Chapter 312: The last request
"Yes," Alex confirmed without hesitation. "They grew up together in the same orphanage. Nicholas treated him like a brother, always helping him, always standing by him. But in return, he got nothing but betrayal."
He exhaled sharply as if trying to contain his anger. "Ethan was jealous—of Nicholas’s intelligence, his talent, and the way others admired him. And he knew—he knew about Nicholas’s heart condition, knew that he couldn’t swim. Yet he still pushed him into the water and left him there, struggling for his life."
Ava’s blood ran cold.
"He never told me..." she murmured in a daze, still reeling from the shock. "He never even mentioned that he and Nicholas grew up in the same orphanage."
"Of course, he didn’t. They stopped talking after that incident. Nicholas barely survived." His voice grew heavier as he added, "If Mr. Simpson hadn’t begged Elijah Baker to save him, he would have died back then."
Ava pressed a hand to her chest. Her heart ached as she thought of Nicholas.
That man had suffered so much—more than she had ever imagined. And yet, through all the betrayal, pain, and hardship, he still found a way to smile and cherish life.
"How is he? Is his surgery scheduled?"
Alex straightened his back. "It’s in two days. He wants to see you before the surgery."
Ava didn’t hesitate. "Of course, I’ll see him."
"If you are free now, let me take you to him."