The hospital days grew quieter.
Slower.
Gentler.
And strangely… calmer.
Jack found himself returning more than anyone expected.
Not with anger,
not with arrogance,
but with something unfamiliar—
something almost liOne afternoon, the boy was sitting in the garden outside the hospital,
hands shaking as he tried to drink from a cup of tea.
Jack sat beside him without a word.
The boy stiffened.
But Jack didn't smirk.
Didn't tease.
Didn't mock.
Instead, he slid a pack of cookies toward him.
"…They're not awful," Jack muttered awkwardly.
"Thought you might want some."
The boy blinked in surprise.
"…Thank you."
Jack shrugged.
"It's not a big deal."
But it was.
For both of them.
They talked—
slowly, carefully—
about nothing important.
Yet somehow…
it felt important.
At one point, the boy laughed at something Jack said.
Jack froze, staring at him like he'd just witnessed a miracle.
"…Don't do that," Jack grumbled.
"Do what?"
"Laugh."
His ears turned red.
"It's… weird."
The boy laughed again.
Jack looked away quickly,Every time Lina walked down the hallway,
Jack's eyes softened without him noticing.
He carried her water bottles.
Made sure she had blankets.
Sat beside her when she grew dizzy.
Once, she stumbled a little.
Jack caught her instantly—
hands steady, grip gentle,
eyes full of panic he tried to hide.
"Careful," he murmured.
"I'm right here."
Lina's cheeks turned pink.
"You don't need to stay with me all the time."
Jack's voice lowered.
"I want to."
And he did.
He stayed.
He talked with her softly at night.
Listened to her stories.
Shared little pieces of himself he'd never said out loud.
She touched his hand once—
lightly, accidentally.
Jack's breath caught.
HeThey sat together one evening in Lina's hospital room—
Lina resting against her pillows,
her brother reading quietly,
and Jack fixing the broken remote of her hospital TV.
Sally opened the door, saw the scene, and whispered:
"…Well. That's cute."
Jack glared.
Sally smirked.
But the truth was obvious:
They weren't three separate people anymore.
They were becoming something like…
A small, strange, healing family.
And Jack—
Jack was letting himself be a part of it.
Something he neveThat night, Jack stepped out to buy Lina a new bottle of her favorite juice.
The hallway was dim,
lights humming softly.
He was calmer than he had been in months—
maybe years.
He even allowed himself a small smile
as he thought of Lina waiting for him.
Then—
he reached the corner.
Stopped.
Every muscle in his body froze.
His breath left him.
His heart slammed against his ribs.
His eyes widened, filling with disbelief,
fear,
and something darker.
Standing at the end of the hallway…
a figure.
A silhouette.
Someone Jack never expected to see again.
Someone from a past he thought was buried.
The bottle of juice slipped from his hand and hit the floor.
His voice was barely a whisper.
"…No.
It can't be."
The figure stepped forward just enough for Jack to see the outline—
And his entire face drained of color.
Shock.
Terror.
Rage.
All at once.
Jack Jack stared down the hallway, every muscle locked in place.
The silhouette stepped forward at last.
And the dim hospital lights revealed a face he wished he'd never see again—
Marcus Hale.
The ruthless corporate enemy of the Blackwell family.
A man who had tried to sabotage their company for years.
A man who hated Jack's father more than anyone.
Marcus smirked.
"Well, well… Jack Blackwell.
Alone in a hospital hallway.
How convenient."
Jack's fists clenched instantly.
"You," he growled.
"And you," Marcus replied smoothly.
"Just the one I need."
Jack moved forward, body tense.
"If you touch my family—"
"Oh, I won't touch them," Marcus said, eyes narrowing.
"I'm here for you."
Before Jack could react—
Two large men stepped out from behind Marcus.
Heavy.
Masked.
Trained.
Jack's heart dropped.
He spun around, ready to bolt—
but one of the men grabbed him brutally from behind.
Jack elbowed him hard—
the man grunted but didn't let go.
Jack twisted, fought, kicked, punched—
every move sharp, desperate, fueled by instinct.
But the second man grabbed him too,
locking his arms painfully behind his back.
Jack roared, muscles trembling with resistance.
"LET GO OF ME!"
Marcus stepped closer, amused.
"You're strong, Jack.
But not strong enough.
Not against us."
Jack fought harder, teeth gritted.
"You think you can kidnap me?
My father will—"
"Yes," Marcus cut in calmly.
"That's the point."
Jack froze.
Marcus leaned in, voice cold, razor-sharp.
"The Blackwell family ruined my empire.
Now they can buy you back with everything they own."
Jack's blood turned to ice.
"Over my dead—"
The first man pressed a taser into Jack's side.
Electricity surged through him.
Jack's body jerked violently,
his breath catching in a sharp cry.
His knees buckled.
He tried to stand—
fell—
The second shock hit him harder.
Jack collapsed to the floor,
hands reaching out weakly.
His vision blurred,
the hallway spinning around him.
Marcus crouched beside his trembling body.
"Don't worry," he whispered.
"You won't die.
You're far too valuable for that."
Jack tried to speak.
No sound came out.
The men lifted him by his arms—
his body limp,
muscles spasming.
Marcus stood, adjusting his gloves.
"Take him."
Jack was dragged down the hallway,
fighting weakly, helplessly—
the world going dark around him.
His last thought before blacking out was not fear for himself…
But fear for Lina.
And the boy.
And Saly.
He forced out one broken whisper—
barely audible:
"…Lina…"
Then everything went black.
took a step back, trembling.
"…You."
Fade to black.
r thought he'd deserve.
didn't pull away.
Neither did she.
but a tiny, reluctant smile tugged at his lips.
ke… effort.