?Chapter 1478:


    Pattie froze mid-step, her hand shooting out to grip Rnd’s arm. “What did you say?” Her voice dropped to a whisper. She remembered nothing after the chaos began — only the dizzying fall into darkness.


    Rnd met her shocked gaze, his own expression somber. “I saw it clearly. Someone fired at Maia, but Chris pushed her out of the way and was hit.”


    The pieces clicked together into a horrifying picture — Maia’s strained voice, her evasive “managing,” the sudden, urgentmand to protect Ethan.


    Pattie’s face drained of color. Could Chris already be…


    “Do you think… Chris could be…” She couldn’t finish the sentence.


    Rnd looked down, aplex mix of respect and sorrow in his eyes. “I never thought much of him — the Cooper family’s illegitimate son. But this…” He shook his head slowly. “This changes things. He acted like a hero.”


    He didn’t voice the grim conclusion. But it hung heavily between them, thickening the air with a shared, unspoken dread.


    It was clear that Pattie and Rnd had jumped to the wrong conclusion.


    In the chaos of that moment, no one had actually seen Chris’s body. But the terrifying image of him throwing himself into harm’s way, followed by hisplete disappearance, was more than enough for those who cared about him to assume the worst.


    Heavy-hearted and exchanging few words, the two hurried to Erygan Hospital.


    The corridors were brightly lit yet unnervingly cold, the air thick with the acrid sting of antiseptic. They stopped outside Room 306. A nce through the window and a shared look brought a slight easing of their tense shoulders.


    Marisa’s surgery was over. Her condition was stable, though she remained sedated in recovery. Ethan was by the bedside, his head resting on the mattress — looking physically unharmed but utterly drained in sleep.


    ????n?? ??????е?? PD???? ???? ??a??nо??????s.co??


    In truth, Ethan was awake.


    After a night of terror, his nerves were too frayed for real rest. Sensing movement at the door, he cracked his eyes open and glimpsed a familiar face through the ss — Pattie, Maia’s best friend.


    He stirred carefully, first checking on the sleeping Marisa and gently smoothing her nket. Then, moving silently, he slipped out of the room and closed the door behind him with a soft click.


    In the hallway, the morning light was gentle, the day’s medical bustle already beginning.


    “Ethan, are you okay?” Pattie rushed forward, her eyes scanning him anxiously. From a distance he had seemed fine, but up close she could see only minor scrapes. A wave of relief washed over her.


    “I’m alright, Pattie,” Ethan said, taking a small, shy step back from her fussing. He was a young man now, unustomed to such open concern.


    His gaze drifted back toward the closed door, his expressionplicated. “It was Marisa who saved me. She got hurt because of me.”


    Pattie nodded, her hand settling on his shoulder with firm, meaningful pressure. “I can see how much she cares for you, Ethan. As a man, you must always treat Marisa well. Never take for granted a girl who would risk her life for you.”


    Ethan’s cheeks flushed, and he rubbed the back of his neck, caught off guard. But a momentter, worry overtook his embarrassment.


    “Wait — where’s Maia? Why isn’t she with you?”


    The air in the corridor seemed to still. Pattie’s hands, which had been straightening her jacket, froze. She nced toward Rnd, her expression conflicted. Rnd pressed his lips together and looked down, his focus suddenly fixed on the floor.


    Their silence was louder than words.


    Ethan might have been young, but he wasn’t naive. His brows drew together, and his voice rose slightly, edged with rm. “What’s that look for? Did something happen to my sister?”


    .


    .


    .