The Mafia Lord's Secret Lover-Chapter 384: Between Life and Bullet Wounds

X-Guard headquarter.

In one of the medical rooms buried deep within the X-Guard facility, Ethan lay motionless on the hospital bed.

Thin wires and clear tubes clung to his body like silent sentinels.

A heart monitor hummed steadily beside him, its rhythmic beeping the only sound breaking the sterile stillness.

His face was pale—too pale—white as fresh snow that had never known sunlight.

Renata stood beside the bed.

She had been standing there for so long that even she had lost track of time.

Arms crossed tightly, shoulders tense, her sharp eyes fixed on Ethan’s face as if sheer willpower could drag him back from whatever dark place he had wandered into.

If staring could wake someone up, he would have punched his way out of unconsciousness hours ago.

After a long while, Renata finally exhaled, her breath trembling as she let it out.

She pulled the stool closer and sat down heavily beside the bed.

The moment she sat, the weight in her chest grew unbearable, like something pressing inward, squeezing too tight.

Her vision blurred.

She blinked hard, annoyed with herself.

"Wake up now, Ethan Wright," she whispered fiercely, leaning closer. "Don’t you dare die without my permission... Don’t you dare! Or... I will be really mad at you."

Her voice was soft, but the warning carried teeth.

No response.

The monitor continued its calm, infuriatingly steady rhythm.

Renata clenched her jaw and turned her gaze toward the window.

The sky outside had already brightened, pale blue bleeding into the horizon. Morning had come without asking permission, just like everything else.

She quickly wiped away the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand and inhaled deeply, forcing herself to think like a commander again.

Clear the scene. Secure the perimeter. Prepare for the arrival of the real big boss, the man she had worked under for years but never once met.

’Focus, Rena... Focus...’ She whispers.

"I’m not yet dead, Rena..." The hoarse, broken voice sliced through the room like thunder.

Renata froze.

Her heart stopped for half a second before crashing violently against her ribs.

She whipped her head around.

Ethan’s eyes were open.

Barely, but unmistakably open.

"You...!" Renata shot to her feet so fast the stool scraped loudly across the floor. She leaned over him, her face inches from his. "You’re awake?" 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Ethan’s lips twitched weakly. "From your yelling? Yeah. Hard to ignore."

Relief slammed into her so hard her knees nearly buckled.

"Thank God," she breathed, then immediately snapped, "Don’t move!"

Ethan tried to shift, wincing. "I was just—"

She pushed him back down firmly, pressing a hand to his uninjured shoulder.

"You’ve just had surgery. A bullet almost kissed your heart, and several others lodged themselves into your arms and legs. You are seriously screwed this time, E."

He let out a weak chuckle, instantly regretting it as pain flared through his chest. His jaw tightened, but he forced the expression away.

"I’m just unlucky," he muttered.

"You are not," Renata shot back, eyes blazing. "You’re reckless. If you had brought a driver or even one guard, you wouldn’t be lying here full of holes like a target board."

She pointed sharply at his bandaged chest. "Look at that. Those idiots almost took your life."

"They didn’t," Ethan said calmly. "And they never had the chance."

Renata crossed her arms. "Oh? Enlighten me."

"I finished them," he said, pride creeping into his voice despite his condition. "Not a single one escaped."

Renata shook her head. She didn’t like Ethan’s words.

"You didn’t win because you’re invincible. You won because they were amateurs. They didn’t even know how to handle a pistol properly, let alone heavy machine guns. If they were professionals, they wouldn’t have missed your head—"

She stopped abruptly.

Then Renata turned away, jaw tight, pretending to admire the standing fake tree near the window.

’Damn it... How could I say that? How could I react like that? Hope Ethan didn’t see the truth behind my words.’ She silently prays.

Too late.

Ethan had already seen it, the flash of fear in her eyes, raw and unfiltered.

A slow smile tugged at his lips.

"You’re right," he said quietly. "Thank you... for worrying about me, Rena."

Her shoulders stiffened.

She turned back sharply. "Don’t get the wrong idea."

Before she could say more, he added softly, "And... sorry. For making you cry."

"I’m not crying!" she snapped immediately.

He raised an eyebrow, as much as his weakened state allowed. "Really? Then why are your eyes red?"

Renata blinked rapidly, then waved a hand dismissively. "Lack of sleep. I stayed awake all night guarding you. If I hadn’t, you might have decided to die out of spite."

"That’s dedication," he teased.

"Shut up."

They fell into a brief silence, the tension humming quietly between them.

Then Ethan spoke again, his voice gentler, more serious.

"Rena... do you like me?"

The question hit her like a gunshot.

Her heart thundered so loudly she was sure he could hear it over the machines.

She opened her mouth, then closed it.

For a split second, the walls she had built so carefully threatened to crack.

So she did what she always did. She couldn’t allow him to know her true feelings. Not now. Not here.

She changed the subject.

"The big boss is on the way," she said quickly.

Ethan’s expression shifted instantly, the humor draining from his eyes.

"He’s coming?"

"Yes."

"How do you know?"

"Collins called me early this morning," Renata replied. "He told me to clear this place and make sure not many people see him or have access to him. Security’s already tightening."

Ethan exhaled slowly, staring up at the ceiling. "So he finally decided to show himself."

Renata’s lips curved slightly. "I’m excited. I’ve worked here for years and never even seen his shadow."

Ethan glanced at her. "Careful. He’s not exactly someone you gush over."

"I’ll behave," she said dryly. "I only admire him from a professional standpoint."

"Liar," he murmured.

She ignored him.

After a moment, Renata’s tone shifted, turning sharp. "We’re already investigating who sent those men."