The small room Adrian rented had transformed into a sanctuary of sorts. The tiny space, once cold and oppressive, now smelled faintly of oil paint and turpentine. Canvases leaned against the walls, some half-finished, others abandoned altogether. But at the center of the room, propped up on an old easel, was the one painting that had consumed Adrian's every waking hour.
Adrian had poured his entire soul into that piece. Every emotion—anger, sorrow, regret, love, loss—had been transferred to the brush, each stroke a reflection of the turmoil in his heart. For weeks, he painted, often losing track of time. Days would bleed into nights, and he would forget to eat, forget to sleep, driven by a need to express everything he couldn't say in words.
Now, after a month, the painting was finally complete. It was a haunting masterpiece, filled with the dark, swirling colors of despair and the faintest glimmers of hope. At the center was a figure—fragile, delicate, and yet resolute—reaching out toward an unseen light.
Adrian stood before the painting, his fingers trembling as he traced the edges of the canvas. It was beautiful and tragic, just like the love he had for Ethan. But as he looked at it, his body, pushed to the brink of exhaustion, began to give in. His vision blurred, the room spinning around him. He staggered backward, his legs buckling beneath him. The last thing he saw before everything went black was the figure on the canvas, reaching toward that unattainable light.
---
In the sterile silence of the hospital, Ethan Levistis lay in his bed, the rhythmic beeping of machines the only sound in the room. For a month, he had been caught in a deep, dreamless sleep, his body recovering from the trauma it had endured. But now, after what felt like an eternity, his eyelids fluttered, and his fingers twitched. Slowly, his consciousness returned, pulling him out of the darkness.
His eyes opened to the soft, dim light of the hospital room. The familiar smell of antiseptic filled his nostrils, and for a moment, he was disoriented. Where was he? What had happened?
He tried to sit up, but his body felt heavy, weak from the long sleep. As his mind slowly cleared, flashes of memory returned. Adrian's tear-streaked face, the feel of his hands, and the warmth of his body against his own. Panic surged in Ethan's chest.
"Adrian…" he whispered hoarsely, his throat dry and sore.
A nurse entered the room at that moment, checking the machines and jotting down notes on her clipboard. When she saw Ethan was awake, she gasped in surprise, rushing to his side.
"Mr. Levistis! You're awake!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with a mix of relief and astonishment.
"Where… where is Adrian?" Ethan's voice was strained as he grabbed her wrist, his fingers trembling with desperation. "Where is he? What happened?"
The nurse hesitated, her eyes darting to the side as she weighed her response. "Mr. Levistis, you've been unconscious for two months. A lot has happened…"
Ethan's heart pounded in his chest, fear gripping him. "What happened? Where is my husband?"
The nurse bit her lip before answering. "There was… an attempt to force a divorce. Lady Sachel brought the papers herself. Adrian was pressured—by your mother and his own father."
Ethan's grip tightened on the nurse's arm, his voice growing cold and dangerous. "Did he sign them?"
She shook her head quickly, her voice trembling. "No, no. Your brother Leclair intervened. The papers were destroyed. The divorce wasn't filed."
Ethan closed his eyes, a wave of relief washing over him. Adrian was still his. He hadn't lost him. But as the relief settled in, a new fear began to creep into his chest. If the divorce wasn't finalized, where was Adrian?
"Where is he now?" Ethan's voice was barely above a whisper.
The nurse's expression grew somber. "I don't know, Mr. Levistis. After the divorce confrontation, Adrian… he was thrown out. By his own father. The Hudel family disowned him."
Ethan's body tensed, his breath catching in his throat. "Thrown out? Where did he go?"
"I'm sorry, but I don't know," the nurse said apologetically. "No one has seen him since."
Ethan's hands trembled with barely contained rage and frustration. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Adrian, the man who had stood by his side through everything, had been cast out, abandoned by the people who were supposed to protect him. He had been forced out, alone, with nowhere to go. And Ethan had been lying here, helpless, while it happened.
Without another word, Ethan reached for the phone beside his bed, his fingers shaking as he dialed Mathew's number. The phone rang only once before Mathew's voice came through.
"Ethan?!" Mathew sounded shocked. "You're awake!"
Ethan's voice was low and tense. "Where is Adrian? Tell me you know where he is."
There was a pause on the other end of the line before Mathew replied, his voice filled with regret. "I don't know. I've been trying to track him down ever since the incident, but he disappeared after being thrown out by his father."
Ethan clenched his jaw, his free hand gripping the sheets tightly. "Destroyed the divorce papers. So… Adrian is still my husband."
"Yes," Mathew confirmed. "Your brother Leclair made sure of it. He destroyed the papers before they could be filed."
Ethan exhaled, some of the tension in his body releasing. But the relief was short-lived. "Then why can't anyone find him? He's been on his own for too long. I need to know where he is, Mathew."
Mathew's voice was sympathetic. "I know. I've been searching for him, but… it's like he vanished."
Ethan's heart pounded in his chest, panic threatening to overwhelm him. "I'll find him," he said, his voice hardening with determination. "I'll do whatever it takes."
After hanging up with Mathew, Ethan's mind raced. He needed answers, and fast. There was only one other person who might have information—Wryn Hudel, Adrian's stepbrother. Ethan dialed his number without hesitation, his body still weak from the coma, but his will was unbreakable.
The line clicked, and Wryn's voice answered, sounding as smug as ever. "Well, well, Ethan Levistis. I thought you were still asleep."
"Cut the crap, Wryn," Ethan growled. "Where is Adrian? What did your father do to him?"
Wryn chuckled darkly. "What do you care? He's not your problem anymore."
Ethan's blood boiled. "He is still my husband, and if you don't tell me what happened, I swear I'll make your life miserable."
Wryn scoffed. "Husband? Oh, please. You're only married because of some business deal. Adrian was never going to be anything more than a temporary pawn."
Ethan gritted his teeth. "Where. Is. He?"
There was a pause, and then Wryn sighed, clearly not wanting to deal with the hassle. "Fine. The old man cut him off. Exiled him from the family. As far as I know, Adrian's wandering around the city with no money, no home, nothing."
Ethan's heart clenched in his chest, the image of Adrian alone and abandoned filling his mind. He was furious—furious at Wuner, furious at Wryn, and furious at himself for not being able to protect Adrian when he needed him most.
"You better pray nothing happens to him, Wryn," Ethan said coldly. "Because if he's hurt… I'll make sure you and your father regret ever crossing me."
Wryn's voice wavered slightly, sensing the danger in Ethan's tone. "Whatever. He's not my problem anymore."
Ethan hung up, his hand shaking with anger. He wanted nothing more than to go after Wuner Hudel, to confront the man who had hurt Adrian so deeply. But he knew he was still weak, his body not yet fully recovered.
With a deep breath, Ethan dialed another number—Leclair's.
"Ethan! You're awake!" Leclair's voice was filled with joy and relief. "I've been waiting for this day."
Ethan smiled slightly, though the worry still lingered in his heart. "Yeah, I'm awake. But there's something I need to ask of you."
"Anything, little brother," Leclair said without hesitation.
"I need to find Adrian," Ethan said, his voice thick with emotion. "I can't rest until I know he's safe."
Leclair's tone grew serious. "Augustin has already started investigating. We're going to find him, Ethan. You just focus on recovering. We'll bring Adrian back."
Ethan let out a long breath, the weight of his fear still pressing down on him, but Leclair's words gave him hope. He wasn't alone in this. His family—his real family—was fighting with him.
"Thank you, Leclair," Ethan said softly.
Leclair chuckled. "Anything for you. Besides, Augustin's been nagging me nonstop. He's just as worried about Adrian as you are."
Ethan's heart warmed for a moment but the constant worry about Adrian made him tense.
Be Safe, wherever you are...Adrian...My Dear.