"Come in," the bodyguard called out.
Daisy and Ethan stepped inside, Daisy immediately rushing to Madison's bedside. Madison looked pale, her strength clearly drained, but a flicker of color returned to her cheeks the moment she saw her friend.
"How are you feeling?" Daisy asked, her voice trembling with concern.
"I'll be okay," Madison replied softly, her gaze drifting toward Ethan. "I had some help."
Ethan stepped closer, his expression unreadable. "I hope you both have a swift recovery," he said. Allen, resting nearby, offered him a knowing smile and a slight nod of respect.
"Thanks for everything, Ethan," Madison added, her voice carrying a weight that Daisy didn't quite catch. "Truly."
Daisy looked between them, her brow furrowed. "Help? Did my brother do something?"
Ethan's face became a mask of polite indifference. He shot Madison a brief, sharp look—a silent plea for discretion. Madison caught the hint instantly.
"It was nothing, Daisy," she said, forcing a small, reassuring smile. "Just being a gentleman."
The Chairman watched the exchange from the corner of the room, a faint, cryptic smile touching his lips. He straightened his suit and signaled for Ethan to follow him. "Now that your friends are here, I'll leave you to talk. Ethan, may I have a word?"
Ethan followed the older man into the hushed, sterile hallway. Once the door clicked shut, the Chairman's formal posture softened.
"Thank you," the Chairman whispered, his voice thick with sincerity. "If you had been even a second later, I would have lost my granddaughter—and Allen, a boy I've raised as my own."
"Sir, I only did what was necessary," Ethan demurred, his eyes fixed on the far wall.
"Don't be so humble. If you ever find yourself in need—of anything at all—you come to me," the Chairman insisted. He paused, studying Ethan's face with newfound intensity. "You know... my daughter-in-law used to speak of you quite often."
Ethan's brow furrowed. "Your daughter-in-law?"
The old man nodded slowly. "Madison is her daughter."
The light in Ethan's eyes seemed to dim as the realization settled in his chest like lead. "I... I'm so sorry," he whispered, the words barely audible.
"It wasn't your fault, son," the Chairman said softly, placing a hand on the wall for support. "When the time comes, no one can outrun fate."
"She never once thought of herself," Ethan said, his voice cracking with a rare flash of emotion. "She was a great woman. The best."
"She was," the Chairman agreed.
Ethan bit his lip, his jaw tightening as if he'd already said too much. He exhaled slowly, trying to push the grief back down, but for a moment, the wall he built around himself crumbled.
"Once," he said, his voice dropping to a low, rough cadence, "I had nothing. But I had her. She was... she was like a mother to me."
Tears welled in the old man's eyes.
"Even at the end," Ethan added softly, "she was worried about Madison. She told me how thankful she was for the life she lived with your family."
"After that day, everything changed for us," the Chairman sighed, wiping his eyes with a handkerchief. He reached out and patted Ethan's shoulder firmly. "Thank you again. Remember—my door is always open to you."
The Chairman walked away, his bodyguard in tow. As they reached the end of the hall, the guard glanced back, offering Ethan a sharp, respectful nod before they disappeared around the corner.
Ethan took a moment to steady his breathing before knocking and re-entering the room. Madison and Daisy were deep in conversation, but Allen's eyes were fixed on him.
"Hey, Ethan," Allen said.
Ethan moved toward Allen's bed. "How are you holding up?"
Allen frowned, lowering his voice so the girls wouldn't hear. "How did you know we were going to be attacked?"
Ethan remained silent for a long beat. "I didn't."
"You're kidding me, right?"
"I'll explain later," Ethan said firmly. "But for now, this stays between us."
Allen hesitated, then nodded. Ethan's gaze drifted over to Madison. She really does look just like her, he thought, his mind drifting back to a different time, a different life.
Madison noticed his intense stare and shifted uncomfortably. Daisy, sensing her friend's unease, looked up to find her brother lost in thought, his eyes anchored on Madison's face.
"Brother," Daisy called out, snapping him back to reality.
"Yes?"
"Aren't you staring a bit too much?" Daisy teased, though her eyes were curious.
Ethan blinked, a small frown appearing. "No, it's not like that. I was just... thinking."
"I don't blame you," Daisy laughed, turning back to her friend. "Madison is as beautiful as a flower. Half the boys at school are in love with her."
"No, it isn't that," Ethan corrected, his voice distant. "There was someone I knew once. Madison reminds me of her."
Daisy's eyes narrowed slightly, sensing a secret she wasn't being told. "Okay," she said slowly, letting it drop for now.
Ethan sighed quietly. As long as you're safe, he thought. Allen watched him, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in bruised purples and golds, Ethan and Daisy finally left the hospital. The walk home was quiet, the air cooling as 7:00 PM approached.
Ethan noticed Daisy watching him out of the corner of her eye. "Is there something on your mind?"
"You said at the hospital that you knew someone who looked like Madison," Daisy said, her curiosity finally winning out. "Who was she?"
Ethan looked ahead at the stretching shadows. "A woman I knew back in Russia," he said simply.
"Oh. I see," Daisy replied, sensing the 'do not enter' sign in his tone.
Soon, they reached their front door. The familiar scent of home greeted them as they stepped inside. Their mother was already there, welcoming them with a tired but warm smile. Dinner was waiting on the table, a brief, peaceful end to a day defined by shadows and secrets.