Corey's gaze dropped as he lit another cigarette.

The smoke curled upward as he exhaled, his expression detached, as if a life filled with hope and love was as trivial as the ashes falling from his cigarette.

He was well aware of the dark path he walked; with so many Lives on his conscience, a peaceful end was out of reach.

Gareth's elder son didn't have to die, but Corey couldn't afford to lose. Not now.

Waiting was not an option.

Survival was paramount.

Back in Warrington, Dorian lay in a dark room, quietly nursing his wounds.

The painkillers dulled the ache and sent him into a deep, dreamless sleep.

When he awoke, the first thing he saw was Regina seated by his bedside, a bowl of soup in her hands.

"Regina," Dorian said with a weary smile.

Her expression was stoic, a mix of lingering resentment and care.

Though she hadn't forgiven him for the past, the sight of him injured had stirred something in her.

“Have this," Regina said, placing the bowl beside him, the steam curling in delicate tendrils.

Dorian sat up slowly, wincing as pain shot through his side.

He forced a reassuring smile. "It's just a scratch. Nothing serious."

Regina's eyes darkened. “I checked your wound. It was millimeters from your heart. Whoever did this didn't want to kill you; they wanted to send a message. Was it Caden?"

Dorian lowered his gaze and took a sip of the soup. "Yeah."

Regina's eyes hardened. “Was it you who attacked Gareth?"

"No," Dorian replied, his voice steady. "I had someone else do it. I told Corey to handle it."

Regina's expression turned icy. “Corey? The same man who's trafficked people in Terriland? And you still chose to work with him? Dorian, have you lost your mind?"

“What he's done in the past isn't my concern. I only hired him for this job, and he got it done," Dorian said, finishing the Last of his soup. “Regina, you know me. If Gareth hadn't deserved it, I wouldn't have taken action."

Regina stared at him, disbelief etched across her face. He seemed truly unhinged. "You're gambling with people's lives and expect me to admire you for it? Do you think I don't see through your schemes? You're testing Caden, trying to see if he'll falter in his decision to marry Alicia."

Dorian pressed his lips together, a silent acknowledgment of her accusation.

Regina's chest rose and fell with anger, watching him drown deeper in his dangerous plots. She felt helpless, unable to pull him back from the brink. "You're doing all of this for Yolanda, but have you ever considered what happens when you cross the line? What if the law catches up with you?"