Chapter 1002 - Thank Me For What?

A deafening silence gripped the room, an entire audience frozen as the tragedy unfolded before them.

And then, it happened.

The gasp that followed was sharp, like a knife cutting through the tension.

Every pair of eyes widened as the blond collapsed, his frail form succumbing to the storm within.

But before his body could meet the unyielding floor, a figure emerged from the shadows of the moment.

The man moved with a swiftness that seemed almost otherworldly, defying the harsh light that sought to expose everything.

He caught Ryley in his arms, cradling him as though shielding him from the cruel world.

The man's piercing blue eyes, once cold and brooding, softened as they gazed upon Ryley's unconscious face.

Through the haze of fading consciousness, Ryley caught sight of the man above him. His brows knitted tightly, an expression torn between anger and something far more vulnerable—fear.