The doctor emerged from the emergency room, exhaustion written across his face.
"Doctor! Is she alright? Nothing happened to her, right?" Rudra's voice trembled with worry.
The doctor took a deep breath. "Mr. Rudra… I should've told you this earlier."
"What happened? Is anything wrong? Is the baby okay?" Rudra's panic rose.
"What exactly did you say happened to her?" the doctor asked, probing.
"I rescued her from some goons. That's all I know… I don't know what happened before that," Rudra replied quickly.
"Do you even know her?" the doctor questioned, narrowing his eyes.
"She's my friend's girlfriend," Rudra said, his words rushing out.
The doctor sighed. "She lost a lot of blood. Both she and the baby are in critical need of blood transfusions."
"What about the hospital's supply? Why can't you operate right now?" Rudra snapped, desperate.
"We don't have the baby's blood type in stock. It's rare. Without both types, we can't proceed with surgery," the doctor said grimly.
"What blood type is the baby?" Rudra asked urgently.
"AB negative," the doctor replied.
"Damn it! And Star's?" Rudra pressed.
"She's A positive. We're running low on that too. We've reached out for emergency donors, but no responses yet. That's why I needed to inform you."
"Doctor, there has to be another way—order the blood from somewhere, buy it! My friend will pay—he owns David's Architectures!" Rudra pleaded.
"If there was a faster way, believe me, I'd have taken it. But my hands are tied," the doctor said, defeated. "I can't operate with insufficient blood—especially not with both the mother and baby on the line."
"She's dying, Doctor…" Rudra whispered, clenching his fists.
"I know," the doctor said softly. "But right now, I don't know what else to do."
Rudra's mind raced. "My blood type is O… What do I do? Mandume isn't picking up… What the hell do I do?!"
"The baby's father—or her father—might be the key. Especially if either matches the required types," the doctor suggested.
"I'll call him again," Rudra said quickly, stepping away.
Meanwhile, Mandume sat alone in his secret room—walls lined with vivid paintings, a world he built out of love, pain, and color.
"Star… why?" he growled, staring at her portrait. "Why would you cheat me?"
"I painted this for you… for the love of my life. This room only has my loved ones. Now you—now you're just like Dad's painting."
Mandume's eyes flicked to a canvas marked with a red X.
"You deceived me. A cheat… a freak… a betrayal. Was that what you tried to tell me in the forest?" His voice cracked. "Well, I'll tell you what I'll do… I'll erase you, Star. You're dead to me."
He grabbed a glass and hurled it across the room. It shattered against Star's portrait, leaving blood-red streaks behind.
When he tried to pour red paint on her canvas, a shard of glass cut deep into his foot.
"…even nature doesn't want you gone," he muttered darkly. "But nature must understand—I'm done. You kissed my friend. Probably slept with him. And my buddy, my baby—!"
Rudra's call buzzed again.
"What now?" Mandume hissed. He walked into his bedroom and saw Rudra's name on the screen.
"Rudra, Rudrof—f*** off!" he barked and turned the phone off.
Just as he turned to retreat into the secret room again, Bonita burst in.
"Hey—wipe that rage off your face. Lazarus wants to see you," she said flatly.
"Lazarus is here? Already?" Mandume frowned. "Tell him to come to my room."
"He's not alone. And he looks official. You won't want to blow this client," Bonita said, stepping aside.
"What?!" Mandume's eyes widened as he rushed to the washroom.
"Hurry up!" Bonita called behind him.
"I'm coming!" he shouted.
Elsewhere…
In the dim basement, Maria and Olivia descended the stairs to find Joan stirring a pot.
"I've never been this thrilled, Joana," Maria beamed. "Put that down. I have incredible news to share."
"Morning, Maria," Joan replied suspiciously.
"Remember I told you Mandume would marry this year so the company would be ours?" Maria asked.
"Yes… did he?" Joan said, stiffening.
"He did. And here's your daughter-in-law," Maria said, revealing something hidden under a sheet.
Joan's breath caught in her throat. "What… where is Star?"
Maria scroll through her phone to reveal Star's unconscious body.
Joan reeled back, horror-stricken. "S…Star? Star is dead?! Maria, you killed a human… for greed?! My God will—"
Before she could finish, Maria slapped her.
"Your God?! Don't speak back to me, you wretch. Star gave you hope—power. But now look at you: rotting in this basement like you deserve. When I own everything, I'll get rid of you too."
Tears welled in Joan's eyes. "Star was the only hope I had… Why am I still alive? Why not just let me die with her?"
Maria sneered. "You always ruin my mood. God this, God that. Let's see your God come save you now."
She and Olivia stormed off, leaving Joan sobbing over Star's death news.
Back at the Davids residence…
Rudra raced to the estate. Meanwhile, Christine was calling Star's phone.
"Star? Where are you?" she muttered, frowning. Then she froze. "Wait—what?!"
The screen showed Star's phone was in the house.
"She's home?" Christine whispered. She began searching frantically.
Upstairs, Olivia was in her room trying to power off Star's phone.
"What kind of phone is this? Why won't it switch off?" she hissed. Frustrated, she hurled it against the wall. It cracked—but stayed on.
Christine kept calling.
"…and this old woman," Olivia muttered. She declined the call.
The ringing continued.
Footsteps approached. Olivia's eyes widened in panic.
She shoved the phone under her bed and rushed into the bathroom just as Christine opened her bedroom door—still calling.
The phone rang again, muffled but audible…
Christine stepped inside.
And the truth was about to find her.