CHAPTER 72: AN EYE CANDY

Before Ethan could find a book to scribble on like a mad man, the door to his hospital room opened and in walked Lillian and Aria.

Her eyes, which looked like those of a person who hadn’t slept for days, widened as soon as they rested on Ethan who was now sitting on the bed.

Before either of them could form words, Lillian’s body moved before her mind caught up. She dropped the on the floor with a soft thud and rushed forward, arms wrapping tightly around his neck.

Aria was taken aback by Lillian’s actions. She often teased her friend, but she had never expected Lillian to be this bold. Still, in a way, it was understandable—especially after the state in which they had first found Ethan in his hotel room.

Anyone would freak out after finding some passed out, with their head in a pool of blood.

She remembered them coming back from the beach, early, because Lillian got exhausted.

So they decided to have an early dinner instead. They walked to Ethan’s hotel room door intending to invite him to join them, but when they heard no response, they just assumed he was out, like the previous night.

Well, until Aria tried the door handle and it turned out, it wasn’t locked.

Opening the room’s door, they were met with a scene that caused them to freeze, with Lillian’s going completely white.

On the floor lay a passed out Ethan and under his head was a pool of blood.

Aria remembered fumbling for her phone with slippery fingers, trying to dial emergency services while keeping her eyes fixed on the rise and fall of his chest. That faint movement was the only thing that kept her from completely losing it.

The ambulance ride after felt like a blur. Lillian refused to let go of his hand until they arrived at the hospital.

Luckily, the doctors informed that nothing was wrong and he was completely fine, his brain was just unusually active. Only then were they able to calm down.

She watched as Lillian still clung to Ethan before she sighed in relief. He’s okay now.

Lillian’s mind had finally caught up with her actions and she realized how embarrassing what she had just done was. But then again, she was too embarrassed to let go.

Aria smiled at the situation before turning to Ethan, "you scared the hell out of us yesterday."

Ethan raised his head, looked at her before giving an apologetic smile, "I’m sorry."

"It’s fine," she waved her hand, "as long as you’re alright now."

Lillian finally hesitantly let go of of his neck and slowly pulled back, he cheeks were tinted red from embarrassment but Ethan could see the concern in her eyes.

"D-does your head hurt?" She asked.

"I’m fine," he calmly replied before adding, "I didn’t mean to worry you both. Guess I overworked myself a little."

It wasn’t completely believable but they didn’t press and just nodded at his words.

"I’m glad," Lillian said, before getting off the bed and moving a few spaces back. She was still embarrassed by her actions and she knew Aria would use it as a teasing material on a later date.

"I’ll go call the doctor now," Aria said as she moved towards the door, "and give you two some privacy."

With that, she quickly got out the door before Lillian had the chance to stop her.

Stiffly, she turned toward Ethan, who was still sitting on the bed, watching her with a barely restrained chuckle.

Sensing her embarrassment and wanting to ease it, he quickly said, "Thank you for bringing me to the hospital."

Well, that didn’t help with her blush, but it definitely distracted her from the hug.

"Well, Aria was the one who called the ambulance," her mood visibly dropped, "I just stood there in shock."

"I’m sure you were just shocked," Ethan’s smile softened, "I’m still grateful, to both of you. If it wasn’t for you two barging in, who knows how long I’d have been lying there."

Before she could form a reply, a knock was heard on the door probably from Aria and the doctor.

The door opened, letting in a tall man with a white doctor’s coat and a pad in hand. Aria trailed behind with a silly smile on her face.

Definitely from the fact that the doctor was a handsome man, with black hair and green eyes, he looked like the male version of Lillian with his eyes being a lighter shade of green.

His name tag read Gabriel Bennett, a man who seemed to be in his early thirties. Aria stayed by Lillian’s side while her eyes seemed stuck on the doctor who had moved to Ethan’s side.

Gabriel adjusted his glasses and gave Ethan a professional smile. "Mr. Cross, how are you feeling today? Any dizziness? Headaches? Blurred vision?"

Ethan shook his head. "I feel fine. Just a little tired, but nothing else."

"That’s good," Gabriel said, jotting something down on his pad. "Your scans came back normal, but your brain activity was... unusual. Overactive, in fact. We’ll keep you under observation for another day just to be safe, but as long as nothing changes, you’ll be discharged soon."

While he spoke, Aria’s eyes never left him. Her lips were curved in a grin that looked entirely too dreamy for someone listening to a medical report.

Lillian elbowed her discreetly, hissing under her breath, "You’re drooling."

Aria glanced at her friend and, without a hint of shame, said, "I know you’re blinded by Ethan, but this doctor is just as much of an eye candy."

Lillian’s face turned crimson, both from Aria’s blunt words and from the way Ethan’s lips twitched, clearly fighting a laugh.

"Aria!" she hissed, glaring daggers at her friend.

"What? I’m just stating facts," Aria said shamelessly, shrugging while still sneaking glances at Gabriel.

The doctor, for his part, seemed either oblivious or too professional to acknowledge the comment. He continued jotting notes on his pad, though the faintest smirk tugged at his lips as he flipped the page.

He straightened, tucking his pen into his coat pocket. "Everything looks good so far. I’ll stop by again in a few hours to check in, but if you feel anything unusual—headaches, nausea, anything at all—make sure to let the nurses know right away."

"Understood," Ethan replied with a polite nod.

The doctor gave him an approving look before turning toward the door. "Rest well, Mr. Carter."

With his exit, Aria followed behind with her phone in hand, definitely trying to take the doctor’s number and Lillian followed behind, partially to avoid the embarrassment from Aria’s words and partially to stop her friend from bothering the doctor.

The room fell quiet once the door shut behind them. Ethan leaned back against the pillow, his expression calm, but his mind was already running several steps ahead....Well mostly with calculations and the urge to build something but there was also something else.

Since he had been out since the past day, that meant that the negotiation with Google was to take place the next day.

Just as he planned, Lillian would handle it. Alone.

This test was because he wanted to see what she would do when pushed into unfamiliar waters.

Her instincts, her composure, her ability to think on her feet... all of it mattered far more than him constantly shielding her and not letting her grow.

She didn’t know it was a test. And that was the point.

There was a chance she might fail, a chance that the results she achieved would be less than he expected, but that was fine, failure was part of growth.

As long as she showed that she was still the Midas the world would come to know.

Ethan’s lips curved faintly as he closed his eyes, his voice low enough that only he could hear. "Don’t disappoint me, Lillian."

_______

While Ethan planned a test for Lillian, another obstacle was being planned for her.

Miles away, inside a soundproofed private suite in one of San Francisco’s most expensive hotels, Dmitri Volkoff sipped his wine lazily.

Before him stood a man and a woman who seemed to have no idea what about what was currently going on...

Well, because they didn’t. They remember being asked their names before a group of buff men told them that their boss wanted to see them.

And without getting any answers or without accepting to see this boss of theirs, they were basically kidnapped and presented before this scary man.

"Have a seat," he politely said in a Russian accent, while he pointed towards two chairs opposite him.

Hesitantly the man and lady sat down and a lady appeared out of nowhere and handed them cold beverages.

As much as the initial meeting was scary, they slowly eased up as the Russian man calmly watched them.

Now that they thought about it, he wasn’t so scary after all...or so they thought.

"Now then," Dmitri leaned forward as he passed his tablet to the man, "I heard you shared an interesting past with this lady."

The man accepted the tablet but his eyes widened as soon as it landed on the image on it.

"L-Lillian?"