Chapter 4

Days later, Michael got a call from the hospital.

A billing inquiry. Something about his insurance.

He went down there, expecting a bureaucratic hassle.

As he was leaving, he passed the private wing.

He saw Jessica.

She was sitting by a hospital bed, stroking the hand of the young man lying in it.

Brandon.

She was cooing at him, adjusting his pillows, her face full of concern.

Kevin stood nearby, looking smug.

"Michael," Kevin said, a smirk on his face. "Fancy meeting you here."

"What are you doing?" Michael asked, his voice dangerously low.

"Brandon had a little fender bender," Kevin said casually. "Nothing serious. Just a few scratches. Jessica's been a rock, taking such good care of him."

Jessica looked up, startled. "Michael. Brandon just needs a little rest."

Kevin stepped closer to Michael. "You know, Jessica's been amazing to us. Paid for this private room, best doctors. She's always been generous. That new sports car she bought Brandon? Top of the line. Though he' s a bit reckless with it."

Sports car. New.

Kevin leaned in, his voice dropping. "Speaking of reckless, funny thing. Brandon was the one who hit that kid a while back. The student. Total accident, of course. Dark road, kid darted out. Tragic."

The world stopped.

The student.

Ethan.

Michael stared at Kevin, the words not making sense, then crashing into his brain with the force of a physical blow.

"What did you say?"

"Yeah," Kevin continued, oblivious or deliberately cruel. "Kid was wearing dark clothes, running between jobs, I heard. Brandon barely saw him. Jessica's lawyers are already handling it, of course. She' ll make sure Brandon' s fine."

Michael looked from Kevin's sneering face to Brandon, lying there, coddled.

Then to Jessica, her expression now wary.

The rage Michael had suppressed exploded.

He lunged at Kevin, a roar tearing from his throat.

He grabbed Kevin by the shirt, slamming him against the wall.

"You! Your son killed my boy!"

Kevin yelped, surprised.

Before Michael could land a punch, Jessica was there.

She shoved Michael hard. "Get off him! Are you crazy?"

She actually hit Michael, her fists pummeling his chest.

"He's just a boy! It was an accident!" she screamed, shielding Kevin and Brandon.

Michael stumbled back, stunned by her ferocity, by her immediate defense of them.

The room spun. A sharp pain shot through his stomach.

He doubled over, coughing, and then he was vomiting.

Blood. Dark red blood splattered on the polished hospital floor.

Jessica stared at the blood, then at Kevin, who was rubbing his neck.

"Kevin, are you okay?" she asked, her voice laced with concern for Kevin, not him. "Let me get a doctor for you."

She rushed out, ignoring Michael, who was on his knees, gasping for breath, the taste of blood and bile in his mouth.

He looked at Brandon, who was watching with wide, scared eyes.

Then he looked at the blood on the floor.

His blood.

His life, seeping away, just like Ethan's.