The hospital was eerily quiet, the sterile smell of antiseptic clinging to the air as I sat beside William's hospital bed. Machines beeped softly in the background, monitoring his heart rate and vitals. He lay still, his face pale against the stark white of the pillows, but his breathing had stabilized, and for now, that was the only thing keeping me grounded.
The events of the night continued to swirl in my mind like a storm that refused to settle. Ethan's cryptic words haunted me. *Secrets buried in my father's past—secrets dangerous enough that people would kill to protect them.* My father had always been an enigma, a distant figure who, even in death, loomed large over my life. And now, it seemed his shadow was darker than I'd ever imagined.
I reached for William's hand, my fingers brushing over his, cold and unresponsive. The bruises along his jaw and the gash on his temple were stark reminders of how close we had come to losing everything tonight. And yet, the danger wasn't over. It felt like it was only beginning.
The door to the hospital room creaked open, and I glanced up to see Ethan slip in, his expression grim. He had cleaned up from the chaos of earlier, but the tension in his face hadn't softened. He walked quietly to the other side of the bed and stood there, watching William for a moment before turning to me.
"How is he?" he asked softly.
"Stable," I said, though my voice wavered slightly. "The doctors said he's going to be okay. But it'll take some time for him to recover."
Ethan nodded, his gaze still fixed on William. "He's tougher than he looks."
A bitter smile tugged at the corner of my lips. "I know."
For a moment, neither of us spoke, the silence stretching between us. But I couldn't wait any longer. I needed answers. My nerves were frayed, and the tension was becoming unbearable.
"What did you mean earlier?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "About my father's secrets? About people wanting to kill for them?"
Ethan hesitated, his jaw clenching as he met my gaze. "I've been digging into some old files—records connected to your father's business, but not the legitimate side of things. There's something buried deep, something your father was involved in before you were born. It's... complicated."
"Complicated how?" I pressed, the unease growing in my chest.
Ethan glanced at the door, making sure we were alone before he continued. "Michael had dealings with a criminal syndicate—one that operated under the radar, handling things that weren't exactly legal. Smuggling, money laundering, offshore accounts. But there's something else. A name that keeps coming up in the files—Victor Castellano."
The name sent a jolt of recognition through me. I had seen it in my father's journal, tucked among his cryptic warnings. "I saw that name before," I said, my heart racing. "In my father's safe. There was a picture of him with a man named Victor Castellano."
Ethan's expression darkened. "Victor was one of your father's oldest business partners, but their relationship soured years ago. Something happened between them—a deal gone wrong, I think. And whatever it was, it led to a rift that nearly destroyed both of them. Castellano disappeared after that, but rumor has it, he's back. And he's the one pulling the strings behind Jace."
I felt the blood drain from my face. "You're saying Jace is working for Castellano?"
Ethan nodded grimly. "It makes sense. Castellano wants revenge for whatever happened between him and your father. And now that Michael's gone, you're the next target."
The weight of his words pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe. I had spent so much time trying to understand my father's legacy, trying to figure out what he had left behind. But I had never imagined it would be something like this—something so dark and dangerous.
"But why?" I whispered, shaking my head. "What could my father have done that was so terrible that Castellano would still be coming after him... after me?"
Ethan's jaw tightened. "I don't know all the details yet. But whatever it is, it's buried deep. Castellano holds a grudge that runs decades long, and he's willing to do anything to take control of what Michael left behind. Jace is just a pawn in his game."
I sat back in my chair, the weight of the revelation pressing down on me. My father's empire wasn't just a legitimate business—it was a battleground for power, and I had unknowingly walked right into the middle of it.
"What do we do?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "How do we stop him?"
Ethan's eyes darkened, and for a moment, I saw the calculating side of him that William often displayed—the side that was always one step ahead, always ready to face danger head-on.
"We gather information," he said. "I'll keep digging into Castellano's connections, and we'll need to be vigilant. William will want to take charge once he's on his feet, but until then, I'll handle things. You just focus on staying safe."
Staying safe. The words felt hollow. How could I stay safe when everything around me was falling apart? Jace was still out there, Castellano was lurking in the shadows, and my father's secrets were beginning to surface, threatening to destroy everything I had left.
I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could speak, William stirred. His fingers twitched against mine, and his eyelids fluttered open. A groan escaped his lips, and I leaned forward, my heart leaping into my throat.
"William," I whispered, my voice tight with emotion.
His eyes flickered open, unfocused at first, but slowly, they found mine. He blinked a few times, as if trying to make sense of where he was, then his gaze sharpened.
"Alice..." His voice was hoarse, but hearing him speak sent a wave of relief crashing over me.
"You're okay," I said, my grip tightening on his hand. "You're going to be okay."
He gave a weak nod, his eyes drifting to Ethan, who stood at the foot of the bed. "What... happened?" William rasped.
Ethan exchanged a look with me before answering. "You took a hit, but we got you out. Jace is in custody. For now, the immediate threat is over."
William's jaw clenched at the mention of Jace, and I could see the fire in his eyes. "Not over," he murmured. "Not yet."
He tried to sit up, but I pressed my hand gently against his chest, urging him to stay still. "You need to rest," I said, my voice firm.
William's eyes met mine, and for a moment, something unspoken passed between us. Despite everything that had happened, despite the danger and the uncertainty, I could feel the pull between us—the connection that had only grown stronger through all of this. But now wasn't the time to dwell on that.
Ethan cleared his throat, pulling our attention back to him. "We need to talk about Castellano," he said, his tone serious.
William's expression darkened. "Castellano's back?"
"Looks like it," Ethan confirmed. "Jace is working for him. This whole thing goes deeper than we thought."
William's jaw tightened, and I could see the wheels turning in his mind. Even injured and weakened, he was already thinking ahead, already planning his next move.
"We need to find him," William said, his voice hard. "Before he makes another move."
"I'm on it," Ethan replied. "I'll keep digging into Castellano's operations. But in the meantime, you both need to stay under the radar. Castellano won't stop until he gets what he wants."
William nodded, but I could see the tension in his body—the frustration of being sidelined, unable to take action. He was always in control, always leading the charge. But now, he was vulnerable, and it scared him.
As Ethan left the room to make some calls, I stayed by William's side, my fingers gently tracing his as he rested.
"Thank you," he murmured, his voice soft. "For protecting me."
I shook my head, tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. "You've been protecting me since the beginning. It was my turn."
William's eyes softened, and for the first time that night, I saw the walls he kept up so carefully start to crumble. He squeezed my hand, his thumb brushing over my knuckles in a gesture that felt intimate, vulnerable.
"I won't let anything happen to you, Alice," he whispered, his voice filled with a fierce determination. "No matter what comes next."
I swallowed hard, my heart tightening in my chest. I knew he meant it, but the weight of those words terrified me.
Because something told me that what was coming next would test us in ways we weren't prepared for.