Chapter 302 Chapter 302

Chapter 302 Chapter 302
Chapter 302

Isabelle helped Ethan stand up slowly from the edge of the bed, keeping a firm grip around his waist so he wouldn't put any sudden weight on his right thigh. She guided him into the attached bathroom, where the warm water was already running into the tiled walk-in shower. Ethan leaned against the glass shower door, letting out a small sigh of relief as the steam filled the room.

Isabelle rolled up her sleeves, grabbing a soft washcloth and a bottle of soap. She helped him step over the low rim, guiding him onto a built-in stone bench inside the stall so he could sit comfortably without straining his leg. She worked quietly and carefully, wetting the cloth under the warm stream and scrubbing his back gently, lifting away the thick dirt, sweat, and grime from his journey across the Atlantic.

Ethan rested his elbows on his knees, closing his eyes as she squeezed warm soapy water over his hair. She massaged his scalp with her fingers, working out the dust from the cargo hold and the woods in France. Every now and then, Ethan opened his eyes to look up at her. Isabelle caught his gaze each time, her expression soft and quiet as she wiped soapy lather down his arms and broad shoulders. They exchanged quiet, meaningful looks, letting the simple comfort of being together replace all the stress of the past week.

Once he was completely rinsed, Isabelle handed him a large, dry towel and brought him back into the bedroom. Maria had already laid out a fresh set of dark grey sweatpants and a clean cotton t-shirt on the armchair near the window. The private house nurse, a middle-aged woman Maria had trusted for years, was waiting beside the bed with a fresh medical kit.

"Sit tight, Mr. Castellan," the nurse said gently, unrolling sterile gauze and antiseptic ointment.
Ethan sat on the edge of the mattress while the nurse carefully cleaned the edges of his gunshot wound, applying fresh antibacterial cream before wrapping his thigh in neat, professional layers of white bandage. Ethan barely flinched, his mind far away as Maria and Isabelle pulled up two wooden chairs to sit right beside him.
"How did you even survive out there after they shot you, Ethan?" Maria asked softly, her hands resting tightly in her lap as she looked at his bandaged thigh.

Ethan looked at his mother, then at Isabelle, his voice low and quiet as he began to explain everything that had happened after he pushed Isabelle across the river footbridge.
"I managed to drag myself through the brush for almost two miles," Ethan said softly. "I was losing a lot of blood, and I honestly thought that was going to be the end of it. But an old French couple found me collapsed near their farm property. Their names are Jean and Colette."
Maria and Isabelle sat in complete silence, listening intently as he spoke softly about the elderly couple.
"Jean brought me into his cabin, and Colette treated my leg using old remedies and whatever clean supplies they had," Ethan continued, shaking his head slightly. "They hid me in their small barn for days while Sam's men were actively searching the roads near the border. Jean even used his own personal savings to pay a cargo boat captain named Henri to take me across the water to Spain, and then onto that private transport plane."

Ethan paused, looking down at his freshly bandaged leg before looking back up at his mother. "I claim I owe those two old French couples a lot, Mom. They didn't know who I was, they didn't know if I was rich or poor, but they risked their lives to keep me safe from Sam's people. I'm going to make sure they are taken care of for the rest of their lives once this is over."
"We will," Maria agreed immediately, wiping a fresh tear from her eye. "We will send them whatever they need."

Ethan turned his head slightly toward the open bedroom door, hearing the faint sound of voices coming from the main living room where Ariana and Agent Miller were reviewing files.

"And then there's Ariana," Ethan said, his tone full of genuine appreciation as he looked at Isabelle. "She was the one who helped me organize everything to get to France in the first place to rescue you. When Sam took you, I had no direct leads, no access to my usual security team, and no fast way into Europe without drawing Sam’s  attention. Ariana used her private contacts, secured the transport, and stayed on top of every single detail."

Ethan leaned back against the headboard, taking a slow, deep breath. "She has been a total blessing through all of this. Without her stepping up when everyone else thought I was losing my mind, none of us would be sitting in this house right now."