CHAPTER 96

CHAPTER 96

ETHAN’S POV

The nightmare came back again. The same one that left my chest tight and my hands shaking. I woke up gasping, drenched in sweat, and blinded by the harsh white light above me.

“You’re awake,” a familiar voice said.

Dr. Meyers stood at the foot of the bed, calm as always, his expression unreadable. “You had us worried, Ethan.”

“What happened?” My throat felt dry, my head heavy. I tried sitting up but the pounding made it impossible. “Why am I here?”

“That’s what I’d like to ask you.” His tone was sharp. “You passed out at the office. When Michael brought you in, you were barely conscious. I ran a few tests, and I found something concerning.”

I rubbed my eyes, trying to think. “If you’re going to say I relapsed, you’re wasting your breath. I haven’t touched a thing.”

Dr. Meyers didn’t flinch. “Your bloodwork shows traces of a sedative. It’s not lethal, but it’s not accidental either.”

The words froze me. “A sedative?”

“Yes. A low dose of a benzodiazepine compound.” He walked over to the counter, picked up a sheet of paper, and placed it beside me. “It’s in your system, Ethan. You were drugged.”

“That’s not possible,” I said, my pulse quickening. “I haven’t taken anything. You think I’d risk everything after all the work I’ve done to stay clean?”

“I think someone’s been slipping it to you,” Dr. Meyers said. “Or you’re hiding something from me. I hope it’s the first.”

I clenched my fists. “I’m not lying.”

He looked at me for a long time, then sighed. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. But you need to stay alert. Whoever did this wanted you down, maybe even dead.”

The door opened before I could respond.

Ariana stepped in, looking pale and terrified. Her hair was still messy from rushing here. The moment she saw me awake, she didn’t hesitate. She ran to me and wrapped her arms around me, holding on like she was afraid I’d disappear.

“Ethan,” she whispered, her voice shaking. “You scared me half to death.”

I buried my face in her shoulder. Her scent—faint jasmine and the warmth of home—cut through the hospital smell. “I’m fine,” I murmured. “Or at least trying to be.”

She pulled back, eyes glassy. “What happened?”

“The doctor says I was drugged.” I hated how helpless that sounded. “Someone must’ve slipped something into my drink.”

Her face hardened. “Who would do that?”

“That’s what we need to find out,” I said. “Dr. Meyers thinks it was deliberate.”

Ariana turned to him. “Can you prove it?”

“We’re running more tests,” he replied. “I’ll flush his system and monitor him for the next twenty-four hours. In the meantime, keep him calm.”

She nodded, gripping my hand. When Dr. Meyers left, silence filled the room again. The machines beeped quietly. I felt her thumb brushing the back of my hand—steady, grounding, real.

“I hate seeing you like this,” she said softly. “You’ve worked too hard to get here.”

“I know.” My voice cracked a little. “But someone’s trying to make me fall apart again. And I don’t even know who.”

She exhaled slowly. “Then we find out together.”

Her tone was calm but determined. That was what I loved about her. When everything went dark, Ariana always looked for the switch.

“Michael’s already checking,” she continued. “He’s reviewing footage from last night’s gala. Sabela is going through your messages, making sure no one got too close. And Benjamin’s running background checks on everyone who had access to your office.”

“Benjamin’s involved?” I asked, surprised.

She nodded. “He insisted. He said he owes you for what you did for him.”

That was unexpected. Benjamin wasn’t the type to get emotional, but when he said something like that, he meant it. “Then I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

She looked at me, then smiled faintly. “You sound calm for someone who was drugged.”

“I’ve had worse days,” I said, forcing a smile. “At least this time, I have you.”

Her expression softened. She leaned closer, resting her forehead against mine. “You always have me.”

For a few seconds, everything went still. The hospital noise faded. My mind stopped racing. It was just her and me.

Then she spoke again, her voice quiet. “There’s more. Helen called.”

“The producer?” I frowned. “What did she want?”

“She wants you back on the show. She’s agreed to give you and me a live segment. She said she wants to clear the air.”

I stared at her. “You think that’s a good idea? Going live after this?”

“She promised to play fair,” Ariana said. “And she said the network wants the truth out. If we control the story, we can fix the narrative before it spirals.”

I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or curse. “She’s doing it for ratings.”

“Maybe,” Ariana said. “But we’ll do it for the truth.”

She always had a way of finding balance in chaos. I admired that about her. Even when I was breaking, she saw the fight in me that I’d forgotten.

I nodded slowly. “Alright. We’ll do it. But only when I’m out of here.”

Her lips curved slightly. “Deal.”

I squeezed her hand. “Promise me something.”

“What?”

“If it turns out this wasn’t random… if someone close did this, don’t confront them alone.”

Her eyes flickered, something unreadable behind them. “You think it’s someone we know?”

“I don’t think anything yet,” I said. “But whoever it was had access to my water, my office, my schedule. That narrows it down.”

Ariana went quiet. I knew that look—her mind already spinning through suspects. Dale, maybe. Or Phil, the one who’d blackmailed me months ago. Or even Tara, who would do anything for revenge.

When she finally spoke, her tone was low. “Then we find them first.”

Dr. Meyers came back to adjust my IV. Ariana stood aside, still watching me. “We’ll keep him under observation tonight,” he said. “You can stay, but only for a few hours.”

“I’m not leaving him,” she said firmly.

The doctor sighed but didn’t argue. When he left again, Ariana sat back beside me, her fingers still linked with mine. The light from the window softened against her hair. I could see the exhaustion in her eyes, but also something stronger—resolve.

“You should sleep,” I told her. “You look like you’ve been running all day.”

She smiled faintly. “I have. But I’m not closing my eyes until I know you’re safe.”

I laughed quietly. “You sound like my bodyguard.”

“Maybe I am,” she said, smiling for real this time. “The stubborn kind.”

“Then I’m in good hands.”

Her head rested on my shoulder, and for the first time in a long while, I felt something close to peace. The noise faded. The fear dimmed. The world could wait.

Because for now, Ariana was here.
And I was still breathing.