The hospital room was enveloped in silence, broken only by the rhythmic beeping of medical equipment. Livia's fingers curled slightly, her gaze locked onto Marcellus, her patience slowly wearing thin.
After a long pause, Marcellus finally spoke, his voice deep and steady. "First of all, in my current condition, I can't do anything. If Edgar, other competitors, or even potential enemies were to get their hands on that document now, the consequences would be unimaginable. Rather than letting them find it, I'd rather you two get to it first."
He paused, his eyes sweeping between Livia and Elias before continuing, "But I must warn you—I've already sent people to search every possible location, and they found nothing. I doubt you'll have better luck. And—" his voice dropped, his gaze sharpening, "you're being watched. Every move you make is under scrutiny. No matter what, don't let them sense your true objective, and above all, do not expose the final destination."
Livia frowned. She knew things wouldn't be simple, but Marcellus' attitude made unease creep into her heart.
Marcellus didn't stop there. "The contents of that document are highly classified. I'm the only one who knows everything in it. So, my advice is—once you find it, read it, and put it back exactly where it was. Don't take it with you. Don't leave any records. Remember—everything must stay in your mind."
As soon as his words fell, Livia's emotions finally erupted.
Her fists clenched, her eyes blazing with anger. Her voice trembled slightly, filled with long-restrained frustration and fury. "Even now, you refuse to tell me the whole truth?!"
Her accusation shattered the tense silence in the air.
Marcellus met her gaze, a flicker of pain crossing his eyes, but his composure remained unshaken. He spoke softly, "I'm sorry. It's not that I don't want to—it's that I can't. One day, you'll understand."
He hesitated for a moment, his voice lowering but carrying an undeniable firmness. "But please believe me, I love you… Everything I've done is for you."
"Enough!"
Livia took a sharp step back, her chest rising and falling violently. Anger, resentment, and disappointment swirled within her. She shot Marcellus a fierce glare, biting out, "If that's how it is, then there's no point in asking anymore."
With that, she spun around and strode out, shoving open the hospital room door without a backward glance. Her figure disappeared down the hallway.
Elias remained where he was, his gaze following Livia's retreating form, but he didn't chase after her. Instead, he walked slowly toward Marcellus' bedside.
A faint, unreadable smile played on his lips. His tone was laced with intrigue. "Marcellus, I must say, I'm impressed. Even I didn't notice you had another card up your sleeve—hiding that document so well."
He paused, narrowing his eyes slightly, his voice tinged with curiosity. "But even as rivals, I can't help but wonder—why won't you tell Livia? What exactly are you hiding?"
Marcellus remained silent, staring at him.
Elias studied him for a moment, as if trying to decipher his silence. Then, after a beat, he asked in a quiet yet piercing tone, "Do you truly love her? Or—" he paused, his sharp gaze locking onto Marcellus' eyes, "are you just using 'secrets' as an excuse to keep her at bay?"
Marcellus' fingers slowly curled, his knuckles turning slightly pale.
He let out a soft sigh, his voice low but unwavering. "It doesn't matter what I'm hiding. But there's one thing you should know—I do love her."
He paused briefly, then lifted his gaze, his eyes dark and unreadable as he looked at Elias. His tone was eerily calm. "And… you love her too, don't you?"
Elias' brows lifted slightly, a glimmer of something flickering in his eyes—but it vanished as quickly as it came. He let out a quiet chuckle, neither confirming nor denying. "Of course. You've known that for a long time. Or did you think my feelings would change? That they'd ever be less than yours?"
His expression turned serious as he added, "But I won't back down."
Marcellus studied him, offering no response.
Elias met his gaze for a long moment, as if searching for something. Then, he turned on his heel. Just before he left, he spoke lightly, "If you won't tell me, I'll find the answer myself. If I want to be with Livia, I won't win unfairly."
The hospital door shut gently behind him, restoring the room to its previous silence.
Marcellus watched Elias' departing figure, his expression unreadable. A complex emotion flickered in his eyes. He slowly shook his head, his gaze turning distant.
His brother… was perceptive as ever.
It seemed Elias had already sensed something.
Yet even so, Marcellus still couldn't say it.
He closed his eyes, exhaling softly.
Deep down, was there a part of him that hoped—hoped that Elias would be the one to uncover the truth?
Marcellus himself… wasn't sure.