Chapter 134: Who Are You?

Chapter 134: Who Are You? A whole month had passed since Caius slipped into a coma. Thirty long, dragging days where Heather found herself coming back to this hospital room over and over again. Today was no different. The machines around him kept beeping steadily, reminding her that he was alive... but only just. She sat on the edge of his hospital bed, watching his face. His features were still striking — It annoyed her that even lying unconscious, Caius still managed to look frustratingly beautiful. "Why won’t you just wake up?" she muttered under her breath, her fingers tugged lightly at the hem of his hospital gown, as if that might somehow shake him awake. The longer he stayed like this, the more his family circled like vultures. His so-called relatives—uncles, aunts, cousins—they were less concerned about Caius’s life and more about their interests. They’d been pushing her nonstop, calling, showing up, demanding she sign the Ledger Of Inheritance papers to make Adonis the acting head of the company. Heather refused. The very thought of Adonis in charge of anything made her skin crawl. His ambition didn’t scare her—his lack of humanity did. The last time Adonis tried to corner her, he even arranged for a full family meeting. He gathered them all like they were about to discuss funeral plans, only to pressure her about the company. She lost it. Heather told them, in plain words, that they were heartless. Their son, their brother, their own blood, was lying in a hospital bed like a vegetable, and all they cared about was scrambling for control like greedy hyenas. She told them they made her sick. Adonis didn’t flinch at her words. His face remained stone cold, that same smug arrogance written all over him. He was too polished, too composed, like the devil himself wearing an expensive suit and a perfectly tied tie. Adonis, the heartless devil, even had the nerve to look her in the eye and say, "Are we supposed to let the company crash because Caius is unconscious?" Heather almost slapped that question off his lips, but she chose to deal with him smartly instead of emotionally. She made them a deal: give Caius a month. If he didn’t wake up, she’d sign temporary control to Adonis. But only temporary. Three months without Caius... then fine. Adonis could run the company permanently. It seemed like a fair bargain, and they all agreed quickly. Adonis’s face gave away what he didn’t say out loud. He wasn’t hoping for Caius to recover. If anything, he was already counting down the days. And now, here she was... one month later. No signs of movement. No signs of life beyond the machines. Heather’s chest tightened as she looked down at Caius’s motionless form. Her frustration boiled over. "You idiot," she muttered under her breath. "Lying here like a vegetable while your devil of a half-brother’s out there planning to steal everything you own." Her words barely left her lips before something subtle happened — Caius’s fingers twitched. Heather: "..." Her eyes widened. For a second, she questioned her own eyes. Had she imagined it? But then, his fingers twitched again, the faintest movement but very real. She didn’t waste a second. Her hand shot out, pressing the emergency call button beside the bed like the doctors had instructed. Any sign of consciousness, ring them. Minutes later, they arrived, surrounding him. Nurses adjusted machines, the doctor leaned over him, checking his vitals, speaking to him gently. Heather stood outside the room, peering in through the small window in the door. Her heart pounded against her ribcage, relief and fear crashed into each other. Caius was awake. His eyes moved, his lips parted. The doctor spoke to him, and he responded, faint but coherent. Her phone buzzed in her coat pocket, pulling her attention away. Still staring through the window, her hand slipped into her pocket and brought out the phone. She didn’t need to check the screen—she already knew who it was. Manager Sheng. He told her he’d call once the deal with her father was settled. Her father had been trying to sell his shares in her company. It was no small stake—the shares were worth a fortune now. When her father first bought them, the value sat at thirty million dollars. But the company had grown... massively. Those same shares were now worth at least three hundred million, and her father, ever the opportunist, wanted to cash out. Problem was, no one wanted to buy them. Not for full price. Most buyers offered one million, maybe two. An insulting amount, considering the real value. Heather’s goal was simple: she didn’t want strangers holding part of the company. She wanted to buy the shares herself—for Alex. Her son’s future meant more than anything. Manager Sheng had promised to keep her informed. And now... here he was, calling. Heather answered, her eyes still lingering on Caius through the window. "Hello?" "It’s done," Sheng’s voice came through. "Your father agreed to sell." Heather’s brows lifted. "He’s actually willing to sell the shares?" "Yes. But you need to come down here to finalize everything. The paperwork requires your presence." Heather bit her lip, her eyes fixed on Caius. The timing couldn’t be worse. "I can’t leave right now," she said softly. "Caius just woke up." "Seriously? That’s good news," Sheng replied calmly. "But this isn’t something we can push. Your father’s unstable. If we delay, he might change his mind, or worse, sell to someone else. We need to lock this down today." Heather sighed, conflicted. But Sheng was right. Her father was unpredictable at best. If they lost this window, another outsider could snatch those shares. "Alright," she relented. "I’ll come now." Sheng hung up, slipping his phone into his trousers, his eyes sharp behind his glasses. He’d seen a lot in his line of work, but dealing with the Thorne family was its own brand of exhausting. When he first told Heather about her father’s offer to sell, he half-expected her to laugh, maybe scoff at the absurdity of it. But Heather didn’t laugh. She was smart. She saw the opportunity, not for herself, but for Alex. Sheng respected that. Buying the shares for Alex was a power move, and a clever one. The boy wouldn’t understand the weight of it now, but one day... he would. -- Heather pushed open the door to Caius’s hospital wing, feeling the familiar chill of the air-conditioned hallway rush past her. The deal with Lionel was still hanging in the air. Manager Sheng had been set to finalize the shares, but Lionel had some kind of emergency and rescheduled last minute. Typical Lionel — full of games and delays. She wasn’t even thinking about that now. Truth be told, she’d been looking forward to seeing Caius. Not for some sentimental reason, but because for an entire month, she hadn’t been provoked by his stubborn, frustrating presence. It had been oddly peaceful. But Alex, on the other hand, had been asking about him nonstop since the other night. The little boy was growing attached to his father. Every time Jake stopped by to check on them, Alex would throw a tantrum or wedge Caius’s name right into the conversation — like a sharp little knife. His tongue was definitely getting sharper. A week after everything went down, she packed Asher off to live with Evelyn. She was done with his childish games and sneaky little schemes. He could torment his grandmother instead. As they walked down the hospital corridor, Jake trailed beside her, quiet as always. He hadn’t even wanted to come, but something had been weighing on him. He said he wanted to clear the air with Caius. Apologize. Admit that maybe he shouldn’t have gotten so tangled in their mess, even if his intentions were good. It was Jake, after all. His feelings for Heather had always been obvious, but his heart was in the right place. Alex, however, had no interest in giving him peace. "Mr. Jake, don’t you have your family?" Alex asked, tilting his head in that innocent, dangerous way only small children could manage — pretending like he didn’t know the answer already. Heather had explained Jake’s story to him, but Alex was testing boundaries, as usual. Jake’s face didn’t flinch, though his voice came flat. "No." Heather shot Alex a warning glance, but her son simply blinked up at her, wide-eyed, all fake sweetness. She pinched his cheek gently, making him squeal. "Mommyyy," Alex whined, rubbing his face with his tiny hand. "We’re almost at your daddy’s room." She pointed down the hallway, where Adams stood by the door. His face didn’t match the usual, calm expression he always carried. Instead, his features were stiff — somewhere between shock and sorrow. Heather’s steps slowed. Her stomach twisted with nerves. Something was wrong. "Is he okay?" she asked, her voice cracking slightly as they approached. The second Adams noticed her eyes on him, he straightened, forcing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. It looked rehearsed. Faked. That only made her anxiety spike higher. "Is something wrong?" she pressed again, her voice firmer now. Adams opened his mouth, but no words came out. His throat bobbed as he tried to speak, but Heather’s panic took over. She brushed past him, pushing the door open without waiting for an answer. The familiar scent of antiseptic filled her nose as she stepped inside. Her eyes landed on Caius lying on the bed — alive, breathing, eyes open. Relief flooded her instantly. Her shoulders sagged as she exhaled. "Adams nearly gave me a heart attack," Heather muttered with a nervous laugh, stepping further into the room. "He had me thinking something terrible happened to you." Caius didn’t laugh. He didn’t smirk. He didn’t say anything. He just stared at her — like she was a stranger who had walked in uninvited. Heather paused, her nerves prickled again. "Are you okay?" she asked softly, stepping closer. Caius’s eyes stayed on her, unmoving and cold. His voice came low and unfamiliar in its tone. "Who are you?"