Meanwhile, at Alexander Sinclair's estate.
I lay in the master bedroom, still pale.
"800 milliliters? Taken right after major surgery and trauma? That's attempted murder!"

The doctor finished his exam, his tone severe.
"We can give her IV fluids. But her blood type... it's unique. We can't transfuse anyone else's."
I blinked, wanting to ask how he knew.
Alexander seemed to read my mind. "He's trusted. My personal physician. Your secret is safe."
I nodded, my thoughts fuzzy. "The thing you promised?"
"Done. All Rossi family locations are secured. The Rivers won't find them. And I've got men on them 24/7."

"Thank you." I hadn't expected such thoroughness. "How did you know to come today?"
Alexander stepped closer, tucking the blanket around me, his warmth chasing away the chill. His scent on the covers felt strangely intimate.
"Your grandfather called. Said you were supposed to be home. When you weren't, he worried. Asked me to find you."
I believed him. Grandfather always liked Alexander.

He'd joked that if not for the debt, he'd have sent me to grow up with Alexander instead.
But... remembering what Grandfather told me about the Sinclairs, my gaze cooled. "So you pursued me, charmed Grandfather... because your eyes are cursed too? Like Ethan?"
Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Why assume I'm like that pathetic Rivers? Black and white never stopped me living. How do you think I managed thirty years?"
I paused. He was different. He knew I could help his sight but never forced me.
"Sorry. That was unfair."
He sighed, leaning close, his voice intense. "Scarlett, I want you here because I love you. I always have. Since we were kids."
"When you were happy with him... I let it be. But now? After what he did? I can't stand it. I can't watch you suffer with him."
Something hit me hard in the chest. A swelling ache. "You don't need to answer now. Just know this: with me, you are the only one."
Over the next days, Alexander brought in the best burn specialists.
Exposing the horrific damage on my back made me feel exposed, ugly.
"This is a specialized treatment," one doctor explained. "Apply it three times daily. Within a year, the scarring should be virtually gone."
Alexander took the ointment, sitting beside me on the bed.
Lifting my shirt, he froze. His hand trembled as he reached to apply it. His eyes looked suspiciously bright.
The girl he'd cherished for over twenty years, never daring to touch... now ruined.
The longer he looked, the darker his expression became.
Feeling his gaze, the delayed action, my eyes stung. "If it's too much... have a nurse do it. You..."
Before I could finish, I gasped.
A feather-light kiss brushed against a ruined patch of skin on my back. My heart stuttered.
Alexander...
"Scarlett," his voice was thick, "I just hate myself for not getting you out sooner. If I'd known... I'd have dragged you away, even if you hated me for it."
He spoke softly, carefully applying the ointment.
Tears pricked my eyes. A small smile touched my lips.
When he finished, I couldn't lie back. My shirt was still up, leaving me exposed. I pulled the blanket up, awkward.
"You can go now. I'm... not decent."
He chuckled softly. "Seen it all before."
I rolled my eyes. "That was when I was two!"
During a visit to the Sinclairs, toddler me had demanded he give me a bath. Mortifying memory.
Alexander looked at me intently, then slowly pulled the blanket down.
His lips, soft and warm, found my breast, his tongue swirling gently. My body arched involuntarily.
"Scarlett," he murmured, lifting his head, "I claimed you when we were kids. I'll wait for you to love me back."
I knew... if I didn't feel something, I wouldn't let him touch me like this.
Just as Alexander lifted his head from my breast, the bedroom door clicked open.
"Sir? Miss Rossi? Mr. Rivers and his grandson are at the gate. They insist on seeing you."
My body tensed. Revulsion washed over me.
"I don't want to see them."
Alexander's face hardened. He gently smoothed my hair. "Rest. I'll handle it."