Chapter 236

The Don Morgan’s POV

I stood there, watching "The Serpent" through the glass doors of the ICU. His powerful frame seemed diminished amidst a forest of monitors and wires. The room wasn’t quiet; it echoed with the shrieks of machines counting his labored breaths.

The chest tube beside him was slowly filling with dark red fluid a grim reminder that the battle inside his chest was far from over. In this place, he was no longer the man everyone feared; he was just a number on a monitor, waiting for the machines to grant him permission to keep living.

A bone-chilling cold swept through me as I watched his chest rise and fall with the harsh, mechanical rhythm of the ventilator. I gripped the metal door handle so hard my nails dug into my palm. A bitterness I had never known before coated my throat.

At that moment, I didn’t see an ally or an enemy; I saw a long ribbon of blood and secrets that bound us together.

"Hang in there, James," I whispered, my voice breaking. "You can’t die. You can’t leave me."

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Steve’s POV

"I’m sorry you feel this way, sir," I said, my voice low as I navigated the road.

Every word Carlos spoke touched an open wound inside me. It pained me too, knowing Olivia didn’t love me. Carlos leaned his head back, exhausted. "When I’m alone, I force myself not to think of her... but I fail."

Desperate to escape the conversation, I muttered, "Sir, I really don’t understand these matters. I don’t know what to say."

"Don’t say anything," he snapped with muffled intensity. "Just listen. I need someone to hear me."

"Understood."

He was silent for a few seconds before adding, "That girl we met in the hallway... Julie."

The blood froze in my veins. Does he know she’s my sister? "Yes, sir," I said, trying to sound casual.

"How enchanting she is," he continued, lost in thought. "Her eyes drive me to madness."

I was utterly stunned. Is Carlos falling for my sister, Julie? He went on, his tone becoming bolder. "I can’t forget her kiss. The feel of her is still on my lips."

My knuckles turned white against the steering wheel. Is he messing with my little sister? Then, his next words hit me like a lightning bolt. "When I saw her naked... that image won’t leave my mind."

The shock was so violent it shook my entire being. I slammed on the brakes with a manic force, making the tires scream against the asphalt as the car screeched to a sudden halt. I turned my whole body toward him, my eyes blazing with suppressed rage.

"What?!" I barked.

Carlos stared at me in disbelief, his eyes wide as he braced himself against the seat from the sudden jolt. "What is wrong with you, Steve? Why did you stop like that? And why are you so shocked?"

I wanted to smash his face in at that moment. This bastard saw my sister naked! Why was he anywhere near her? I fought to control my ragged breathing and looked away. "I was just... surprised by what you said," I choked out. "And, uh, I saw a cat in the road."

Great. Now I’m lying exactly like Julie.

"Fine. Keep driving," he said, adjusting his seat.

I drove on, feeling heat radiating from my ears. Carlos continued coldly, "Where was I? Yes... I can’t get that girl out of my head, Steve. She makes me feel things I’ve never experienced before."

I gritted my teeth until my jaw ached. "Aren’t you a bit old, sir?" I tried to sound like I was giving advice. "I don’t think that girl suits you... she looks like a child."

He immediately lit a cigarette with an irritatingly calm demeanor. "What’s the problem with my age? I’m only 22 years older than her. That’s not a big number."

Only 22 years? Damn it, that’s a lifetime! Is he a pedophile or what? "Sir, you need a mature woman," I pressed, my grip tightening on the wheel. "Someone who knows this world. That naive girl is no match for a mafia man like you."

Suddenly, his voice dropped to a deadly chill. I felt his cold gaze piercing through my back. "Steve, add one more word about Julie, and I’ll leave a bullet in your head."

Good. Perfect. He wants to kill me over my sister! Fine, ruin your chances with her because if she finds out you killed her brother, she’ll kill you herself. "Sorry, sir," I muttered.

"I told you to shut up and listen, not give me a headache with your nonsense," he growled, exhaling smoke.

I’ll stay quiet. He turned to look out the window. "I’ve lost my desire to talk."

Good, I thought. Stay silent, or I’ll flip this car and we both die.

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Julie’s POV

Once Robert finished his breakfast, I carefully set the tray aside. "Now, rest for a bit," I said.

He locked his eyes onto mine. "Are you leaving?"

"Do you want me to leave?" I countered.

"No," he said clearly. "I want you here."

I smiled faintly. "Alright. I’ll stay."

He gestured to the empty space beside him on the bed. "Come here."

I took a step back, hesitant. "No... what if someone comes in?"

"No one is coming in," he said with cold confidence.

"Your father came in this morning," I reminded him.

He huffed in annoyance. "Fine. Lock the door."

I hurried to the door and turned the key. I heard the click of the lock, then returned to him. "Axel is in my room. I think he misses you."

A warm, faint light flickered in his eyes. "I miss him too. Bring him to me this evening."

"I will."

I approached the bed slowly and lay down beside him, resting my head very gently on his uninjured shoulder. I looked directly into his deep eyes. "Robert?"

"What?" his voice was a low rumble.

I took a deep breath and asked the question that had been haunting me. "Do you love me?"

In an instant, his expression shifted. His body went rigid, and his jaw clenched so hard it was as if I’d spoken a forbidden word or he’d been struck by an electric shock. A deathly silence filled the room. He stared into the void above me, without uttering a single word.

A lump formed in my throat. Does he not love me? Why won’t he answer? Why is this word so heavy on his tongue that he can’t even say ’I love you’?