutely not,” Nick affirmed, turning slightly to look at the sleeping Ellie. His gaze softened, lingering on her face. “It’s okay, Freya. Let them finish their vacation. Everything is completely under control now. We should not worry them. Think of the stress it would cause them to know about Ellie’s close call.”
“But are you going to keep this as a secret forever?” Freya pressed, her voice demanding certainty.
“No, I’ll tell them the whole story once they return,” Nick promised. “They are coming back next week. Let’s just wait until then. We can present them with the victory and the solution simultaneously.”
The rest of the drive was quiet, save for the hum of the engine and the soft breathing of Ellie resting on Freya’s lap. Nick repeatedly glanced over the seat, ensuring Ellie was still comfortable, his expression a complicated mix of exhaustion and intense protectiveness.
They finally reached the Vance family residence. Nick gently opened the car door. Ellie stirred, groggy and stumbling, leaning heavily into Nick as she slowly made her way up the steps.
“I’ll go arrange the green room, Nick,” Freya offered, heading toward the green room door, which Ellie usually occupied.
“Ellie will be sleeping in the red room. She needs the largest, darkest room, and the bed she’s most used to.” Nick corrected, his tone unusually firm.
Freya raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile twitching at her lips, but she nodded and walked off.
Nick carefully maneuvered Ellie toward his bedroom—the infamous Red Room. He gently helped her onto his massive, custom-made bed, pulling the duvet up to her chin. He adjusted the pillows, checked the blackout curtains, and ensured the room was quiet and cool.
Tony, Ethan, and Freya stood outside the door. Tony gave Nick a two-finger salute. “We’ll see you tomorrow, man. Get some rest.”
Ethan patted him on the shoulder. “Great work, Nick. Get some sleep, both of you.”
They said their goodbyes and left, allowing silence to fall over the luxurious home.
Nick finally retreated to his own life, but first, he went back to his bedroom. Ellie was deeply asleep, curled on her side. He went near, watching her peaceful, drugged slumber. The fear he’d felt seeing her lifeless body returned in a softer wave of protective tenderness. He leaned down, placing a feather-light kiss on her forehead, a silent promise of safety.
Ellie, even in the depths of her sleep, sensed his presence. Her lips curved into a soft, subtle smile, and her hand moved, blindly reaching out until her fingers found his wrist. Her grip was weak, but unmistakable.
Nick was instantly trapped—a willing, loving prisoner. He couldn't move, yet he had no desire to. He sighed, shedding the last remnants of the CEO persona. He carefully lay down beside her, pulling the duvet over both of them, and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close to his side. They both slept—the CEO and the CFO, the husband and wife—securely holding onto each other, the perfect end to their shared, terrifying ordeal.
The next morning, the sun streamed through the tiny gap in the blackout curtains. Ellie woke up feeling remarkably refreshed, the sedatives finally flushed from her system. She was in Nick’s bed, Nick’s arm still draped possessively over her waist, the memory of their unplanned cuddle bringing a rush of warmth to her face.
She slipped out from under his arm and made her way to the dining room. She was sitting at the massive table, looking incredibly fresh, blinking at the room like a curious child, occasionally resting a finger on her lips in quiet contemplation.
Nick entered the kitchen and the room seconds later, looking far less refreshed, still dressed in only a pair of sweatpants, his hair tousled from sleep. He saw her sitting there, glowing with perfect health, and the memory of her near-disaster surged back, overriding his relief.
He stopped dead in his tracks and bellowed.
“What did you think you were doing, Elara?!”
Ellie flinched, her childlike pose dissolving instantly. She looked up at him as he began his CEO-level tirade, his voice booming across the dining room like a corporate takeover announcement.
“Do you have any common sense whatsoever? I warned you explicitly about David; he is a threat, he has no good intentions for you! How can you, a supposed executive, blindly trust a known corporate criminal? Foolishness, Ellie! Utter foolishness!”
He started pacing, using his hand gestures like he was explaining a quarterly loss to the board. “Can’t you at least look at the area you are visiting? You knew White River Road is notorious—it’s shady, it’s where all the illegal and dangerous activities happen! Even if I received such a call, I would have sent a team, or at the very least, called the police first! It’s not about whether you can handle a situation, it’s about choosing between bravery and idiocy! What you did was utterly reckless and foolish!”
Ellie, chastened but determined to defend her motive, finally spoke up, her voice small. “I am sorry, Nick. Truly. But when he spoke about the company’s reputation and finance documents… my mind just went blank. I panicked about the risk.”
Nick stopped pacing and slammed his hand onto the table. “Exactly! And that’s the problem! You are going to become the CFO of this company! You must handle situations calmly and with composed judgment, you must not act on rash decisions! First and foremost, we have an entire legal team who deals with these things, remember? They are there to take the risks! Even in the initial tampered document case, did I make any decisions alone? If I would have worked alone, do you honestly think I would have won? No! It’s teamwork, Elara. Understand that first.”
Ellie nodded, genuinely remorseful. “Yes. I am sorry, Nick. I promise you, I will never, ever do anything like that hereafter. I will wait for the team.”
Nick’s fury immediately softened, the anger in his eyes melting away, leaving only concern. He sighed deeply and sat down heavily in the chair opposite her. He ran a hand through his already messy hair.
Ellie seized the moment. She called his name, her tone soft and sweet.
“Nick…”
“What now, Ellie?” he asked, rubbing his tired eyes. He then paused, his nostrils twitching. “Wait… do you smell that?”
He stood up, his eyes widening. “I can smell something burning… coming from the kitchen.”
Nick shot out of the chair as if electrocuted and sprinted toward the kitchen. He arrived just in time to switch off the stove before the abandoned pot of porridge erupted into a full-scale fire alarm symphony.
Ellie calmly walked over to the kitchen entrance, leaning against the doorframe, watching him fan the thick, gray smoke out of the window.
“Our breakfast got burned!” Nick exclaimed, turning to her, genuinely shocked by the culinary failure. “And it’s completely because of you!”
“What did I do?” Ellie asked, holding back a laugh.
“You!” Nick pointed the charred wooden spoon at her. “Because I was so worried about you, and so busy yelling at you for being a fool, I completely forgot I had put the porridge on the stove and didn’t switch it off! My mind went blank too, apparently!”
Ellie rolled her eyes playfully at his shifting the blame. She walked over and, without a word, wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, resting her head against his back. The heat of his body and the subtle scent of smoke and sleep were comforting.
Nick softened instantly, his posture relaxing into the hug. “Are you going to apologize for nearly burning down our house?” he mumbled, leaning his head back to rest on hers.
Ellie tightened her grip. “No, it’s clearly your fault for being so distracted by my recklessness. But… I am extremely hungry. Shall we go out for breakfast?”
Nick laughed, the last of his earlier fury gone. “Yes. We have no choice now. We can’t eat this.”
They both went to get ready. Just as they were about to leave, dressed in casual, relaxed clothes, Nick’s phone rang. It was Ethan.
“Hey, how is Ellie?” Ethan asked instantly. “Tony and I are just finishing up with the lawyers. We’re thinking of swinging by to check on her.”
Ellie, standing right next to Nick, smiled and shouted into the phone, “Ellie is back on track, and we are going out for breakfast!”
Ethan chuckled on the other end. “That’s good to hear! The fire in her stomach is still there.”
“I’ll send you the location,” Nick said, looking fondly at Ellie. “Meet us there for a celebratory, non-burnt breakfast.”
Nick ended the call, locked the door, and with his arm looped casually around Ellie’s shoulder, they walked out together, leaving the chaos behind.
