Chapter 594
[ 502 words ]
Chapter 594:
Normally, regardless of how drained Ethan might be, he would already be sitting beside the window with a cup of his overly strong homemade coffee, buried beneath endless paperwork.
Whenever I woke up, the first thing I’d see was the solid outline of his shoulders facing the morning light.
This morning, however, silence swallowed the hospital suite whole.
“Ethan?” I called softly, uncertainty creeping into my voice. The empty room answered with nothing.
I pushed myself upright and slid off the bed, wincing at the ache in my ankles while searching every corner of the suite in growing haste.
𝗗i𝘴сo𝘷𝖾𝗿 𝗇𝘦𝘸 s𝘵о𝘳𝘪𝖾s о𝗇 𝗴a𝗹ո𝗈vе𝗅s.𝘤𝗈𝘮
No one was in the bathroom. The balcony stood vacant as well.
I hurried back for my phone and dialed him immediately, but the call rang unanswered.
An awful feeling settled inside me then, heavy and suffocating, spreading through my chest like smoke.
Barely bothering to put my coat on properly, I rushed into the hallway and nearly collided with Melisa as she prepared to start her morning rounds.
“Have you seen Ethan?” I blurted, grabbing her arm tighter than I meant to.
Surprise flashed across her face at the sight of my panic. “No. Is he gone? He shouldn’t even be out walking around yet with those injuries.”
Her expression softened when she noticed how shaken I looked. “Try not to worry. Maybe he just stepped outside for some fresh air. We can check the security cameras if you want—”
Before she could finish, her attention shifted toward the massive windows at the far end of the corridor. She inhaled sharply. “Lianne… isn’t that him?”
I spun toward the entrance below and spotted a tall man near the fountain outside the hospital. Even from a distance, he looked strangely diminished as he slowly approached the building.
I bolted before I could even thank Melisa.
The cold morning air slashed against my skin as I burst through the hospital doors.
Then I saw him clearly. My chest tightened so violently it felt impossible to breathe.
Was that truly Ethan standing in front of me?
He still wore his dark wool coat, yet it hung open carelessly, the collar twisted out of place.
His usually perfect hair had fallen messily over his forehead, shadowing his eyes.
But the worst part was his face. He looked ghostly pale, devoid of all color, his lips nearly white. He carried himself like someone barely holding himself together.
“Ethan!” I shouted, running toward him immediately.
At the sound of my voice, he stopped dead.
Slowly, he raised his head. The instant our eyes met, a chill crawled through me. His gaze looked hollow, bloodshot, stripped of all life.
I reached for him instinctively, desperate to hold him, but he halted me with one movement and stepped backward.
“Stay away from me.” His voice shook.
“What happened? You look awful. Is your injury worse? Are you hurt?” I whispered, stunned, tears already burning my eyes.
“I’m okay. I just needed air.” He avoided my stare entirely, exhaustion weighing down every word.
“That’s not true. You disappeared for hours. Where were you? Tell me what happened.” My voice cracked as panic set in.
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