Chapter Thirty-Three

**The Next Day** 

*In Ethan's Room*

Sunlight streamed through the half-drawn curtains, casting a warm glow across Ethan's room. A tangle of emotions hung in the air as he sat on the edge of his bed, anxiety swirling in his chest, his fingers absently tracing the fabric of his jeans. In stark contrast, his friends Nicole, Alex, and Rodríguez were gathered in black chairs, forming a solemn semi-circle around him. 

"I can't believe you're a father already," Rodríguez said, his smile wide and proud, a twinkle in his eyes that spoke of heartfelt amusement. 

"The kid really is something else," Alex added, leaning back slightly in his chair as he grinned widely, a sense of awe filling the space.

"How's Mae doing?" Rodríguez continued, concern lacing his voice as he leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees.

Ethan's expression softened. "She's still recovering from the delivery and the accident, but she should be able to move around easily by the end of the week." He spoke with a hint of hope, but the undercurrent of worry lingered in his gaze.

"What about the babies?" Rodríguez pressed, his tone hinting at protective instinct.

"They'll have to stay in the hospital for a month, so the doctors can keep an eye on their development," Ethan replied, an edge of weariness creeping into his voice.

"Wow, I'm so proud of you, Ethan," Rodríguez declared, his admiration palpable.

"Thanks, Uncle Nick," Ethan said, a brief smile breaking through the tension.

Nicole, her brow furrowed with concern, glanced at Rodríguez. "Hey, Nicky, are you sure you're okay leaving your restaurant closed while you're here?"

"Don't worry, Nicole. My customers will understand. And besides, you don't expect me to leave the restaurant in the hands of my assistant head chef, do you?" Rodríguez retorted, a chuckle escaping his lips, though it held a touch of seriousness.

"Really, you need to cut him some slack, Uncle," Ethan chimed in, the slightest hint of a smirk on his face.

"Yeah, he's right, Nicky," Nicole added, her tone softening.

"I'll try," Rodríguez said, glancing back toward the door just as a firm knock echoed through the room.

"Come in," Ethan called, tensing slightly as he instinctively straightened his posture.

The door swung open, and in stepped Mr. Blackwood, a genial smile lighting up his face, an aura of authority surrounding him. "Good day, everyone," he said, his warm tone softening the space.

"Mr. Blackwood?" the men responded in unison, surprise coloring their voices.

"Who is he?" Nicole asked, her brow knitting together in confusion as she matched her gaze to the men, wondering how they all seemed to know this imposing figure.

"That's Mr. Blackwood, Mother," Ethan explained, his voice steady yet tinged with unease. "He's the one who owns the company from which I took Feng Teng."

"It's nice to finally meet the person who birthed such an amazing genius and also the one who saved my life," Mr. Blackwood continued, his eyes twinkling with a mix of nostalgia and gratitude.

"Who saved your life?" Ethan questioned, confusion mapping his features.

"I don't understand," Nicole interjected, her eyes darting between the two men.

"I heard your mother was the one who donated blood to me when I was on the verge of dying," Mr. Blackwood clarified, his voice gentle yet solemn. 

"When did that happen?" Ethan asked, disbelief creeping into his tone.

"Wait, you're that Mr. Blackwood?" Nicole stammered, her voice quaking slightly with realization.

"Yes, Nicole. I am truly grateful to you," Mr. Blackwood replied, his sincerity palpable.

"It's nothing. I'm just glad I was able to help," she said, a warm smile breaking across her face, but a flicker of anxiety shadowed her heart.

"Well, I'm grateful, anyway," Mr. Blackwood said, his demeanor shifting to one of seriousness. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened that got you in the hospital?"

"I underestimated how dangerous alleys can be," Mr. Blackwood admitted with a wry smile, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes.

"So what's the real reason you're here? I hope you aren't attempting to persuade me to leave SJ Group because if that's why you've come, I suggest you leave now. I'm not going anywhere," Ethan said, the fire in his gaze unmistakable.

"You're still as smart as ever, Ethan, but it seems you've grown more straightforward," Mr. Blackwood remarked, a smirk flickering on his lips.

"Well, thanks for the compliment," Ethan replied, a small smile breaking through his fierce exterior.

"I didn't come here to ask you to leave your father's company. I could never be so cruel. I only came here to talk," Mr. Blackwood said, the weight of his words sinking into the room.

"What are you talking about?" Ethan demanded, sensing a tension rising with every heartbeat as Alex, Rodríguez, and Nicole tensed beside him. 

"Are you going to deny your own father, Ethan?" Mr. Blackwood questioned, his tone now more serious, probing.

"How do you know about that?" Nicole asked, her voice trembling with a mix of confusion and fear.

"Everyone should calm down. I'm not here to threaten you. I'm only here to talk," Mr. Blackwood soothed, his eyes scanning the room, sensing the anxiety brewing.

"How did you find out?" Nicole pressed, her heart racing.

"I had the hospital run a DNA test when I learned that Alex and Ethan have the same blood type," Mr. Blackwood explained.

"Are you watching us?" Nicole shot back, her eyes narrowing.

"Why would an old man like myself spend the remaining little time I have left watching you?" he replied, shaking his head, a knowing smile dancing on his lips.

"What do you want, Mr. Blackwood?" Alex interjected, his voice firm, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Calm down, Papa Bear. I just want to ask Nicole a question," Mr. Blackwood said, a flicker of amusement passing through his eyes.

"What question?" Nicole asked, her voice rising with curiosity and anxiety.

"Do you know who you really are?" he asked, the gravity of his words hanging heavily in the air.

"What do you mean?" Nicole replied, confusion knitting her brow.

"Do you know who your real birth parents are?" Mr. Blackwood pressed, his tone taking on a weighty seriousness.

"What kind of question is that?" Rodríguez blurted out, his voice tense with anger.

"So I'm guessing your parents didn't tell her the truth," Mr. Blackwood said, his voice calm but unwavering.

"Nicky, what's he talking about?" Nicole asked, searching Rodríguez's face for answers.

"Do you want to tell her, or would you prefer I do it?" Mr. Blackwood asked, his gaze steady.

"What's going on here?" Alex demanded, frustration etched across his features.

"Nicole, I know now's not the right time, but I believe it's time you know the truth," Rodríguez said, his voice dropping to a gentler tone.

"What are you talking about, Nicky?" Nicole asked, confusion thickening in her throat.

"The truth is that we are not siblings. We are not related by blood, and Mom and Dad are not your birth parents," Rodríguez said, each word striking like a knife.

"What?!" she gasped, her hands trembling as rivers of tears welled in her eyes, her voice cracking under the weight of the revelation. "Were you ever going to tell me about this?"

"Nicole, you have to understand we only hid it from you to protect you," Rodríguez pleaded, desperation creeping into his voice.

"I had the right to know!" she snapped, her voice rising, pain painting her words. Alex wrapped his arms around her, grounding her amidst the maelstrom of emotions swirling within her.

"Mom?" Ethan called out to the shadows, his voice heavy with worry.

"It's okay, Nikki," Alex murmured, his voice soft as her tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

"What are you trying to achieve, Mr. Blackwood?" Ethan demanded, anger blazing in his eyes.

"I only came here to tell Nicole the truth, but it looks like I made an emotional mess," Mr. Blackwood said, shaking his head with a mix of regret and resignation.

"What truth?" Ethan shot back, a fierce protectiveness radiating off his body.

"My doctor ran a DNA test after noting the compatibility between Nicole and me during the blood test, and it was a ninety-nine percent match," Mr. Blackwood explained, somber yet resolute.

"Are you saying…?" Nicole whispered, dread curling in her gut.

"Yes, I am your father, Nicole, and I'm also your grandfather, Ethan," Mr. Blackwood replied, his voice steady.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Ethan questioned, digging his nails into his palms, disbelief etched sharply across his features.

"You know me to be better than that, Ethan," Mr. Blackwood replied, eyes serious but warm.

"Why did you abandon me?" Nicole asked, anguish slicing through her tone.

"We didn't abandon you, darling. You were taken away from us," Mr. Blackwood explained, each word filled with sorrow.

"What do you mean?" she pressed, her breath hitching.

"When your mother was pregnant with you, my father fell ill and had to choose one of his kids to succeed him. I had an older brother; we were made to compete against each other. My brother threatened me, but my father insisted on my participation. I competed and won, but your mother was in her last month of pregnancy. I received threatening messages during that time from my brother, but my focus was on your birth. On the day you came into this world, tragedy struck. My brother took you away, and when your mother learned of your disappearance, it shattered her," Mr. Blackwood recounted, his voice fragile, yet steady, baring his soul as he unloaded a decades-old burden.

"I have spent my entire life searching for you, Nicole. Knowing you are here now fills my heart with relief," Mr. Blackwood concluded, his eyes glistening with emotion.

"Why would your brother do that to you?" Nicole asked, an air of confusion and anger hanging over her.

"He sought power, just like your older brother," Mr. Blackwood replied quietly, his gaze dropping.

"I have an older brother?" Nicole's voice was barely more than a whisper, fear creeping into her heart.

"Yeah, his name is Sebastian, and he's a real pain," Ethan offered, a bitter chuckle escaping him.

"You've met him?" Nicole queried, disbelief filling her voice.

"Yes, I can't believe he's my uncle. How do I share the same blood with him?" Ethan's expression shifted to a mix of disdain and confusion.

"Nicole, I need your help, but I mostly need Ethan's," Mr. Blackwood said, shifting his focus as he wiped his brow.

"What do you need my help for?" Nicole asked, wiping her tear-stained cheeks, determination burning behind her eyes.

"It's about your brother," Mr. Blackwood replied, his voice serious once again.

"Is he in trouble?" Nicole squeaked.

"No, he's turning into my brother. He wants to inherit everything I own and is willing to do anything to achieve that goal," Mr. Blackwood said, tension tight in his voice.

"What?" Nicole exclaimed, her heart racing.

"So it's safe to say he's the reason you're in the hospital right now?" Ethan questioned, a cold anger flooding his veins.

"Ethan, you can't just make such accusations!" Nicole reprimanded, her eyes flaring.

"He's right. Your brother's plan is to kill me. Knowing he's my only child, there's no way I can give everything I have to someone else, and he's using your mother's illness against us," Mr. Blackwood stated, a pained look crossing his features.

"How can he do something like that?" Nicole asked, bewilderment rippling through her.

"He's a businessman, Nicole. To them, power and money come before everything—even family," Alex interjected, his voice low and marred by bitterness.

"What do you need me to do, Father?" Nicole asked, steeling herself, wiping away her tears with newfound resolve.

"I want you to come back with me to London and see your mother. You are the only one who can help her get better," Mr. Blackwood replied earnestly, his gaze intense.

"What about my brother?" she asked hesitantly, her heart fluttering with concern.

"I reserved that task for someone special," Mr. Blackwood replied, a smile creeping at the corners of his mouth.

"Don't tell me you're talking about me, old man?" Ethan said, raising an eyebrow with a hint of sarcasm.

"That's grandfather to you, and yes, you are going to become the owner of everything I have," Mr. Blackwood confirmed, pride swelling in his chest.

"What?!" they all exclaimed in unison, shock reverberating through the room.

"Why are you choosing Ethan?" Nicole asked, bewilderment etched across her face.

"Let's just say your brother would eat you alive if I chose you, and I can't pick Alex because of an absurd rule my father made. You're the only one I can trust—Ethan is the most cunning, smartest, well-composed trickster I've ever met," Mr. Blackwood explained, an amused glint in his eye.

"I'm honored," Ethan said, his grin returning, though he felt the weight of what lay ahead.

"Is that something to be proud of, son?" Nicole shot back, her eyes narrowed.

"Don't worry, Mother. I'll deal with your brother. I've put him in his place once; I can do it again," Ethan declared, confidence surging within him.

"You're so cheeky," Rodríguez teased, shaking his head in bemusement.

"Thanks a lot for everything, Nicky. I'm really sorry I yelled at you earlier," Nicole said softly, her voice full of sincerity.

"You had every right to do so, and it's okay," Rodríguez replied, taking her hand reassuringly.

"You'll always be my brother," Nicole said, emotion heavy in her tone as she leaned into Rodríguez's embrace.

"I know," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her as they shared a moment of solace.

"I'll be leaving for London by the weekend, so I'll need you two ready by then," Mr. Blackwood stated, straightening his jacket.

"Enough of that already. There are so many questions I want to ask you!" Nicole exclaimed, excitement flickering in her eyes.

"Sure, I'm listening," Mr. Blackwood said, glancing between them with both curiosity and caution.

"Why does my life have to be this complicated?" Ethan thought, a smile ghosting across his lips. Ultimately, he realized, as long as his mother was happy, that was what truly mattered.