Chapter
“Don’t move!”
A cold blade pressed against Faith’s neck.
“Stay still, or I’ll kill you,” the man growled.
A group of police officers and security guards arrived right behind them, stopping a few steps away.
“Calm down,” one of the police officers urged. “Let them go. Don’t make things worse.”
These men were robbers–criminals who had just robbed and murdered an entire family in the neighborhood.
Chapter 20
Faith clutched her daughter tightly. Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest.
“Well, let us leave, or we’ll kill the mother, followed by the daughter.”
Faith felt a chill against her neck as the blade sliced through her skin. The sharp pain caused her to wince.
“Let them go! Take me as your hostage instead!” Ethan roared, stepping forward. He stood behind them, his voice firm. “I’m the CEO of the Hale Group. I can get you guys out of here.”
But the robber wasn’t stupid. A grown man would be far more difficult to control than two females. He promptly rejected Ethan’s offer.
Without hesitation, Ethan grabbed a nearby rock and smashed it down onto his own right hand. A crisp crack could be heard as his bones shattered, and his face instantly drained of color.
“My right hand is injured. I can’t fight back now. If you don’t believe me, I can break my left arm too. Just let them go and take me instead.”
“Uncle Ethan…” Callie’s voice trembled, and tears streamed down her face. “You’re hurt…”
Faith saw it too. The moment Ethan’s arm snapped, an ache spread through her chest. Her eyes turned red.
One of the robbers checked Ethan’s identity and gave his partner a nod. Ethan’s social influence was immense–taking him as a hostage would give them an even better chance at negotiation.
“Come here!”
Etḥan walked forward slowly, his gaze steady as he reassured Faith and Callie with his eyes. The moment the robber seized him, he stepped in front of Faith, shielding her.
“Go. I’ll be fine.”
“Ethan…”
He flashed a faint smile at Faith and gently pushed her away.
Faith and Callie backed toward safety as the robbers dragged Ethan toward the neighborhood exit. The security guards and police held their ground but didn’t act rashly.
Just as they were about to step out of the area, a police car screeched to a stop, blocking their path.
Panic flickered across the robber’s face. His emotions spiraled out of control, and he pressed the knife against Ethan’s throat. “You tricked me! I’ll kill you!”
Ethan dodged to the side, enduring the searing pain in his broken arm as he shoved the man away.
Seeing this, the second robber lunged at Ethan from behind with a knife.
“Dad!” Cailie suddenly screamed. “Dad, watch out!”
The moment the blade sank into Ethan’s flesh, he smiled. “Don’t be scared, Callie. I’m okay.”
He collapsed into a pool of blood, but his gaze never left Faith and Callie.
They immediately rushed to his side. Callie clutched his hand, sobbing. “Dad, are you okay?““”
“I’m fine… Callie, hearing you call me Dad makes me so happy.”
Blood kept oozing from his wound. His consciousness gradually faded.
“Faith… I’m sorry.”
“Don’t speak. We need to get you to the hospital.” Faith held back her tears as she and Callie accompanied him to the ambulance.
Ethan had been stabbed, and his liver was injured in a severe injury. By the time he was wheeled into the operating room, he was barely clinging to life.
Callie buried her face in Faith’s arms. She cried uncontrollably. “Mom, will Dad die? I don’t want him to die. I just want to be with him…”
“He won’t. He will be fine.” Faith fixed her eyes on the glowing light above the operating room as if reassuring Callie–and herself.
Ethan would be fine.
The sign of the operating room was finally out. The inedical staff wheeled Ethan out. His face looked ashen, and his eyes were tightly shut. He was utterly unresponsive.
Faith looked at him. Suddenly, she felt like she had been transported back six years.
Back then, he had lain the same way–unmoving, lifeless- after the car accident.
But this time, he was unconscious because he had saved them.
“Ethan, you can’t leave us,” Faith whispered at his bedside. “Callie has just been introduced to a father’s love. You can’t abandon her again.”
“Dad, please wake up.” Callie sobbed, her voice hoarse. “I want to play with you. I’ll call you Dad every day from now on.”
Chapter 20
Tears streamed down Callie’s cheeks as Faith held Callie close. She watched as they transferred Ethan to the ICU. The doctors said he might never wake up.
