"Mr. Sullivan, I'll handle it right away." The assistant turned to leave.

Ethan suddenly called out, "He Dong and He Xi are missing. Assign two new reliable bodyguards to protect Sophia secretly."

"Understood."

After the assistant left, Ethan pressed his fingers to his temples.

The lingering effects of his concussion made his head spin.

Worse was the suffocating weight in his chest.

His fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms.

The knife wound on his arm throbbed faintly, but it was nothing compared to the tearing pain in his heart.

The surveillance footage of Sophia and Kyle embracing was like a knife twisting in his chest.

The assistant dialed Kyle's number. "Mr. Grant, could you come to the hospital now?"

Kyle stood in the night, his gaze fixed on a slender figure in the distance. "What is it?"

"Mr. Sullivan wants to see you."

"Good timing. I need to speak with him too."

Hanging up, Kyle strode toward the garden bench.

Sophia sat quietly, her silhouette so fragile she might dissolve into the darkness.

"Sophia."

She turned sharply, forcing a weak smile when she recognized him. "Mr. Grant?"

"I'm sorry about last night. My bodyguards lost track of you after you drank too much. I had to take you home. My sister came later. I didn’t expect someone to exploit the situation."

She shook her head. "It wasn’t your fault."

The mosquito bites on her arms stood out angrily.

Kyle frowned. "Go inside. The mosquitoes are bad out here."

Sophia stood and bowed deeply. "Thank you for everything you’ve done. If you ever need anything, I’ll do my best to help."

His Adam’s apple bobbed.

There was so much he wanted to say, but all that came out was a quiet, "Okay."

"Your place isn’t safe. Would you—"

"No." She cut him off softly. "He’ll misunderstand."

Kyle’s eyes darkened. "Do you care that much about him?"

"It’s habit." Her smile was bitter.

After watching her leave, Kyle pushed open the hospital room door.

Ethan’s fist came at him instantly.

Kyle sidestepped. "Fight me when you’re healed."

"Hypocrite!" Ethan sneered. "You’ve taken advantage of her more than once."

"Sophia waited in the hallway for you all day. She sat in the garden until midnight, covered in mosquito bites, numb to everything. And you? You wouldn’t even let her explain."

Ethan’s lashes trembled, casting shadows under his eyes.

"What can you give her besides money?" Kyle’s voice was icy. "A marriage of gratitude cost her a child and nearly ruined her hands. The debt is paid. It’s time to let her go."

The words "let her go" hit Ethan like a hammer.

His vision blurred. When it cleared, his eyes were bloodshot. "I’ve given her everything! Who are you to judge?"

"That’s not love. It’s possessiveness."

"How can you possess someone without loving them?" Ethan’s knuckles cracked. "I’m furious because I love her!"

Kyle said coldly, "If you loved her, you’d trust her."

"I trust her. Not you!" Ethan’s gaze was razor-sharp. "Tell me you don’t have ulterior motives."

"My sister was in the surveillance footage. If I wanted to do something, I wouldn’t have waited until now."

Kyle turned to leave but collided with Victor Sullivan in the doorway.

Their eyes met, and hatred flared instantly.

As they brushed past, Kyle muttered, "If you trouble Sophia again, I won’t hesitate to give you a taste of what a car crash feels like."