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Chapter 17
Ethan Johnson yanked the IV needle from the back of his hand, blood instantly welling up. He didn’t bother to wipe it away as he staggered out of the hospital room.
The elevator was too slow. He bolted for the stairwell, taking the steps two at a time. A sharp pain lanced through his stomach, darkening his vision.
At the corner, a familiar figure flashed past.
"Sophia!"
His voice was hoarse as he lunged forward. Sophia Williams, pushing an IV stand, whirled around at the sound.
Their eyes met—and hers widened in shock.
"Stay away!"
She turned and ran, the IV stand clattering to the floor. Ethan tried to chase her but was blocked by a nurse who rushed over at the commotion.
"Sir, you can’t—"
"Move!"
He shoved past the crowd. At the end of the hallway, Sophia had already pressed the elevator button. Through the slowly closing doors, her pale face was etched with refusal.
Ethan slammed his fist against the wall.
---
The underground parking garage. Sophia’s hands trembled as she fumbled with her car key, missing the lock three times.
"Sophia!"
Footsteps pounded behind her. She yanked the door open, the engine roaring to life—just as Ethan threw himself onto the hood.
"Just five minutes..." He pounded on the windshield, his voice breaking. "Please..."
Sophia gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white. In the rearview mirror, the man’s bloodshot eyes made her chest ache.
A horn blared.
---
"Driver, please hurry."
In the backseat of the taxi, Sophia clenched the hem of her shirt. Through the rear window, Ethan’s figure grew smaller and smaller, until it was just a speck.
What she didn’t see was the moment he collapsed to his knees, coughing up blood.
"Ethan Johnson!"
Uncle Williams, just parked, witnessed the scene. He stormed over, grabbing Ethan by the collar. "You dare come after Sophia again?"
When the fist struck his face, Ethan didn’t dodge. He curled up on the ground like a broken doll.
"Get the hell back to the Taylor family!" Uncle Williams kicked away the fallen medication bag. "If I see you near her again—"
---
Back in the hospital room, Aunt Williams wiped her tears. "This is all my fault... We should leave now—"
"Auntie!" Sophia caught the older woman’s hand before she could pull out her IV. "The doctor said you need at least two weeks of observation."
She forced a smile, her nails digging into her palms.
She should have known. The city wasn’t that big, and the Johnson family’s influence was everywhere. From the moment she stepped off the plane, there was no escaping this reunion.
---
The hospital hallway was empty in the dead of night.
Ethan leaned against the wall, clutching a long-cold cup of coffee. For three days, he had haunted this place like a ghost.
The elevator chimed.
Sophia stepped out, holding a thermal lunchbox—only to lock eyes with a man whose gaze was raw with exhaustion.
"You—"
She instinctively stepped back, but he seized her wrist.
"Just let me say one thing." His voice was ragged. "Isabella Taylor, she—"
"Let go!"
The lunchbox crashed to the floor, scalding soup splashing at their feet. Sophia wrenched free and sprinted into the room without looking back.
The click of the lock sounded like a slap.