Chapter 65 Chapter 65
Chapter 65
They were admitted to the same hospital.
Different rooms.
Different floors.
Ethan woke up with a sharp sting running through his arms. His eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the white ceiling above him. His right arm was wrapped in thick bandages, his hand barely visible beneath the gauze. His ribs were tightly strapped, every small movement sending pain through his side.
Before he could even process where he was, his mouth moved on its own.
“Is she okay?”
The doctor standing beside the bed paused, then looked at him closely.
“You just woke up from heavy sedation,” the doctor said. “You should be asking about yourself.”
Ethan tried to lift his head but winced immediately. “Celine,” he said again. “Is she okay?”
The doctor sighed, clearly not pleased. “You went into a burning office alone. Do you have any idea how reckless that was?”
“Doctor,” Ethan said, his voice hoarse, “is she alive?”
The doctor exchanged a glance with the nurse, then nodded. “She’s stable. Smoke inhalation, some minor injuries. She’ll recover.”
Ethan let out a slow breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
“Thank God,” he muttered.
The doctor crossed his arms. “You could have died. You inhaled too much smoke, sustained serious burns, and fractured two ribs. You are lucky to be lying here.”
“I didn’t have time to think,” Ethan replied quietly.
“That’s exactly the problem,” the doctor said firmly. “You acted without backup, without protection, without waiting for firefighters. You are not invincible, Mr Castellan.”
Before Ethan could respond, the door pushed open.
Maria Castellan rushed in, her eyes red, her face pale. She stopped short when she saw the bandages covering her son.
“Ethan,” she breathed.
He turned his head slightly. “Mom.”
She moved to his bedside immediately, gripping his uninjured hand. “Are you out of your mind?” she cried. “Do you know what you’ve done to me?”
“I’m fine,” Ethan said, though his voice lacked strength.
“Fine?” Maria snapped. “You walked into a fire. A fire. Do you think money or power makes you immune to flames?”
The doctor cleared his throat. “He needs rest. Stress will slow his recovery.”
Maria ignored him. Her eyes never left Ethan’s face. “Why would you do something so stupid?” she demanded. “Why would you risk your life like that?”
Ethan swallowed.
“Mum, she was—” he began.
He stopped.
Maria frowned. “She was what?”
He turned his face slightly away. “Nothing.”
The silence stretched between them.
Maria stared at him for a long moment, studying his expression, then finally said, “You scared me. Don’t ever do that again.”
She brushed her fingers lightly over his hair before stepping back.
“I’ll come back later,” she said, her voice shaking. “Get some rest.”
After she left, Ethan lay still, staring at the ceiling, replaying the fire in his mind. The smoke. The heat. The sound of her coughing.
He closed his eyes.
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Celine woke up to the low sound of murmured voices.
Her throat burned when she tried to swallow. It felt dry, raw, like she had screamed for hours even though she couldn’t remember doing so. She blinked slowly, her eyes struggling to adjust as white walls came into focus. The room smelled like disinfectant. Machines hummed softly beside her bed, steady and constant.
“Celine,” Ariana said gently, stepping closer the moment she noticed her eyes open. “You’re awake.”
Celine turned her head slightly. Ariana was there, standing beside the bed, her face tense with worry. She looked exhausted, like she hadn’t slept. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her. Near the door stood the receptionist and two other staff members from the office, all quiet, all watching her carefully.
“What… happened?” Celine asked weakly. Her voice sounded strange to her own ears.
“The fire started on the fourth floor,” the receptionist said softly, choosing her words with care. “Your office was the first place it reached.”
Celine’s heart skipped.
“My office?” she whispered.
“Yes,” another staff member replied. “It spread very fast. The alarms went off almost immediately. Everyone was evacuated.”
Celine swallowed hard. Her head throbbed as memories returned in broken pieces. Smoke filling the room. Her chest burning when she tried to breathe. Her legs refusing to move. Panic clawing at her when she realized she couldn’t see the door clearly anymore.
She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, then opened them again.
“And… Mr Castellan?” she asked quietly. Her voice was barely steady.
The room fell silent.
Ariana’s gaze shifted to the receptionist. The receptionist hesitated, clearly unsure how much to say.
“He ran straight past everyone,” she finally said. “Didn’t stop. Didn’t wait for instructions.”
Celine frowned slightly. “Ran where?”
“To the fourth floor,” the receptionist replied. “Straight to your office.”
Something tightened in Celine’s chest.
“He ignored the safety team,” one of the staff added. “Firefighters were already on their way. Security tried to stop him.”
Ariana exhaled slowly, her worry deepening. “Celine… he carried you out himself.”
Celine stared up at the ceiling, her breathing slowing.
“He… carried me?” she repeated.
No one spoke.
“He could have died,” Celine whispered.
No one argued. No one tried to soften it.
“Sorry, Celine,” the receptionist said carefully. “It’s not that no one was willing to save you. The fire was too intense. The firefighters were preparing to enter when Mr Castellan rushed in on his own.”
Celine’s fingers curled slowly against the hospital sheet.
“Why did he do that?” she asked, her voice quiet, confused, almost afraid of the answer.
No one had one.
A nurse stepped into the room then, checking her vitals, adjusting the IV, asking her simple questions. It gave everyone a moment to breathe. After the nurse left, Ariana sat down beside the bed and gently held Celine’s hand.
“He didn’t think,” Ariana said softly. “He just acted.”
Celine closed her eyes.
“He didn’t have to,” she whispered. “I’m just… an employee.”
Ariana didn’t respond. She only tightened her grip slightly, as if words wouldn’t help.
Outside the room, the staff exchanged glances before quietly leaving one by one. Their earlier whispers were gone. Something else had taken their place.
Because everyone had seen it.
Everyone knew.
Mr Castellan hadn’t hesitated.
And that truth stayed with Celine long after the room fell silent again.