CEO loves me with all his soul.-Chapter 53. Ethan...

Ethan and Isaac rummaged through the chaotic lab, searching for anything that could serve as a weapon. Their movements were quick, but not without the occasional bickering. Ethan grabbed a scalpel and waved it in Isaac’s direction. "Look, try not to stab yourself with this. I don’t want to explain to people how you managed to trip and fall on a knife."

Isaac rolled his eyes, holding up a small injection of anesthetic. "Please, I’m more likely to save your reckless behind. Just stay out of my way."

Yuin, who was organizing lab masks in the corner, chuckled under his breath. "You two should have your own sitcom. It’s entertaining watching you argue, but we’re kind of in a life-and-death situation here."

Leclair, who had been quietly gathering supplies, looked over at the bickering pair. "We don’t have time for this. Grab what you need, and let’s go."

Ethan and Isaac exchanged glances, and as usual, neither was willing to back down. "I’ll go out first," Ethan insisted, gripping the scalpel tightly in his hand.

"Are you kidding me?" Isaac retorted, stepping forward. "You’ll just get in the way. Let me go first."

Before the argument could escalate, Leclair—always calm and pragmatic—took matters into his own hands. Without a word, he walked past both of them and opened the door.

Ethan and Isaac froze, exchanging dumbfounded looks as Leclair disappeared through the door. Yuin snickered and handed them the masks. "Looks like someone actually has some sense around here. Now, if you two are done acting like children, let’s follow him."

Ethan pulled on his mask, muttering under his breath. "Always has to make an entrance."

Isaac followed suit, jamming the mask onto his face. "No one asked for his heroics."

The trio quickly fell in line behind Leclair, their hearts pounding as they crept down the dimly lit hallway. As expected, guards were stationed at various points along the corridor. Leclair motioned for them to be silent. He moved first, striking swiftly with a precision that only someone of his experience could muster. A quick blow with the handle of his scalpel knocked one guard out cold, and he signaled for the others to follow.

Ethan and Isaac moved in tandem, their bickering set aside as they engaged the remaining guards. Isaac, using the anesthetic injection, swiftly neutralized a man charging at him, while Ethan sliced through ropes holding various equipment, creating chaos to cover their escape.

Yuin, despite his lack of fighting prowess, stayed close behind, scanning the area for any possible exits. His sharp mind took in every detail. "There’s a maintenance hatch near the back," he whispered. "If we can reach it, we can jump directly into the ocean."

Leclair nodded, his expression serious. "Go. I’ll cover the rear."

Just as they neared the hatch, a group of guards appeared, blocking their path. The four of them fought hard, but the numbers were overwhelming. Ethan kicked one guard in the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground, but before they could make their final dash for the hatch, a shot rang out.

The sound of the gunfire echoed through the hallway.

Ethan’s body jerked, his eyes wide in shock as the pain seared through his chest. For a moment, everything seemed to slow down. He could feel the warmth of his own blood spreading across his shirt, the strength draining from his limbs.

"No!" Isaac’s voice broke through the haze, raw with panic.

Leclair turned just in time to see Ethan collapse. Without hesitation, he and Isaac both lunged toward him, but it was too late—Ethan’s body fell, crashing through the hatch and into the cold, unforgiving ocean below.

"Ethan!" Leclair’s voice cracked with desperation as he scrambled toward the edge.

Yuin, panic flooding his normally calm demeanor, shouted, "We need to go after him!"

Without thinking, Leclair jumped through the hatch, plunging into the dark waters after his brother. Isaac was right behind him, diving in with a precision that came from years of training. Yuin, though less graceful, followed suit, his heart pounding as the icy ocean swallowed him.

The cold water hit Ethan like a shock to the system, pulling him further into the depths. He could feel his consciousness fading, the searing pain in his chest making it hard to think, let alone swim. The ocean was an endless black abyss, the weight of his injury pulling him down.

For a moment, Ethan’s thoughts were filled with despair. He thought of Adrian, his beautiful, gentle Adrian, and the unborn children they were expecting. He couldn’t leave them. He couldn’t make Adrian suffer like this.

Ethan’s eyes fluttered shut, and in that moment, he begged—whether to a god, the universe, or fate itself, he didn’t know. Please... let me live. Let me go back to him. Don’t take me away from him like this. I can’t make him cry. Please...

Just as the darkness began to swallow him whole, a strong arm wrapped around his torso. Leclair. His brother had found him. Ethan could hear Isaac’s voice, faint but desperate, calling his name over and over again as he pulled him upward, toward the light.

"Hold on, Ethan! Don’t you dare leave us!"

The surface broke, and they gasped for air. Isaac and Yuin were already treading water nearby, their faces pale with fear. Together, the three of them worked to keep Ethan afloat, their movements frantic but coordinated as they struggled against the waves.

Isaac, always focused under pressure, grabbed Ethan’s arm, pulling him closer. "We have to get to shore, now! He won’t last much longer if we don’t stop the bleeding."

Leclair’s face was tight with panic, his grip on his brother never faltering. "Come on, Ethan. Stay with us."

Yuin, paddling beside them, glanced back at the now-distant ship, his mind racing. "There has to be something nearby—an island, a rock formation—anything!"

As they fought against the waves, Ethan’s consciousness flickered in and out. His body was weak, but his mind clung to one thought, one image. Adrian. He had to see him again. He had to survive.

In the Levistis Manor, the night had settled in with a quiet stillness, but Adrian’s heart was anything but calm. A sharp, searing pain tore through his chest, so sudden and intense that it left him gasping for air. His hand instinctively went to his heart as he stumbled forward, his legs giving out beneath him.

"E-Ethan!" he cried out, his voice weak and trembling.

Lucas and Augustin, who had been keeping watch over him, rushed forward in alarm. Lucas caught Adrian just before he hit the floor, his face pale with worry as he supported him into a nearby chair. Augustin crouched beside him, his heart hammering in his chest at the sight of Adrian’s tear-streaked face.

"Adrian, breathe," Lucas urged, holding Adrian’s trembling hands in his steady grip. "Stay calm. It’s okay, it’s going to be okay."

But Adrian’s mind was elsewhere—far from the manor, far from Lucas or Augustin’s soothing words. His entire being was focused on one name, one person. Ethan.

"Where is he? Where’s Ethan?" Adrian panted, his breathing ragged as tears rolled down his cheeks. He turned to Augustin, gripping his arm desperately, his eyes wide with terror. "Tell me, where is he? I—I can feel it, something’s wrong! Please, Augustin, take me to him!"

Augustin’s heart sank at the sight of Adrian in such distress, his brother-in-law’s voice shaking with fear and pain. He knew Ethan’s situation was dire—they hadn’t heard from him in hours, and there were too many unknowns. But right now, Adrian couldn’t afford the stress. The babies...

"Adrian," Augustin said softly, though his own fear was hard to suppress. He placed a hand on Adrian’s shoulder, trying to steady him. "You have to calm down, please. You know Ethan—he’s strong. He’ll come back. But you need to stay calm for the babies, or Ethan will be devastated if something happens to them."

Adrian’s chest heaved, his breath catching in his throat as he clutched his stomach protectively. The twins. He was four months pregnant, and Lucas had already warned him to avoid stress, but how could he remain calm when every fiber of his being was screaming that Ethan was in danger?

"But I—I can feel him, Augustin," Adrian whispered through his tears, his voice breaking. "Something’s wrong. I need to be there. I need to—" His words were cut off by a sob as his body shook with emotion. He could feel the bond with Ethan as strongly as ever, but right now, it was filled with nothing but fear and dread.

Lucas knelt beside Adrian, his expression serious but gentle. "Adrian, listen to me. Right now, the best thing you can do for Ethan is to stay strong for yourself and the babies. Stress is not good for you or them. You can trust Augustin and me—we’re doing everything we can to find Ethan. But you have to hold on, for him."

Adrian nodded weakly, though his eyes were still filled with pain. He knew Lucas was right, but the ache in his chest wouldn’t subside. It felt as though a piece of his soul was being ripped away, and it hurt more than anything he had ever felt before.

Augustin’s voice broke through his thoughts, firm yet filled with warmth. "I promise you, Adrian, I’ll bring him back. I’ll do everything I can. But right now, you need to rest, okay? For Ethan’s sake. He wouldn’t want you to harm yourself worrying about him."

Adrian wiped at his tears, his hands trembling as he gripped Ethan’s T-shirt, which he had been clutching tightly in his fists. The familiar scent of Ethan lingered on the fabric, comforting him in a way that nothing else could.

"But... what if he..." Adrian’s voice wavered as he looked up at Augustin, his eyes filled with helplessness. "What if he doesn’t come back?"

"He will," Augustin said firmly, though the knot in his stomach twisted painfully at his own uncertainty. "He will come back to you, Adrian. I know it." And my Leclair too...they must come back to us.

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