"Hey! Rider, get up!" An officer called out from behind the bars, beating his baton against the metal. The sound rang throughout the empty cell, and after sleeping in the station for two days, last night alone in a cell was supposed to be peaceful and quiet. But Ethan's mind was awake the whole time, and his heart felt as restless as his mind did. He couldn't sleep, so instead he just stared at the ceiling. Why was Mr. Hester unable to bill him out had been weighing heavy on Ethan's shoulders all night and even now. "Get up!" The officer shouted. When Ethan remained unmoving, he hit the metal bars again with his baton. "What are you doing?" He growled. "I said get up!"His words fell on deaf ears, and he grew really pissed as he unlocked the door and shoved himself through, matching toward Ethan.Then he grabbed Ethan's shirt collar and lifted him off of the floor, then slammed him back onto the bed. But the only reaction he got was when Ethan asked, "Why did you guys change my c
The van came to a stop in front a white building that looked too clean and isolated for Ethan's comfort the moment he stepped out of the car and into the light. His eyelids squeezed shut as he breathed deeply, feeling the air fill his lungs as he exhaled slowly, before opening his eyes again and adjusting his gaze onto the building before him, as he noticed that it resembled some sort of warehouse... or facility to be more precise. As he walked further inside the large structure with the officers, he couldn't help but notice how quiet it seemed to be, aside from the occasional chirping bird somewhere in the distance and the sound of his own footsteps echoing in the hallway.The guards led him to an elevator, pressing the button a few times, and when the metal doors parted open, he was pushed into the elevator and the officers joined him before one of them punched codes on the panel beside the lift door and the elevator started moving downwards. It was silent for the entire ride do
When Mr. Hester arrived at the front of the police station, he stood outside for the longest, wondering how to break the news to Ethan that he had been to numerous law firms and not a single lawyer was willing to represent him in the case.Mr. Hester stared blankly at the entrance of the precinct and wondered if he should go back home, not wanting to bear the look of disappointment Ethan would have in his eyes.But he needed to find out what to do next, and he couldn't figure that out alone. He needed Ethan's input, so, he pushed aside the fear and headed into the building.When he got into the lobby, he saw a guy behind the desk, instead of the lady he met the other day, and he approached him.When the officer saw him, he smiled faintly at Mr. Hester's greeting and asked, "Hello. Can I help you?"Taking a second to compose himself, Mr. Hester sighed deeply and said, "Uh, yeah... I am here to see Ethan... Ethan Rider."Immediately, the officer's smile slowly disappeared as his face gr
News about Ethan's situation had reached the others, and the next morning, Drak and his men were sitting around the table, frustrated that Ethan had not even taught them a thing and there was a possibility that he could die. "How about we stage a prison break." One of them said while drinking coffee from the steaming mug. As his brows arched, Drak slapped the back of his head and said, "We are just common thugs. Do you think we have the skill for a prison break? Huh!" They grew silence at his words, and Drak was about to speak again when Mr. Hester walked into the room, and they all turned their focus on him with this look of expectation. But the old man joined them at the table with a sigh, and they all just sat wallowing in the awkwardness. "Where is Nina?" Mr. Hester asked them, ignoring the looks. "She hasn't left her room since yesterday," Drak answered. Sadness washed over him and his brows lowered as he said, "That poor girl. I should make some bowl of hot ramen to mak
After their first stop at a store, called, "The third eye." Nina and Drak finally arrived at the spot Charles chose for him and her to meet, and Nina paid the driver.When she pushed the back door open, she froze, staring at the cafe, suspicious of how deserted it looked. But when Drak put a comforting hand on her shoulder, she snapped out of it and stepped down.He then followed her and the two headed toward the door, both looking at each other before Nina pushed it open and stepped in with Drak walking inside after her.There, sat Charles surrounded by a huge security detail in a partly empty cafe because they were the only people there, no customers, and the workers were nowhere in sight.Suddenly, two of his bodyguards blocked the door, and Nina looked back nervously, holding her black pen tightly."Look who we have here. A runaway bride and fiance." Charles said as she faced him with a frown. Then his gaze darted to Drak and he scowled.Suddenly, a bitter laugh escaped from Charl
When Ethan heard keys jiggling at his cell door, he squeezed his eyelids even tighter, blocking his face with his arm."Ethan Rider! Get up!" An officer commanded."What do they want at this ungodly hour?" Ethan mumbled under his breath.In annoyance, Ethan slowly lifted his head, looking toward the officer and seeing him push open the cell door."Get up," The officer said angrily again.Saying nothing, Ethan sat on the bed and rubbed his face. His eyes were swollen from lack of sleep, and the pain in his shoulder, leg, and back was excruciating as well. But still, he forced himself to get up.Standing up unsteadily, he walked over to the door, asking the officer when he reached him, "What now?""You are on bathroom cleaning duty." The officer said coldly, slapping cuffs on Ethan's wrist.Too exhausted to argue, Ethan calmly followed him down the corridor to the far west of the building.Finally, they arrived at the very end of the hall, and he uncuffed Ethan's hand before saying, "Ge
Even though Ethan knew he might not survive tonight, he decided to risk a shot at fighting back and try saving Avan. Without even considering if that was the smart thing to do, he reached for the mop, and when he grabbed it tightly with both hands, rushing forward, he swung it hard at the back of the guy's neck, hitting him squarely on the nape, causing him to slightly release his grip on Avan.Seizing the moment, Avan held the dude's wrist and twisted it with all his strength, causing the guy to loosen his fist and Avan dropped to the ground, gasping and wheezing.The dude stumbled away and leaned against the wall next to the bathroom stall, staring at Ethan, and he knew that it was his turn to get attack.Not wanting to show that he was already wounded, Ethan raised the mop and snapped it against his kneecap, breaking it into two.Then he balanced on his feet with the sharp ends pointing out to the guy, and the two had this intense eye contact before the guy smirked, reaching into
The brightness of the light caused Ethan to flicker his lashes, opening his eyes and blinking rapidly as he tried to make sense of what was happening. He felt a dull throbbing on his left temple, but he forced his torso up, hissing when his muscles protested the movement. When he saw where he was, it all came flooding back to him.The loud sound of the ambulance pierced through his ears, and he closed his eyes again, pressing his palms together, trying to ease the headache pulsating through his temples.Suddenly, he heard voices outside his door and he listened, recognizing one of the voices to be Avan."It's okay. I want to be here until my dad and grandfather arrive." He could hear Avan clearly say.Then the next voice he instantly recognized was Chief Rasch as he heard him argue, "You have already done so much my bring a crimial to such an expensive hospital like Hopevale General Hospital... We will handle things from here... So... There's know need to bother yourself anymore, o
When Nina slapped Ethan's face, his eyes opened wide, and then he blinked back the sleep, feeling the weight of her hand on his face.Slowly, he lifted her hand off his nose and mouth and rested it on the bed, watching her as she slept peacefully.A smile crept slowly onto his lips, and he stared at her for a moment longer before turning away, and standing up from bed.Silently, he moved across the room, the morning chill making goosebumps rise on his skin. Shirtless, he glanced out of the window, the sight of the sun rising in the distance bringing a sense of calm and purpose. Then with a deep breath, he retrieved his phone and dialed Avan’s number."I need a favor," Ethan said the moment Avan picked up on the second ring.After yawning in his ear, Avan's voice, tinged with a hint of curiosity, responded on the other end, "It's pretty early for favors, brother. What do you need?"For a moment, Ethan hesitated considering his words carefully before he spoke. "I need someone to keep Do
The sleek black Uber came to a smooth stop, its engine purring softly as Drak gracefully emerged from the vehicle. Tracy, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, stood there, her expression a medley of disapproval and impatience. As her eyes fell upon Drak, stepping out with an air of confidence, her features contorted, forming a scowl that threatened to unleash her wrath upon him."You're early!" Tracy's voice rang out, laced with irritation, as she scrutinized him with disapproving eyes.Drak paused before her, his gaze locked with hers, unfazed by the displeasure radiating from her every pore. "You say that like it's a bad thing," he retorted.The muscles on Tracy's face clenched, preparing to release the storm of her fury upon him for his audacity. However, her eyes drifted to the bandage wrapped tightly around Drak's head, and a wave of unexpected anxiety washed over her. In that moment, she couldn't help but take a deep breath, her anger shortly diffused."The only job I could
Darting his eyes to the right, Ethan noticed three guys, coming towards them with menacing intentions etched on their faces. They moved with purpose, their strides purposeful and confident. With a quick flick of his gaze to the left, he saw another four dudes, equally as intimidating, closing in on them. The air grew thick with tension as their aggressive energy filled the bar, suffocating the peace that had previously lingered in the place.Turning away from the bartender, Ethan locked his gaze straight ahead, assessing the remaining six men, who were inching closer with every passing second. At that moment, Ethan's adrenaline surged through his veins, heightening his senses and sharpening his focus. His training had taught him to remain calm in the face of danger, to assess the situation, and to plan his next move. With a steely determination, he locked his gaze straight ahead, refusing to show any sign of fear or vulnerability.The remaining six men closed in, their footsteps ech
There was this hesitant look in Tracy's eyes as she gazed at Drak, his bloodstained face and hand, and the blood dripping from his hair. Her gaze shifted from his face to his shoulder and then settled on the bottle beside him. "You swear on your mother's life that if I get you this job, you wouldn't report this incident and pretend like I never knew you?" She asked, her eyes boring into his.Stunned for a second, Drak nodded, his heart racing with hope. "I swear," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.Tracy sighed, her eyes softening. "Fine. I'll see what I can do. But you better not mess this up, or I'll make sure you regret it.""I promise," Drak said.With a sigh, she reached into her bag. "Wait for my call tomorrow, and get yourself fixed before showing your face." She let out, and then took out her hand, tossing a few bucks on the floor. "Use that."Looking at the floor and the money scattered about, Drak's eyes darkened, but he didn't dare raise his head as he fought to c
Ethan's heart raced as he took one last glance at Nina. He knew he had to leave her out of all of these things because of her safety, but the thought of keeping things from her made his chest ache. With a heavy sigh, he stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him, the sound echoing through the empty hallway.Drak stood in front of him, his expression unreadable. They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of their mission heavy on their shoulders. Finally, Ethan broke the silence."What about London Hale?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.Drak's eyes flickered with a hint of amusement. "Ah, yes, Hale. The last time we spoke, you needed a way into his facility, and information on the bone marrow he stole from you..."The name alone sent shivers down Ethan’s spine. The last time they crossed paths, he had barely escaped with his life.He then nodded, his mind racing with memories of the painful procedure he had endured at Hale's hands.Drak's eyes flickered with
The moment Mr. Rider walked into the dining room, it grew silent, no one daring to look up. He dragged out a chair and sat down heavily. His eyes immediately fell upon his Savannah, and she felt his gaze on her, but she didn't dare look up from the plate of food in front of her. "Savannah, I need all your car keys and your credit cards, and you should stay away from public eyes for the time being." Mr. Rider said with this unsettling calmness. Anger bubbled inside Savannah as she heard him address her like a child, and she tried not to lash out, saying, "Seriously! You are grounding me! Father, I am not a kid anymore. You can't-" "You live under my roof and earn from my money, you abide by the rules." Mr. Rider interrupted his voice hard. The rest of the family looked up at him, but before they could utter a word, he added, "If anyone thinks that I am being unfair, you can join her in her punishment." A pin drop could make a loud sound once those words left his lips, and for a
Holding her eyes captive in his calm gaze, Ethan watched her, his lips slightly twitching and yet no words leaving them, causing Madam Rider to command, “Answer me!” Not a spark of fear showed in Ethan's eyes, and Madam Rider knew he wasn't the same... he wasn't the boy who showed up at their mansion desperate for a job, the boy that trembled at the sound of her voice, that took the insults, the abuse, and he definitely wasn't just a bastard and a servant... Something had changed about his aura, how he carried himself, the confidence that he held in her presence, and the way he looked, and talked. How his eyes were clear and steady, his face expressionless, his tone indifferent. It was so unlike the Ethan she knew... "How?" Ethan finally said. "What?" Madam Rider replied. Lowering his eyelids slightly, he held his silence, causing a look of frustration to flicker in her eyes. "Explain to me how I could make all of this happen," Ethan said, an expression finally showing on his
10:00The party had grown even more lively, classical music still playing in the background, and everyone was enjoying themselves without a care in the world.There were so many familiar faces there that Ethan remembered from his and Nina’s wedding ceremony, and the way they were side-eyeing them now and whispering took him back to that day, and he clutched his fist tightly.10:10The ballroom suddenly grew this immediate tense energy as more guests started entering the hall one after the other, catching the attention of the others.It was a bunch of guys, young, and handsome, all walking into the room, and Nina stared after them, wondering who they were because she had been in the elite circle in the past, for a long while, and none of these faces, she could recognize.But her confusion soon faded when she stared up at Ethan, and saw the way he looked at these men with such a strange glint in his eyes.“Who are they?” Nina asked, not understanding why he was staring, but knowing that
As he stared at Ethan, Mr. Rider felt cornered, knowing that denying him would only lead to an explanation and more questions, and he didn't want to ruin the perfect image he had portrayed to the Hallow. He needed his reputation to stay faultless, and Ethan had the power to ruin so much. "Son, Nina, you guys are finally back. Two years have treated you two well, it seems." Mr. Rider said as he smiled weakly. "How about we catch up more tomorrow? As you can see, it's your sister's engagement ceremony, and tonight, it should be all about her and her fiance. Won't you agree?" It was clear what Mr. Rider was doing with his words, and Ethan could read the threat that lingered in his stares. "Of course, tonight is all about my beautiful sister. She is the true star of the show." Ethan answered, smiling at him as he saw the slight twitch in his eye. As the waiter was passing by him, he reached into the tray, grabbed a glass of champagne, and took a sip, ignoring the way Mr. Rider tried