98.

Adrian stood outside the grand Levistis manor, his heart heavy with a mixture of dread and longing. The towering gates loomed before him, as imposing as the weight of the secrets and burdens he carried. The crisp evening air bit at his skin, but he barely noticed; his thoughts were consumed by the man who lay inside, the man he had come to see.

The manor was eerily quiet as Adrian stepped inside. Its halls, which once echoed with life and laughter, now felt cold and lifeless. His footsteps resonated against the marble floors as he made his way to the room he hadn't visited in months. The room where Ethan lay.

His hands trembled as he pushed open the door to their bedroom. The sight before him made his breath hitch. Ethan lay on the large, ornate bed, his once vibrant and commanding presence reduced to a frail, motionless form. Tubes and IV drips were attached to his arm, and machines quietly hummed around him, monitoring every fragile beat of his heart.