CEO loves me with all his soul.-Chapter 57. Ethan’s Suspicions

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."

Adrian, who was sitting beside Ethan, quietly reached out and patted his hand in a soothing gesture, sensing that Ethan was already irritated beyond belief. freēnovelkiss.com

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Lady Sachel continued, her voice softer now, almost pleading. "Ethan, I... I didn’t know what to do back then. I thought marrying you to Adrian was the best decision, considering everything. I was—"

Ethan cut her off with a sharp laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "The best decision? Really? So, marrying your comatose son to a man he’s never met is what passes for good parenting these days?"

Lady Sachel’s voice faltered, but she pressed on. "Ethan, I’m trying to apologize. I know I made mistakes—"

"Mistakes?" Ethan’s voice rose, his frustration spilling out now. "You didn’t make mistakes, Mother. You abandoned me. You gave up on me when I was at my weakest, and now that I’m back on my feet, suddenly you want to play the doting mother?"

Adrian’s hand gently squeezed Ethan’s, trying to calm him. "Ethan..." he whispered softly, but Ethan wasn’t done.

"No, Adrian. She needs to hear this," Ethan said firmly before turning his attention back to the phone. "You know what, Mother? I’m actually glad you did what you did. Because if you hadn’t arranged that ridiculous marriage, I wouldn’t have met Adrian." He glanced at Adrian with a soft smile, the anger briefly giving way to warmth. "So, I suppose in a twisted way, I should thank you."

There was silence on the other end for a moment before Lady Sachel’s voice cracked. "I’m... I’m truly sorry, Ethan. I didn’t realize—"

Ethan’s expression hardened again. "It’s too late for that, Mother. I don’t need your apologies now. You had your chance to be a part of my life, and you blew it."

"Please, Ethan—" Lady Sachel tried once more, her voice desperate now.

"No," Ethan snapped, his patience gone. "I’m done. Whatever you’re trying to do now, whatever guilt you’re feeling, it’s not going to fix anything. You’re only calling because I’m awake and you don’t want to look like the mother who abandoned her son. Well, guess what? That’s exactly what you are."

Adrian watched Ethan with wide eyes, sensing the raw emotions coursing through him. He reached out, rubbing slow circles on Ethan’s hand, grounding him.

"Ethan, I—"

"I don’t want to hear it," Ethan cut her off for the final time, his voice cold and firm. "Save your apologies for someone who cares. Goodbye, Mother."

With that, he ended the call, tossing the phone onto the side table with a frustrated sigh.

Adrian watched him silently for a moment before speaking up. "Are you okay?"

Ethan sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. "I will be," he said softly. He looked at Adrian, his eyes softening. "It’s just... she acts like she cares, but she only cares when it’s convenient for her."

Adrian nodded, leaning in closer. "You’re right, and you don’t need to listen to her anymore. You’ve come so far, and you’ve got people who love you now."

Ethan smiled faintly, his tension easing as he looked at Adrian. "Yeah. I guess I just needed to say that to her, you know?"

Adrian reached out, gently patting Ethan’s hand again. "You did the right thing. She doesn’t deserve your time."

Ethan chuckled softly, though there was still an edge of frustration in his voice. "Yeah, well, it felt good to finally tell her off."

Augustin, who had been standing nearby, glanced over at Ethan and raised an eyebrow. "Did I just overhear you tell Lady Sachel to shove it?"

Ethan’s smirk returned. "Yeah, you did."

Augustin let out a low whistle, leaning against the doorframe. "I gotta say, Ethan. I didn’t think I’d see the day you’d stand up to her like that."

Leclair, sitting next to Augustin, chuckled under his breath. "You should’ve seen the look on his face when he hung up on her."

Ethan laughed, the tension from the conversation beginning to melt away. "I mean, she deserved it. After everything she’s done—" He shook his head. "I’m done trying to make her care."

Adrian rested his head on Ethan’s shoulder, smiling softly. "You’ve got me now. You don’t need her approval."

Ethan wrapped his arm around Adrian, pulling him closer. "And that’s all I need." He placed a gentle kiss on Adrian’s forehead, making him blush lightly.

Isaac, who had been quietly watching the entire exchange, cleared his throat dramatically. "Well, that was... intense."

Ethan rolled his eyes at Isaac.

----

2 Months Later

In the quiet, moonlit room of Levistis Manor, the air was still except for the soft sounds of breathing. Ethan lay in bed, his chest rising and falling rapidly as his eyes snapped open, heart pounding from the remnants of the nightmare that clung to him.

Next to him, Adrian stirred groggily, his swollen belly a gentle reminder of the life growing within him. He yawned, his hand reaching out instinctively for Ethan. "Ethan... everything okay?" he murmured, his voice heavy with sleep as his eyes blinked open.

Ethan’s expression softened instantly, the tension in his body easing as he looked at his beloved. He leaned in, brushing his lips tenderly against Adrian’s forehead. "Everything’s fine, love," he whispered, then kissed Adrian’s eyelids, closing them gently. "Go back to sleep. I’ll tell you in the morning."

Adrian let out a contented hum, his lips curving into a soft smile. "Okay..." he mumbled sleepily, his hand resting on Ethan’s chest for a brief moment before he slipped back into the comfort of his dreams.

Ethan watched him for a long moment, his heart warming at the sight of Adrian sleeping so peacefully. He ran a gentle hand over Adrian’s side, making sure he was truly resting before his own gaze drifted toward the window.

The night outside was calm, a silver sliver of moon casting a soft glow over the gardens of the manor. But within Ethan’s mind, the storm from the nightmare hadn’t settled. He leaned back into the pillows, his thoughts pulling him back to the disturbing images that had haunted his sleep.

His father’s face—pale and lifeless—flashed before his eyes. The memory of his father’s death, the supposed heart attack that had taken him so suddenly, felt like it was tearing at something deeper inside him tonight.

Was it really a heart attack?

Ethan frowned, his hands tightening into fists. He’d always believed the official story—his father had suffered from stress and health complications, and the heart attack had been the tragic end to it all. But something about it had never felt right, and for years he had buried that suspicion deep within himself, never wanting to confront it.

But now, as he lay in the stillness of the night, the question wouldn’t leave him.

Was it possible? Could someone have... murdered him?

And now they are targeting him and his family...

But for what reason, why the hell is everything getting so out of control?

The thought sent a shiver down his spine, and Ethan shook his head, trying to banish it from his mind. But no matter how hard he tried, the idea gnawed at him. His father had been a powerful man, with more enemies than friends in certain circles. A man like that didn’t just collapse out of the blue. Did he?

He glanced at Adrian again, his heart softening as he watched him sleep. Whatever truth he uncovered, he would need to protect Adrian—and their child—from the darkness that was brewing.

Quietly, Ethan sat up, his feet touching the cold floor. He walked toward the window, staring out into the starry night as if searching for answers in the void.

"Father..." he whispered to himself, the word carrying a weight of unresolved grief. "Did you really die of a heart attack, or were you... murdered?"

The silence of the room swallowed his words, leaving only the quiet rustle of the curtains as they danced in the breeze. Ethan stood there, staring into the night, knowing that the peace he had worked so hard to build might soon be shattered.

He thought back to all that had happened over the past few months—the kidnapping, the shooting, the strange occurrences with his soul seemingly detaching from his body. And it wasn’t just him. Adrian had been a target as well, his life thrown into turmoil the moment they got married. Leclair, his older brother, had barely survived a suspicious accident in the past. Everything seemed to connect, but to what?

Ethan gripped the windowsill tightly, his knuckles turning white as the puzzle pieces began to fall into place. "Why us?" he whispered, his breath fogging the cold glass. "What’s the reason behind all of this?"

It was like they were being hunted, but by who? And why?

The Levistis family had always been powerful, influential, and wealthy, but that status came with its fair share of enemies. They were always a target, but this felt different. It was personal. Whoever was behind all this wasn’t just interested in their money or their power—they were going after the family itself, systematically targeting each member. First his father, then Leclair’s accident, then Adrian’s abduction, and now his own near-death experiences.

And then, there was the most disturbing part—his soul. His soul had begun slipping out of his body, first when he had been in a coma and now after he was shot. How could that be possible? Was it just his mind playing tricks on him, or was something supernatural at work? Could it all be connected—the dreams, his father’s death, the attacks on his family?

He tried to make sense of it, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt as though he was falling deeper into a rabbit hole. One thing was becoming clear, though—this wasn’t just random bad luck. Someone was pulling the strings. Someone powerful enough to manipulate lives, create chaos, and go after the very heart of the Levistis family.

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