Chapter 83

The bright hospital lights overhead felt harsh, almost blinding, as Ryan was rushed inside on a stretcher. 

His body lay limp, his shirt soaked in blood, the crimson staining the once-pristine white sheets beneath him. 

The nurses and doctors moved quickly, their voices a mix of urgency and professionalism as they wheeled him down the hallway.

Ethan and Charlotte hurried after them, their hearts pounding, their breathing uneven. 

Ethan's hands—Ryan's blood was all over them. It seeped into the fabric of his shirt, dried in streaks along his forearms. 

And he barely noticed.

As the doors to the operating room swung shut, separating Ryan from them, Ethan stopped abruptly. 

His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his jaw tightening so hard it ached. His body shook...not just with fear, but with rage.

Charlotte stood beside him, her hands trembling slightly, but she reached out, placing one gently on his arm.