Raymond straightened, his jaw tight with fury as he turned toward Daniel. His eyes, darkened with an emotion that was barely contained, bore into his assistant."Stay here, Daniel," Raymond ordered coldly, his voice like ice. "Keep the perimeter guarded. No one gets into her ward, take the deatails and sights of each medical personnel ."I don't want another mistake.Daniel didn’t question it. His expression betrayed nothing, but his instincts screamed at him to go with Raymond. He didn’t. Not this time. Raymond was a man on the edge, and Daniel knew better than anyone that this was the moment when even the calmest of men could break.“Understood, Sir,” Daniel replied, his voice tight, but he stood firm. He wasn’t going anywhere. Raymond was going to face this alone.Raymond’s gaze lingered on him for a moment, a silent acknowledgment before he turned on his heel, moving swiftly down the hall. There was a calculated coldness in his steps, a force of nature that could not be ignored.“
Not long after Raymond left the hospital for the dark room, Ethan was rushed in on a stretcher.“Make way! Gunshot victim!” one of the paramedics shouted as they pushed through the emergency entrance, the automatic doors flinging open with a hiss.The wheels of the stretcher rattled against the tiled floor as chaos erupted in the brightly lit ER.Ethan was barely conscious, his head tilted to the side as he mumbled something no one could hear.Blood soaked through the makeshift bandage wrapped around his leg—dark red and frightening.Ezra ran alongside the stretcher, gripping Ethan’s hand tightly. His other hand was clenched into a fist, knuckles white.“Please!” Ezra begged, looking at the nurse closest to him. “Please make sure my brother’s okay. He’s losing too much blood. He’s—he’s all I have!”“We need trauma!” someone shouted. “Page Dr. Hawkins now! We need a clamp on that artery before we lose him!”A flurry of motion followed. One nurse took Ethan’s vitals. Another unwrapped t
Ezra sat stiffly in the hospital chair close to Ethan's bed, his fingers clutching Ethan’s hand like it was a lifeline. His brother’s palm was clammy, lifeless, but warm—thank God, still warm.The fluorescent light overhead buzzed, flickering once. The machines beside the bed beeped in a slow, steady rhythm.Ezra hated the sound.He leaned forward, eyes glued to Ethan’s pale face, searching for any flicker of movement, any twitch of his brow—anything that said I’m still here, bro.But Ethan didn’t move.His chest rose and fell shallowly under the white blanket. His leg was heavily bandaged, elevated—the blood loss had almost taken him on arrival. The nurse had told Ezra as much: “He’s stable, for now. But we’re watching him closely.”Ezra couldn’t stop the shaking in his knees. His brother—the one who always acted like he didn’t care, always played the fool just to lighten the mood—was lying there like a damn ghost. It didn’t feel real. It couldn’t be real.And then, like a slow wave
Ezra had caught a glimpse of Daniel, so he approached him with the hope of finding Raymond.“Hello,” Ezra greeted, his voice steady but cautious.Daniel didn’t acknowledge him right away, keeping his attention firmly fixed on Olive’s door, like it was the only thing worth focusing on at that moment. His stance was rigid, almost like a soldier guarding an important post. Every muscle in his body seemed wound tight—a simmering tension that Ezra could almost feel from where he stood.Nurses were moving about hurriedly, attending to one patient or another. But none of them dared approach Daniel. They respected the silent authority he carried—one that demanded you either obey or keep your distance.Ezra shifted his weight, clearing his throat. "I’m Ezra," he said again, though there was still no reaction. "Ethan's brother."Daniel barely spared him a glance. His jaw tightened, eyes never wavering from the door. Ezra hesitated, unsure whether he should press on or let the silence stretch.“
"Don't look for my boss; this is not a warning, but the truth. With his state of mind right now, he might kill you, and he definitely does not care about the consequences,” Daniel coldly said.Ezra didn’t flinch. He didn’t acknowledge the threat, the coldness in Daniel’s voice, or the dangerous warning behind it. Instead, he simply kept walking, his footsteps echoing off the sterile hospital walls. He was numb, his mind a whirlwind of confusion, guilt, and frustration. His brain couldn’t even begin to process everything that had just happened, the gravity of what was unfolding around him.As he reached the parking lot, Ezra could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him, a constant reminder of the mess he was now in. He opened the door to his car and slid inside, slamming it shut behind him with a soft thud. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he started the engine, the low hum of the car grounding him for a moment.He drove off, not knowing where he was go
The person that just came down was Frank.Ezra stood still, his hand resting lightly on the curtain. The streetlight outside wasn’t too bright, but it gave enough glow to make out the tall, dark figure leaning on the car. There was no mistaking that face. The jawline, the hair, the posture—it was undeniably Frank.Ezra’s brows tightened. “What the hell is this clown doing here?” he muttered under his breath.He just stared.Frank? After everything? After what happened at the warehouse? Ezra had pulled him out with his own hands. Dragged him out. And now he was here? Following?Ezra slowly released the curtain and stepped back from the window. He rubbed his forehead with both palms, exhaling quietly. The day had already been messy. Too messy. And now this?He wasn’t scared. Just... fed up. Tired.He turned away from the window, running a hand over his head. His muscles were tight, jaw clenched. He pushed his damp curls back, then rubbed the back of his neck as if that could ease the ti
“I think I know what to do,” Frank muttered under his breath, the tremble in his voice betraying the storm raging within him. His shoes echoed against the sleek hotel floor as he strode toward the hallway, each step fueled by desperation and unresolved regret.He didn’t get far.“Excuse me, sir,” a firm voice cut through the air, halting him mid-stride. Two security men stood in his path, their stance unwavering, their eyes alert.Frank blinked, startled. “What’s this?”“Passage card, sir,” one of the guards demanded.Frank’s hand instinctively darted to his pocket, looking for a card—though he clearly knew he had none.“Hmm… I don’t have any,” he said, trying to maintain composure. “But I think we can talk, man to man.”“No. We don’t do that here,” the guard replied sternly.“Gosh,” Frank muttered. “Why are the people here so strong-headed? First it was the receptionist, now it’s the guards.”He knew there were empty rooms, but the receptionist had refused to give him one.“Okay, how
“What truth are you talking about?” Ezra asked, his voice edged with curiosity as he lifted himself from the body of his car. His head was feeling dizzy because of the stress lately but it seems Frank has something to say about him.A smug smirk played on Frank's lips.“Oh... look who suddenly wants the truth,” he said with a lazy chuckle. “I thought you didn’t give a damn when I exposed you. Or were you too busy playing the villain in a suit to care?”Ezra clenched his jaw, as his fist clenched by his side trying to calm the anger already building up in him.“Speak if you want to speak, and if you don’t—get lost.” His tone was tight, words pushed through gritted teeth.Frank scoffed, walking forward more closer to Ezra this time.“You’re still playing hard when you’re about to be ruined?” His words dripped with taunt, his confidence unwavering.Ezra’s eyes darkened.“Do what suits you. I don’t care. Just don’t bring Olive into this. If you do, you’ll have yourself to blame.”He turne
"Who's that?" Raymond asked, eyes narrowing as he stared at Daniel up and down.His assistant shifted uneasily. "Sir... it's Mr. Stones. He’s been working closely with Mia. We just found out—Mia had his family held hostage all this while. She used them to control him."Raymond’s breath caught in his throat."Last year..." the assistant continued, voice low, "his only child died. A six-year-old girl. She didn’t get proper food or care. They starved her, sir. And now, his wife… she’s not the same. The assistant went on, “his wife broke down. Mentally, emotionally—she hasn’t recovered. She hasn’t spoken a full sentence in months. She screams at night. Wanders the house in her daughter’s clothes. It’s bad, sir.”Raymond turned away and gripped the edge of the desk, grounding himself. His knuckles turned white. “Why didn’t Me stones say anything?”His initial thoughts were to have him jailed but now he's having a change of mind."After the girl died, Mr. Stones tried to resign," the assist
“No, Kain! You can’t do this to me!” Mia screamed, her voice shrill with panic. You could hear the fear in her tone, like someone whose hand was about to be placed on a burning flame.Kain was still crouched on the ground, his hand gripping the gun tightly. His face—twisted with pain and rage—was soaked with sweat. His finger trembled slightly on the trigger as he stared up at her. He felt no remorse for what he was about to do.“I never loved you,” he spat bitterly, his voice low and hollow. “All I ever wanted was your money… and the documents—just like my sister said. But you never gave me anything. Seems you were bad luck after all.”Mia’s face twisted even more as she shook her head. “No… no, Kain, you’re confused. You’re letting them manipulate you. We had something real—”Kain laughed. A broken, cold laugh that echoed with bitterness.“Real? You call that real? I traced Olive from the day she arrived in New York. Remember that? You made sure she had no home. You blocked every ap
“Nothing, Nurse Janet. I actually thought it was Miss Olive.”Janet tilted her head, curious. “No, she wasn’t the one. Wait a minute…” she paused, her eyes narrowing. “If Miss Olive is related to you, how would you not know she’s dead?”“Is that the reason you also came to the hospital today?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.Ezra turned his face away. “It’s complicated. Let’s not go there,” he mumbled, forcing a smile. “Tell me more about yourself.”Janet rolled her eyes. “What more do you want to know apart from the fact that I'm a nurse? And my full name is Janet Clinton. What about you?”“Well, I am Ezra.”“What about your surname?”Ezra hesitated. “Does that really matter?” he replied, twitching his lips and briefly glancing at her. Their eyes locked unexpectedly. A second too long passed before they both looked away as if they had not been staring at each other.“Hmmm. Really? If you don’t want to talk, no problem. I’ll just consider you a man with no surname,” she smi
“See Raymond, we’re thinking Olive might be our dead little sister.”Raymond scoffed, tilting his head. “Huh? Olive? Your sister?”Ethan nodded cautiously. “We know it might sound strange, so we wanted to do a DNA test on her… but unfortunately, she’s—”“She’s dead.”The words barely left Ethan’s mouth before Raymond’s fist crashed into his face.Ethan stumbled backward, clutching his jaw in shock.“You think she’s your sister and yet you wish her dead?” Raymond thundered.Ethan blinked in disbelief. Ethan spat blood to the side, still holding his cheek. “Isn’t she dead?” he stammered.Raymond’s nostrils flared, his eyes reddened with fury—a storm barely held in check.“If you ever say that word around Olive again, I swear I’ll have you killed,” he growled.“Raymond!” Ezra yelled, stepping forward, his temper breaking through. “We came here to make peace, not to fight. But from the look of things, it seems you—”“Hey, hey,” Ethan yanked Ezra back. “Enough. Remember why we’re here,” he
"Ezra, you're seeing things. Let’s get into the car," Ethan managed to say, steadying his voice even though his own heart was hammering.Ezra kept staring into the distance, like he was hoping she would reappear if he just stared hard enough. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, the muscles in his arms twitching with tension. He blinked a few times, swallowed hard, and finally dragged himself toward the car.He didn’t say a word as he climbed into the backseat beside Ethan. The door clicked shut behind him with a soft thud that sounded way too loud in the heavy silence.Their driver, a tall, quiet man dressed in black, gave a small nod and started the engine. He pulled out of the parking lot carefully, obeying every traffic rule like he had all the time in the world.Inside the car, the air was thick and heavy.Ezra stared out the window, his jaw clenched so tight it looked like it might snap. His fingers tapped an erratic rhythm against his thigh, his mind obviously still stuc
Ezra looked up to his brother, his eyes bloodshot, the kind of red that told Ethan his brother had been fighting some kind of battle in silence. It was a look that spoke of exhaustion, grief, and something darker, deeper — something Ethan wasn’t ready to face."Come sit closer to me, Ezra," he said, his voice soft but urgent, as if the space between them might be too wide for comfort.Ezra shuffled closer, his movements stiff, robotic, as if every inch of him weighed a hundred pounds. He didn’t speak, didn’t meet Ethan’s gaze, just lowered his head and stared at the floor. His hands fidgeted in his lap, twisting and turning, as if he was trying to hold on to something — something that might slip away if he wasn’t careful.Ethan didn’t stop asking questions."What’s going on, man? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Did something happen?"But Ezra didn’t answer. The silence between them grew louder with each unanswered question, each strained breath. Ethan’s worry deepened.A thousand t
Just as Ezra stood there fighting a losing battle with his own thoughts, the sound of footsteps broke the heavy silence. He barely glanced up.Nurse Janet walked by, balancing a tray of medication in her hands. She paused when she noticed him — a broken figure leaning against the cold wall like he couldn’t keep himself standing straight."Hello," Nurse Janet greeted gently, her voice carrying a kindness that somehow made everything inside Ezra feel worse.It dragged him out of his spiraling thoughts for a moment. He forced himself to stand a little straighter, wiping at his face quickly as if he could hide the tears that had already betrayed him.Nurse Janet offered him a warm smile, her eyes crinkling softly at the corners. "Why are you down like this? You should be happy," she said, balancing the tray carefully. "Your brother’s alive. It’s a thing of joy."Ezra opened his mouth, but no words came out at first. He pressed his lips together, trying to breathe past the tightness in his
"Oh, I see," Raymond said, his voice low and bitter. "That’s your plan, right? Your plan to kill her?"Ezra blinked, stunned, feeling like Raymond had just slapped him across the face."No, Raymond," he said quickly, shaking his head, heart pounding against his ribs. "No... I just want to confirm she's okay."Raymond stared at him slowly, as if he was peeling Ezra apart layer by layer with just his eyes. His gaze was cold. Distant. Dangerous."Ezra," he said, his tone almost mocking, "tell me something… what exactly is your plan? Haven't you done enough already?"Ezra clenched his fists at his sides, feeling the heat rising in his chest. He sucked in a breath, closing his eyes tightly.He opened them again, forcing himself to meet Raymond’s furious glare without flinching."Raymond," Ezra said carefully, steadying his voice, "we might be connected to Olive. Somehow. We just... need to find out the truth."Raymond gave a short, cold laugh. No humor in it. Just pain."Connected?" he rep
The nurse turned and looked at Ezra, her expression unreadable. “Sorry, sir,” she said flatly, then turned away.It was as if the moment never happened. The nurses resumed their tasks in silence, their quiet efficiency louder than any words. Ezra stood there, ears ringing from the weight of what he’d just heard. That silence… it wasn’t what he wanted. It wasn’t what he needed. He didn’t want calm or polite shrugs—he wanted answers. He wanted someone to tell him that what he heard was wrong.With panic rising in his chest, Ezra spun on his heel and ran down the corridor. He remembered the ward Olive had been in, where Raymond's assistant had guarded the door like his life depended on it.His heart pounded in his ears, his shoes squeaking across the tiles. When he reached the room, he yanked the door open.Empty.The bed was stripped. Machines unplugged. Everything was so neat, it was like she’d never been there.“No. No, no, no—” he whispered, stumbling back a step.A nurse was inside,