One Night Stand With Alexander Blackwood-Chapter 62 — Sixty-two

Serena’s eyes widened in horror. "No... no, no, no..." She shook her harder now, tears spilling uncontrollably. "Mama, open your eyes! Please! Don’t do this to me!"

Alexander knelt beside her and reached for Mama’s wrist. The moment his fingers touched her skin, he knew something was terribly wrong.

His chest tightened as gus eyes drifted to Serena. How could she take this news?

"Serena..." he started softly.

She snapped her head up at him, her eyes bloodshot and wild. "She’s just sleeping, right? Tell me she’s sleeping." Her voice cracked. "Tell me!"

Alexander swallowed painfully. He couldn’t lie to her.

"I’m sorry," he said quietly. "She’s gone."

The words shattered her. She couldn’t believe it. She didn’t want to believe it.

A broken, gut-wrenching scream tore out of Serena’s throat. She collapsed over Mama’s body, clutching her tightly as if sheer will could bring her back.

"Mama! Please don’t leave me!" she sobbed. "You said you’d always be here. You said I wasn’t alone!"

Her shoulders shook violently as grief consumed her.

Alexander wrapped his arms around her, pulling her gently but firmly against his chest. She resisted at first, trying to crawl back to Mama, but her strength failed her.

"I can’t do this without her," she cried. "She’s all I have. I already lost my mother... I can’t lose her too."

Alexander held her tighter, his own eyes burning. "You’re not alone," he said hoarsely. "You still have me. I’m here and I won’t leave you."

She clutched his shirt desperately, her fingers digging into the fabric. "It hurts," she whispered. "It hurts so much."

"I know," he murmured, pressing his forehead against hers. "Let it out. Cry as much as you need to. I’ve got you."

Serena’s sobs grew softer but no less painful, her tears soaking into his chest. Alexander gently stroked her hair, his jaw clenched as fury simmered beneath his grief.

Alexander held Serena until her sobs weakened into broken gasps. When her grip loosened slightly, he guided her gently to sit on the couch.

"Stay here," he said softly. "Please."

She nodded numbly, her eyes unfocused, her lips still trembling as tears slid down her cheeks.

Alexander turned back to Mama’s body. His movements were carefully controlled.

He crouched beside her, his gaze sharp as he examined the surroundings. A chair was slightly out of place. A vase lay shattered near the wall. Signs of a struggle.

His jaw tightened.

He shifted Mama’s shoulder gently, intending to lay her more comfortably, and that was when he saw it.

Blood. It was not the kind that came from a fall. But something slightly different.

His eyes narrowed as he pulled the fabric of her blouse aside slightly. There, just below her ribs, was a small but deep wound. The edges were clean and.

It was a knife wound and it was clearly deliberate.

His fingers curled slowly into a fist.

This was murder. It was clear.

Alexander exhaled sharply, forcing himself to remain calm. Rage threatened to surface, but he pushed it down. Serena needed him to be steady not reckless.

He stood and turned back to her.

Serena noticed his expression immediately. Her heart skipped painfully. "Alexander?" she whispered. "What is it?"

He walked toward her and knelt in front of her, taking her cold hands into his.

"Serena," he said carefully, "I need you to listen to me."

Her lips quivered, a bad feeling slowly morphing into fear. "Just tell me. I can bear it."

He hesitated for a brief second, his eyes studying hers, then spoke. "This wasn’t an accident."

She froze, her eyes widening.

"What do you mean?" Her voice was barely audible. She desperately hoped it was not what she thought it was.

Alexander held her gaze, his grip tightening slightly as if to anchor her. "She was hurt. There’s a knife wound. It was... deliberate."

The color drained from Serena’s face.

"A knife?" she repeated faintly. Her breathing grew uneven. "No... no, that’s not possible. Mama wouldn’t— she wouldn’t fight anyone."

Alexander shook his head slowly. "Someone did this to her."

The realization hit her like a brutal wave.

Serena let out a strangled cry and doubled over, clutching her chest as if the pain was too much to bear. "Who would do this to her?" she sobbed. "She never hurt anyone. She was kind. She was just an old woman..."

Alexander pulled her into his arms immediately, holding her tightly as she broke down again.

"I swear to you," he said, his voice low and fierce, "I will find who did this."

She shook her head against his chest. "I should have been here. If I didn’t go to the office— if I came back earlier—"

"Stop," he said firmly but gently. He cupped her face, forcing her to look at him. "This is not your fault. Do you hear me? Not even a little. So don’t blame yourself."

Her eyes were red, swollen and filled with unbearable grief. "She raised me," she whispered. "She saved me. I promised I’d protect her."

Alexander pressed her head against his shoulder. "You didn’t fail her. The person who did this is the only one to blame."

Serena clutched him tightly, as if he were the only thing keeping her upright. "I’m scared," she admitted in a broken voice. "Everything feels empty."

Alexander held her, one hand cradling the back of her head, the other wrapped securely around her waist.

"I’m here," he said steadily. "I’ll take care of everything from the investigation to justice. Everything. You don’t have to be strong right now. You can always lean on me."

Her tears soaked into his shirt as she cried silently.

Behind her, Alexander’s eyes lifted once more to Mama’s body. His expression hardened, grief mixing with cold resolve.

Whoever crossed this line had made a fatal mistake.

And he would make sure they paid. They couldn’t hurt who he cared about and get away with it. They’d surely pay.