Chapter 38

"What happened?" I asked again. He deeply sighed and squeezed my hands tighter, as if seeking reassurance.

"Enemies," he began, his voice heavy. "They tried to burn this hospital down, but don’t worry—they’re dead now." His words were cold and serious, but I could hear the underlying tension in his voice. "They’re rival mafias, trying to take my throne. They want to rule the underground and use it for their ill*gal operations."

He sighed again, his eyes locking with mine. For a moment, everything else faded away. It felt like it was just the two of us in the room, our gazes fixed as if time stood still. The intensity of his stare, with those piercing blue eyes, made my knees go weak. I could feel him searching for something in my soul—perhaps an answer or a connection he wasn’t sure he could still find.

Someone coughed behind him, breaking the spell. I quickly looked away, my face heating up in embarrassment. A slight smirk tugged at his lips before he turned his head to see who inter