Page 78 of Marrying His Brother

I give her a weak smile. “Hanging in there.”

“Come on, let’s go,” she says, leading the way to the elevators.

The ICU is on the fifth floor and as soon as we step out, the solemn, silent atmosphere hits me, renewed fear coming over me.

My mother is already seated in the waiting room, her face pale but composed. She stands as I approach, wrapping me in a hug, her arms warm and grounding.

“How is he?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

She pulls back slightly, studying my face, her expression weary. “The same,” she says.

I nod, squeezing her hand before looking to Lisa, who gives me a reassuring smile.

“I'll be right here,” Lisa says, her hand on my shoulder for a brief moment.

I leave them in the waiting room and approach the nurse’s station, hoping they’ll let me see him.

I find a friendly nurse and she looks at me sympathetically. “You’ll only have five minutes,” she says, and I nod, grateful for even a moment.

I step inside the ICU, and there he is, looking as he did at home, only now he’s surrounded by the constant hum and beeps of machines.

Wires snake around him, measuring his heart, his breath, every vital sign. It makes it all feel so much more real, as if each sound is a reminder that he’s slipping further away.

Iapproach the bed, my hand trembling as I reach for his. His skin is cold, so still beneath my touch. A lump forms in my throat, and my composure cracks.

“We need you,” I whisper, clutching his hand a little tighter. “Please come back to us.”

The words spill out, my tears falling onto the thin blanket covering him. I don’t try to hold back; it’s as if the floodgates have opened, and all the fear, all the worry, is finally pouring out.

After a few minutes, I take a shuddering breath, forcing myself to straighten up.

Be strong Emily.

He wouldn’t want me to fall apart. Wiping my tears away, I try to bring back a smile.

“You’ll be so proud of the Army Base, Dad,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “The launch went beautifully, and everyone loved it. I can’t wait for you to see it.”

For a moment, I imagine his eyes opening, his familiar smile telling me he’s proud. But he remains still, his chest rising and falling to the rhythm of the machines.

After one final squeeze of his hand, I lean down, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Please keep fighting. We’re all waiting for you.”

Chapter 33: Andrew

I’m in my father’s office, seated across from him as he leans back in his chair, assessing me with that sharp gaze of his.

I’ve just finished giving him the rundown on the Army Base project and what we’re envisioning for Lakeside.

I expect questions about the plans, the finances, maybe even staffing. But instead, he steers the conversation somewhere entirely different.

“I remember when Ace Young opened the Lakeside Riviera,” he muses, tapping his pen thoughtfully. “It was the talk of the town. That place was groundbreaking back then. I don’t understand why or how he’s let it slide like this. It was his first project, after all.”

I shrug, biting back my own questions about Ace Young.

I’ve wondered the same thing for weeks now. Emily’s father is a mystery I can’t quite unravel, and every time I consider asking her, something holds me back.

Family boundaries, maybe, or the way her expression tightens whenever the topic gets too close.

Dad narrows his gaze, piercing right through me as if he can sense my hesitation. “Does Emily hear from him?”

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