Chapter 3 - Dela’s Unshakable Loyalty And Courage
Back inside the hospital waiting room, Dela sat rigidly in her plastic chair while little Mia slept peacefully in the old stroller.
She clutched a paper cup of lukewarm hospital coffee between her palms, her mind racing with a million conflicting emotions.
The man who had just swept in with an entourage of armed guards and a luxury Bentley was an underworld kingpin.
Yet, he had looked at Ruth with a depth of raw, shattering grief that no criminal syndicate could ever manufacture.
Footsteps echoed softly down the linoleum corridor, and Dela looked up to see Knox walking back into the waiting room.
He shed his heavy black wool coat, revealing a tailored dark vest and the sharp lines of a man carved from absolute iron.
“How is she?” Dela asked quietly, her voice cautious and filled with lingering defensive tension.
“The doctors stabilized her vitals, but she needs weeks of round-the-clock care to recover her strength,” Knox answered, his voice softening slightly.
He pulled a small black business card from his pocket and slid it across the table toward Dela.
“This is my direct private number. From this moment forward, you and your daughter will never have to worry about rent, food, or safety again.”
Dela stared at the card as if it were venomous, refusing to reach out her hand to touch it.
“I don’t want your charity, Mr. Hartley. I took care of Ruth because she was a human being in need, not for a paycheck,” Dela said proudly.
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Knox looked at her, respect flickering briefly through his steel-gray eyes for the first time that night.
“It’s not charity, Dela. It’s a debt I owe you for keeping my mother alive when everyone else turned their backs,” Knox stated firmly.
