To the Love of My Life

“At that time, the scene was like a burst of fire. Among those people, two of them were beaten by our brother to the point of being on the verge of death, but not quite unconscious. Watching their money turn into ashes, their facial expressions were simply spectacular…” Rusell Henris shrugged his shoulders, his tone somewhat regretful as he stopped speaking.

“They should really be grateful that they didn’t actually hurt Ruby. If they had, the scene we’re seeing today would definitely be different.”

“Our brother ended up like this even though they didn’t actually hurt her. Since entering that steel factory, he hasn’t even uttered a single word, not even a cough – just terribly quiet… It’s downright creepy.”

“You didn’t see it, but when our brother came back, his hands holding Ruby were trembling. Our brother, who is usually calm in the face of danger, never panicking, and able to remain composed in front of the entire board of directors of Pristine’s Enterprises, was trembling at that moment…” Howard Coleman’s voice began to tremble as he spoke.

“Our brother can’t go on like this. The doctor said Ruby isn’t in any serious danger, but he’s still just standing by her bedside, not eating or drinking.” Rusell worriedly looked through the window at Steve Burton’s tall and straight figure, then sighed. “When I went to buy some water, our brother was standing there with the same posture, the same expression. I came back after a while, and he’s still just like that. If you didn’t know better, you might think he’s a statue.”

Steve’s gaze never left the woman lying quietly on the bed.

At this moment, her face was pale, and she’d already changed into clean hospital clothes. She lay there, docile and sound asleep.

However, what still lingered in Steve’s mind was the image of her after he had rushed to the steel factory.

With a swollen face, messy hair, disheveled clothes, large patches of her fair skin exposed, and bruised from being beaten and kicked by others.

Her beautiful and bright eyes, usually as clear as a deer’s, were devoid of any light, replaced by panic, fear, and breakdown.

Even though they managed to escape death this time, Steve had vented his anger directly after seeing her in that state.

But now, recalling that scene, his hands still instinctively clenched into fists, still feeling the urge to kill.

Along with deep fear.

A fear he had never experienced before in his life.

As time slowly passed, Steve stayed by her side, never wavering or moving for even a second.

A nurse came in during this time, removing the needle from Ruby Gregory’s wrist, but Steve had no reaction.

He remained utterly silent.

The darkness outside the window gradually turned from black to pitch black, then to gray, to white, until a layer of light appeared at the eastern horizon. Rusell, who had spent the night sleeping on a chair in the corridor, awoke.

Howard and Edward Woods were still asleep nearby.

Rusell quietly got up and went to the bathroom to wash his face, then went downstairs to buy some breakfast.

He placed two portions on the chair in the corridor, then carried the remaining two portions to the hospital room door, hesitated for a moment, and knocked on the door.

There was still no sound inside the room.

Rusell paused for a moment, then went ahead and pushed the door open, entering the room.