Chapter 256 Won't Leave You Behind
Ethan's hands moved methodically as he finished bandaging my arm wound. He hadn't spoken a word since I'd revealed the truth about my identity. The silence between us grew heavier with each passing minute, filled only by the sound of the rain and the occasional tear of medical tape.
"Is it that hard to accept?" I cut through his thoughts.
Ethan's hands paused briefly before continuing to secure the bandage. His expression was troubled, words seemingly caught in his throat.
"You want to say something," I observed, studying his face. "Just say it."
Ethan met my gaze, hesitating before asking, "There's more to your death than just a failed mission, isn't there?"
I let out a short, humorless laugh. "It wasn't some goddamn failed mission at all." I looked directly at him, keeping my voice steady but couldn't hide the bitterness. "That private island in the Caribbean? I blew it up myself. Call it a mutual destruction, if you want."
Ethan's eyes widened slightly, urging me to continue.
"Shadow Organization is greedy to its core," I said, contempt evident in my tone. "We had a deal—I'd give them eighty percent of my genetic samples, and they'd let me go. But they wanted everything, and then they planned to dispose of me after they got what they needed."
"So during that time you completely disappeared... you were in their lab, letting them extract your genes?" Ethan asked, his voice tight.
I nodded once. "Yes."
Ethan fell silent, a lump visibly forming in his throat. The implications of what I'd been through seemed to hit him hard, making his chest constrict.
After a moment, he asked in a strained voice, "You were with Shadow from the very beginning? When you were very young? Before you could even talk or walk... before you could remember?"
I looked at him with slight confusion, wondering why he was asking about something I'd already mentioned in the alley.
"It hurt, didn't it?" he asked softly.
I wasn't sure if he meant my current arm wound, my days surviving in Shadow Organization, or the torture I'd endured in their laboratory.
Ethan struggled to control his emotions as he gently placed his hand on the back of my neck, resting his chin against my forehead, brushing against it lightly.
His pain for me was so profound he couldn't speak.
The room fell into silence. My eyelashes fluttered slightly as Ethan's concern enveloped me like something tangible. I could feel it completely, and the sensation was indescribable.
Strangely, I had never found Shadow Organization's training particularly difficult or exhausting. I had actually enjoyed the process of becoming stronger. Even those days in the Caribbean laboratory hadn't affected me much emotionally. I'd channeled all my suffering into hatred for the organization.
My upbringing and experiences had made me immune to needing sentimental concern.
Yet being on the receiving end of such genuine care was unexpected. Reflecting on those dark days, I felt an unfamiliar twinge of something close to self-pity.
Having someone care this deeply felt surprisingly good.
After a long moment, Ethan took a deep breath and pulled back, regaining his composure. "Did they use your genetic material?" he asked with obvious concern. "Does that mean they've cloned you too?"
"It was destroyed," I said, though I couldn't be entirely certain.
Ethan sighed in relief, then frowned. "Even the most perfect clone has flaws and can't match the original. Why would they go to such lengths?"
"Dusk wanted to leave the Organization. They found out," I explained simply.
"And you?" Ethan asked.
"Naturally, I was going with him," I replied.
Ethan was quiet for a moment, carefully choosing his next words. "Why did he choose to end his life that way? Can you tell me?"
I lowered my eyes briefly. Surprisingly, facing Ethan, I found it wasn't as difficult to speak about as I'd expected. So I told him everything.
Ethan listened in silence, absorbing every word.
"...During that mission, he suggested we split up," I said, lost in the memory. "He told me to go ahead. I walked quite far, then looked back at him once... he was just standing there, watching me." My voice grew quieter. "If only I'd noticed something was wrong then."
Dusk's feelings for me had been deeper and more profound than anyone else in my life—he had been there for over twenty years. Our relationship contained elements of family, friendship, and even love. And he had died for me.
"I thought his death was an accident," I continued. "So I made a deal with Shadow Organization—eighty percent of my genes in exchange for freedom."
"He had plans for a normal life," I added softly. "He'd figured everything out, down to what kind of house he wanted to live in... After leaving Shadow Organization, I was going to fulfill his wishes for him."
But Dusk's death hadn't freed me from Shadow Organization as I'd hoped. Instead, it had led me straight into their laboratory.
The rain continued to beat against the window, filling the silence that followed my story. Ethan hadn't spoken since I finished.
"Aren't you going to ask about my relationship with Dusk?" I suddenly asked, looking at him.
"He loved you," he stated simply.
I was quiet for a moment. "I know."
"And you?" Ethan asked.
I considered the question. "If he had proposed marriage and children, I don't think I would have refused," I answered candidly. "We were meant to spend our lives together anyway."
Ethan's emotions crossed his face in a complex pattern, but he quickly found acceptance.
Hours passed in silence. The rain outside hadn't stopped, and Ethan didn't dare disturb me as I processed my thoughts. He simply sat quietly beside me. I had been staring at the same spot for over four hours when I suddenly turned my gaze to his face.
Ethan was caught under my intense scrutiny for quite some time before he noticed.
"What is it?" he asked softly.
He touched his face uncertainly. "Is there something on my face?"
"I was thinking about how to convince you to go back to New York," I said abruptly.
"I was planning to just leave you behind," I added.
Ethan was momentarily speechless, finding my words difficult to accept. After a brief pause, he asked, "Then why didn't you?"
"I was afraid you'd be stupid enough to look for Shadow Organization trying to find me," I replied bluntly.
It was something Ethan would absolutely do.
"Where is Shadow Organization's headquarters?" he immediately asked.
I frowned. "Why are you asking that?"
"If you disappear, that's where I'll look for you," he stated simply.
"Is that a threat?" I asked.
"Yes," he confirmed without hesitation.
A slight smile tugged at the corner of my lips.
"If you just go back to New York..." I paused briefly, "if you're not with me, you'll be safe. Push them too far, and they really will kill you."
Before Ethan could respond, I continued, "I don't know how many clones have waiting for me, but even if it kills me, I'm going to take down the leader of that organization."
Ethan's response was equally direct: "If I were afraid of dying, I wouldn't have gone into the desert looking for you in the first place."