a friends burden

After waiting for more than an hour, a doctor finally approached Ethan, who was still seated, hoping to continue his conversation with Mr. Caldwell.

"Sir, you can go for now. Mr. Caldwell needs to rest. He should be better by tomorrow and may even be discharged then," the doctor said in a clear, professional tone.

"Okay, thank you very much," Ethan replied as he stood and left the hospital.

Returning to the hotel, Ethan walked directly to his room, avoiding any unnecessary conversations. He only responded to greetings with a curt nod, as most people in the hotel tended to look down on him. His appearance was even worse than some of the cleaners working there, but Ethan didn't care. He was no longer the hopeless man he once was. Knowing his true identity—that he was the son of one of the wealthiest men—gave him quiet confidence. Instead of letting insults bother him, Ethan would just smile and move on.

As he approached his room, he felt someone grab his attention from behind.

"Hey, didn't you hear me calling you?" Elisabeth's voice rang out as Ethan turned around.

"Sorry, I didn't notice you earlier," he said, barely looking at her before glancing back at his phone.

"Oh, okay. What… what are you doing today? If you're not busy, maybe we can talk," Elisabeth said hesitantly, her voice almost a whisper but still clear.

"What? Why?" Ethan asked, sounding confused.

"I just wanted to apologize for how I treated you yesterday. I didn't realize you were someone important," she said, her tone sincere.

"It's fine—" Ethan began, but then her words sank in. "Wait, what? Haha, I'm nobody important. I'm not anyone special," he added with a nervous laugh, determined to keep his identity hidden.

"Even if you weren't, I still shouldn't have been rude to you," Elisabeth replied softly.

Ethan froze for a moment. Is this the same girl who spoke to me so harshly yesterday? Did her uncle tell her something about me? he wondered.

"If you've forgiven me, why not let me treat you to lunch this afternoon? A top-class restaurant, my treat," she said with a small grin.

"Okay, fine. Let me know when it's time. I'll be in my room; I've got some things to do," Ethan replied before walking off, not waiting for her response.

Once inside his room, he checked the text message he had received earlier. It was from his mother, Auderey:

"Hello, son. I hope you're doing well. Your father told me not to call you, saying it might distract you from work, so I decided to text instead. Please, once you're done with what you're doing, come find me. I'll be expecting you soon."

Ethan read the message twice, his heart sinking at the last part: "Come find me."

Did Dad send her out of the house? Is something else going on that I don't know about? Ethan wondered. He quickly typed a reply:

"Where are you? Did something happen between you and Mr. Maxwell that made you leave?"

After sending the message, he stared at his phone, waiting for a reply. When none came, he sighed and lay down on the bed, eventually falling into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, Sophia and Elena had closed up the shop and were waiting for Jude and the others, who had agreed to join them before heading to Jude's brother's place. They wanted to avoid running into the dangerous street gang known as the "Street Monkeys."

When the group finally arrived, they took public transport to their destination.

"What's this man's name again?" Sophia asked as they approached the rough road leading to the house.

"Graham. He's my brother," Jude replied.

They soon spotted a man chopping wood outside the house. Jude called out to him.

"Graham!"

Graham turned, his expression brightening with surprise. "What are you doing here, kid?" he asked, dropping the axe and pulling Jude into a hug.

"I've really missed you, brother," Jude said warmly.

"I've missed you too," Graham replied, before noticing June.

"Good afternoon, cousin," June said flatly.

"Yeah, afternoon," Graham replied, his tone neutral.

Sophia leaned closer to Elena and whispered, "Wait… they're related?"

"Yes," Elena confirmed.

"Come in, come in," Graham said with a grin, ushering them into the modest house.

Once everyone was seated, Graham's expression turned serious. "So, what brings you all here?"

Jude cleared his throat. "We need your help, brother."

"My help? For what? You know I'm barely managing here. I don't have money to spare," Graham said bluntly.

"It's not about money," June interjected. "There are these guys—dangerous ones—coming after us."

"What guys? Who are they?" Graham asked sharply.

"They're called the 'Street Monkeys,'" Zara said.

The room fell silent for a moment.

"Why are they after you guys? What have you done?" Graham's stern voice cut through the tense atmosphere.

"We didn't do anything wrong to anyone!" June exclaimed, tone defensive. "We don't even know why they're after us." The frustration was evident as June glanced around the room for support.

"Actually…" Sophia spoke up, her voice barely above a whisper but loud enough to grab everyone's attention. "It's me they're after." She shifted uncomfortably, avoiding the piercing stares of the group.

"They're after me because… either my dad or someone trying to get to him is behind this." Sophia's gaze remained fixed on the floor, her voice carrying a heavy weight of guilt and uncertainty.

Graham tilted his head, his sharp eyes studying her closely. "Have you done something bad to someone? Something that might've brought this on?" His tone softened slightly, but his expression remained serious.

Sophia shook her head vehemently. "No, I haven't. But I know someone is targeting me… I just don't understand why."

"I don't think it's your dad, Sophia," Elena interjected firmly. "No matter what, your father wouldn't send those kinds of people after you."

Sophia bit her lip, hesitating. "I know my dad wouldn't, but… the only person I can think of is the man who's trying to take over my father's company. Maybe he's trying to use me to get to my dad." Her voice cracked with a mix of fear and helplessness.

Graham let out a long sigh, running a hand through his unkempt hair. "If that's the case, you need to return to your father and tell him what's going on. You can't risk endangering the people around you." His voice carried a calm authority, but there was a hint of resignation in his words.

Silence fell over the room, thick and suffocating.

June finally broke the quiet, voice sharp and angry. "I don't understand. We came here for your help, and this is all you have to say?" Hands clenched into fists at sides.

"Help? Junious, what are you saying?" Graham raised an eyebrow as he called June by his full name, his tone sharper now. "You've always been the stubborn one, but this isn't just about pride. The best way I can help is by telling her to go back to her father. That's the only way to avoid dragging more people into this mess."

June scoffed, shaking a head in disbelief. "I knew this wasn't a good idea. I just didn't want everyone to think I was being difficult. But clearly, this was a waste of time."

"June, please." Sophia's voice was soft but steady. "It's okay. If they're after me, then I'm the problem. If I leave, they'll stop coming after you. I'll go." She forced a small, sad smile, her tone tinged with defeat.

The room fell into another heavy silence, everyone processing her words.

"Then what are we still doing here?" June muttered angrily, standing to leave. "Let's go."

"Wait!" Jude's voice broke through, filled with desperation. "Brother, you can't let her go like this. She's been through so much already. If she leaves now, things will only get worse for her. Please, do something."

Graham leaned back, rubbing his temples as if trying to ward off a headache. "What do you expect me to do?" he finally asked, voice tinged with irritation. "You want me to go out there, confront the Street Monkeys, and tell them to leave you alone? Do you know what they'll do to me?"

"But you were one of them before!" Jude blurted out. "You were their leader back then!"

Graham's expression darkened, his jaw tightening. "I was their leader. But I'm not anymore. I ran away from that life, and they won't just forgive me for that. If I try to claim any authority now, they'll kill me on the spot. I can't help you the way you want."

He paused, his voice softening. "It's not that I don't want to help… I just can't. I'm barely keeping myself safe here."

Sophia stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. "I'll be outside," she said quietly, walking toward the door.

"Sophia, wait!" Elena called after her, quickly following along with Zara.

Tom remained seated, his face unreadable, offering no input.

June was halfway to the door, his jaw clenched and steps heavy with frustration, when Graham's deep sigh echoed through the room. It stopped him in his tracks and drew everyone's attention.

"But…" Graham's voice was low, almost reluctant, as if battling an internal conflict. "There might be… a way to keep them off your back."

June turned slowly, his anger fading into cautious curiosity. His gaze locked onto Graham, searching for answers. "What do you mean?" he asked, voice tinged with suspicion.

Graham hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck as he avoided their stares. "The Street Monkeys… they have rules," he finally said, each word measured and deliberate. His eyes flicked toward the door, as if he feared someone might overhear.

The room fell into a tense silence, the weight of his words pressing down on everyone.

"What rules?" Jude asked eagerly, leaning forward, his voice breaking the stillness. There was a flicker of hope in his eyes, desperate for a solution.