...END OF FLASHBACK...
The moment Marcus finished telling him everything…
Ethan didn't explode.
He didn't shout.
He didn't react the way most people would.
Instead—
He laughed.
Softly.
A quiet, dangerous sound.
"She just stepped on the tail of a tiger…" he muttered.
And walked away.
Inside his car, the door slammed shut with a heavy thud.
Silence filled the space.
Ethan sat still for a moment, both hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.
His knuckles turned white.
His jaw clenched so hard it hurt.
His breathing was steady—
Too steady.
But his eyes?
They burned.
Victoria's face flashed in his mind.
Her voice.
Her attitude.
Her obsession.
Then—
Lila.
On the ground.
Gasping.
Fading.
That image broke something in him.
He reached for his phone slowly.
His fingers hovered over the screen for a second.
Then he dialed.
The line rang once.
Twice.
Then—
"Emergency services. What's your emergency?"
Ethan's voice came out calm.
Cold.
Controlled.
"I want to report a case of attempted murder."
There was a brief pause on the other end.
"Can you provide details, sir?"
"Yes," Ethan replied. "A student was poisoned earlier today at—" he mentioned the school name. "She's currently hospitalized."
"Do you know who is responsible?"
Ethan's grip tightened slightly.
"Yes."
Another pause.
"Name?"
Ethan's eyes darkened.
"Victoria."
Saying her name felt like sealing something final.
Irreversible.
"I have evidence," he continued. "Recorded conversations, eyewitness confirmation, and CCTV identification."
"Alright, sir," the operator said, tone shifting to serious. "Can you provide the suspect's location?"
Ethan didn't hesitate.
He gave Victoria's home address clearly.
Slowly.
Precisely.
"We'll dispatch officers immediately," the operator responded.
"I'll meet them there," Ethan added.
"Sir, that's not necessary—"
"I'll meet them there," he repeated.
His tone left no room for argument.
A pause.
"…Understood."
The call ended.
Ethan dropped the phone onto the passenger seat.
He leaned back slightly, closing his eyes for a brief moment.
Not to rest.
But to control himself.
Because beneath that calm exterior—
There was rage.
Raw.
Burning.
Dangerous.
He opened his eyes again.
Started the engine.
And drove.
Traffic slowed him down.
But nothing could stop what was already in motion.
Because this time—
It wasn't just about anger.
It wasn't just about revenge.
This time…
It was about justice.When he finally arrived at Victoria's house—
The police were already there.
Victoria stood outside, causing a scene.
"I didn't do anything!" she screamed. "I'm innocent!"
Ethan stepped forward calmly.
"No need to struggle, Victoria," he said.
She turned sharply toward him.
"You're not innocent."
He raised his phone.
"I've got evidence."
Victoria froze.
Her knees buckled.
She fell to the ground.
Shock.
Fear.
Then—
A slow, twisted smile appeared.
"My father won't let me rot in jail," she said, laughing darkly.
Ethan smirked.
"We'll see."
And with that—
He turned.
Walked to his car.
And drove off.
Ethan sat in his car for a moment before starting the engine.
The world outside moved like nothing had happened—cars passing, people walking, distant voices blending into the evening air—but inside him, everything felt… different.
Quieter.
Sharper.
Focused.
He leaned back slightly against the seat, exhaling slowly as he ran a hand through his hair.
Only one thing filled his mind.
Lila.
Her face.
Her voice.
The way she looked at him.
The way she almost slipped away.
His grip tightened on the steering wheel.
I'm not letting that happen again.
Not now.
Not ever.
He started the engine, the car humming to life beneath him.
As he pulled out onto the road, his thoughts remained steady, locked onto a single destination.
The hospital.
Back to her.
Back to where he should have been all along.
Traffic stretched ahead, but this time, he wasn't impatient in the same way as before. There was no panic, no fear clawing at his chest.
Just determination.
A quiet, unshakable resolve.
He would protect her.
From everything.
From everyone.
Back at the hospital…
The room felt calmer now.
Still.
Peaceful.
But not empty.
Lila sat propped up against her pillows, her fingers loosely playing with the edge of the blanket as she stared absentmindedly at the window.
The soft glow of the evening light filtered into the room, casting a warm hue across her face.
Cassandra sat beside her, scrolling through her phone before glancing up at Lila every now and then.
Grace had left not too long ago.
At first, she had refused.
"I can't just leave her here," she had insisted, her voice filled with worry. "What if she needs something?"
"Mum, I'll be fine," Lila had said gently.
But Grace wasn't convinced.
It took Cassandra stepping in to finally change her mind.
"Aunty, she'll be okay," Cassandra said reassuringly, placing a hand on Grace's arm. "I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."
Grace hesitated.
Still unsure.
Then Cassandra leaned in slightly and added with a playful wink,
"Besides… Ethan will be here anytime soon."
Lila's reaction was immediate.
Her cheeks flushed instantly.
"Mum…" she muttered, embarrassed.
Cassandra tried to suppress her laughter.
Grace noticed.
Of course she did.
A soft smile spread across her face as she looked between the two girls.
"Well…" she said slowly, "if that's the case…"
She leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on Lila's forehead.
"Call me if you need anything, okay?"
"I will," Lila nodded.
Grace then turned to Cassandra, pulling her into a brief hug.
"Take care of her for me."
"I will, aunty," Cassandra replied warmly.
With one last glance, Grace finally left.
Now, the room felt quieter.
Just Lila and Cassandra.
Lila let out a soft sigh, her fingers still tracing the fabric of the blanket.
Cassandra noticed immediately.
"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?" she teased.
Lila turned her face away slightly.
"No, I'm not."
"Liaaar," Cassandra sang softly, grinning.
Lila tried to hide her smile.
"I just…" she paused. "I wonder what's taking him so long."
Cassandra raised a brow.
"Hmm… so you are thinking about him."
Lila groaned softly.
"Cassie…"
"Relax," Cassandra laughed. "He probably got stuck in something important. You heard him—emergency meeting."
Lila nodded slowly.
"Yeah… maybe he's really busy," she said, though her voice carried a hint of disappointment.
She leaned her head back slightly, staring at the ceiling.
"Still…" she added quietly, "I thought he'd be back by now."
Cassandra's expression softened.
She reached out, gently nudging Lila's arm.
"He will come," she said. "That boy? The way he looks at you? Please, he's not going anywhere."
Lila smiled faintly.
"I hope so…"
The door clicked open softly.
Both girls turned instantly.
And there he was.
Ethan.
Standing at the entrance, slightly out of breath, his eyes immediately locking onto Lila.
For a moment—
No one spoke.
Cassandra's face lit up instantly.
"Well, well…" she muttered under her breath, smirking.
Lila's heart skipped.
He came.
He actually came.
Ethan stepped in slowly, his gaze never leaving her.
"Hey…" he said softly.
Lila smiled.
"Hi…"
Cassandra stood up dramatically.
"Alright, I see my job here is done," she said, stretching slightly. "I'll just… give you two some space."
"Cassie—" Lila started.
But Cassandra was already heading toward the door.
"I'll be right outside," she added with a wink before leaving.
The door closed.
Silence filled the room again.
But this time—
It felt different.
Warmer.
Closer.
Ethan walked over slowly and sat beside Lila.
"You took long," she said softly, though there was no anger in her voice—just a quiet honesty.
Ethan sighed.
"Yeah… I'm sorry about that."
He ran a hand through his hair again, clearly exhausted but trying to stay composed.
"Something came up after the meeting."
Lila studied his face.
Something felt… off.
"You okay?" she asked gently.
Ethan paused.
Then nodded.
"I am now."
That answer lingered between them.
Lila didn't press further.
Instead, she smiled softly.
"I missed you," she admitted quietly.
Ethan's expression softened instantly.
"I missed you too," he replied.
He reached out, gently taking her hand into his again.
This time, he didn't let go.
A comfortable silence settled between them.
Lila leaned slightly toward him, her head resting lightly against his shoulder.
Ethan stiffened for a split second—
Then relaxed.
Carefully.
Like he was afraid of hurting her.
"You're warm," she murmured softly.
He chuckled lightly.
"You're cold."
"That's because I'm in a hospital," she replied, smiling faintly.
He shook his head slightly.
"Still…"
He adjusted himself slightly, making sure she was comfortable.
For a while, they stayed like that.
Quiet.
Close.
Safe.
Then Lila spoke again.
"Ethan…"
"Hmm?"
She hesitated.
Then asked softly,
"Are we… okay now?"
The question hung in the air.
Simple.
But heavy.
Ethan turned his head slightly, looking at her.
"Yeah," he said gently. "We are."
She looked up at him.
"Like… really okay?"
He nodded.
"More than okay."
A small smile formed on her lips.
"Good…"
She paused.
Then added quietly,
"Because I don't think I can go through that distance again."
Ethan's grip on her hand tightened slightly.
"You won't have to," he said firmly.
She searched his eyes.
And for the first time—
She believed him completely.
Ethan gently brushed a strand of hair away from Lila's face.
"You should rest," he said softly.
"I don't want to," she replied immediately.
He raised a brow.
"Why?"
She smiled shyly.
"Because I just got you back."
That hit him.
Harder than anything else.
Ethan exhaled slowly, his chest tightening.
"I'm not going anywhere," he said again.
"You keep saying that," she teased lightly.
"And I mean it every time."
She studied him.
Then nodded.
"Okay… I believe you."
He smiled faintly.
"Good."
The night slowly settled around them.
The hospital grew quieter.
The world outside moved on.
But inside that room—
Time slowed.
Two hearts, once distant, now finding their way back to each other.