CEO loves me with all his soul.-Chapter 62. Just play along.

Adrian leaned back against the hospital bed, a faint smile on his lips as he watched Ethan meticulously spooning porridge and holding it up to his lips. "Come on, just one more bite," Ethan coaxed gently, his eyes soft with affection.

Adrian chuckled softly, his hand resting on his belly.

"I’m full," he protested lightly, but the way his gaze lingered on Ethan made it clear that he wasn’t really complaining. The warmth between them was palpable, and even after all they had been through, they found comfort in these small, tender moments.

"Full? You barely ate," Ethan teased, trying to coax another spoonful into Adrian’s mouth.

Before Adrian could respond, the door to the ward suddenly flew open with a loud bang, and Isaac strode in, his usual dramatic flair on full display. He rolled his eyes immediately at the sight of Ethan feeding Adrian. "Ugh, seriously? Can’t you two be lovey-dovey somewhere else?" he huffed, tossing his jacket onto the nearest chair.

Ethan glanced over, unimpressed, as he lowered the spoon. "You’re the one who barged in, Isaac."

Isaac waved a dismissive hand, ignoring the comment as his eyes landed on Lucas, who was gently checking Aurelius and Seraphina’s vitals nearby. Without missing a beat, Isaac marched over to Lucas’s side, as if he owned the place. "Lucas," he began in a loud, confident voice, "I’ve made up my mind. I want to marry you."

Lucas didn’t even look up from his task. He merely gave Isaac a side-eye, raising an eyebrow slightly before returning to his work on the twins, completely unfazed. "And I want peace and quiet. We can’t always get what we want," Lucas deadpanned, clearly unimpressed by Isaac’s grand declaration.

Isaac’s expression faltered for a second, but he quickly recovered, leaning against the wall with a smirk. "You’re hard to get, Lucas, but I’m persistent."

Lucas didn’t respond. Instead, he finished his examination of Aurelius and Seraphina, his focus on making sure the babies were comfortable. Adrian watched the interaction with a raised eyebrow, slightly amused at Isaac’s blatant attempts to woo the ever-practical Lucas, who seemed immune to his antics.

Before anyone could comment further, the door opened again, and this time a woman stepped in—a striking figure with dark hair and sharp eyes. Her presence filled the room with a quiet intensity, and everyone in the room except Isaac looked up in curiosity. Isaac, however, didn’t bat an eyelid; he clearly recognized her.

"Well, look who’s here," Isaac said casually. "This is Luri Shaw, my lovely younger sister." He said it with an exaggerated flourish, his voice dripping with mock sincerity.

"Step-sibling," Luri corrected immediately, rolling her eyes at Isaac’s dramatics. She stepped forward with a confident stride, her gaze sharp as she surveyed the room. "Pleasure to meet you all. I’m Luri Shaw, and yes, Isaac’s my stepbrother."

Adrian, who had been quietly watching, gave Luri a small smile, feeling a sense of curiosity. "Adrian Levistis," he introduced himself, offering a hand in greeting. "It’s nice to meet you."

Luri shook his hand, a small smirk playing on her lips. "Likewise. I’ve heard a lot about you."

Adrian chuckled softly. "Hopefully not all bad."

"Oh, only the dramatic bits from Isaac," Luri replied, shooting her stepbrother a teasing glance.

Ethan, who had been tidying up the food containers, glanced over at the two, his expression guarded but polite. He wasn’t entirely sure what to make of Isaac’s step-sister, but she seemed a bit less volatile than her brother. "Nice to meet you," he said simply, nodding in her direction before packing up the last of the lunch boxes.

As the group chatted and introduced themselves, Ethan quietly excused himself from the room, taking the packed-up containers with him. He needed some fresh air, and honestly, Isaac’s constant energy could be exhausting. He stepped into the hallway, his mind wandering to Adrian and the twins as he walked toward the exit.

As he neared the elevator, something caught his eye. Across the hall, in the ward next to Adrian and the twins’ room, Ethan felt a strange, almost chilling sensation wash over him. The lights in the ward were dim, almost entirely off, casting a shadowy gloom over the room. At first, it seemed empty, but there was a lingering feeling that someone—or something—was watching him.

He stopped, frowning, his instincts kicking in. Was someone in there?

Just as he was about to step closer, the door to the ward creaked open. A nurse stepped out, her uniform crisp and white. She looked up at Ethan, her brows furrowing in confusion as she noticed him standing there, staring at the door.

"Can I help you, sir?" the nurse asked, her tone polite but cautious.

Ethan blinked, momentarily thrown off. "Uh, no. I just... thought I saw something." He glanced back at the door, but the dim room remained as it was—silent and seemingly empty.

The nurse gave him a quizzical look, then glanced back toward the ward herself. "There’s no one in there at the moment, sir. It’s just being cleaned."

Ethan forced a smile, trying to brush off the strange feeling that had crept over him. "Right. Thanks."

The nurse nodded, giving him one last curious glance before continuing down the hallway, her footsteps echoing softly against the tiles.

Ethan hesitated for a moment longer, staring at the darkened ward. Something about it didn’t sit right with him, but without any concrete reason to investigate further, he turned away and headed back to Adrian’s room.

--

Back in the hospital room, the atmosphere was much lighter. Adrian and Luri had quickly found common ground, chatting like old friends. Luri’s sharp wit paired well with Adrian’s quiet charm, and the two seemed to get along almost effortlessly.

"I can’t believe you’ve been dealing with Isaac for so long," Adrian joked, glancing at Isaac, who was currently trying to get Lucas’s attention—again—with little success.

Luri chuckled. "You get used to it. Eventually." She gave Isaac a mock glare. "He’s a handful, but he’s not all bad. Sometimes."

Isaac, catching the last bit, huffed dramatically. "I’m standing right here, you know."

Lucas finally sighed and turned to Isaac, giving him a withering look. "If you’re done causing a scene, maybe you could help me with something actually useful."

Isaac’s smirk returned full force. "Anything for you, love."

Lucas shot him a flat look. "I’m not your love."

"We’ll see about that," Isaac muttered, undeterred.

As the sun began to set over the hospital, a figure stood in the shadows of that same darkened ward, their face obscured. They watched as Ethan and Adrian’s door quietly clicked shut, their eyes narrowing with a hidden intent.

"Soon..." the figure whispered to themselves, their voice a chilling murmur in the empty room.

-------------

Cain Sebanil sat in his dimly lit office, his fingers drumming rhythmically on the polished wood of his desk. The report in front of him caught his attention—an anomaly found during a routine genetic check on a patient admitted to one of the hospitals owned by the Sebanil family. It was a policy Cain had quietly implemented, a subtle search for traces of the son who had been lost to him at birth. The odds of finding him had been slim, but Cain had never given up hope. And now, after so many years, there was something.

His assistant knocked gently at the door before entering, a folder in hand. "Sir, this is the report you requested," the assistant said, handing it over with a cautious glance. He knew this was a matter of utmost importance to Cain.

Cain flipped the folder open and scanned the report, his eyes narrowing slightly as he read the results. It was the same hospital where his third son, Yuin, had been admitted after narrowly escaping a kidnapping. The same place where he had found his youngest son. A strange feeling tugged at his chest as he reviewed the details—there was a genetic match to his family. It was faint, but undeniable.

Isaac Shaw.

The name on the report left Cain cold for a moment. Isaac Shaw... why did that name sound familiar? His mind raced back to a proposal he had recently received. The Shaw family had approached him, suggesting a marriage alliance. They had proposed that Isaac Shaw, their eldest son, marry Cain’s youngest daughter—an arrangement that Cain had been reluctant to agree to, especially since his daughter was still in a coma, awaiting a cure.

But now, with this new revelation, everything seemed to connect in a way Cain hadn’t anticipated. He stared down at the report, his mind buzzing with possibilities. Could it be? Could Isaac Shaw be the son who had been taken from him all those years ago?

"Are these results conclusive?" Cain asked, his voice tight, betraying none of the storm brewing inside him.

The assistant nodded. "Yes, sir. The genetic markers are a match to your family. It’s faint, but the connection is there."

Cain leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. The implications were enormous. Isaac Shaw wasn’t just any young man—he was possibly the son who had been stolen from him at birth. And yet, that same Isaac was now being dangled in front of him as a pawn in a marriage proposal from the Shaw family. The thought sent a shiver down Cain’s spine. Were the Shaws aware of this connection? Had they known all along?

He stood up abruptly, pacing the room. He needed answers—fast. There was no way he could let this continue without knowing the full truth.

"I need you to arrange a meeting at the hospital," Cain said, his voice sharp with resolve. "I want every file on Isaac Shaw and any history the hospital has of him. And discreetly, understand? No one can know what we’re looking for."

The assistant nodded quickly, sensing the urgency. "Yes, sir. I’ll take care of it right away."

As soon as the assistant left, Cain leaned against his desk, his thoughts swirling. The hospital where all this had taken place was one he knew well—it had been a critical part of the Sebanil family’s operations for decades. And now it seemed that every dark secret, every lost thread, was leading him back to this very place. The fact that Isaac had been treated here, just like his other sons, sent a clear signal that something deeper was at play.

The Shaw family... they had always been cunning, always looking for ways to expand their influence. But had they stooped so low as to steal one of his children? Cain’s jaw clenched. He had dealt with many enemies in his life, but nothing cut as deeply as the thought of his own blood being used against him. He would not allow it.

A few hours later, Cain found himself standing outside the hospital, staring up at its towering facade. The memories flooded back—the day Yuin had been found here after his kidnapping, the relief he had felt when his youngest son was safely returned to him. And now, it was the place where he would discover the truth about Isaac Shaw.

He entered the hospital, his presence commanding the attention of everyone around him. Doctors, nurses, and staff members greeted him with respect, but Cain barely acknowledged them, his mind focused on the task at hand. His assistant met him at the entrance, holding a tablet with the necessary information.

"We’ve compiled everything," the assistant said as they walked toward a private office in the back. "The genetic tests have been confirmed, and we’ve pulled all the records on Isaac Shaw. There are some... irregularities."

Cain’s eyes flickered with interest. "What kind of irregularities?"

"Well, for starters, Isaac Shaw’s records are unusually sparse. There’s very little information about his early years, and what we do have seems... off. It’s as if someone has been deliberately hiding parts of his past."

Cain’s frown deepened. That only confirmed his suspicions. "And the Shaw family?"

"There’s no direct link between them and any of the hospital staff, but it’s clear they’ve been using their influence here. The proposal they made—suggesting Isaac marry your youngest daughter—it wasn’t random."

Cain stopped outside the office door, turning to face his assistant. "You’re telling me they’ve been planning this?"

The assistant hesitated. "It seems likely, sir. The timing of their proposal and the discovery of Isaac’s connection to your family... it’s too coincidental."

Cain felt a surge of anger rise in his chest, but he forced it down. Now wasn’t the time to let his emotions take control. He needed to remain calm, calculated.

"Leave me for now," Cain instructed. "I need to go through these files myself."

The assistant nodded and handed Cain the tablet before leaving. Cain stepped into the office, closing the door behind him. He sat down at the desk, opening the files on the tablet and scanning through the information. The more he read, the more pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

Isaac Shaw... his history, his movements, even the people he had been connected to—everything pointed toward a larger conspiracy. And at the center of it all was the Shaw family, manipulating events to their advantage.

Cain clenched his fists. He had to act fast. If the Shaws were planning to use Isaac as leverage in a marriage alliance, they could very well know about his true heritage. And if they did, they wouldn’t hesitate to use it against him.

Just as Cain was about to close the file, his phone buzzed on the desk. He glanced at the screen—it was his assistant again.

"What is it?" Cain asked, answering the call.

"Sir, I just received word that there’s been a development at the Shaw estate. They’ve sent an official proposal... they want to move forward with the marriage between Isaac Shaw and your daughter."

Cain’s grip tightened on the phone. The nerve.

"Tell them we’re considering it," Cain said coldly, his mind already working through the possibilities. "But we’re not agreeing to anything just yet."

As he hung up, Cain leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. This was far from over. He would uncover the truth about Isaac Shaw, and if the Shaws had indeed stolen his son, they would pay the price.

But for now, he would play along—just long enough to get to the bottom of this.

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