The morning light spilled gently through therge windows of the kitchen, casting a warm, sleepy glow across the hardwood floors. Outside, birds chirped and the soft hum of distant traffic buzzed faintly—normal sounds of a city waking up. But inside the mansion nothing felt quite normal.

    The four of them sat gathered at therge dining Stefan, Ruby, Rayna, and Ethan—tes of half-eaten breakfast sitting between them. It was a quiet meal, the kind marked by thoughts too heavy to allow for small talk. Even the scent of freshly brewed coffee didn''t quite break the somber air.

    Ruby, sitting beside Rayna and directly opposite Stefan, looked up from her te, clearing her throat gently.

    "Babe," she said, ncing at him across the counter. "Rayna and I are heading to the hospital this morning since your mom''s awake now."

    Stefan looked up, his expression softening. The tension in his shoulders, though still there, loosened just a fraction. "Yeah," he nodded. "I was nning to stop by myselfter today, but I''m d she''s doing better. Did you speak with the caretaker looking after mom? How''s she sounding?"

    "Yeah. I did. Susan said she''s not talking much yet," Ruby said, setting her fork down. "But she opened her eyes and squeezed Noreen''s handst night. That''s a good sign, right?"

    "Yeah," Stefan replied quietly. "It is."

    Rayna nced between the two, then added, "We thought we''d bring her a few things—flowers, her favorite lotion, and a silk scarf. Something soft to wrap around her head since she''s got that bandage."

    Stefan smiled faintly. "She''ll love that." Then he turned to Ethan. "We''ll drop them off at the hospital before we head to the station."

    Ethan nodded, sipping his coffee. "Has there been an update?"

    Stefan leaned back against his chair, jaw tightening slightly. "Yeah. Langford called me earlier this morning."

    All three turned to him now, attentive.

    "Daniel finally made contact with Regina," Stefan continued. "He told her the job was done. That Eliana''s dead. She said she''ll release his family once she confirms it."

    Ruby''s brows furrowed with unease. "So… now she''s just waiting for proof?"

    "Exactly," Stefan said, voice low. "And until she believes Eliana''s gone, she won''t let his family go. We need her to believe it."

    "And what if she never does?" Ethan asked, his voice calm but edged with concern. "What if she keeps dragging this out? It''ll mean she never lets them go. And it also means we can''t arrest her."

    Stefan''s mouth twisted grimly. "Then we give her what she wants. A confirmation."

    Ruby sat up straighter. "Wait—what are you saying?"

    "I''m going to call ire," Stefan said, ncing at Ethan. "Have her leak some information. Say Eliana died fromplications. Something vague but convincing. It''ll give Regina the ''closure'' she needs to slip up. Once she moves, we move."

    Rayna blinked and frowned. "ire? Who''s ire and why her?"

    Ethan smirked into his coffee. "Stefan''s mother''s contact in media. She leaked the news about Ivy at the hospital the other day."

    But Rayna''s frown deepened. "Okay, but—shouldn''t I be the one posting about Eliana''s death? Why should you be disturbing someone else when I''m here?"

    Stefan blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

    Rayna raised her brows. "I''m a blogger, Stefan. Stop forgetting that. Besides, after that Livestream of Ivy disgracing herself the other day, people are beginning to engage more on my posts and I have over a million followers now. So she''d likely see it quickly if I post about it."

    Ethanughed under his breath and even Ruby cracked a smile. Stefan chuckled, rubbing a hand over his jaw.

    "You''re right," he admitted, ncing at her. "God, Ipletely forgot. I''m sorry I keep forgetting."

    Rayna folded her arms and gave him a mock-offended re. "Wow. I can''t believe you were going to hand my part to someone named ire."

    "Apologies," Stefan said, holding up both hands. "You''ve got the stage, Rayna."

    "Damn right I do," she said with a grin, though the humor couldn''t fully hide the nerves flickering in her eyes.

    Ruby nudged her gently. "Do you think people will be okay with that, though? That we faked her death when she''s actually alive?"

    Rayna shrugged. "They will apud us when they realize we did it to keep Eliana safe and get Regina arrested for attempted murder."

    "Yeah. This will make them realize how bad both mother and daughter is. I''m just d the people now know how much your own family hate you so you won''t be dragged into all of this," Stefan said, squeezing Ruby''s hands softly.

    A moment passed between them all—one of quiet solidarity. The lines between them had blurred in thest few weeks. They weren''t just friends or lovers anymore. They were something more than that now. A team, bound by something none of them had expected—danger, loss, and the determination to fight back.

    Ethan rose, taking his empty te to the sink. "Alright. Let''s get dressed and head out. We''ve got a long day."

    The car ride to the hospital was quiet, save for the gentle hum of the engine and the soft ylist Ruby had set. Stefan drove this time—calmer now, more focused. His thoughts were still scattered, yes, but with every step they took toward justice, he felt slightly more anchored.

    Ruby and Rayna got out first at the entrance, promising to call if there was any change in Elizabeth''s condition.

    Stefan turned in his seat to look at them before they left. "Rayna, we''ll talkter about the posts. Keep it subtle. Enough to stir whispers, not headlines."

    Rayna gave him a thumbs-up. "Got it. Mourn like a millennial even though I don''t really know her. I can do that," she said before turning to Ethan and blowing him a kiss.

    Stefan shook his head with a smile as they disappeared into the building.

    Then he turned to Ethan.

    "You know this isn''t just about Eliana anymore," he said quietly.

    Ethan nodded. "I know."

    "They crossed a line when they dragged my mother into this."

    "And Daniel''s family."

    "And Ruby. All of it."

    "You''re nning something," Ethan said, eyeing him.

    Stefan didn''t deny it. "I just need to make sure Regina believes what we feed her. Then we''ll catch her red-handed. Ivy wille next."

    Ethan nodded slowly. "One step at a time."

    They pulled back onto the road, the police station just ten minutes away.

    Stefan''s phone buzzed. A message from Langford.

    [Call me. We may have a problem.]

    Stefan''s grip tightened on the wheel. "Looks like our day just got longer."

    Meanwhile, inside the hospital, Ruby and Rayna stepped into Room 206 to find Elizabeth sitting up slightly, propped with pillows. Her face was pale but alert, her eyes moving slowly toward them as they entered.

    The caretaker quickly excused them and headed outside where the guards were standing, making sure no harm came to Elizabeth.

    "Mom," Ruby breathed, rushing forward.

    Though it still felt a bit awkward calling Elizabeth mom, she still preferred it to calling her Elizabeth.

    Elizabeth gave a tired but warm smile. "Hey, baby."

    Tears welled in Ruby''s eyes as she took her soon to be mother-inw''s hand. "You scared us."

    "I scared myself," Elizabeth murmured, voice still raspy. "But I''m here."

    Rayna stood at the foot of the bed, smiling. "We brought you some stuff. Thought you might want to feel a little more like yourself."

    Elizabeth''s eyes watered as she took in the scarf and lotion. "Thank you. Both of you."

    "How are you feeling?" Ruby asked gently.

    "Sore," Elizabeth admitted. "And angry. But mostly grateful I made it back there in time."

    There was a pause, heavy with meaning. They all knew what she meant.

    "You saved Eliana''s life," Rayna said. "She knows that. And so will everyone else."

    Elizabeth''s fingers tightened gently around Ruby''s. "I didn''t do it to be a hero. I did it because… I couldn''t let evil win again, not when they''ll be targeting you or Stefan next."

    Ruby leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "We will all fight back and not let them hurt us."

    Rayna nodded and took out her phone so she could do what they''d nned.

    "What about Eliana? Where''s she?" Elizabeth asked since Noreen had not told her anythijg about Elianast night and had strictly insisted she rest.

    "She''s fine. Stefan asked Noreen to move her to another room and pretend she was dead. She was even asked to take a picture of her as though she was dead and send to Daniel. Turned out Regina kidnapped his family to get him to kill Eliana so Stefan and Ethan want to help him get his family out of Regina''s clutches."

    "That''s good. I hope they can pull this off without getting caught. Regina and her evil daughter need to pay for their crimes."

    Ruby nodded, thinking about everything she''d gone through in her house since her father''s death. "It''s about time."

    Outside, the world spun on—cars moving, peopleughing, phones ringing. Life moved forward, unaware of the battle quietly unfolding behind closed doors. But for the people inside that room—and those preparing their next move elsewhere—life had narrowed into sharp focus.

    There would be no peace until justice was served.

    And they were only just getting started.