Chapter 263

After Luis made his move by stealing lsaac's best people right under his nose, there was no chance Isaac would take that lying down.

He wasted no time. Within days, he'd managed to snatch a few of Luis' own top employees, striking back with precision and force.

Jacob's voice was steady as he delivered the news.Isaac didn't even look up from his paperwork."Understood. That'll be all, Jacob."

With a quiet nod, Jacob slipped from the room,leaving Isaac to his thoughts.

Across town, Luis' assistant delivered the latest development. Luis didn't look particularly shocked.He raised one brow and gave a half-smile, accepting the blow with a mix of resignation and amusement.

He mused silently that Isaac never did let anything go.

Still, since lsaac was now his brother-in-law, Luis decided not to escalate further.

As those thoughts circled his mind, a wave of regret washed over him.

He remembered the reckless things he'd said to Verena, and the mess he'd nearly created.

The memory made him rub at his temples,feeling the weight of it all.

How was he supposed to face her now? What could he say to her that would erase his mistakes?

The question gnawed at him, leaving him feeling helpless.

But beneath that worry, there was something else-a happiness he couldn't keep down.

After searching for his sister all these years, turning over every stone and refusing to give up, he had finally found her at last. The feeling was overwhelming, like surfacing for air after nearly drowning. Tears pricked at his eyes, and he couldn't stop himself from sharing this good news. Blinking the tears away, he turned to his assistant and said, "After all these years, Davin, I actually found her. I really did."

Davin Santos, who had been by Luis' side for years and earned the role of most trusted confidant, knew all about the long search for his sister.

For a second, Davin just stared, struggling to process what he was hearing.

Then his eyes went wide. "Wait, are you saying you actually found your sister,sir?"

Luis gave a solid nod, his gaze unwavering. "Yes.Verena. She's my sister."

Davin's brow furrowed. "You mean Verena-lsaac's wife?"

"That's the one," said Luis, and he launched into the whole story. He told Davin about the inexplicable connection he always felt around Verena and how the butterfly-shaped scar above her knee matched the memory he carried all these years.

"That scar is too distinct to forget," Luis insisted."There's no way I'd confuse her with anyone else.I know she's my sister."

Davin listened intently, weighing every word, but asked gently, "Are you really sure, sir? I know the scar matters, but after all this time, mistakes happen.You'd never forgive yourself if you were wrong."

Luis' face grew thoughtful as he shook his head."There's no doubt in my mind. I'm sure of it."

Davin, wanting to be careful, added, "This is important, sir. Maybe we should confirm it the scientific way. If you could get a strand of Verena's hair,we could do a DNA test-just to be certain."

The idea made sense to Luis.

He nodded, determination settling in his eyes. "Good thinking. I'll meet with her again tomorrow and figure out a way."

The following day, sunlight filtered through the hospital's windows, dappling the hallway with golden patches.

Because of her pregnancy, Verena had stepped back from operating and spent her days guiding the interns instead.

After wrapping up her session with the interns in the operating room, Verena felt fatiguesettling in her shoulders.

Right then, Julianna approached with an exasperated sigh. "Evelyn, that same man from last time showed up again. He's waiting in your office. I've tried everything to make him leave but he refuses."

It didn't take much for Verena to realize she meant Luis.

She offered Julianna a reassuring nod. "Thanks for letting me know. Go ahead and get back to your rounds. I'll take care of it."

Without wasting another moment, V/erena started down the hallway toward her office.

At the end of the corridor, Luis stood near her office door, hands tucked into his pockets, posture ramrod straight.

His head was slightly bowed, lost in thought, while sunlight traced a golden outline around his frame.

Verena closed the distance and said quietly, "Mr.Sampson."

Luis blinked, the sound of her voice bringing him back to the present.

Lifting his head, he met Verena's eyes, seeing her in a crisp white coat, and felt a swirl of emotions he could barely contain.

But his focus snapped back to the real reason for his visit. He needed to get a sample of her hair for the DNA test-confirmation at last. Quickly composing himself, he slipped his hands from his pockets, managing a warm, polite smile."Would you mind if we spoke somewhere more private? It's a little too public out here."

Conveniently, Verena had questions of her own and wanted to settle things from yesterday.

She agreed with a nod and guided him to a coffee shop just a short walk from the hospital.

Once they were settled in a secluded booth, Verena wasted no time. "You left abruptly yesterday without answering anything directly. Mr. Sampson, let's be honest. Who are you trying to protect? Are you going to work with us,or not?"

Luis' face changed the instant she mentioned yesterday.

Embarrassment and regret flashed across his features. He couldn't help but remember the rash things he'd blurted out and felt a wave of shame.For a second, he genuinely wished he could take the words back. He tried to speak, but the words stuck in his throat.He couldn't seem to figureout what to do with his hands, tapping the table one moment and rubbing his leg the next, obviously out of sorts.

Verena took in his discomfort, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. She arched an eyebrow and let a sly edge slip into her voice. "Mr. Sampson, you're making me wonder just how important this person really is to you. Are you here to play games again?Those tricks might get a reaction from some lovestruck girl, but I'm married, so I'm not impressed.Save your energy."

Her bluntness made Luis' cheeks burn. His embarrassment deepened until his face nearly glowed.

He managed to stammer, searching for an explanation, "That's not what I was trying to-"

Halfway through, he realized nothing he said would fix it.

He had been out of line, and there was no hiding from it.

In the end, he lowered his head, voice quiet. "I apologize for before. I was out of line. Please accept my apology."

Verena, still confused by his odd behavior the day before, felt even more at a loss after his sudden admission.

She opened her mouth to presshim for answers, but before she could, Luis spoke again. "Maybe we could add each other on the chat app?"

He offered this as if reaching out to a long-lost sibling, hoping to close the distance between them.

To Verena, though, it only felt like another attempt to insert himself into her life for reasons she couldn't quite trust.