After a mont, Renata’s tone shifted, turning sharp, "We’re already investigating who sent those n."
Instantly, Ethan’s eyes were burning with anger at hearing her words.
She continued, "Fake registration vans, layered routes, and professional cleanup attempts. This wasn’t a random hit."
Ethan nodded. "I figured."
"But here’s the strange part," she continued. "The orders weren’t just to capture you. They wanted you dead."
A dangerous glint flickered in Ethan’s eyes. "Then they made a regrettable life choice."
Renata rolls her eyes and says, "My goodness, Boss... You’re still fierce, even half-dead."
"Unfortunately," Ethan said weakly, a faint smile tugging at his lips, "I can’t get up and prove it right now—"
The joke landed, but sothing tangled quietly in his chest. Beneath the teasing tone lay the heavy truth he didn’t voice. Axel was coming. Flying straight into danger, straight into exposure, all for him.
Ethan knew better than anyone what that ant. Axel didn’t move unless it mattered. And this mattered too much for him. He must be disappointed.
Renata noticed the flicker in his eyes.
Her sharp expression softened, just a little. "Alright, you need to rest, E..." she said, lowering her voice. "The Boss will arrive any minute. I can’t stay here..."
Ethan turned his head to look at her thoroughly. The machines beeped steadily, indifferent to the tension stretching between them.
"Rena—"
"Yes?" she answered automatically.
"You can stay." He calmly said.
For a brief second, Renata froze. Her brows knitted as she stared at him, as if she’d misheard.
"Ethan, did you forget what I told you before?" she asked. "The big Boss is coming. Collins already asked to clear the area. No one is allowed to stay inside this room, only you."
A faint, knowing smile curved Ethan’s lips. "It’s fine. You are my trusted person in X-Guard. It’s fine if you stay."
Her frown deepened, confused. "You allow to et him now? Why...?"
"This is the right ti to et him, personally," Ethan continued calmly. "Because, if sothing like this happens to again—and let’s hope it doesn’t—you should be able to communicate with him directly without going through Collins every ti."
Renata’s eyes widened slightly.
"A-Are you serious?" She stepped closer to the bed, lowering her voice. "You’re saying I can stay? To et him in person?"
"Damn Rena! That’s what I tried to tell you..." he replied. "And relax, Rena. He won’t bite. Much."
"That doesn’t reassure at all," she muttered, trying to calm herself.
He chuckled softly, instantly regretting it as pain flickered across his face. "You’re overthinking. He won’t question why you’re here. Just stay, alright!"
Renata studied him for a long mont, as if trying to see if she hadn’t misheard it. Finally, she sighed.
"Alright," she said. "I’ll trust you. But if I get fired or buried, I’m haunting you."
"Deal," Ethan said. "Just don’t haunt while I’m still alive."
She rolled her eyes, but a smile betrayed her.
The light banter barely had ti to settle before the atmosphere shifted.
Footsteps echoed down the corridor outside the dical room.
Renata straightened instinctively, her posture snapping back into its usual professional sharpness. Ethan’s gaze lifted toward the door, and a calm smile erged on his lips.
A second later, the door swung open.
Axel Knight stepped inside. Tall. Composed. His presence alone seed to draw the air inward.
Collins followed closely behind him, tablet in hand, eyes scanning the room.
And, a man in a white coat—clearly the attending physician—trailed after them, nervous energy rolling off him in waves.
Renata felt it imdiately—pressure and shock. She never imagined that their senior Boss was Axel Knight, the person she always saw in the news and on the internet.
"Oh, my lord! So, our big Boss is Axel Knight?" She wanted to scream that, but the words only played in his mind.
She could only try not to make any move or sounds, worried that the big Boss would see her direction.
Axel’s gaze swept the room once before settling on the man lying in the bed.
"Ethan," he said quietly, approaching the bed and standing just enough to see Ethan’s terrible condition.
Ethan smirked slightly. "Boss, you look disappointed. I’m still alive."
The tension in the room cracked when Collins finally exhaled. It sounded half like relief, half like he wanted to throttle soone.
"Man," Collins said, shaking his head, "you don’t joke after triggering a danger signal. You know how many systems that set off?"
Ethan grinned lazily from the bed. "I do. It’s part of my ability."
Collins snorted. "Your ability to shorten my lifespan?"
Ethan chuckled, then winced when pain tugged at his chest. Still, his smile didn’t fade. "Thank you, man. Seriously. For your help."
"That’s part of my job," Collins replied, waving it off. "No need to thank . Though next ti, try getting shot less. Really helps with my stress levels."
Renata hid her smile by crossing her arms behind her back.
Ethan turned his gaze toward Axel, and his smile faded.
Axel stood there in silence, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable. No anger. No relief. No concern. That blank calm unsettled Ethan more than shouting ever could.
Without waiting for Axel to speak, Ethan hurriedly said, "Boss, I assure you I’ll heal fast and resu my duties. You don’t need to worry about ."
As if to prove his point, he tried to sit up.
"Easy," the doctor said quickly, stepping in to help. He adjusted the bed until Ethan’s back rested at a safer angle.
"Thanks, Doc," Ethan said with genuine appreciation.
The doctor only nodded and stepped back into place, eyes flicking toward Axel as if waiting for permission to breathe.
Silence fell.
Heavy. Expectant.
Even Collins stopped joking.
Axel stared at Ethan for a long mont, eyes sharp, distant, as if calculating sothing no one else could see.
"Ethan," Axel finally said.
Everyone straightened.
"You will transfer to the capital for the ti being," Axel continued calmly. "Your subordinate will handle X-Guard. The company will be overseen by the COO."
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