chapter 4: Masks and Shadows

[Clark Pov]

The next morning, the hospital was buzzing. Rumors spread faster than any illness, the elusive owner of St. Dominic’s was visiting today. Nurses whispered in corners, doctors fixed their coats, administrators scrambled to polish every detail.

For years I had worked here, yet not once had I seen the man who held our lives in his palm. Some said he was a philanthropist. Others whispered he was ruthless, that he never showed his face unless it mattered.

I didn’t care much. Whoever he was, he lived in a world far from mine. My world was bandaged wounds, tearful children, and half eaten sandwiches during night shifts.

Still, the atmosphere was electric. Even I found myself smoothing my uniform, fixing the strands of hair Mara had teased me about that morning.

"Clark, The owner will pass by the pediatric wing. Be on your best behavior", Dr. Herrera muttered as she adjusted her stethoscope.

I chuckled softly. "When am I not?"

But inside, unease coiled like smoke. I remembered the black car, the eyes that had followed me night after night. The name “Monadragon” whispered in fear. I pushed the thought away, convincing myself it was unrelated.

How wrong I was.

...**********************************************...

[Steven Pov]

The hospital smelled of antiseptic, sharp and sterile. It had been years since I walked these halls not as a shadow in the night, but as its master in the light. St. Dominic’s was mine, though few knew it. My name was never on the paperwork, my face never hung on the wall. Control worked best when invisible.

But today, I stepped inside.

Marco trailed me, stiff in his black suit. My men had swept the corridors hours before. Doctors lined up like soldiers, nurses bowed their heads slightly, administrators nearly trembled as they greeted me with rehearsed smiles.

“Señor Monadragon,“It’s an honor”, One whispered, daring to meet my eyes

I offered a faint nod, nothing more. Fear was already etched into their bones I didn’t need words. Even the police lurking outside the building placed there under the guise of protectionstood straighter when I passed.

And then I saw him.....Clark Reyes Villa.

He stood in the pediatric wing, clipboard in hand, speaking softly to a child. His presence was unguarded, gentle, as though the chaos around him never touched his heart. His uniform was plain, yet he shone brighter than the polished glass walls.

My chest tightened an unfamiliar, unwelcome sensation. I forced my expression to remain cold, detached. No one could see this. Not Marco, not the staff, not even him. Because Steven Monadragon did not falter.

...**********************************************...

[Marco Pov]

I had been at Boss’s side long enough to read the smallest flickers on his face. And today, I noticed something.

When his eyes landed on that nurse, the young man with tired shoulders and kind eyes there was a shift. Subtle, but real. For a moment, Steven Monadragon wasn’t the feared lord, the untouchable king. For a moment, he was… human.

I masked my curiosity, but inside, questions clawed. Why him? Why this boy, out of everyone in the city?

I would never dare ask. Not yet. But the way Boss’s gaze lingered, even when he forced it away it unsettled me.

Because if anyone discovered a crack in Steven Monadragon’s armor, the consequences would be catastrophic.

...**********************************************...

[Clark Pov]

When the entourage reached our wing, I stood at attention with the rest of the staff. The air grew heavy, suffocating. Then he walked in tall, sharp, exuding authority like it was second nature.

Steven Mondragon

I didn’t know the name belonged to him yet. All I knew was that the same piercing eyes from the car now stood before me, in flesh and bone. My breath hitched, but I forced myself to steady. Why was he here? Why was he looking at me?

“Señor Monadragon, we’re honored to have you. This is Nurse Clark Villa, one of our most dedicated staff”, Dr. Herrera said smoothly, bowing slightly.

His gaze burned into me as Dr. Herrera spoke my name. My throat went dry. I bowed my head slightly, the way respect demanded, but when I glanced up, his eyes hadn’t moved. It lasted only a second. He turned away, expression unreadable. To the others, it was nothing. To me, it was everything.

...**********************************************...

[Steven Pov]

Hearing his name spoken aloud was like branding it into my mind. Clark Reyes Villa.

I allowed my gaze to linger only briefly before shifting to the next staff member. My voice remained calm, cold, the way it always did when I asked about numbers, patients, donations. To them, I was the silent benefactor, untouchable.

But inside, the storm grew.

I wanted to speak to him. Alone. To hear his voice without the shield of duty. To see if the innocence I sensed was real, or a mirage my darkness had conjured.

But not now. Not here.....No one could know.

“Carry on,” I said, dismissing the staff with a curt nod. My tone gave nothing away. Yet as I turned to leave, my eyes betrayed me just once glancing back at Clark. And for a heartbeat, the world felt less like mine.

...**********************************************...

[Marco Pov]

As we exited the wing, I caught it. The smallest flicker in Boss’s eyes when he looked back. I didn’t dare comment. Not in front of the men, not in front of anyone.

But deep inside, I understood something dangerous had begun.

And if Steven Monadragon allowed himself to want… the world itself would have to bend.

...**********************************************...

[Clark Pov]

After they left, the air finally loosened. My colleagues whispered excitedly about his wealth, his power, his presence. But I stood frozen, my mind spinning.

Steven Monadragon. The mysterious owner. The man whispered about in fear.

And the stranger whose eyes had haunted me. I didn’t know what fate had set in motion. I only knew one thing my life was no longer my own.

...--------End of Chapter 4--------...

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