All Chapters of BURNING EMPIRE: Chapter 101 - Chapter 107

The next morning, sunlight crept through the thin curtains, painting stripes across Jonah’s bed. He blinked against the warmth, hugging the blanket closer. Outside, the house stirred softly as the clatter of dishes from the kitchen, Matteo’s low hum as he moved about and his faint laughter. Jonah stayed still, listening. Part of him wanted to pull the covers over his head and disappear. Part of him wondered if Leo would come back today. He shook his head at the thought. Why would he? Jonah had made it clear: no friends, no company, no nonsense. Still, a small part of him, one he didn’t like to admit, felt a little empty. The door to his room creaked lightly. Jonah turned towards it and saw Leo standing at the door with a solemn expression. “Hey,” Leo whispered, holding something behind his back. Jonah narrowed his eyes. “What do you want?” His voice was flat, but quieter than yesterday. Leo stepped in cautiously, holding a small paper airplane in his palm. “I… made this fo

“Ahhhhhhh!” Leo screamed, his small voice shattering the laughter and chatter that had filled the park just moments before. Dominic and Matteo, who had been teasing each other gently, became alert as their heads snapped toward the source of the scream. Matteo’s eyes widened as he saw Derek—or Jonah, as he now insisted on being called—lying on the ground. Blood was already seeping from a deep wound on his head, spreading quickly down his face. Fear struck Matteo like a physical blow, and he ran forward without thinking. “Derek!! Oh my!” Matteo gasped, kneeling beside him and pressing a hand to the bleeding wound, trying to slow it. His hands were trembling. “Stay with me, Derek, stay with me!” Dominic barked orders sharply. “Get the car ready! Now!” His voice was calm but edged with urgency. The guards, who had been casually monitoring the children, moved immediately, carrying supplies and preparing the vehicle for a rapid trip to the hospital. Matteo’s mind raced. “How… how did t

It had been two weeks. Two long weeks of white walls, quiet machines, soft footsteps, and careful voices. At first, the doctor had said Derek would only need to stay for one week. His recovery was going well, and everything seemed stable. But things had not gone exactly as planned. A few days after the surgery, Derek had developed a sudden fever. It wasn’t too high, but it worried the doctors. They said it could be a minor infection caused by the injury or the surgery. They had to run more tests, keep him under observation, and adjust his medication. Then, there were the headaches. Sometimes, Derek would press his hand against his head and close his eyes tightly. The pain would come and go, but the doctors didn’t want to take any chances. They said head injuries were delicate. Even if he looked fine on the outside, they had to be sure everything inside was healing properly. And there were moments when Derek would feel dizzy when he tried to stand or walk. Matteo had to hold hi