Chapter 235

Chapter 235

Several blinding beams from high-powered flashlights shot into the room, cutting through the darkness.

Dozens of fully armed assault team members poured in, their armbands bearing the logo of Starlight City's top mercenary corporation.

"Drop your weapons! Hands behind your head!" Ivan had barely raised his gun before they were on him.

A sniper bullet fired from outside the door, piercing through his right wrist.

Ivan screamed in pain as his gun clattered to the floor.

Two assault team members rushed forward, knocked him out with a rifle butt, and pinned him firmly to the ground.

Through the dust and smoke, two tall figures stepped over the shell casings scattered on the floor and entered the cell.

Leading the way was Brice, his face cold and stern.

Right behind him was Joseph, gripping a Beretta pistol in his hand.

"Brice, Joseph..." Christina slumped in the blood and filth, clutching the unconscious Ethan tightly in her arms. Seeing Brice and Joseph walking toward her through the haze, she finally broke down crying.

Christina had long been prepared to die together with Ethan.

She knew how ruthless Zack was—any rescue attempt could get Ethan killed.

So she had to infiltrate personally, implanting a signal device in her tooth.

She had arranged with Brice and Joseph that once she found Ethan, she would send out a signal.

Then Brice would lead the heavily paid mercenary team along with bodyguards from the Darden family and the Miller family to storm the place.

She didn't notify anyone from the Carter family, fearing that Zack had already taken complete control of them.

"Christina!" Brice rushed forward. Seeing his sister safe and sound, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He quickly took off his coat and wrapped it around Christina, his voice trembling, "It's okay now, I'm here!"

This round, they had won by the narrowest margin.

He originally didn't agree with Christina doing this, but she insisted and left him no choice.

At this moment, Joseph also came up to them.

"Ethan?" Joseph was stunned when he saw clearly the man in Christina's arms.

Hearing Joseph's familiar voice, Ethan slowly opened his eyes.

Through his unfocused vision, he saw Joseph and Brice, and finally, his gaze fell on Christina's face as she held him tight, tears streaming down.

Ethan opened his mouth, reached out his hand, and slowly wiped away the blood and tears from Christina's face.

"Don't... cry..." he forced out these two words with his hoarse voice.

"I won't cry, Ethan, I won't cry!" Christina held his thin hand against her face, crying so hard she could barely breathe. "I'm taking you home! We're going home right now! Henry is still waiting for you at home. You can't die, do you hear me!"

Hearing the name "Henry," a glimmer of light flashed in Ethan's fading eyes, then his hands dropped and he fell into unconsciousness.

"What are you standing there for! Save him!" Christina shouted at Pierre, who was cowering in the corner, her eyes red.

The private plane flew steadily at thirty thousand feet, racing toward Seaside City.

The cabin had been converted into a makeshift intensive care unit.

For a full forty-eight hours, Ethan hovered on the edge of death.

He had suffered severe malnutrition, multiple organ failure, deformed healing from compound fractures in both legs, widespread infected bedsores, and nerve damage from prolonged injection of mind-control drugs.

Christina stayed by the bedside without leaving for a moment, holding Ethan's hand tightly, calling out to him over and over, telling him funny stories about Henry, trying to awaken his will to live.

Perhaps it was her voice that reached him, just before the plane was about to land, Ethan miraculously passed the critical period and weakly opened his eyes.

He had been cleaned up by now. Though still skeletal, there was finally some life in his face.

"Ethan..." Seeing him open his eyes, Christina's tears flowed again.

Ethan looked at the haggard Christina before him, squeezed her fingers back, caressing them tenderly.

"Christina..."

Joseph and Brice nearby also quickly stepped forward.

"Ethan, what happened?" Joseph asked with a frown. "After you jumped into the sea that year, why did you end up in that impostor's hands? Who is he exactly!"

Ethan took a deep breath and began to tell the truth that had been buried deep.

Five months ago, to secure Christina and Henry's safety, Ethan jumped into the deep sea without hesitation.

He struggled in the current, his strength exhausted. Just as he was falling unconscious, he felt someone grab him underwater.

"When I woke up... I was in the bottom hold of a smuggling cargo ship." Ethan smiled bitterly. "Then I was held captive at sea for over a month, and then I saw... Zack."

"Zack?!" Joseph exclaimed.

"Yes, Zack." Brice frowned deeply. "Ethan's twin brother. The son abandoned by the Carter family years ago."

Ethan closed his eyes in pain. "Yes... it was him. He arranged for divers to save me underwater, all for his revenge..."

That day in the dim hold, Zack looked at Ethan tied to an iron post.

"My brother, you thought dying would make you a hero?" Zack's smile was twisted. "We're twins—why do you get to have everything from the Carter Family, living high and mighty, while I have to live like a rat in the gutter?!"

Ethan tried to resist but was held down by Zack's men.

Zack picked up a steel pipe, walked up to him, and smiled like a madman.

"I was going to let you die and be done with it, but I changed my mind."

"I'm going to break your legs and lock you up in a place without light. I'm going to use your identity to control the Carter Group. I'm going to sleep in your bed, spend your money, and even... hold your woman."

"I want you to live one more day in this world, just to suffer one more day."

Ethan recounted those painful memories.

As he spoke, he seemed to hear again the sound of his legs being shattered by the steel pipe.

That excruciating pain of his bones being crushed, and the despair of having his life stolen, made him want to end it all during those days and nights at Blackthorn Fortress.

But he had to stay alive.

Zack was a madman. If he died, Zack would hurt Christina and Henry without any restraint.

He held on to his last breath, refusing to sign the identity waiver, refusing to hand over his biometric passwords, just to hold Zack back and leave Christina a chance to survive.

"Bastard!" Joseph punched the cabin wall, trembling with rage.

How could he do this to his own brother? Was he even human?

Christina collapsed on Ethan's chest, tears streaming down her face, her heart breaking.

"I'm sorry. If it weren't for saving us, you wouldn't have ended up like this."

"It's not your fault." Ethan struggled to raise his hand and gently stroked her hair, his eyes full of love. "As long as you and Henry are safe, even if I have to go through hell again, I'd do it willingly."

Brice stood to the side, his expression grave. "Now's not the time for grief. Blackthorn Fortress has been breached—Zack definitely knows his cover is blown."

"Right, he knows he's exposed and will definitely try to take us all down with him." Ethan growled through gritted teeth. "Christina, help me contact Joshua! Watch the Carter Group's cash flow closely. He's definitely going to transfer assets!"

Just as Ethan predicted.

At that moment, in Emerald City, in the top-floor office of the Carter Group.

Hearing his assistant's report, Zack's eyes turned bloodshot with rage, his face twisted.

Blackthorn Fortress had actually been stormed by people from the Darden family and the Miller family working together, and they had rescued Ethan.

"Christina, well done!" Zack flipped over his desk, scattering documents everywhere.

He hadn't expected Christina to discover his weakness. He should have just killed her when she was unconscious.

His special assistant stepped forward nervously and asked, "Mr. Zack Carter, if Mr. Ethan Carter comes back, everything we've done will be unforgivable. What should we do?"