Andrew was walking down the stairs when he heard a massive explosion. For a moment, he wonders if the bomb he's wearing has exploded. Then he realizes the sound has come from the dining room. His heart shrinks in his chest, and he turns and sprints up the stairs.

The dining room is filled with thick black smoke that burns his nose — broken bits of table and porcelain crunch under his feet. Through the thick haze, he can see bodies on the floor. Some of them seem to be in pieces, and there's blood everywhere.

"Help them," Andrew breathlessly orders his bodyguards.

Andrew walks around the room, trying to see the faces of the bodies on the floor. He's looking for Avery, and every time he sees that the corpse is just a bodyguard, he exhales with relief and moves on to the next. Some of the bodies are so torn up it's hard to figure out who they are.

Andrew peers into one face and almost jumps when the body sits up: it's Robert. Robert peels a piece of flesh off his face and wipes the blood away then stumbles to his feet. He looks at Andrew as if he doesn't recognize him.

"What happened?" Andrew asks Robert.

Robert shakes his head and answers, "Some sort of explosion. I have no idea what caused it."

Andrew walks away from Robert and continues searching the room. When he sees Avery, his heart stops. She's lying still in Evan's arms, and her face is covered in dark soot and blood. But she opens her eyes and stares fiercely at Andrew. He bends over and helped her up.

"Are you hurt?" he asks her.

"Evan?" Avery asks as she bends over and touches Evan's shoulder. She repeats it louder, shaking Evan's arm back and forth.

Thick blood is caked across Evan's face and head, and he seems completely unconscious. It's impossible to tell what sort of injuries he has. Andrew isn't even sure if Evan is alive. Avery kneels down and holds Evan's head between her hands.

"Call an ambulance!" she screams.

Andrew reaches for his cellphone, but Robert is faster—he's already barking orders into his phone. Andrew looks at Avery helplessly. Her hands fluttered nervously over Evan's body, trying to find his injury. Her face is pale, and she seems to be having trouble breathing. He's never seen her this panicked before, not even when he took her to see Charles.

Andrew can't help feeling jealous. He knew she cared for Charles, but he never expected her to be so upset about Evan. She prefers every other man to me, he thinks bitterly. The smell of the smoke mixes with the smell of burnt skin and blood, and Andrew feels his stomach turn.

Medics burst into the room, carrying a stretcher. They lift Evan onto it and rush away from the room. Avery chases after them, and Andrew runs after her. The lights from the ambulance flash red and make the hotel lobby look bloody and grim. Avery trips and Andrew catches the back of her bloody blazer.

She tries to break away and run after the ambulance, but she's too slow. The doors of the ambulance swing shut and the vehicle speeds away toward the hospital with the siren blaring. She looks wildly around the lobby as if she doesn't know where she is, and Andrew guides her to the curb and helps her get into his car.

He drives to the hospital in silence, wishing he could just take her away. It would be a while before anyone even noticed that she was missing, he thinks. By then, I could have taken her to Misty Mansion or a secret island. Still, she should go to the hospital. I don't think she's injured, but a doctor should look at her.

Andrew drives up to the Emergency Room entrance. Before he can even park the car, Avery has jumped out and started running toward the doors. Cursing under his breath, Andrew slams the brakes and follows after her. Security guards stop them outside the doors to the emergency operating room. Robert and several Howel family bodyguards are already waiting there.

"Mrs. Howel, are you hurt?" Robert asks.

Avery shakes her head, and Andrew feels relief flooded his body. She's covered in blood, but it must be Evan's. Andrew slumps into one of the chairs in the waiting area, near enough that he can watch and listen to Avery.

Avery stares at the swinging doors leading to the emergency operation rooms. Somewhere behind those doors, Evan is fighting for his life. She has no idea how badly he was injured, but she knows he used his body to protect her from the bomb blast.

"It must have been Jackson," she says, her entire body shaking with rage.

"I'm going to kill him," Robert says.

"No, wait until Evan wakes up," Avery says. "I'm sure Jackson is expecting an attack. You need time to prepare, or you'll be killed too."

Somewhere outside the emergency room, an engine backfires, and Avery jumps. The sound is too similar to the explosion. She closes her eyes, and she can still see the bright flash of white light and feel the heat from the blast. Holding her head in her hands, she sinks into a chair. She feels too exhausted to stand.

"I don't understand what happened," Avery says. "The bodyguards checked everyone who even came close to the dining room. How did a bomb get in?"

Robert shakes his head and says, "I don't know, but I'm going to find out. And I'll personally punish the guard who let the bomb in."

Avery stares blankly at the swinging doors. Every time a doctor steps out, her heart skips a beat, but the doctors never talk to her. She has no idea how many minutes or hours pass, but it feels like an eternity. Finally, she sees one of Andrew's bodyguards run across the emergency room. She's surprised to see that Andrew is still there.

"Mr. Clifford, I found out how the bomb got in," the guard says. "Jackson Oliver put it into a waitress's body. Capsules filled with powerful explosives were put into her breasts and butt. To the guards, she probably just looked like she'd had a lot of plastic surgery."

Avery can't believe her ears. The thought of blowing up a helpless waitress makes her sick to her stomach. Why would the woman even agree to it? She wonders. Did Jackson give her a choice? Did he trick her into it?

"I don't think the bomb was meant to take Mr. Howel's life," the guard continues. "If Jackson really wanted him dead, he would've used more powerful explosives or a more accurate method."

So Jackson is just playing with us, Avery thinks. He's trying to scare and torture us, but he doesn't dare to kill Evan. At least not yet. If anything happened to Evan, the Oliver family would be in huge danger from Francis Howel. She looks over at Andrew and raises a questioning eyebrow.

"Don't worry," Andrew says slowly. "Evan won't die."

Avery frowns at Andrew's cold tone. Andrew catches the look and gives her a smile. She wants to slap it off his face, but she's not even sure she has the energy to stand.

"Evan is more powerful than Jackson, but do you know why he's less dangerous?" Andrew asks.

Andrew clenches her hands into fists, digging her nails into her palms as hard as she can. She knows why Evan is less dangerous, but she doesn't dare to say it out loud. The very thought fills her with guilt.

"It's because Evan has a giant weakness, and Jackson doesn't," Andrew says.

Avery bites the inside of her cheek. I'm his weakness, she thinks. He got hurt again. This can't go on—it just can't.

"Does Evan think that stealing the heart is the way to do the least harm?" Andrew asks. "Does he really think my family will just let him get away with killing me? He's in a terrible position, Avery. If he doesn't help Charles, the Olivers will kill him, and if he does, my family will Kim instead."

Avery closes her eyes slowly. Andrew is right, she thinks. Evan is in terrible danger no matter what. There's really only one way to help him, but it's such a horrible option I wouldn't let myself properly consider it. But I need to stop being so selfish and do the right thing.

"I've given you time to think about my offer, but I think you've had enough time now," Andrew says seriously. "Marry me. I'll make sure that my family won't blame Evan for my death. After I die, you can go back to Evan, and Charles will get to live. It's the best possible option."

"Why does it have to be me?" Avery asks. "The way you feel about me is unnatural—choose any other woman."

"No way," Andrew says. "You're the only one I want, the only one my heart wants. It has to be you. I need to have what you and Evan have."

"Well, you'll never have that," Avery snaps. "Even if I went with you, I would never touch you."

"When you were at the Misty Mansion, I had many chances to force you," Andrew says softly. "Why do you think I didn't take advantage of them?"

"Because I'm pregnant?" Avery guesses.

"Because I love more than your body," Andrew says. "Of course, I want you to make love with me, but mostly I just want you to love me. I didn't have to take you home after you left the police station, but I did. If you're with me, it has to be your own choice. I'm not going to force you."