After a moment of heavy silence, Harrison finally broke it. “No need.” Anastasia felt a twinge of anxiety coil in her stomach. “But your injury—” “Let Logan come in.” A wave of relief washed over her at his concession. “Alright!” She was grateful he was willing to accept help, terrified at the thought of him refusing treatment and allowing the wound to fester. With a sense of urgency, she dashed to the door and flung it open. “Logan! Could you come in and help Mr. Lancaster change his bandages?” “What?” Logan blinked, clearly caught off guard by the sudden turn of events. “Are you coming in or not?” Harrison’s voice, cold and uncompromising, sliced through the uncertainty in the hallway. Logan scrambled inside, still looking as though he'd just emerged from a trance, brushing past Anastasia with a quickly stifled gasp of surprise. How long had it been since Mr. Lancaster had been so accommodating? The new Mrs. Lancaster surely possessed some kind of enchanting magic. As Anastasia stepped away, she caught a glimpse of Logan’s expression—something complex danced in his gaze. It was a fleeting moment, one that left her puzzled. She raised her eyebrows in confusion but chose not to dwell on it. With her spirits lighter, she made her way back to her own room. Her thoughts drifted to her cellphone, which had been off the entire day. Turning it on, she barely had time to register the screen lighting up before Aaron's name flashed across it, calling her. A chill ran down her spine. With no hesitation, she rejected the call and blocked the number as though it were poison. Before she could take a breath, another call buzzed in. This time, it was from her father, Gabriel. “Why has your phone been off all day?” he demanded, his voice taut with irritation as soon as she picked up. Anastasia forced herself to lower her gaze, keeping her tone cool and even. “It died.” “You’re at Rosewood Manor now, aren’t you?” “Yes. Why?” “You'd better behave yourself. Now that you’re married to Mr. Lancaster, stop entertaining any foolish ideas. Cut off anyone you need to—do it for good,” Gabriel warned, the words coming out like a sharpened blade. Anastasia’s eyes narrowed, a fire igniting within her. “What foolish ideas do I have?” “Don’t play dumb! If Penelope hadn’t let it slip, I wouldn’t have known you tried to run off with someone! Thank God she talked sense into you. Otherwise, you would have brought ruin upon our entire family!” “Do you even realize who Mr. Lancaster is? If you anger him, there will be hell to pay!” Penelope? A cold glint flickered in Anastasia's eyes. Let it slip? Talked sense into her? Absolutely absurd. But Gabriel wasn’t finished. “By the way, since you’re married to Mr. Lancaster now, our company needs some extra funding. See if you can talk to him about investing.” Anastasia rolled her eyes, already exhausted from the conversation. “Mr. Lancaster isn’t exactly easy to approach. We’ll see.” She cut the call before her father could respond, a wave of frustration crashing over her. Meanwhile, in the opulent surroundings of the Sterling residence, Gabriel simmered with rage after being abruptly hung up on. “Unbelievable! Married just one day and already disobeying me!” Nora Sinclair, sensing the storm brewing, quickly interjected, “I’ll ask Anastasia to come home tomorrow. I’ll have a word with her—she always listens to me.” Gabriel’s expression softened, albeit slightly. He reached out, patting his wife’s hand with a gentler tone. “You’ve done so much for her over the years. You’ve treated her like your own flesh and blood. It’s no wonder she listens to you.” That was what he cherished most about Nora; she had never once mistreated his daughter from his first marriage. If anything, she had spoiled her, to the extent that many believed she was Anastasia’s biological mother. “It’s only what I should do,” Nora replied, her smile serene, her voice soothing. “Cecilia and I were very close. Of course I’d look after her daughter.” Back at the grandeur of Rosewood Manor, after hanging up on Gabriel, a sudden thought struck Anastasia—she hadn’t warned Harrison about the precarious situation unfolding. She hurried next door, her heart racing. Logan had already left, and the door stood slightly ajar. Curiosity urged her to peek inside the bedroom: it was empty, yet the light from the bathroom flickered on. Harrison must be showering. Just as she contemplated turning back, a loud thud echoed from the bathroom, sending a jolt of adrenaline coursing through her veins. Panic gripped her heart; without a second thought, she rushed over and flung the door open. “Are you—” In that brief heartbeat of silence, surprise hung in the air. Then—SLAM! Anastasia yanked the door shut as instinct kicked in, heart racing. Why did everything seem so unpredictable?