Standing right in front of Ryan and James, Ethan was overwhelmed with joy and happiness. He had really feared that he might never see them again.He had been terrified that he might never see his family and loved ones in this life. But while he was hugging Ryan, he noticed that James was looking at him with a puzzled expression.“What? Why do you keep staring at me like something’s wrong?” Ethan demanded, his brow furrowing deeply as he tried to make sense of James’ intense gaze.James looked at him with a piercing curiosity. “I just realised you haven’t told us how you managed to escape death with those men, or why you haven’t come back all this time. Ethan… what really happened?”As James’ words sank in, Ethan felt a cold shiver run down his spine. The memory of that harrowing ordeal was something he had desperately tried to block out. The pain, fear, and uncertainty of those moments were haunting him, and he wished he could forget them entirely. But now, faced with James’ unwaveri
With a swift shove from Ryan’s grip, Ethan abruptly climbed out of the car and advanced toward the men standing in their path. He kept a cautious distance, aware that although he wasn’t close, they could close the gap quickly.“Why do you all want me again?” Ethan demanded, his brow furrowed deeply, his voice steady but laced with underlying tension.One of the men, a towering figure with a hardened face, stepped forward. “I’m sorry, Ethan, but your death would mean a lot more to us than you standing here, looking all strong and defiant!” His voice was cold and resolute, hinting at a deep-seated vendetta.Another man, visibly impatient, snarled, “Let’s get to the point before he manages to escape! I don’t trust him!” His eyes darted around, assessing Ethan’s movements with a wary, calculating gaze.The leader, a grim-faced man with a scar running down his cheek, glanced sharply at the others, his eyes reflecting a mix of anger and determination. Realising the urgency of the situation
“Anything I want?” the leader said, his voice dripping with sinister amusement. He tilted his head to the side, his gaze narrowing as he scrutinised Ethan. “Why should I believe you? Would you really give me anything I ask for?”Ethan struggled to keep his voice steady, despite the pain and the tight grip of the men holding him down. “Just as I said, anything you want from me, you’ll get it!” He glanced over at Ryan and James, who were also restrained, their faces etched with fear and helplessness. His earlier command for them to stay in the car seemed foolish now. Their capture had only complicated matters, turning what he hoped would be a solo confrontation into a tangled mess.The leader’s expression shifted to a cold, calculating smirk. “Fine. If you’re so eager to please…” he said, rising to his full height. He extended his arm to the side with an air of nonchalance. One of his henchmen, a hulking figure with a cold, indifferent face, stepped forward and placed a sleek, menac
If there was anything Ethan wasn't prepared for, it was definitely dying eight seconds before Ryan and James. Even more heartbreaking, he had just survived death.The man pulled the gun and pointed it directly at Ethan. His plan was simple: kill Ethan and leave without hesitation. Kill Ethan Wills and escape without a trace.He was going to get paid after all, so what was the point of sticking around? With a sneer on his lips, he reached for the trigger. Just as Ethan had his eyes shut, the man fired the gun, the sound echoing in the dark.Ryan and James struggled to break free, but it was too late; Ethan was the target. Everyone thought the bullet would hit and kill Ethan, but at that moment, Isabella stormed in.“Argh!!” she exclaimed as the bullet pierced through her chest, hitting her heart before she fell to the ground before Ethan, coughing up blood.“Isabella????!!!!” Ryan wailed in deep pain and anger as he saw his one true friend on the ground with blood all over her body.Et
Taking the phone away from the man forcefully, Ethan responded to the call and held it up to his ear, his breaths heavy as he awaited in stillness.When the call had gone on for a few minutes without any words from the other side, the man calling knew that Ethan wasn't dead yet.“I see you weren't killed again. You escaped death!” His fist clenched as he spoke. He tried his best to act calm, but inside, he was furious knowing that Ethan was still alive.It seemed as though Ethan was now a god, and no man could kill him no matter how they tried.“You sound so disappointed…” Ethan teased, trying to provoke him further.Ethan had thought it was Gideon who had sent the men, and he was certain he could tell if it was Gideon just by hearing him speak. However, it was clear that it wasn't Gideon, making it difficult for him to understand what was happening.He needed him to speak more so he could identify him.“Disappointed? The only regret I have right now is not killing you when I had the
The second the car came to a screeching stop, the man turned around to look at Ethan, who already had his eyes fixed on the building directly before them. At this point, he knew Ethan was pretty sure they had arrived, but why wasn’t he climbing out of the car?Ethan was distraught. He still couldn’t believe it; he couldn’t believe that Isabella had to take the gun just for him to be alive. His fist clenched tightly as he recalled how she had saved him the first time in the water.“I’m going to avenge your unjust death, Isabella!” he muttered in rage, his voice deep and calm, echoing nothing but anger.The driver was still confused. Ethan needed to get out of the car if they were going to start moving, but Ethan remaining in the car was hindering him from working as he should.“Excuse me, Sir… you should—” Just as he was about to continue, Ethan snapped his gaze to him, his eyes blazing with nothing but rage.“I’m fully aware.” With that, Ethan pushed the door open, climbed out of the
“Please! Please, Ethan, stop this madness. Please!” Nathan begged over and over again with the last strength he could muster, but Ethan refused to listen, his gun still pointed at him.“You woke this beast up, Nathan… you all woke the inner monster, and you have to pay for it. Say hello to the devil when you meet him.” Ethan pulled the trigger and shot Nathan right in the head, silencing him without a second thought.Nathan's blood gushed from his forehead while Ethan stood before him. One of them was dead now; he wasn't sure how many were left, but he was going to kill them all this time.He fell to the ground on both knees, the hard impact of his knees meeting the floor echoing nothing but intense pain in his ears.Ethan's hand instinctively reached for his heart as he knelt before Nathan. “That's enough, that's enough!” he yelled, but his words did little to stop his tears.He burst into tears, the death of Isabella still hurting him deeply. He tried to control his tears, the pain,
“Who are you, and what do you want from me?” Ethan asked as he kept struggling against the ropes that bound him to the pillar behind him.Beads of sweat had already begun to form on his forehead. This was definitely not how he had planned his night. This wasn’t how he had planned his days either. It was as if, in this second life, he was attacked more often than he could have ever imagined.“That shouldn't be the question you should be asking right now,” she snarled as she glared at Ethan. She clearly enjoyed seeing him confused and uncomfortable, just as he had made her brother feel back then.“Who the hell are you, and why am I tied to this fucking pillar?” Ethan's voice rose with intensity and fury as he glared at the girl.What pained him most was that she didn’t look sorry. She wasn’t remorseful for any of it; she knew exactly what she was doing.“Now you see how it feels. Now you know how it feels to be on the verge of death!” She frowned instantly as she spoke.“After killing