The next morning, the hospital felt different. A strange, uneasy quiet had settled over the place, as if everyone were holding their breath, waiting for something to happen. Lestrade paced outside Emilia’s office, her fingers tapping rhythmically against the folder in her hands. She had knocked multiple times, called Emilia’s phone, but there had been no answer.
Elias arrived, his face pale with concern. “Have you heard from her?” he asked, his voice thick with worry.
Lestrade shook her head. “Nothing. It’s not like her to just disappear. She left late last night, but I’ve checked everywhere. No one’s seen her since.”
Elias’s eyes darkened as he glanced toward the empty office. “This doesn’t feel right. Emilia wouldn’t just vanish like that, especially not in the middle of the case.”
Lestrade frowned, crossing her arms. “I know. That’s what worries me. She’s been pushing herself too hard, getting too close to Lucian. She wouldn’t have just walked away from this.”
Elias’s jaw tightened, and his thoughts immediately shifted to Lucian. “You think this has something to do with him?”
“Who else could it be?” Lestrade snapped. “She was obsessed with finding out what he’s hiding. If he got into her head...”
Elias didn’t need her to finish the sentence. The two of them exchanged a grim look before Lestrade motioned for them to move toward the patient wing.
“I need to see him,” Elias said, already making up his mind.
Lestrade followed close behind, her posture rigid. “I’ve already put in a request to restrict any of Lucian’s movements until we know where Emilia is. But there’s a problem. The doctors have been reviewing his records, and they think he’s ready to be discharged.”
Elias froze, disbelief washing over him. “They’re clearing him? How? We haven’t even figured out what he’s capable of. He’s dangerous!”
Lestrade’s expression was tight, her lips pressed into a thin line. “I know. But from a medical standpoint, they’ve got no reason to hold him any longer. His physical and mental evaluations came back... clean. They think whatever influence he has over people, it isn’t something they can prove.”
Elias couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “So they’re just going to let him walk out? He’s behind this, Lestrade. I know it. We can’t let him leave.”
Lestrade looked at Elias with the same frustration burning in her eyes. “We’ve tried everything. But as of this morning, the final report came in. The doctors are signing off on his release.”
Elias’s heart sank as they approached Lucian’s room. There was no guard outside this time—only Dr. Hayward, his face pale, standing with the discharge papers in his hand.
“Dr. Hayward,” Elias said quickly, “you can’t let him go.”
Hayward looked up, his eyes filled with uncertainty. “We don’t have a choice. His physical condition is stable, and from a psychiatric perspective... there’s nothing holding him here.”
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“That’s because he’s manipulating everything around him!” Elias nearly shouted, his frustration boiling over. “He’s dangerous. He’s behind Emilia’s disappearance, I know it. You can’t just let him walk out of here!”
Hayward glanced nervously at the door to Lucian’s room, then back at Elias. “You think I don’t know that? I’ve seen the scans, Elias. I know something’s wrong, but there’s no legal ground to hold him. The police haven’t charged him with anything, and without solid evidence, we have no authority to keep him here.”
Elias felt a surge of helplessness wash over him. He wanted to scream, to tear the discharge papers from Hayward’s hands, but he knew it wouldn’t change anything. Lucian had played them all, and now he was slipping away, just like Emilia.
Lestrade stepped forward, her voice low but commanding. “We’ll get a warrant. We’ll stop him before he leaves.”
Hayward shook his head, his face filled with regret. “It’s too late. He’s already signed out. He’s leaving within the hour.”
As the words hit Elias, the weight of the situation became unbearable. He turned to Lestrade, his voice trembling. “We need to find Emilia. Now.”
Before Lestrade could respond, the door to Lucian’s room creaked open. The man himself stepped out, as calm and collected as ever. His eyes gleamed with a quiet satisfaction as they met Elias’s, as if he knew exactly what was going through his mind.
“Good morning, Doctor,” Lucian said, his voice smooth, almost soothing. “I understand there’s been some concern about my release.”
Elias’s hands balled into fists, but he forced himself to remain calm. “Where is she, Lucian? Where’s Emilia?”
Lucian raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. “Emilia? I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re referring to. Is she missing?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Elias growled, stepping closer. “She was last seen after meeting with you. What did you do to her?”
Lucian’s lips curved into a slow smile, his gaze unwavering. “I didn’t do anything, Elias. Emilia is her own person. She makes her own choices. If she’s missing, perhaps it’s because she’s chosen to disappear.”
“You’re lying,” Elias snapped, his voice sharp. “You’ve been manipulating her, twisting her mind, just like you’ve done with everyone else. You got inside her head, and now she’s gone.”
Lucian tilted his head slightly, his expression thoughtful. “It’s fascinating, really, how quick you are to blame me for something you cannot understand. But tell me, Elias—what if I’m not the one in control? What if Emilia was never truly who you thought she was?”
Elias felt his chest tighten, a cold chill running down his spine. “What are you talking about?”
Lucian’s smile deepened, his eyes narrowing with a glint of amusement. “Perhaps Emilia was always searching for something, something you could never give her. Maybe she found it. Maybe she simply... doesn’t need you anymore.”
Elias lunged forward, grabbing Lucian by the collar, his face inches from Lucian’s. “If you hurt her—if anything happens to her—I swear—”
Lucian didn’t flinch. His eyes remained locked on Elias’s, unblinking, calm. “You’re losing control, Doctor. Isn’t that what you fear the most? That you’re powerless to stop what’s happening?”
Lestrade quickly stepped in, pulling Elias back. “Enough!” she barked, her voice cutting through the tension. “Lucian, your discharge is official, but this investigation isn’t over. We’ll be watching you. You’re not free of this.”
Lucian’s gaze shifted to Lestrade, his expression unreadable. “Of course, Lieutenant. I would expect nothing less. After all, it’s not every day someone like me leaves the hospital.”
With that, Lucian adjusted his collar and walked past them, the air thick with the stench of victory. He moved down the hall slowly, deliberately, as if savoring every moment of his freedom.
Elias stood frozen, his mind racing. He could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him, suffocating him. Emilia was gone. Lucian was free. And now, everything was spiraling out of control.
Lestrade put a hand on his shoulder, her voice quiet but firm. “We’ll find her, Elias. We’ll get her back.”
Elias swallowed hard, his throat dry. “If we don’t...”
“We will,” Lestrade said, her eyes hard. “Lucian’s not going to get away with this.”
But as Elias watched Lucian disappear down the corridor, he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were already too late. Lucian had won this round, and Emilia was the price.