Chapter 74 Chapter 74
Chapter 74
Ethan woke up slowly, not because of pain or panic, but because his body had simply rested enough.
That alone felt strange.
He lay still for a moment, eyes open, staring at the ceiling of his bedroom at the penthouse. No sweat on his skin. No sharp breath caught in his throat. No echo of screams chasing him awake. His heart beat steady, calm in a way he had not felt in years.
He waited for it.
The usual rush.
The familiar dread.
The memory that always came before he even opened his eyes.
Nothing came.
Ethan frowned slightly and turned his head on the pillow. His arm still ached, his ribs still reminded him of the fire, but his mind was quiet. Too quiet. He reached instinctively toward the bedside table, where his pills usually sat within easy reach.
His hand stopped halfway.
He hadn’t taken them.
Not last night. Not even once.
That realization unsettled him more than any nightmare ever had.
He sat up slowly, careful with his injuries, and rubbed his face with one hand. He didn’t smile. He didn’t feel proud. If anything, the calm made him uneasy. It felt unfamiliar, like stepping into a room that should have been locked.
He stood up and walked to the window, looking down at the city below. He had not resumed work yet. Maria had insisted. Doctors had insisted. For once, he had not argued.
Still, his thoughts drifted to the office.
To the fourth floor.
To her.
Ethan exhaled slowly and turned away from the window just as footsteps echoed down the hallway.
\---
At the Castellan villa, Maria Castellan sat in the living room, her back straight against the couch, a tablet resting on her lap. The room was quiet, the kind of calm she preferred in her house.
Then the sound of heels broke it.
Sharp. Confident. Unapologetic.
Maria looked up immediately.
Amelia walked in without hesitation, her heels clicking against the marble floor as if announcing her presence. She didn’t rush. She didn’t pause either. She moved like she knew every eye would be on her the moment she stepped inside.
Maria’s gaze traveled over her slowly.
She froze for a second.
Her brows lifted in clear surprise.
“Well,” Maria said, lowering the tablet slowly, “look at you.”
Amelia smiled, adjusting the fitted dress that hugged her new shape easily. “Good morning, Maria.”
Maria rose from her seat and walked closer, her gaze openly curious. “You look… different.”
Amelia laughed lightly. “Different good, I hope.”
“Very good,” Maria replied, nodding. “You look hot, dear. I mean that.”
Amelia’s smile widened just a little. She had expected this reaction. Still, hearing it out loud gave her a sense of satisfaction she hadn’t realized she needed.
Maria circled her once, not hiding her interest. “How did you manage this in such a short time? The last time I saw you, you didn’t look like this.”
Amelia shrugged casually. “I took some time for myself.”
“In just days?” Maria asked, clearly impressed. “You young people move fast.”
Amelia sat down, crossing her legs carefully. “Sometimes you have to.”
Maria returned to her seat, still watching her. “Ethan hasn’t been around much. He’s recovering.”
“I heard,” Amelia said, keeping her tone light.
Maria hesitated, then leaned forward slightly. “Did you hear about the fire?”
Amelia’s eyes sharpened. “Fire?”
“Yes,” Maria said, shaking her head. “At Castellan Enterprise. Terrible thing.”
Amelia tilted her head. “What happened?”
Maria sighed. “They said it started on the fourth floor. Ethan rushed in like a mad man. Ignored everyone. Firefighters, safety team, all of them.”
Amelia’s fingers tightened slightly around her bag. “He went in himself?”
“Yes,” Maria said firmly. “He nearly gave me a heart attack. Ran straight in to save someone.”
Amelia felt a strange chill settle in her stomach. Her mind drifted instantly to the magazine. The page in the magazine. The curve of that woman’s body. The angle of Ethan standing behind her, too close to be accidental.
“Someone?” Amelia asked carefully. “Who?”
Maria waved it off. “Some staff. A woman from what I heard. Almost lost her life.”
Amelia forced a small laugh. “Ethan has always been… dramatic.”
Maria frowned slightly. “This wasn’t like him. He hasn’t done anything that reckless in years.”
Amelia said nothing. Her thoughts raced.
The Curvy woman in the picture with him
A woman.
The photo.
The pieces slid together too easily.
She leaned back, schooling her expression. “I’m sure he just felt responsible.”
“Maybe,” Maria replied. “Still, it worried me.”
Amelia nodded slowly. “I can imagine.”
A short silence followed.
After a moment, Amelia stood up. “I should get going.”
“So soon?” Maria asked.
“Yes,” Amelia replied. “I have a few things to take care of.”
Maria smiled. “You should visit again.”
“I will,” Amelia said, adjusting her bag. “Tell Ethan I stopped by.”
Maria nodded. “I will.”
Amelia walked out of the villa with calm steps, but the moment she reached her car, her thoughts spiraled.
So it was true.
He went into a fire.
For another woman.
She sat in the back seat, staring at her reflection in the tinted glass. Her new body looked unreal, almost foreign, but powerful. She ran her hand slowly along her waist, then her hips.
“If he sees me like this,” she murmured to herself, “he won’t look at anyone else.”
Her lips curved into a confident smile.
“He won’t even remember her.”
The car pulled away from the villa, leaving the Castellan estate behind.
Upstairs in his penthouse, Ethan stood at his window, unaware of Amelia’s visit to the castellan villa.
His phone lay untouched on the table. He had tried to read. Tried to work. Tried to distract himself.
Nothing held his attention.
His mind kept drifting back to the same place. The same face.
He pressed his fingers into his palm, frustrated.
“I’m fine,” he told himself quietly.
But deep down, he knew something had changed.
And no amount of control could undo it now.