Chapter 273

Crimson flooded her vision.

"Dad..."

Susan silently cried out in her heart. This address would forever remain buried deep within her, a word she'd never have the chance to say aloud to him.

Victor Thompson stood with his hands clasped behind his back, exuding an aura of natural authority. Some men were born rulers—even in stillness, they commanded the room with effortless dominance.

His cold gaze swept over Susan as if she were nothing more than an insignificant insect.

Her chest tightened. A crushing wave of sorrow threatened to consume her, leaving her too drained even for tears.

Blood loss blurred her consciousness. In her daze, she thought she heard Ethan's voice.

"Susan!"

A heart-wrenching cry echoed before she collapsed into warm arms. Darkness swallowed her whole.

"Susan!"

Ethan clutched her trembling body, his vision turning red at the sight of the horrific wound on her wrist. He snapped his head up, snarling at Victor, "Father! Who gave you the right to hurt her? You're killing her!"

"Susan..."

His hands shook as he patted her pale cheeks. She didn't stir, lifeless as a corpse.

Ethan had believed Susan dead. Grief-stricken, he'd exiled himself to the wilderness. Only concern for his mother, Catherine, had drawn him back after a month.

And there she was—alive.

His joy shattered instantly when he saw the blood gushing from her wrist, the Thompson bodyguards pinning her mercilessly to the floor.

"Move!" Ethan gathered Susan in his arms and charged forward.

The guards stood firm. "Second Young Master, put Miss Thompson down."

"She's bleeding out! She needs a hospital now!" Ethan's eyes burned with desperation, but his hold on Susan left him powerless to fight.

"Ethan, she harmed Nicole. She must pay with her life," Victor's voice was glacial.

"Father! This is Nicole's scheme!" Ethan's voice cracked with urgency. "Order them to stand down!"

"Nicole is your blood sister!" Victor's eyes flashed with anger.

"Mother forbade you from hurting Susan!" A spark of inspiration struck Ethan. "When she wakes, I'll tell her you broke your promise!"

At the mention of Catherine, Victor hesitated. Seizing the moment, Ethan bolted through the door with Susan in his arms.

In the hospital, Ethan's heart twisted at Susan's ghostly pallor. She felt weightless as a feather, as though she might vanish at any second.

"Susan, I'm back," he whispered. "No one will ever hurt you again."

The emergency light finally dimmed. The doctor confirmed she was out of danger. Ethan remained at her bedside, gripping her hand.

"Susan, I missed you," his voice broke. "I saw you in every mountain, every river."

A faint frown creased Susan's brow in sleep. Ethan tensed. "Does it hurt? I'm sorry I wasn't there sooner."

"Every person who hurt you will pay," his eyes darkened. "Even Nicole won't escape justice."

"Susan, I'm home." He repeated the words like a mantra, smiling until his eyes reddened. "I'm strong now. I can protect you from everything."

"So get better fast," he gently wiped the sweat from her forehead. "When you wake, let's get married, okay?"

"I've waited lifetimes just to marry you."