Ethan stepped through the grand archway of the estate as the final line of luxury sedans departed down the tree-lined driveway. Standing near the entrance was the King, flanked closely by Adam, exchanging gracious nods and handshakes with the remaining high-profile guests.
A short distance away near the marble fountain, Ethan spotted Madison and Princess Victoria.
The moment Madison caught sight of him, her tense posture relaxed, a soft smile gracing her lips. Unconsciously, a faint, tired smile tugged at Ethan's mouth as well. He began walking over to them.
"Ethan! Where on earth have you been?" Madison asked, her eyes sweeping over his exhausted frame. "You look like..."
She trailed off, taking in the faint smudges of soot on his jacket and his pale complexion. Ethan offered a quiet nod, letting the silence answer for him. Madison sighed softly, understanding better than to push for answers right now.
"Where's Jake?" Ethan asked, his voice noticeably raspy.
"He went looking for you a while ago," Madison replied.
Ethan nodded faintly, adjusting his posture. "Well... you two can go ahead and continue—"
A sharp, violent cough cut him off. Ethan brought his hand up to cover his mouth, but his eyes suddenly widened in shock.
Madison's expression shifted to surprise. "Ethan? What's wrong?"
Ethan slowly pulled his hand away. Crimson blood coated his palm. Before either of them could react, a fresh trickle of dark blood leaked from the corner of his mouth. The world spun violently on its axis, and Ethan's knees buckled, his body collapsing heavily onto the marble floor.
"Ethan!" Madison screamed.
"Get the doctors! Quickly!" Princess Victoria panicked, turning toward the royal security detail.
The King's head snapped toward the commotion, his eyes widening as he immediately rushed over, Adam following right at his heel.
"What happened, Victoria?!" the King demanded, kneeling beside the unconscious teenager.
"He... he just coughed up blood and collapsed!" Madison said, her hands trembling as she hovered over Ethan.
Where the hell is Jake?! He brought us here, and now when everything goes to hell, he's nowhere to be found!
Within minutes, the royal security detail had Ethan loaded into a private transport, speeding toward the kingdom's premier medical facility.
The finest specialists under the Royal Family's direct employment worked tirelessly behind closed doors. Madison sat on a leather couch in the private waiting room, her fingers tightly intertwined as she stared blankly at the floor, consumed by fear.
The door slid open, and Jake finally walked into the ward.
"What happened to him?" Jake asked, his voice steady and neutral.
Madison looked up, her eyes sharp with emotion. "He suddenly coughed up blood and passed out. Where were you?!"
Jake didn't answer the question directly, keeping his gaze fixed on the glass window overlooking Ethan's bed. "Once his condition stabilizes, we're taking him back home."
Madison gave a curt, tight nod, turning her head away.
Moments later, the head physician stepped out of the ICU, pulling off his surgical mask. "Miss, Sir. His condition has been successfully neutralized. However, he requires complete rest for at least twenty-four hours."
Jake offered a faint nod. "Is it toxic exposure?"
"We ran a full toxicological sweep and found no poisons in his bloodstream," the doctor explained cautiously. "From what we can gather, his nervous and muscular systems suffered from catastrophic overexertion. His body simply shut down from severe strain and physical overuse."
The doctor paused, choosing his words carefully. "While we cannot pinpoint the exact cause of such structural stress, his physiological tests show he desperately needs sleep and rest. A full day of uninterrupted rest should allow his vitals to recover."
"Understood. Thank you, Doctor," Jake said.
The medical team bowed and exited the hallway. Madison sank back onto the couch, letting out a long, shuddering breath. P
ulling out her smartphone to check the time, her thumb froze mid-scroll. Her eyes widened in absolute shock as she read the breaking global news alert popping up across her screen:
CRITICAL BREAKING NEWS: MASSIVE UNEXPLAINED EXPLOSION REDUCES SUBTERRANEAN MOUNTAIN COMPLEX TO ASHES IN NEIGHBORING REGION.
Madison stared at the burning mushroom cloud on her screen, then looked over at the unconscious Ethan lying on the hospital bed, and finally turned her gaze toward Jake.
Jake stood near the window, his expression completely unreadable.
Madison slowly pushed herself off the couch, walking up to Jake and holding her phone out, displaying the fiery headline.
"Ethan is connected to this... isn't he?" Madison asked, her voice dangerously quiet.
Jake looked down at the phone screen, then met her eyes. He offered no explanation, no denial, and no comfort. Without saying a single word, he turned on his heel and walked out of the private ward.
Bastard... Madison thought, her jaw tightening as she watched his back disappear into the corridor.
However, right as Jake reached for the door handle, the cuff of his jacket shifted back slightly—revealing a fresh, violent burn mark scarred across his left palm.
Madison's eyes narrowed into slits.
Come to think of it... where the hell was he while all of this was happening?
Night bled into morning.
When the early morning sunlight broke through the blinds, Jake re-entered the ward. Madison had fallen fast asleep on the couch, curled up under a light blanket.
Jake walked over, pulling up a chair beside Ethan's bed and sitting down in silence. He stared at the heart monitor rhythmically pulsing beside the sleeping teenager.
The Second Branch is completely gone... Jake thought, a dark, solemn glint flickering in his eyes.
"That's truly a terrifying feat, Ethan." Jake murmured.