At the Falls Church Marriott Fairview Park, the Data Dynamics Christmas party was in full swing. After ending the call with Kian, Sana, noticing Seven’s distracted look, asked with concern, “Everything okay?”

  “Harper got scalded by hot coffee; Kian called for advice,” Seven explained calmly.

  Sana frowned. “My poor bestie! Is it bad?”

  “Kian’s handling it,” Seven reassured her. “I’ll check in again later.”

  Just then, his attention snapped to Wendy, who was weaving through the crowd toward him. She was holding something slim between her fingers, her smile carefully practiced.

  “VP Kav,” she said, extending the keycard. “I’ve already checked you into your suite. Let me know if you need anything.”

  Seven accepted it with a curt nod. “Thank you.”

  She lingered, surprise flickering across her features as she caught sight of Sana. “JVP Shahi, it’s good to see you! How have you been?”

  Sana returned a polite reply. “Thank you, Wendy. Mostly recovered now. I’m working from home until the new year.”

  Wendy inclined her head. “Your health comes first. I look forward to seeing you in the office come January.”

  With that, she melted into the crowd, leaving Seven and Sana to exchange a wary glance.

  ……

  As the evening progressed, the Christmas toast was announced. Goblets of eggnog were circulated. Laughter and clinking glasses filled the air like a symphony of holiday cheer. Seven lifted a glass in a casual salute before taking a tentative sip. The drink was rich, velvety, spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon. Interesting.

  At first, nothing seemed amiss. But minutes later, a slow burn coursed through him. Heat spread across his chest, pooling in his limbs. His temples throbbed, erratic and forceful. His vision warped at the edges, figures shifting like mirages. He turned to Kasra, urgency shattering his composure.

  “Kas, I’ve been drugged. Get me to Inova.”

  Kasra stiffened, instantly alert. “Damn.”

  Beside him, Sana caught the tension in Seven’s demeanor. “I’m coming with you,” she insisted.

  No one argued.

  The quartet—Seven, Sana, Kasra, and Lara—moved swiftly through the ballroom. Seven’s breathing grew heavier with each step, his muscles sluggish, his body betraying him.

  By the time they reached Inova, sweat had dampened his shirt. His training battled the fog clouding his mind, and instinct took over. As they entered the emergency wing, he straightened with effort and fixed his gaze on the triage nurse.

  “I’m an affiliate consultant here,” he managed, his tone controlled despite the tremors wracking him. “I need immediate treatment. Full tox panel. And a private room.”

  The nurse, sensing the severity, wasted no time.

  Outside the treatment room, the trio waited in tense silence until a doctor emerged. “Dr. Seven’s bloodwork is pending, but preliminary signs indicate he was drugged with a combination of aphrodisiacs and hallucinogens,” the doctor said.

  Kasra muttered a curse. Lara folded her arms, her brows knitting in confusion. “How? We all ate and drank at the same table.”

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  Sana swallowed hard. “Could it have been targeted?”

  “It’s possible,” the doctor replied, hesitating. “There is a method that could help his body metabolize the substances faster.”

  Sana’s heart skipped.

  “What is it?” she asked, though she already guessed the answer.

  The doctor studied her for a long moment. “Intercourse accelerates the breakdown of certain substances in the bloodstream. In his case, it could drastically reduce the drug’s effects.”

  Silence descended.

  Kasra gaped. Lara’s brows furrowed. But Sana—she was petrified. Her pulse thundered in her ears, drowning out the faint hum of the hospital’s fluorescent lights. She clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms as she forced herself to focus: Seven was in distress, fighting against something he had no control over.

  Her spine straightened. Her decision was made.

  “I can help him.” Her response, quiet but firm, cut through the stillness.

  The doctor regarded her, then gestured toward the treatment room. Sana exhaled, steeled herself, and stepped forward, leaving Kasra and Lara stupefied in the hallway, their faces etched with shock.

  ……

  Inside, the room was too bright, the antiseptic stench sharp, but Seven barely registered it. His skin burned, his heart hammered against his ribs, muscles strung tight as the drugs hijacked his system. Every breath was a battle, every sensation amplified. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay grounded.

  Then he saw her.

  Sana.

  She stepped closer, and the world tilted further off its axis. He struggled to keep pace with her words; something about flushing the drugs from his system.

  Intercourse? Had he heard her right? His stomach dropped.

  He shook his head violently, doing a double-take.

  Damn! It’s really Sana.

  The sight nearly sent his control careening off a cliff.

  Her shimmering ivory dress, dotted with delicate lace appliqué over sheer nude fabric, clung to her frame like a second skin. The deep V-neckline accentuated her exquisite collarbone and curves, the soft, puffed sleeves giving her an air of ethereal elegance. The dress barely skimmed mid-thigh, and under the sterile light, it looked even more striking than at the party. It was too breathtaking for a place like this.

  Lust clawed at his resolve, his mind teetering on a dangerous edge. She shouldn’t be here!

  Seven curled his fingers into fists, knuckles whitening. He forced himself to meet her gaze, fighting against the foreign chemicals in his system.

  “No,” he spat, strained but resolute. “I won’t let you do that.”

  Sana flinched as if struck.

  From the corner, Natasha, setting up an IV line with practiced ease, let out a scoff. “Miss, did you hear that?” she sneered, amusement curling her lips. “You should leave. I’ll take care of him.”

  Sana stiffened, shoulders squaring. Defiance surged up her throat. “I’m not leaving.”

  Seven’s breath was ragged, fighting to stay lucid. He reached blindly for the stool, fumbling through his scattered clothes before pulling out a hotel keycard. His hand shook as he held it out to Sana. “Go back to the hotel,” he rasped. “Stay in the suite. I’ll find you when I’m done here.”

  Sana’s stomach lurched. The sting of rejection pierced a raw, deep wound. “Are you… choosing her over me?” she whispered, voice trembling.

  Seven’s expression darkened. “I’m right where I need to be,” he ground out. “Please. Just leave.”

  Something inside Sana cracked. The finality of his words, the sheer weight of them, severed the last thread holding her together.

  “Then… we’re over,” she blurted, her voice brittle. The words felt foreign, but they hung like a blade. She turned sharply, vision blurring, and fled the room.

  ……

  Seven barely had time to process Sana’s devastation before Natasha sidled closer, her persuasion honeyed and insidious. “Seven, you don’t need her,” she murmured. “Let me help you.”

  Seven snapped his head toward her, his stare icy despite the fever ravaging his body. “No! Leave. Now.”

  Natasha froze. Color drained from her face. After a beat, she snatched up her chart and retreated briskly, the squeak of her rubber soles marking her unwilling departure down the hall.

  Seven exhaled, hands shaky. He reached for his phone, barely managing to type out a message.

  ……

  Meanwhile, Sana returned to the hotel, her emotions a tempest roiling in her veins. The elevator ride felt suffocating, every floor creeping past in slow motion. When the doors slid open, she shoved the keycard into Kasra’s palm, eyes hollow.

  “Take it,” she said, breath hitching. “I’ve broken up with Seven.”

  Kasra’s jaw nearly hit the floor. He scrambled to process her words, but all he could see was the despair etched across his sister’s face.

  “Alright,” he said at last. “You and Lara stay in my suite tonight. I’ll wait for Seven.”

  They parted in silence, the weight of the night pressing down.

  ......

  Inova ER

  Two hours later, the doctor reentered, printout in hand, his expression grim. “Dr. Seven, the results are in. Your system contains traces of Bremelanotide, Dimethyltryptamine, and Microdosed Scopolamine. It’s the latest designer drug called EroX; sold only on the Dark Web.”

  Seven was floored. He’d only taken a few sips, yet the dose was so potent. Someone had gone to extreme lengths to sabotage him.

  But who?

  And why?

  last free chapter before the story continues behind the paywall.

  temporarily free for 47 hours—catch all the Valentine’s drama between Seven and Sana! ??