Ethan pulled into the driveway, the engine going silent as soon as he parked.
For a moment, he just sat there, resting his head briefly against the steering wheel. The night at the hospital had taken more out of him than he expected. Physically, he was tired. Mentally, even more.
But despite that… one thought kept him steady.
Lila.
He closed his eyes briefly, exhaled, then stepped out of the car.
As he walked toward the house, something caught his attention.
A car.
Not just any car.
A sleek, unfamiliar one parked neatly in the garage.
Ethan paused, his brows furrowing slightly.
"Did dad get a new car?" he muttered under his breath.
He didn't think much of it at first. His father had the means. It wouldn't be surprising.
With a small shrug, he walked inside.
The moment he stepped into the living room, he knew something was off.
The atmosphere was tense.
Heavy.
His parents were seated on the couch.
And sitting across from them…
John.
Victoria's father.
Ethan stopped in his tracks.
His jaw tightened slightly.
"…Right," he muttered under his breath.
He already knew.
This wasn't going to be a normal morning.
Still, he composed himself and stepped forward.
"Morning, mum. Morning, dad," he greeted calmly.
His mother gave him a small, uneasy smile.
"Good morning, Ethan."
His father didn't smile.
"Sit, Ethan," he said firmly.
Ethan didn't argue.
He walked over and sat down, leaning back slightly but remaining alert.
John let out a loud sigh, rubbing his temples like he was carrying the weight of the world.
Silence lingered for a few seconds.
Then Ethan's father spoke.
"What happened yesterday that led to you calling the police on Victoria?"
His tone was calm.
Too calm.
Ethan glanced at John briefly.
Then back at his father.
"Dad…" he began slowly, "Victoria tried to kill someone."
"What?" his mother gasped immediately. "Kill? How?"
Ethan looked between both of them.
Confusion.
Shock.
They didn't know.
He turned his gaze to John.
So… he hadn't told them.
Ethan's expression hardened slightly.
"How did she try to kill someone?" his father asked again, his voice firmer now.
John shifted uncomfortably, clearly wanting to step in.
But before he could—
"Let him speak," Ethan's father said sharply, shutting him down instantly.
John fell silent.
Ethan took a slow breath.
Then he began.
He explained everything.
From the moment Lila received the drink… to how she collapsed in the hall… to how he carried her to the hospital himself.
He described the doctor's words.
Poison.
He explained how Marcus traced the girl through CCTV.
How the girl confessed.
How the recording proved everything.
By the time Ethan finished speaking—
The room was completely silent.
His mother's hand was over her mouth, her eyes wide with shock.
"Oh my God…" she whispered.
His father leaned back slightly, shaking his head slowly.
Disappointment.
Anger.
Disbelief.
Then his father turned toward John.
"So now," he said, his voice cold, "what exactly do you want us to do?"
John straightened slightly, clearing his throat.
"I…" he started, then paused. "I didn't know my daughter was capable of something like this."
Ethan's father scoffed.
"You didn't know?" he repeated. "Your daughter tried to kill someone."
John raised his hands slightly.
"Calm down, Matthew."
"Don't tell me to calm down," Ethan's father snapped. "You come into my house asking for help after what your daughter did?"
John's expression hardened for a second, but he quickly composed himself.
"I believe this is all a misunderstanding," he said carefully. "Victoria must not have intended for things to go this far."
Ethan's jaw clenched.
Misunderstanding?
John continued.
"The girl is already safe, isn't she? Alive and recovering?"
No one answered.
He took that as confirmation.
"Then please," he said, leaning forward slightly, "help me convince Ethan to drop the charges."
Silence filled the room again.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Everyone was thinking.
Processing.
Then—
Ethan spoke.
"I'll drop the charges," he said calmly.
All heads turned toward him.
"But…" he added.
John leaned forward immediately.
"Yes? Anything."
Ethan's eyes locked onto his.
Sharp.
Unyielding.
"On one condition."
The room remained silent
Ethan leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees.
"If you fail to meet my condition," he said slowly, "or you try to outsmart me…"
His voice dropped.
"I'll reopen the case. And this time, I won't stop at attempted murder."
John swallowed hard.
"…What do you want?"
Ethan didn't rush.
He let the silence stretch.
He then stated his condition calmly
Everyone froze.
His mother blinked.
Silence.
Complete silence.
His father stared at him.
His mother looked stunned.
John sat there, processing everything.
It wasn't a small demand.
It wasn't something he could brush aside.
But he had no choice.
"…Fine," John said finally, his voice heavy. "I'll do it."
Ethan leaned back.
"Good."
The tension lingered in the room for a few seconds more before Ethan stood up.
"I'm going upstairs," he said casually.
No one stopped him.
Ethan walked into his room and shut the door behind him.
For a moment, he just stood there.
Then exhaled.
The conversation replayed in his head.
The anger.
The restraint.
The decision.
He ran a hand through his hair and headed toward the bathroom.
A quick shower.
That was all he needed.
He had to get back to the hospital.
Back to Lila.
Minutes later, he stepped out of the bathroom, a towel hanging loosely around his neck as he dried his hair.
And then—
He froze.
His mother was sitting on his bed.
Ethan blinked.
"Gosh, mum," he said, slightly startled. "Why would you just barge in like that?"
She chuckled softly.
"No matter how much you've grown," she said, "you'll still be my little son."
Ethan shook his head slightly, smiling as he turned back to apply lotion to his arms.
There was a brief silence.
Then—
"You like her, right?"
Ethan froze.
He turned around slowly.
"…What?"
His mother raised a brow.
"The Lila girl," she clarified.
Ethan stared at her.
"How did you know?"
She smiled.
"It's obvious."
He didn't say anything.
"You've never cared about a girl the way you care about her," she continued, standing up from the bed.
Ethan looked away slightly, a small smile forming on his lips despite himself.
"I'd love to meet her soon," she added, giving him a playful wink as she walked toward the door.
She paused briefly before stepping out.
"And Ethan…"
He looked up.
"Don't mess this one up."
Then she left.
Ethan stood there for a moment.
Then he smiled.
A real one.
Satisfied.
Content.
He grabbed his clothes, got dressed quickly, picked up his car keys—
And headed back to where he truly wanted to be.
The hospital.
With Lila.