Back from the dead

Chapter 131: Back from the dead

ETHAN

Surprise!🫢

Few weeks ago

Pain. That was the first thing I registered. A dull, aching weight pressed against my chest, making every breath feel like a battle. My body felt heavy, my head foggy.

The steady beep of machines reached my ears. Hospital.

I forced my eyes open, blinking against the bright overhead lights. My vision was blurry at first, but when it cleared, I saw Emily.

She was sitting beside my bed, hands clasped tightly together, eyes filled with something I couldn’t quite place. Guilt? Fear?

I tried to move, but a sharp pain shot through my side, forcing a groan out of me.

Emily’s head snapped up. "Ethan! You're awake."

I ignored the relief in her voice, swallowing the dryness in my throat. "What the hell are you doing here?" My voice was hoarse, weak.

She hesitated, then leaned forward slightly. "I... I needed to make sure you were okay."

I narrowed my eyes. "What happened? Why are you here?"

Emily sighed. "Smith found out about your meeting with John. I overheard him giving orders to his men, to follow you, take whatever evidence you had, and kill you both."

My stomach twisted. I already knew that much. I’d watched John get shot. I remembered the blood, the panic. But there was something else. "How did Smith know where we were meeting? Wait, how do you even know Smith?"

Emily looked away.

I stared at her, something cold settling in my gut. "Emily. How did Smith know?"

She fidgeted, fingers tightening around each other. "I… I bugged your phone."

I let out a bitter chuckle. "You what?"

"I didn’t do it to hurt you," she rushed to explain. "I…I was working for Smith. He made me do it."

My hands clenched into fists. "You expect me to believe that?"

Her eyes filled with desperation. "I destroyed the bug when I realized what was happening! I wanted to save you and John, but I was too late!"

I shook my head, exhaling sharply. "Why are you helping me, Emily?"

She was silent for a moment. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she said, "Because Smith kidnapped Nathan. His own son"

The world stilled.

I stared at her, my heart pounding. "What? Nathan isn't my son?"

Emily swallowed hard. "Smith kidnapped him. He won’t release him until I give him something on you."

It was like the air had been sucked out of the room.

I had spent the past few weeks believing Nathan was my son, only to find out he wasn’t. Now, Emily was telling me Smith, the psychopath responsible for John's death, was the boy’s real father?

"You lied to me," I said, my voice cold.

Tears welled in her eyes. "I know. And I regret it, Ethan. Every single day." She reached for my hand, but I pulled away. "I made the worst mistake of my life when I left you, and I know it’s too late to fix anything between us, but please… I need your help."

I let out a humorless laugh. "My help? What the hell do you think I can do?"

"You need to help me make Smith Cole pay."

I stilled. "What?"

"Yes and if Smith thinks you're alive, he'll try to kill you again," she said, her voice urgent. "You have two options—either you leave the country and disappear, or you fake your death."

I stared at her, my mind racing.

Disappear? After everything Smith had done? After John died?

That wasn’t an option.

She must have seen the refusal in my eyes because she leaned closer. "Listen to me. If you die now, you can come back when the time is right. If you stay, you won’t even get the chance to fight back."

I exhaled slowly, forcing my thoughts into order.

Emily was right.

Smith was too powerful. Too dangerous. If I stayed, he would hunt me down and finish what he started. But if I played dead... if I waited... I could take him down on my own terms.

"I guess I’ll remain dead for a while," I muttered.

Emily nodded, relief washing over her face. "I'll handle everything. As a nurse, I can make it look real. But we have to act fast. In the meantime, I'll be right back."

A few hours later, the doctor came in and examined my bullet wound. Then Emily sneaked back in with a syringe after he left.

"This will slow your heart rate to the point where it’ll look like you're dead," she explained. "It won’t last long, but long enough for the doctors to call it." She said

I nodded.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked, voice hesitant.

I stared at the ceiling. "Do it."

The needle pricked my skin. Seconds later, darkness took over.

When I woke again, the room was dimly lit. Emily was beside me, whispering urgently. "Come on, Ethan. We need to move."

My head felt heavy, my body sluggish, but I forced myself to sit up.

"Did it work?" I rasped.

She nodded. "You're officially dead."

I glanced at the hospital bed. There was a body there in my place.

A man whose stature looked just like mine

I forced myself up on my feet and gestured to Emily. "Let’s go."

Emily handed me a hoodie and helped me into a wheelchair, pushing me out of the room.

The halls were empty so no one stopped us.

Within minutes, we were outside, slipping into a black car waiting by the back entrance.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"You’ll see," she said.

I scoffed, “how am I sure you're not taking me to him.”

She shook her head, “cause i would have killed you with that injection but I didn't. Ethan, this would not work if you don't trust me.”

I didn't say anything after that and the drive was quiet, after what felt like an eternity, the car pulled into a secluded property.

A house, it was remote and looked safe. We stepped inside, and the moment we did, I felt a chill run down my spine because standing in the living room, waiting for me, was my Aunt Margaret.

She turned, her sharp gaze landing on me then she smiled.

"Welcome back from the dead, Ethan.”