"Sir!! Sir Ethan!?" Ethan's driver called as he shook Ethan's unconscious body on the ground. At this point, Mr. Harry was already bleeding profusely, and Ethan couldn't utter a single word. They were both mute and immoveable."I have to hurry! I must get them to a safe place… To a hospital at least!"*********The beeping sound of the life machine in the room, produced by the Newhope Robotics Company, echoed loudly, causing throbbing aches for Ethan.Opening his eyes slowly, he was first welcomed by the noisy beeping sound, followed by the stench of blood and drugs oozing in his room."Where am I?" he mumbled, trying to get a hint of where exactly he was. Slowly, his head tilted to the left, and just then, he caught sight of drugs and a syringe on the nightstand closer to him."What the hell happened?" He sat up slowly in confusion, but at that moment, throbbing aches overwhelmed him, making him clench his head tightly and shut his eyes in intense pain."Fuck!! Help!" he gritted, the
“No, Ethan, I should be blamed for this, for everything that is happening! My mother is dying, and my father is in this state. I shouldn't have let him go alone… I just shouldn't have!” James mumbled softly, his heart bleeding and racing with fear of what might happen next to him or his father.At first, he was scared of losing his mother, but as it stood now, it was obvious that his father could die before his mother, which would break him down immediately.“No, James… don't say that, don't blame yourself for anything. I was there, and I couldn't save him from those men. I should be killed myself!” Ethan walked over to where James was seated and with a heavy sigh leaving his lips, he placed his hand right on James' shoulder, feeling bad for him, feeling bad for everything that had happened.“You don't get it, Ethan… if only I was…” He was going to keep talking, but at that moment, Ethan was sick and tired of hearing James cry like he was some little kid.“I promise to find out who at
Exiting the hospital, a Rolls Royce Phantom car stormed up before Ethan. His car had been replaced a few minutes after the attack.With a sneer tugging at the side of his lips, he nodded his head, his hand plunging into his pockets as he stared at the new baby before him.“I'll make you pay dearly… I just can't wait to find out who you truly are!” Ethan mumbled before he lifted his face to his driver, who had opened the door for him to get into the car.The second he got into the car, his driver shut the door, running over to his side to open it, get into the car, and ignite the engine.They were about to leave when Ethan turned to look out of the window. Right before him, by the door, stood James with a sad look on his face.“I'll do what's right this time, James! I will!” Ethan mumbled to himself before he darted his gaze away from where James stood.“Let's go!” he commanded his driver, who immediately nodded his head and zoomed out of sight, stepping on the accelerator.Ethan itche
“There must be a change of assistant! He isn't functioning as he should, Sir Ethan, and there must be a change!” One of the executives declared, making Ethan's brows furrow immediately as he stared at the man who had spewed such nonsense from his mouth.They would have just discussed something else. Something that didn't have to involve Ethan changing his assistant. Something that shouldn't have to do with Ethan changing James.James was the main reason why Ethan had escaped death for the first time. James was his best friend and more like family. James, above all, was the only one that he could trust, and as it stood right now, there was definitely no way he was going to push him aside and pick up some new stranger that he knew nothing about.“I am not changing my assistant, and that is final! He stays with me, and that is the end of it all!” Ethan stood his ground.He couldn't believe that Mr. Han had come to the company just to do one thing: discuss changing his assistant.Mr. Han
"Take me to Mr. Harry's mansion right now!” Ethan commanded, and just as he had pressed for, his driver drove over to Mr. Harry's home.The minute they got there, Ethan headed straight for the door. He reached for the doorbell, pressed it twice, and the door finally opened.“Sir Ethan?” James exclaimed softly, his eyes widening in shock at seeing Ethan at the door. At this moment, James wasn't expecting to find Ethan at their house because Ethan had clearly stated that he had a meeting with the executives.“Why didn't you tell me that you were coming back home?” Ethan asked. He wasn't mad at James; he was just worried sick.He had prayed silently that James and Mr. Harry were okay and nothing more.“You seemed busy and I didn't want to disturb you. Besides, you…” Just as James was about to continue, Ethan cut in, halting his statement.“Don't ever say such, James! You don't and will never be a bother to me. Is that clear?” Ethan briefly warned, and James nodded his head although he wa
“I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I want to go through the dangers to find anyone!” James admitted, and without a second thought, he climbed out of the car. He was just scared, and he hoped that Ethan would understand that.He wanted Ethan to look at his own aspect of life. How uncomfortable it was going to make him. Just as he was walking back into his house, Ethan stormed out of the car and rushed towards him.He just wasn't going to let James leave that way. He needed James. He needed him to do what was right.“What is it again, Ethan?” James grumbled as he found Ethan standing right before him.“Let's make a comeback, James… please! We must find out who did this to me, who did this to your father!” Ethan let out, knowing that it would provoke James at this moment.He was already angry that his father was weak, so it was definitely going to give him the anger he needed to accept the deal with Ethan.“And what if the plan doesn't work out? What if they come to me!” James sounded a bit wo
“But it is Mr. Han that is on the screen!” Ethan said, trying his best to get the perfect explanation from James.“Because he is on the screen doesn't mean that he is the one behind all of this… someone else is doing this!” he explained briefly before shutting the laptop.“That should be all for today, Ethan… I think it's time you head back home. I'm pretty sure my mom will be waiting for me!” James stated, and immediately, Ethan understood what he was trying to say to him.“Fine! I'll let you have your rest, but that doesn't mean we won't find them. I promise to help resolve the crisis in your family soon, James!” he tapped him on the shoulder with his lips pursed.With a final bow, James opened the door and left, heading right for his house. Seeing that he had gone, his driver didn't hesitate to climb into the car.“Let's go!” Ethan commanded, and with a swift nod, the engine of the car was ignited. Without a second thought, his driver stepped on the accelerator, propelling them for
“What do you mean we are all at huge risk? Last I checked, I asked you to tell me who had attacked me, not to give me reasons to be scared! I need you, RRS, and you are not helping matters right now!”Ethan snapped as he got nervous. If there was anything that he disliked at this moment, it was definitely the fact that he was beginning to lose his essence. He was trembling, and that wasn't what he wanted.[Host needs to be calm and listen to the system! Remember the promise? You must do as the system says.]The mechanical voice in his head echoed, trying to make him understand its first statement to him.“If you want me to be calm, why don't you tell me what you meant? I hate it so much when I am spoken to in words that I barely understand! I'm waiting, RRS!” Ethan stated. Just then, what was before his eyes changed, being swiped to an image of a man's back.“Another confusing image!” Ethan scoffed, rolling his eyes in exhaustion.“You know, if you don't want to tell me who it was, I
The sudden knock at Ethan's door pulled him out of his trance, making him turn around to find out who it was. As he turned, he saw Daniel, the new chief of staff whom he was uncomfortable with, standing at his door.“Why is he here?” he panicked for a split second before calming his nerves.“Come in,” he demanded, and Daniel didn't hesitate to push the door open and walk into the office.“Hello, Mr. Ethan, I heard you are the…” Daniel began, but Ethan cut him off sharply, not wanting to allow any familiarity or genuine greetings.“Why are you at Newhope Company?” Ethan asked, his eyes searching Daniel’s for any trace of evil intentions.Daniel paused for a second. He definitely wasn't expecting Ethan to ask him such questions—not now, not ever. He thought Ethan would at least welcome him into the company, but the opposite was the case.“I… I am here to work,” he tilted his head slightly to the right, giving Ethan a confused look.“Work? Are you joking? I know you have some evil plans
“You are our number one suspect, Mr. Ethan, so why don't you let it out? Tell us why you killed Nick? Was it for his money? To get revenge?” the detective questioned with a grin on his lips.Ethan was more confused than ever. How was he enjoying his morning, and all of a sudden, he was now a suspect in Nick’s murder?“We are waiting, Mr. Ethan!” they urged, wanting to get the truth out of him before anyone else did.Ethan, on the other hand, wouldn’t say a single word without his lawyer, but he knew he had to find a way to clear his name.“You are right; Nick bullied me back in school, and if there’s anything I wanted back then—and still do now—it’s revenge! To get revenge on every one of them that bullied me in school, and…” Ethan was about to continue, but the man cut him off before he could say another word.“And killing him now was your only option, right? Just like you said, you wanted justice, and the only way to get it was to kill them all. Who is your next target?”Ethan’s bro
Three weeks later:Ethan felt a smile slowly spread across his lips as he got up from his bed and walked into the bathroom. His steps were light, and he couldn’t help but hum softly, his mind swirling with feelings of pure joy and relief. It had been three long weeks since he had managed to rescue his mother from the clutches of Gideon, Samuel, and Nick. The memory of that night still lingered, but the sense of triumph overpowered the fear. So far, there had been no signs that any of them would come after him. It seemed, at least for now, that he and his mother were safe, and that thought filled him with a comfort he hadn't felt in a long time.To Ethan, they were too scared to make another silly and daunting move towards him, but Ethan didn't care. As long as he had his mother, everything was fine; everything was okay to him.“Ethan? Breakfast is ready!” His mother's voice echoed through the expanse of the house as she prepared the table for their meal.“Coming, Mom!” Ethan respon
“Kneel and beg for everything you’ve done, and maybe; just maybe; I’ll consider saving her life.” His tone was taunting, the smirk on his face daring Ethan to comply.Ethan’s eyes flared with defiance. He clenched his fists, every muscle in his body tense with fury. “We both know that if anyone should kneel and beg, it’ll be you! Not me, Gideon!” Ethan shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. “Come on, tell me where the fuck she is!” His voice was raw, filled with the pain of a son desperate to save his mother.Gideon merely snorted, dismissing Ethan’s stubbornness with a wave of his hand. “Let’s go, guys… he isn’t ready!” he said, turning his back on Ethan, his arrogance on full display. He began to walk away, Samuel and Nick following behind him as if this was just another game they were playing.But Ethan wasn’t about to let them leave. Not like this. Not without answers. Fueled by sheer rage, Ethan lunged forward and grabbed Gideon by the collar, yanking him back into the room
“What do you want from me?” Ethan demanded, his voice tight with frustration as his fists clenched at his sides. He knew Nick all too well—there was no way Nick would release his mother without getting exactly what he wanted in return. “Now you’re talking…” Nick said with a smirk, clearly pleased that Ethan was finally ready to listen. He spun on his heels, not wasting a second. “Come with me.” He motioned for Ethan to follow and started walking down the dimly lit hallway.Ethan hesitated for a moment, his eyes darting around the room as he checked his surroundings. He couldn’t afford to trust Nick, but he also couldn’t leave his mother in danger. Taking a deep breath, Ethan fell in step behind Nick, his senses on high alert, ready for anything.They walked in silence, the sound of their footsteps echoing through the narrow corridor. After a few tense moments, they stopped in front of a heavy, wooden door that looked old and worn. Nick paused, resting his hand on the doorknob. Witho
After returning from Nick's mansion, Ethan didn't take a break, not even for a moment. His heart was racing, filled with worry. He desperately needed to know if his mother was still alive, but there was no way to find out until he met with Nick as they had arranged.The moment he got back, he started pacing around his room, unable to sit still. He kept glancing at the clock, watching the minutes crawl by. When the clock finally struck 10:00 p.m., a small smile appeared on his face. The time was almost here.Ethan pulled out a pair of black pants and a matching hoodie from his closet, his mind focused on the task ahead. He dressed quickly, mentally preparing himself for what lay ahead in Sin City. The mansion was quiet, and he moved with purpose, ready to slip out unnoticed.Just as he was finishing getting dressed, the door to his room swung open with a loud thud. James stormed in, his face a mix of anger and shock. His eyes widened when he saw Ethan dressed entirely in black, a c
Ethan shuffled closer to the nightstand, his footsteps growing heavier with each step. The dim light from the lamp cast long shadows, making the room feel eerie and suffocating. As he neared the nightstand, his heart pounded, and an icy dread began to coil around his chest.His hand trembled, and he clenched his fist tightly, fighting against the rising anxiety that twisted in his gut. His fingers finally reached the paper, which felt unnervingly cold and damp. He pulled it towards him, the edges crumpling under his grip. With a deep breath, he flipped it open, every movement feeling like it took an eternity.The message was blunt and ruthless. It simply stated that his mother was gone. The words hit him like a punch to the gut, leaving him gasping for breath as the world seemed to tilt around him.Ethan's eyes filled with tears as he stared at the letter, the sight bringing back painful memories. "They left a letter after all, just like when Ryan was taken," he mumbled, his voice
“I’m the bartender at Monique’s Bar… Your boss is completely out of it and needs help. Please come get him out of here,” the bartender explained, his concern growing as he glanced at Ethan’s dishevelled state.With a curt acknowledgment, James ended the call. His frustration was palpable as he stormed out of the mansion, urgency driving his every step. The drive to the bar was swift, fueled by worry and impatience.When James arrived at the bar, the sight before him was grim. Ethan was slumped in a chair, the remnants of his drinking binge evident in the empty bottles and glasses scattered around him. The dim lighting and the messy scene struck James with a mix of shock and disappointment. “Shit!” he muttered under his breath, rushing to Ethan’s side.He gently but firmly helped Ethan sit up, noting the disorientation and tears streaking down his friend’s face. Ethan’s eyes were glassy, his expression a mix of pain and self-loathing. As James prepared to carry him out, Ethan’s voic
As Ethan stormed out of Samuel’s mansion, a wave of shame and regret washed over him. The gravity of his situation struck him hard: his mother was missing, and he had no idea where to find her. The meeting with Samuel had yielded no answers, only deepened his anguish.His eyes stung with the threat of tears, but he fought them back with a grim determination. The workers at Samuel’s mansion watched him with a mix of curiosity and pity, their whispers barely audible over the distant hum of the night. Ethan felt their gazes like piercing needles, their silent judgement branding him as nothing more than a madman driven to the edge of sanity.Without a second glance at the mansion or its workers, Ethan climbed into his car. The engine roared to life, its growl a stark contrast to his inner troubles. He slammed the gear into drive and sped away, the tires screeching as they struggled to grip the road.His mind was a storm of rage and confusion as he raced back home. Every heartbeat see