Ethan glanced at his phone for the third time, he had been calling Lucian to no response.For some reason, he felt uneasy, uncomfortable. Hannah was fast asleep by now. Ethan thought it must have been the IV drip that made it impossible to keep her eyes open, unknown to him that she was awake, but was only avoiding him. She didn’t want to have a conversation with him, lest she broke down and let her fears slip. Ethan walked over to her bedside, studying her for a moment. Gently, he leaned in and placed a kiss on her forehead. “I’m going to check on Lucian. I won’t take long, I promise.”Hannah froze beneath his touch, but she didn’t stir. Her fingers curled around the edge of the blanket.Ethan straightened, watching her for a second longer before stepping away. The quiet hum of the machines filled the space between them, but it wasn’t enough to silence the thoughts brewing in his chest. Perhaps his worry over Lucian stemmed from the fact that he had confided in him over his inte
Ethan stood frozen, his breath coming sharp and ragged gasps. The sight of the open window sent a shiver down his spine. Hannah was gone and he did not know what to do.For a moment, his mind refused to process it. Then the more he thought about it, the more aggravated he became. Michael finally had her. The thought alone nearly drove him to his knees.Ethan spun around and stormed back into the hallway. The two men who had attacked him were on the ground—one groaning in pain, the other knocked out cold. Hospital security swarmed in, and the nurses gasped when they saw the scene, but Ethan didn’t care. None of them mattered right now.He grabbed the conscious man by the collar, yanking him up so fast the guy let out a startled yelp.“Where is she?” Ethan snarled, his voice low and dangerous..The man spat blood onto the floor, his lip split from the struggle and he grinned. “You’re too late.”Ethan didn’t hesitate. He slammed the man against the wall so hard the guy’s head snapped bac
Lucian clenched his jaw, gripping the phone right. “I’m fine. But forget about me— where are you? How are you?”“On my way to end this,” Ethan replied in a cold voice. Lucian ran a hand through his hair, his blood spiked. “Please don’t go in alone. Let me come with you.”“You’re hurt, Lucian. This is my problem to handle.”“It is my problem too! I mean you’re my boss, it’s my duty.”“We are not in the military, Lucian. I won’t let you get hurt because of my family.”“Lily…” Lucian’s voice cracked, “I promised Lily. Look I know that you don’t want me to be with Lily but I like her and I made a promise to her.”“There’s something you should know before jumping into this?”“What? That you two were almost married? Yeah, I heard. It struck me, I felt sorry, regretting that I wasn’t there to help with the pain you must have gone through, but still, I like her. I looked at her and I could the guilt of everything eating at her, and I wanted to just love the guilt away from her. I couldn’t b
The sound of boots clicking against the concrete floor sent a shiver up Hannah’s spine. Did Ethan really show up? Michael stood over her, his smirk was proud and unwavering. “Guess your husband is here.” He whispered, his voice filled with twisted amusement.Hannah held her breath, perching her gaze on the rims of the door, her mind raced as she anticipated Ethan walking right into Michael’s childish gimmick. She was bound, bruised, and guarded by about five men in a room that barely had any light, neither of them would survive it. The footsteps etched closer, he was only a few seconds away.“I wonder if he’ll still want you after tonight,” Michael said with a suggestive tone.Hannah tore her eyes from the door, reconnecting them with him.“What?”His jaw tightened and for the first Hannah saw something flicker in his eyes— something sinister and ugly.Her stomach flipped.His hands came to her face, tracing her lines of beauty with false desire. “You always had a better than Lily
The room was silent, save for the slow measured breaths of the five men who had just been offered a deal like never before. Ethan stood tall, unblinking, his pulse hammering as he studied their faces. Five million dollars for their help was more than they could ever get as lackeys. One of the thugs, a man with a jagged scar running down his cheek exchanged glances with the others. He was the first to speak. “Why should we believe you? You walked in here with fake money!”“I walked in with fake money to take down Michael, either way, you guys will go down with him.”“Do you want us to kill him?”“No,” Ethan replied curtly. “Work with me to frame him for it all and keep five million for yourselves. No one ever talks about it again.”The men went quiet, contemplating. Hannah shifted against the cold wall, her hands still bound. Her heart pounded as she watched Ethan. He had found the crack in loyalty but this wasn’t the direction she thought it would take. It seemed like Ethan was pl
The ride home was quiet. The past few hours lingered between them, heavy and alarming.Ethan kept one hand on the steering wheel, the other wrapped protectively around Hannah’s fingers. He hadn’t let go of her hand since they left the damp building.Hannah sat curled up in the passenger seat, wrapped in his jacket. The hospital gown she wore felt thin, exposing her to the chill that had settled in her bones. She wanted to say something— to thank him, to tell him how much she thought about him— but the words felt stuck in her throat.Ethan broke the silence first. “What do you want for dinner?” His voice was low, rough with emotion even though he wanted to portray it differently.Hannah turned her head, studying his profile. The sharp edge of his jaw, the tightness in his grip, the way his eyes remained fixed on the road as if looking at her might break something inside him. “Can’t you just say it?” Hannah let out a breathy voice. Ethan tightened his grip on her hand. “Say what?”“T
Ethan managed to calm him and walked him inside the hospital with Hannah by his side. “Is he okay?” She whispered. Ethan nodded slightly. “Are you?”“I’m not scared. Lily can take care of herself.” She said confidently but deep down, she was shaken. She had just been kidnapped in this hospital. In this hospital. Hannah stopped abruptly. “I don’t want to stay here.”Ethan raised his brow, “You have to get treated, Hannah. Please.”“I can’t go back in there Ethan, the doctors in this hospital helped Michael. I don’t feel safe going back in there.”Ethan’s frown softened realizing she was right. She had been through a traumatizing experience. It was okay for her to be scared.“I hadn’t thought about it that way, you’re right.”Lucian turned to Hannah, his eyes filled with gratitude. “You have a point. I’m going home, Ethan.”“Nobody is going anywhere until I say so. If you’ll not be in this hospital, then I’ll take you to another hospital.”“No,” Hannah and Lucian chorused. Ethan sig
The room was filled with silence for a few minutes. Ethan’s words hung in the air like a heavy storm cloud, but no one challenged him. They all knew he was right, staying together and being watched over was the only way to stay safe. Lucian was the first to break the silence. He leaned back in his chair, lazily swirling his orange juice before taking a sip. “Fine. But if the doctor so much as asks me about my sleep schedule, I’m throwing him out.”Ethan smirked. “Noted.”Hannah rolled her eyes but hid her smile behind the rim of her glass. For the first time in days, everything almost felt normal. But this was just a fragile illusion and somehow deep down she knew she was going to realize this soon enough.Just as she thought, the moment faded instantly as a high-pitched scream ripped through the house. Immediately, every muscle in Hannah’s body tensed.Lily.Lucian reacted first, shoving back his chair so hard it clattered against the floor. He was already sprinting before Hannah co
The ocean stretched endlessly before them, its deep blue waters shimmering under the afternoon sun. The waves crashed rhythmically against the shore, filling the air with the scent of salt and freedom. The soft hum of distant laughter, the occasional cry of a seagull, and the warmth of the sand beneath his feet made Ethan feel something he hadn’t in a long time—at peace.He lay back in his beach chair, sunglasses shielding his eyes as he took in the scene before him. Hannah and Lily were walking along the shoreline, their bare feet sinking into the wet sand with each step. Hannah’s laughter carried over the breeze, light and unguarded.Ethan couldn’t stop staring at her. It had been years since he’d seen her this carefree. No worries, no burdens—just pure, unfiltered joy.Lucian, lounging beside him, sipped his drink and smirked. “Didn’t think you were the vacation type.”Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. “Didn’t think I’d get a second chance at this kind of peace.”Lucian nodded slow
The evening air carried the soft scent of roses and freshly cut grass as the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a golden glow over the garden. Strings of twinkling lights hung above, flickering gently in the breeze. It was simple, intimate—exactly what they needed.Ethan adjusted the cuff of his suit, taking a deep breath. He never thought he’d be standing here again, vowing himself to Hannah, not because they had to, but because they chose to.Lucian clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Nervous?”Ethan scoffed. “Since when do I get nervous?”Lucian smirked. “You’re literally sweating.”Ethan wiped his palms against his pants, rolling his eyes. “It’s just hot out.”Lucian chuckled. “Sure it is.”But the truth was, Ethan was nervous—not because he doubted what he was about to do, but because of how much it meant.He glanced around. The guest list was small, just their closest friends and family. Noah stood in the corner, ever the watchful guardian. Lily adjusted Hannah’s bouquet, whisper
Ethan sat across from Hannah in their bedroom, the quiet between them stretching long and heavy, filled with everything they hadn’t yet said. The past few days had been a storm—one they had barely made it through. And yet, in this moment, it wasn’t the past battles that scared Ethan the most. It was this. Sitting here, looking at Hannah, knowing he had nearly lost her in more ways than one.Hannah sat on the edge of the bed, her hands clasped together in her lap. There was no anger in her eyes, but there was something else—something deeper. A sadness. A weariness. And maybe, just maybe, a little hope.Ethan exhaled slowly, rubbing his hands together as if that would ease the tension in his chest. “I should’ve told you everything from the beginning,” he admitted, his voice quiet but firm. “I thought keeping things from you would protect you, but all it did was push you away. I was scared of losing you.”Hannah sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Ethan, I knew you had secrets. I c
The explosion was deafening. A wave of heat and force slammed into Ethan, knocking him off balance as shards of debris flew through the air. The ground beneath him trembled. Smoke curled into the night sky, filling his lungs with the acrid scent of burning metal and dust.Ethan coughed, trying to steady himself as his vision swam. He turned his head and saw Anderson slumped beside him, barely conscious, his breathing shallow.A few feet away, the man in the tailored suit—his enemy, his nightmare—stumbled back from the force of the blast. But even through the chaos, he recovered quickly, brushing the dust off his expensive jacket. A smirk tugged at his lips, as if none of this fazed him.Lucian, always the fastest to react, grabbed Ethan’s arm. His grip was firm, urgent. “Move!”Ethan didn’t waste time. He wrapped an arm around Anderson and hoisted him up, supporting most of his weight. Anderson groaned in pain, but he didn’t resist.Flames crackled from the black SUVs parked nearby. T
A thick silence fell over the room. Ethan’s breath hitched in his throat, his pulse thundering as Anderson’s words settled in. “You should have left things alone.” What did he even mean by that? Ethan wondered.Lucian exchanged a glance with Ethan, his body shifting uncomfortably. He took a step toward the door, his hand instinctively reaching for the gun at his waist. Something was wrong. Very wrong.Ethan turned back to Anderson, whose face was pale, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His breathing was ragged, his chest rising and falling with effort. But it wasn’t pain that twisted his features—it was terror.“Anderson,” Ethan pressed, his fingers tightening around Anderson’s cold wrist. “What do you mean? Who did this to you?”Anderson tried to move, but his body was too weak. He clenched his jaw, forcing out a whisper between his shallow breaths.“They know.”Ethan’s blood ran cold.Before he could ask what Anderson meant, Lucian moved abruptly, shoving Ethan back.“Get down
As Ethan entered the room again, his heart sank as he saw Anderson. He looked even worse than he was before. Ethan hesitated for a moment, and then pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down, gripping the armrest tightly.This time around, Lucian stood by the door, arms crossed and his eyes scanning the room like he expected danger to come crashing through at any moment. Somewhere deep down, he knew Anderson was not in the clear yet. Not while he was still in this hospital.Ethan barely noticed, Lucian’s demeanor. He reached out, hesitating before lightly grasping Anderson’s wrist. It was cold. Too cold.His throat felt tight. “You have to wake up,” he whispered. “You have to tell me who did this.”Anderson didn’t move.Ethan exhaled shakily, his grip tightening. “I thought you were dead. Do you get that? I—” His voice wavered, and he clenched his jaw. “I grieved you. And now you’re back, but you’re barely here, and I—”He shook his head, frustration burning beneath his skin. “Damn
The hospital room felt smaller, like the walls were closing in, pressing down on Ethan’s chest as he watched Anderson convulse on the bed. The shrill beeping of the heart monitor filled his ears, drowning out everything else. Nurses and doctors shouted, moving quickly, but all Ethan could focus on was Anderson—pale, shaking, slipping away right in front of him.“They know.”The words echoed in his mind like a warning, a scream he couldn’t ignore. Lucian was still gripping his arm, holding him back, but Ethan barely felt it. His entire body was tense, his breath coming in short, shallow bursts.A nurse shoved past them, her voice sharp and urgent. “We need to stabilize him now!”“BP’s dropping fast!” another called.“Charging to 200!”Ethan flinched as the defibrillator paddles pressed against Anderson’s chest.“Clear!”Anderson’s body jerked, then slumped.Ethan’s stomach twisted.“Again!”Another jolt. Another lifeless slump.Panic gripped Ethan so hard his pulse pounded against his
Lucian paced. He couldn’t help it. His body was too charged, his mind too overwhelmed to stay still. His breaths came in sharp, measured inhales as he kept his eyes on Anderson.Ethan hadn’t moved. He was still kneeling beside his cousin, gripping his arm as if afraid that if he let go, Anderson would disappear again. His lips moved in whispers, too low for Lucian to hear. Maybe he was apologizing. Maybe he was making promises.Lucian clenched his jaw. He could hear the distant wail of sirens now, cutting through the silence of Greenville’s ruins. Help was coming. But was it fast enough? He didn’t know how Anderson had managed to survive this long, but one thing was sure, if he hadn’t gotten any help soon, he might not make it much longer anymore.His eyes flickered to Ethan. The man had barely reacted to anything else since they found Anderson. The emotions flickering across his face were too raw to name, shock, disbelief, agony, relief. All tangled into something indescribable.Luci
The drive to Greenville was short, but every mile stretched on like an eternity. With each passing second, Lucian’s hand gripped the wheel tighter, his mind caught in an endless loop of Ethan’s chilling words.“The earthquake should’ve taken me, not him.” Those words replayed once again in his mind, followed by guilt, regret and pain.Ethan had been drowning in it, and Lucian had missed all the signs. This weighed heavily on him considering his welfare was one of the main things he was supposed to look out for. How could he have been so blind? Lucian groaned.He should have stopped him. Should have made him stay. Should have—He exhaled sharply. “No. No more should-haves.” He muttered. He was here now, and in a matter of time, he would find Ethan before it was too late.As he looked at the place now, the road cracked at the edges, debris scattered across the pavement like fallen memories. The photos had not done it justice, the ruins of this place was more than what was shown. Buildin