Chapter 181.

The door opened quietly.

Adrian stepped back into the ward.

Emilia had just finished her meal.

The tray sat on the small table in front of her, pushed slightly aside now that she had eaten. She was sitting on the couch with one leg tucked beneath her, and her attention fixed on Kylie.

Her mother was in the bathroom.

The room was quiet except for the soft beeping of the monitor beside Kylie.

Adrian closed the door behind him.

Emilia looked up immediately. Her eyes searched his face. "How is Christian?" she asked.

Adrian walked toward her. "He’s been better."

His tone made her straighten.

She studied him.

"Did something happen?"

"Nothing happened to him."

"Then why do you sound like that?"

Adrian didn’t answer immediately. He reached the couch and sat beside her.

Emilia watched him carefully. There was something different in his face.

Adrian rarely looked panicked. But there was a heaviness behind his eyes that hadn’t been there when he’d left.

He opened his arm.

Emilia didn’t hesitate. She shifted closer and leaned against him, resting her head against his chest.

Adrian wrapped his arm around her.

He kissed the top of her hair. Then he lowered his face and buried his nose gently in her hair. For a few seconds, he simply held her.

Emilia’s fingers curled lightly into the fabric of his shirt.

"Tell me what’s wrong, Adrian."

When Adrian became this quiet, Emilia knew something was coming. His thumb moved slowly over her upper arm.

"Adrian?"

"Hm?"

"What happened?"

He breathed out. "I need to tell you something, sweetheart."

Emilia lifted her head. His eyes met hers. And suddenly, she didn’t want to hear it. That instinct came before the words.

A cold feeling settled somewhere beneath her ribs.

"What?"

Adrian’s hand remained around her. "Christian found something."

Her brows pulled together. "What did he find?"

Adrian looked toward Kylie, then back at her. "The person who attacked Kylie."

Emilia’s breathing changed. She sat straighter. "You know who did it?"

Adrian nodded once.

Her heart began pounding. "Who?"

Adrian didn’t answer immediately.

He watched her face. He knew what the name would do to her. He had known the moment Christian said it.

There were some truths that didn’t need preparation. They simply needed to be spoken.

"Emilia..."

Her fingers tightened around his shirt. "Who, Adrian?"

Adrian’s voice lowered. "Noah."

For a moment, Emilia didn’t react.

She simply stared at him.

The name hanged between them. Her mind rejected it before it could understand it.

"No."

Adrian remained still.

"No," she repeated. Her voice was quieter this time. "He..." She swallowed. "He can’t."

"He can."

Emilia shook her head. "But he’s in prison."

Adrian’s eyes snapped shut. Then he parted them again. "He was."

Emilia’s eyes widened. "What do you mean, was?"

"He escaped."

She stared at him. The room seemed to grow colder. "When?"

"We don’t know yet."

"How?"

"We’re still finding that out."

Emilia looked toward Kylie.

Her friend was still lying there. Still unconscious, and still pale beneath the hospital lights.

Her fingers trembled. "Noah..."

Adrian caught her hand.

"He did this to her?"

Emilia’s lips parted. She looked back at Kylie.

Suddenly, the bruises she’d seen earlier seemed different. Her stomach turned.

Adrian tightened his hold on her hand. "Sweetheart."

"He did it because of me."

"No."

"He did."

"Emilia."

"He blamed her." Her voice cracked. "He always blamed Kylie for everything."

Adrian didn’t contradict her.

He knew exactly how Noah had behaved after Emilia ended things.

Emilia stared at the floor. "He hated Kylie."

Adrian’s hand moved to the back of her neck.

"He blamed her for us." Her voice became smaller. "He thought she turned me against him. That sick man."

Adrian said nothing.

Emilia’s eyes filled. "She was just my friend." Her voice broke. "She was just my best friend."

Adrian pulled her against him.

She folded into his chest.

He held her tightly.

Emilia pressed her face against him.

For several seconds, she didn’t cry. She simply breathed. She took in several shaky breaths.

Adrian kissed the top of her head. "You didn’t do this."

Her fingers curled into his shirt. "I should’ve known. I should’ve known he’d come back."

"You had no way of knowing he escaped."

"But I knew what he was capable of."

Adrian’s jaw tightened. "So did I."

She pulled back slightly.

"I didn’t want you living in fear."

Emilia swallowed. "And now Kylie is lying there."

Adrian’s expression tightened.

She stared at the floor. "I’m sorry." She appologized.

"For what?"

"I’m sorry I ever got mad at you."

Adrian’s brows drew together.

Emilia looked up at him. "For locking him up."

He remained silent.

"I was angry at you."

"I remember."

"I thought you were trying to control my life, and take away my choice."

Her voice trembled. "And maybe I didn’t understand what you were trying to protect me from."

Adrian didn’t immediately respond.

Emilia wiped beneath one eye. "I’m sorry I ever got mad at you for locking him up." She repeated.

Adrian reached up and touched her cheek. "You don’t need to apologize."

"I do."

She shook her head. "I blamed you, Adrian."

"You had every right to question me." Adrian’s eyes softened. "We had just met then."

"This isn’t about being right."

"It feels like it is."

"It isn’t."

He brushed a tear from her cheek. "I would rather you be angry with me than afraid of me."

Emilia’s lips trembled. "Adrian..."

"I mean it."

She leaned into his palm.

He looked at her for a long moment.

"I locked him up because I knew what he was capable of."

Emilia closed her eyes.

"And I would do it again."

Her eyes opened. "Even if I hated you for it?"

"Yes."

She stared at him.

"Why?"

"I’d rather have you angry with me and alive than understand me and be dead."

A tear slipped down her cheek.

Adrian wiped it away. Then he pulled her back further against him.

She rested her cheek against his chest.

The monitor beside Kylie continued its steady rhythm.

Emilia couldn’t stop thinking about how close Kylie had come to not having a heartbeat to monitor at all.

Her breathing grew uneven.

Adrian felt it immediately.

"Don’t do that to yourself."

She looked up.

"Don’t put this on yourself."

"But—"

"No." His voice came out firm. "Whatever Noah did, he chose to do it."

Emilia looked toward Kylie. "He came for her because of me."

"He chose her."

"Because of me."

"Because of his obsession." Adrian disagreed with her. He doesn’t mind how often he had to repeat it to make sure she accept his words.

She looked at him.

Adrian continued. "Noah is responsible for being Noah."

Emilia’s eyes filled again. "That’s not how it feels." She sniffed.

"I know, Sweetheart." He kissed her forehead. "But feelings don’t change responsibility."

She closed her eyes.

Adrian’s arm remained around her.

The bathroom door opened.

Mrs. Hayes stepped out, drying her hands with a paper towel. She stopped when she saw Emilia sitting against Adrian.

Her expression softened.

Then she looked at them more closely.

Something had changed.

"What happened?"

Emilia looked toward her mother.

Adrian didn’t speak.

Mrs. Hayes immediately knew it wasn’t good news.

She folded the paper towel in her hand.

"Emilia?"

Emilia looked down. Her fingers were still wrapped around Adrian’s.

"Mom..."

Mrs. Hayes walked toward them. "What is it?"

Emilia couldn’t find the words.

Adrian looked at her. He didn’t answer for her. He let her decide.

Finally, Emilia whispered, "We know who attacked Kylie."

Mrs. Hayes froze. Her eyes moved toward the bed. "Who?"

Emilia’s lips trembled. "Noah."

Mrs. Hayes went still.

For a second, she didn’t speak. Then she looked at Adrian. "You knew he escaped?"

"I found out recently."

Mrs. Hayes stared at him. "And you didn’t tell her?"

"I just found out today."

Mrs. Hayes looked at her daughter, then back at Adrian. Her expression was complicated.

She didn’t argue.

Instead, she walked toward Kylie.

She stood beside the bed. Her hand hovered over Kylie’s hair before she gently brushed it away from her forehead.

"My poor girl."

Emilia watched her mother.

Kylie didn’t move.

Emilia shifted closer to Adrian. He wrapped his arm around her, and she rested her head against his shoulder.

The hospital lights had begun to dim slightly as evening settled outside.

A nurse entered to check the monitor.

She adjusted the IV, checked Kylie’s pulse, looked at the numbers on the screen, and then she left.

Everything remained still.

Emilia watched Kylie’s face.

Adrian’s fingers moved slowly over Emilia’s arm.

Mrs. Hayes sat in the chair beside the bed.

Christian still hadn’t returned.

Emilia wondered where he was. She wondered whether he was still trying to find Noah.

Emilia’s fingers tightened around Adrian’s.

He looked down. She didn’t say anything, and he didn’t ask. He simply held her closer.

Then, a tiny movement came from the bed.

Mrs. Hayes noticed first.

Her head lifted. "Wait."

Emilia head shot upwards. "What?"

Mrs. Hayes stood.

Kylie’s fingers moved. She did a small twitch.

Emilia froze. "Kylie?"

The monitor continued its steady rhythm.

Kylie’s eyebrows moved slightly, and her breathing changed.

Adrian sat forward.

Mrs. Hayes stepped closer. "Kylie?"

Emilia rose from the couch.

"Kylie, sweetheart?" Mrs. Hayes called her again.

Kylie’s fingers curled weakly against the sheet. Her face tightened, and then her eyelids fluttered.

Once.

Twice.

Emilia’s heart slammed against her ribs. "Kylie?"

The room became completely still.

Kylie’s lashes trembled. Her breathing became uneven. Then, slowly, her eyes began to part.