Ethan lay back on the hospital bed, staring at his phone screen with a look of pure annoyance. The device had just buzzed, and the caller ID flashed a name that made his blood boil—Lady Sachel. He took a deep breath, his hand already itching to reject the call, but something inside him stirred. It was time for him to confront this once and for all. With a sharp sigh, he accepted the call and put the phone on speaker.
"Ethan, darling?" Lady Sachel's voice was honeyed, dripping with an artificial sweetness that immediately set Ethan on edge. "I heard about what happened. You were kidnapped, and... and shot? My heart nearly stopped when I found out. Are you okay?"
Ethan smirked at the ceiling, his eyes narrowing. "Oh, really? Your heart nearly stopped, did it?" His tone was laced with sarcasm. "You didn't seem so concerned when I was in a coma, Mother."
