Chapter 13

Theodore was surprised when Marissa called the person on the phone "honey."

Could it be her boyfriend?

A shadow passed over Theodore's face as his cold gaze fell on the partially open hospital door. The black phone twirled between his fingers, and then a low chuckle escaped him.

His fiancée appeared to be full of hidden little secrets.

Containing his grin, he swiftly typed out a message.

Marissa didn't bother hiding to take the call. She hadn't gone far, merely leaning against the ward door.

"I'll go with you at the end of the month," she replied concisely. A playful whine reached her from the other line, prompting her to smirk slightly. "Keep acting like that, and you might see your allowNance cut..."

Before she could finish, a booming male voice cut through the corridor, harsh and commanding

"Move! Don't block the way!"

Harmony Hospital's hallways were spacious, and with her slim frame, there was no way she was in anyone's

way.

Wanting to avoid unnecessary trouble, Marissa stepped aside.

The man was huge, his broad shoulders seemed to fill the hallway, and he held his swollen belly with his left hand, clearly eager to get to the restroom.

"No loud noises in the hospital!" a nurse called out sternly, frowning at him.

"Get lost!" he barked, shoving her aside without a second thought.

Marissa's eyes caught the bulge at his waist It looked like a gun.

Her attention was then arrested by a sudden detail.The man's chest hair didn't match the color of his head hair. Something clicked, and her calm demeanor snapped into focus. Slipping her phone into her suit pocket, she confronted the man, her voice icy. "Stop right there!"

"Get lost!" he snapped, trying to shake her off, but she held firm. "You bitch! Looking for trouble?" he growled,showing his yellowed teeth.

Marissa's eyes narrowed. "What a fool," she thought.

"You're the one causing trouble."

Her words cut likesteel as she drove her elbow into a pressure point beneath his arm with pinpoint accuracy.

Instantly, his arm went numb, his left hand dropping uselessly. The swollen belly he had been holding suddenly deflated, and a tiny, beautiful little girl toppled out.

Marissa caught her without missing a beat.

The little girl and Marissa stared at each other, wide-eyed.

"You insane woman! Give her back!" the man shouted.

A cold, hard object pressed against Marissa's temple as she cradled the girl and looked up calmly

"Go ahead.Shoot."

Her face was a mask of calm, her eyes sharp and serious as she provoked him.

His hand shook violently. "Don't think I won't!"

"Can't bring yourself to do it? Let me demonstrate."

The sound of a gunshot ripped through the hallway's silence.

"Ah." A nurse let out a small scream, hastily covering her mouth in shock.

She hadn't seen it clearly, but the massive man went

crashing to the floor.

Holding the child in one arm, Marissa twirled the black gun between her fingers. "You really think that toy can scare me?"

The man writhed in pain, staring at her in terror. "Give me back my daughter!"

Marissa glanced down at the little girl in her arms, then back at him, shaking her head. "With a face like that,you think you could ever have such a beautiful child?"

"I'm calling the police!" he shouted, glancing around nervously.

"Want me to call them for you?" Marissa asked calmly,her face blank and unmoved by his threat

The man struggled to get up, but Marissa held the child securely, covering her eyes with one hand, and pressed him back down with a firm stomp.

"How could she be this strong?" he thought, pinned and powerless beneath her.

Marissa bent down slightly, her cool gaze meeting his shocked eyes. "You better explain everything to the police," she warned.

Funny! He had been so eager to call them himself.

And she intended to make sure he did.

The man was still reeling from the precise strike she'd landed earlier. Sweat drenched his pale face as he stared at her, with horror written across his features."Did... did you call the police?"

His voice trembled with fear.

"Yes," Marissa said calmly, tugging slightly at the corner of her lips. "No need to thank me."

Swearing under his breath, he tried to push himself upright but failed.

From the elevator, Wilbur stared at the scene in utter disbelief. He tilted his head, thinking for a moment before picking up his phone.

"Mr. Brooks..." he began, unsure how to describe it. It would be better if Theodore saw it for himself.

Wasn't Marissa supposed to be useless and weak?

But after witnessing what had happened, Wilbur realized the rumors had clearly been wrong.

With a loud click, the hospital room door swung shut.

Marissa's attention shifted to the sound, and there he was.. Theodore, standing at the doorway, calmly watching her.

She carefully set the little girl down and straightened up, wondering when he had arrived and how much he

had seen.

Did he witness her fight?

The man saw an opening and lunged for the girl, trying to escape,but Marissa reacted instantly and kicked his wrist. He howled in pain, writhing on the floor.

"Planning to run now, huh?" she asked casually.

Theodore remained motionless, silently taking in the scene.

After the brawl in the warm corridor, Marissa's makeup was now smudged.

Their gazes met, with the sounds of the defeated man moaning faintly behind them.

"Mommy!" The girl pressed herself against Marissa,hugging her leg tightly for comfort.

Marissa froze for a moment, caught off guard.

"She's your daughter?" Theodore frowned.

A shadow flickered across his intense eyes, his lips tightening into a firm line, giving off a cold, intimidating presence