Chapter 52: The Unexpected Rescue

Emily was curious after hearing Ryan's question to the demolition expert.

"Is this tiny thing really more powerful than a blasting cap?" she asked.

"Yes," the demolition expert nodded, pointing to the device no bigger than two match heads. "This type of primer has a powerful blast, and it doesn't send fragments flying. But it's not very moisture-resistant…"

As he spoke, the demolition expert glanced at the device again, and his expression suddenly froze, turning serious in an instant.

"There's a problem," he muttered, eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Everyone back away! Evacuate, now!"

Emily was startled by his sudden raised voice, too stunned to react before she heard him shout again, "Watch out!"

They weren't at the blast point, but they were not at a safe distance either.

The demolition expert acted quickly, grabbing the actor beside him. He reached out to pull Emily as well, but she was too far away; he could only tug at her sleeve.

Emily stumbled, and as the reality of the situation dawned on her, she was gripped by fear. It was too late to run…

The next second—

"Chairman Harrison!"

She was unexpectedly swept into a warm, firm embrace, surrounded by a familiar scent that held her tightly.

Emily looked up, meeting Ethan's deep, dark eyes filled with determination—just like when he would declare his love for her…

Ethan shielded her head with one hand, his tall frame completely covering her.

As he protected her, Emily barely caught his whispered words before they were drowned out by a deafening explosion.

"Don't be afraid."

The roaring blast consumed the rest of his sentence, and in the blink of an eye, flames erupted behind him.

Emily's mind was suddenly bombarded with fragmented memories. Someone had protected her like this before, holding her with their body.

Before she lost consciousness, the figure in her memory began to merge with the man before her…

The VIP ward at the top floor of the Harmony Private Hospital was on lockdown.

Though Ethan's injuries weren't severe, his unique background led to immediate confidentiality. Jason was busy coordinating with hospital staff, liaising with the insurance company, and explaining the situation to the upper management of Creston Media, who had rushed over after hearing the news.

The accident was mainly due to the explosive device getting damp. Fortunately, preparations were thorough, and the scene was quickly brought under control by the fire trucks and medical teams on standby.

The demolition expert sustained the most severe injuries, with multiple burns on his face and body, and he had already undergone skin graft surgery in the most critical areas. The model actor he dragged away had lighter injuries.

Emily, who had been closest to the blast site, miraculously suffered the least. Other than a few scrapes from falling, she didn't even have a blister. The doctor speculated that her fainting might have been due to shock or minor trauma.

After lying unconscious for nearly an hour, Emily finally woke up. The first person she saw at the foot of her bed wasn't a nurse but Jason's assistant, Shaw.

Before Shaw could help her up, Emily had already sat up on her own.

"Where's Ethan?"

"Chairman Harrison is in the intensive care ward," Shaw replied as he approached. "Please lie down; I'll get the doctor—Wait! You shouldn't be moving yet!"

At the mention of "intensive care," Emily's heart sank.

Oh no, intensive care…

She yanked the door open and rushed out, Shaw trailing behind but unable to stop her.

"You need to wait for the doctor to examine you; you're not supposed to—"

"Don't stop her."

Emily turned and saw Jason, quickly approaching him.

"Where's Ethan? Which room?"

Jason gestured the way and quietly explained, "Don't worry, Chairman Harrison's injuries aren't severe."

Emily gave him a doubtful look.

"He has second-degree burns on his shoulder and arm. The doctors have treated him, but there's a risk of infection, so he needs to be monitored for a while," Jason paused at the entrance to the intensive care ward, motioning for her to enter. "You can see him, but Chairman Harrison seems to be asleep."

As Jason turned to leave, Emily stopped him.

"Has something like this happened before?"

Jason was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"I feel like this has happened before—Ethan throwing himself over me…"

Emily shook her head, but the fog in her memory wouldn't clear.

"Has he ever been injured before?"

"Has he?" Jason mused, thinking for a moment before an "Oh" of realization escaped him.

"After your honeymoon abroad, Chairman Harrison wore a splint on one hand for a while."

Emily's eyes widened. "A splint? How did he get injured?"

Jason shook his head. "I wouldn't know."

After all, I wasn't on the honeymoon with you.

But Jason had once wondered why his boss had returned from a honeymoon with an injury when others came back looking so refreshed…

"Go on in," Jason gestured to the door again. "When Chairman Harrison wakes up, you can ask him yourself."

Emily was still nervous as she pushed the door open.

But the man on the bed wasn't the mummy or burned figure she'd imagined. Ethan looked as handsome as ever, lying on his back with his eyes closed, breathing evenly.

Emily tiptoed closer, watching him for a few moments, her tense shoulders slowly relaxing as she exhaled a sigh of relief.

Ethan wasn't wearing a shirt. His left shoulder and arm were wrapped in thick, white gauze, hiding the extent of his injuries.

As she got closer, Emily noticed his complexion seemed a bit off. His chest, firm and pale under the thin blanket, rose and fell with each breath.

Emily bent down, gently tugging the blanket up to cover his collarbone.

She didn't leave. Instead, she sat quietly beside him.

For some reason, the scene felt familiar, as if she'd once stayed by his bedside, watching him sleep.

Just as she was lost in thought, Ethan's brows suddenly furrowed, the crease between them deepening.

Emily frowned slightly, letting out a soft "tsk."

Even in his sleep, he's so serious. He's probably scolding employees in his dreams.

She raised her hand, her fingers gently brushing his forehead, smoothing out the wrinkle between his brows.

To her surprise, his frown relaxed.

After smoothing his brow, Emily didn't pull her hand away. Her fingertips moved down the bridge of his nose as if drawn by some invisible force.

She had never studied him this closely.

She knew he was handsome, but up close, she realized just how perfect he was.

Not the kind of perfection you see in young male idols on screen, but like a master's sculpture in a gallery, with every inch of his face meticulously crafted, neither too much nor too little.

Take his nose, for example—a classic "celebrity nose." Fans often joked about wanting to "slide down their idol's nose like a slide," and Emily suddenly thought that Brother Ethan's nose could serve the same purpose…

A smile tugged at her lips as her finger playfully slid up and down his nose, indulging in a moment of childlike amusement. Finally, her fingertip lightly tapped his upper lip.

She was about to trace his chiseled jawline when her hand froze, the realization dawning on her—what was she doing?

Was she acting like some creepy fan, admiring him up close?

She must be under a spell.

Her face flushed with heat, and she quickly shook her head, retracting her hand as if it had been burned.

She stared at his face for a few more seconds, then nervously bit her lip.

Something wasn't right. Why hadn't he reacted to any of this?

Emily instinctively reached out and touched his hand at the edge of the bed.

It was cold.

She panicked for a moment, raising her hand to check his breathing before starting to pry open his eyelids.

One of his long, dark lashes caught her attention. Ethan was blessed with lashes that might even be longer than hers.

Hmph.

When she finally pried open his eye, all she saw was the whites. Emily was squinting, trying to get a better look when, suddenly, the dark pupil rolled down—

"Having fun?"

Emily let out a small gasp and quickly released him, accidentally pulling out two of his long lashes in the process.

Caught in the act, she was mortified. She was about to pull away when his arm suddenly wrapped around her waist, pulling her down onto his chest—much closer than before. The firm muscles of his chest pressed against her cheek, transmitting warmth and a steady heartbeat directly to her skin, making her acutely aware of his every breath.

Emily braced her hand against his taut waist, trying to push herself up. But as soon as she moved, Ethan's grip tightened, his arm like an iron band holding her in place.

Emily: "!"

How could someone injured have this much strength?

"Heartless," his voice was low and hoarse, vibrating through his chest against her ear. "So eager for me to die, huh?"

Emily: "…"

"No…" she whispered in denial, but she didn't try to push him away this time. Instead, she rested her chin on his chest, her eyes quietly studying him.

She looked up at him, her gaze resembling that of a shy little fox.

Ethan, satisfied, curved his lips into a slight smile, his hand reaching up to touch her face—much like how she had just touched his nose.

"Weren't you always eager to become a widow?"

Emily: "…"

She couldn't deny that she had once thought about it, even openly challenging him with similar

words.

But earlier, when she realized she might actually become a widow, her mind had gone blank, overcome with panic and helplessness.

Even more so than when facing the explosion…

Emily closed her eyes, suppressing the complex emotions she hadn't recognized before.

"Weren't you just watching that show," Ethan paused, "about a hundred ways to kill your husband?"

He tapped her forehead playfully, "Did what I just did count as the hundred and first way?"

Emily: "…"

He's not going to let this go, is he?

She pouted slightly, trying to push herself up again. But Ethan didn't let go, and this time, without hesitation, she shoved him.

Ethan immediately let out a sharp hiss, his brows knitting tightly.

Emily glanced at his bandaged arm, suddenly panicking, "Did I hurt you?"

She quickly turned to leave, "I'll find the doctor!"

Before she could take a step, he grabbed her wrist.

Ethan shook his head, still frowning.

Emily's expression softened as she looked at his injured shoulder, "Does it hurt… a lot?"

His dark eyes locked onto hers, "It hurts."

Emily bit her lip, making a move to leave again, "I'll get the doctor."

Ethan held her wrist firmly, turning his hand to clasp hers, "No need. Painkillers will do."

"Okay." Emily immediately agreed, opening the drawer beside the bed, "I'll find them for you. Where are they?"

Before she could search properly, she was pulled back toward him.

She looked up, her eyes meeting his. His dark eyes were intense, filled with a kind of pressure and an undeniable longing as they slowly moved down to her lips.

Emily watched as his Adam's apple bobbed heavily.

He leaned in closer, his voice now completely husky.

"You're my painkiller."

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