Chapter 18: Ghosts of the Past
968 Words
The conference room remained silent long after Ethan's final words.
Camera flashes continued to light up the room as reporters hurried to upload breaking stories.
"Ethan King Publicly Defends His Wife."
"Billionaire CEO Threatens Legal Action Against False Reports."
"King Couple Shuts Down Marriage Rumors."
Daniel walked beside Ethan and Ava as security escorted them through a private hallway.
The moment the elevator doors closed, the noise disappeared.
For several seconds...
No one spoke.
Ava slowly released the breath she had been holding.
"I thought I was going to faint."
Daniel laughed.
"I've never seen reporters back down that quickly."
"They only backed down because of Ethan," Ava said.
Daniel smiled knowingly.
"They backed down because Mr. King never makes empty threats."
The elevator reached the executive floor.
Daniel's phone vibrated.
His smile disappeared.
"Sir..."
Ethan immediately noticed the change in his expression.
"What is it?"
Daniel looked uneasy.
"The hospital just called."
Ethan's face became expressionless.
"What hospital?"
"St. Andrew Medical Center."
Silence.
Daniel swallowed.
"They said...your father collapsed this morning."
Ava looked at Ethan.
She expected shock.
Pain.
Fear.
Instead...
His face remained cold.
"When?"
"About an hour ago."
"Is he alive?"
"Yes."
Another long silence filled the hallway.
Finally Ethan spoke.
"Cancel my afternoon meetings."
"Yes, sir."
Daniel hesitated.
"Should I prepare the car?"
Ethan nodded once.
"We're leaving now."
---
Half an hour later...
The black SUV stopped outside one of the city's most expensive private hospitals.
Doctors and nurses hurried through the entrance while ambulances came and went.
Ava looked at Ethan.
"You never told me about your father."
His eyes stayed fixed on the building.
"There wasn't anything to tell."
She could hear the bitterness in his voice.
"What happened between you?"
Ethan didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he stepped out of the car.
Ava followed.
Inside the hospital, the smell of antiseptic filled the air.
Daniel spoke quietly with the receptionist before leading them toward the VIP ward.
Outside Room 1208 stood an elderly woman.
The moment she saw Ethan...
Tears filled her eyes.
"Ethan..."
He stopped walking.
The woman hurried toward him.
"Thank goodness you're here."
She reached for his hand, but Ethan stepped back.
"I'm only here because the hospital called."
The woman's smile faded.
"I know you're still angry."
"I stopped being angry years ago."
His voice was calm.
"What I feel now is nothing."
Ava glanced between them.
The sadness in the woman's eyes was impossible to ignore.
She realized this must be Ethan's aunt.
"My name is Margaret," the woman said softly to Ava. "I've heard so much about you."
Ava smiled politely.
"It's nice to meet you."
Margaret looked back at Ethan.
"Your father has been asking for you."
"He can keep asking."
"Ethan..."
"No."
His answer was immediate.
Margaret sighed.
"He knows he made mistakes."
"Mistakes?"
For the first time, emotion flashed across Ethan's face.
"He destroyed our family."
"He ruined my mother's life."
"He treated me like I didn't exist."
"And now that he's old and sick..."
"...I'm supposed to pretend none of it happened?"
The hallway fell silent.
Margaret lowered her head.
"I know I can't change the past."
"No."
"You can't."
Ethan turned to leave.
Ava gently caught his wrist.
He looked at her.
She spoke quietly.
"You don't have to forgive him."
"I'm not asking you to."
"But if you leave now..."
"...will you regret it someday?"
Ethan stared at her.
"I don't know."
"Then find out."
Her voice was gentle.
"If, after seeing him, you still decide you want nothing to do with him...that's your choice."
"But don't let your last memory be walking away."
For several seconds, Ethan didn't move.
Then...
He slowly closed his eyes.
Memories he had buried years ago came rushing back.
A frightened ten-year-old boy standing outside his father's office.
A broken promise to attend his school graduation.
His mother's quiet tears late at night.
The lonely funeral where he buried the only parent who had truly loved him.
His fists clenched.
When he opened his eyes again...
He looked exhausted.
Without a word, he turned toward Room 1208.
Margaret quietly opened the door.
Inside, machines beeped steadily.
An elderly man lay unconscious on the hospital bed, his once-commanding presence reduced by illness.
His hair had turned completely white.
His face looked thinner than Ethan remembered.
For a long moment...
Ethan simply stood there.
The man who had once seemed larger than life now looked fragile.
Almost helpless.
Just then, the old man's fingers twitched.
His eyes slowly opened.
They searched the room until they found Ethan.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, in a weak, trembling voice, Richard King whispered,
"...You came."
Ethan's expression didn't change.
"I didn't come to forgive you."
Richard gave a faint, painful smile.
"I know."
A tear rolled down the old man's cheek.
"I only wanted...one chance..."
"...to tell you the truth."
Ethan frowned.
"The truth?"
Richard struggled to breathe.
"Everything you believe about your mother..."
"...isn't what really happened."
Ethan froze.
"What are you talking about?"
Richard looked toward the door, fear suddenly filling his eyes.
"They're watching."
"They've been watching for years."
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"Don't trust..."
Before he could finish, the heart monitor suddenly shrieked.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Doctors rushed into the room.
"Nurse!"
"His blood pressure is crashing!"
"Clear the room!"
Ethan instinctively stepped forward, but a doctor blocked his path.
"Please wait outside!"
The door slammed shut.
Through the small glass window, Ethan watched the medical team fight to save his father's life.
Standing beside him, Ava reached for his hand.
This time...
He didn't pull away.
Instead, he held on tightly, his eyes fixed on the room.
Because deep inside, he knew one thing.
His father's unfinished sentence had just uncovered a secret powerful enough to change everything.
- Writer
