27. The Breaking Point

Adrian stood frozen, staring at the doorway as his father, Wuner Hudel, stormed into the hospital ward with a thunderous expression. His tall figure radiated authority, and the sheer power of his presence made Adrian instinctively shrink back.

The tension in the room became suffocating as both of them locked their gazes on Adrian, their faces twisted with disdain. Adrian's heart sank. He had known his father's disapproval all his life, but to see him here, side by side with Lady Sachel, was more than he could bear.

"Adrian," Wuner's voice boomed, "what a disgrace you've become. How could you, a Hudel, sink this low? Incompetent doesn't even begin to describe your failure."

Adrian flinched at his father's words, his pale silver eyes flickering with hurt. His voice trembled when he finally spoke. "Father... I've done everything I could for Ethan... I—"

Wuner cut him off sharply, his tone dripping with scorn. "Enough! You've done nothing but bring shame to the Hudel name. You married into the Levistis family under false pretenses, and now look at you. You can't even maintain the dignity of your position. Pathetic."

Adrian's hands clenched into fists at his sides, but he remained silent.

Wow, Father wasn't it you who replaced me?

Lady Sachel stepped forward, her lips curling into a mocking smile. "I couldn't agree more, Wuner. This... arrangement was doomed from the start. Ethan deserves someone better, someone who actually understands him and shares his world."

Her eyes shifted to Adrian, narrowing with contempt. "You, Adrian, are nothing but a placeholder. A pawn we used to keep the elders satisfied for the time being. But now that Anshi is back, it's time for you to step aside. Ethan doesn't need a weakling like you dragging him down."

Adrian's face paled, his chest tightening as he struggled to find his voice. "Lady Sachel... please, I—"

"You think you deserve to be by Ethan's side?" Anshi's voice cut through the room like a blade, sharp and laced with cruelty. He stepped closer to Adrian, his feminine beauty starkly contrasting with the venom in his words. "You're nothing. A nobody. This marriage was a joke from the start, and when Ethan wakes up, the first thing he'll do is divorce you. Mark my words."

Mathew, who had been standing off to the side, finally had enough. He stepped forward, his voice firm as he addressed the room. "That's enough. Adrian may not be perfect, but he's been doing everything he can for Ethan. You can't just walk in here and—"

Anshi turned to Mathew with a sneer, cutting him off with a chilling smile. "Know your place, Mathew. You're just an assistant. Don't bark about matters that don't concern you."

Mathew's jaw tightened, but he swallowed his anger, his eyes flicking toward Adrian. He had to be careful. The stakes were too high, and getting into a direct confrontation now would only make things worse. Silently, Mathew adjusted his jacket, making sure the tiny pinhole camera in his lapel was recording everything.

Wuner stepped closer to Adrian, his towering figure casting a shadow over his son. "You will sign the divorce papers, Adrian," he commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument. "You will do it now, or I will personally make sure you regret ever crossing me."

Adrian's breath hitched, his mind racing. He looked around the room, his eyes searching for any sign of hope, but all he saw were cold, judgmental stares. His father, Lady Sachel, Anshi—they were all against him. Even though Ethan had woken up briefly, he was now unconscious again, leaving Adrian vulnerable and alone.

"Father..." Adrian whispered, his voice breaking. "Please don't do this. I love Ethan. I've taken care of him every day—"

"Love?" Wuner spat the word like poison. "You don't even know what love is. This isn't about you. It's about the Hudel name, the family's reputation. You've already made a mess of everything, and now you'll fix it by signing those papers."

Lady Sachel's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she extended the divorce papers toward Adrian. "It's time, darling. Do what's right and sign."

Adrian stared at the papers in her hand, his heart pounding in his chest. His fingers trembled as they hovered over the document, every fiber of his being screaming against it. This wasn't right. This wasn't what Ethan would want. But with his father and Lady Sachel pressuring him, what choice did he have?

"Adrian," Mathew whispered urgently, stepping closer to him. "Don't let them bully you into this."

But before Adrian could respond, Wuner grabbed his wrist and forced a pen into his hand, his grip like iron. "Sign it, Adrian. Now."

Adrian's mind went blank. His vision blurred as he felt the cold pen press against the paper. His hand moved mechanically, the weight of the moment crashing down on him like a tidal wave. His whole world was collapsing around him, and he was powerless to stop it.

Mathew, standing just behind Adrian, discreetly tapped his jacket, ensuring that the camera caught every second of the ordeal. He would not let this injustice go unanswered.

The moment Adrian finished signing the papers, Wuner snatched them up with a look of triumph. Lady Sachel's smile widened, her eyes flashing with victory. Anshi, meanwhile, stood off to the side, his arms crossed and a smug expression on his face.

"Good boy," Lady Sachel cooed, patting Adrian's cheek mockingly. "You did the right thing. Now, Ethan can finally be with someone who truly belongs by his side."

Adrian's entire body felt numb. His legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed onto the floor, tears welling up in his silver eyes. His chest heaved with silent sobs, but no one in the room offered him a shred of sympathy. Not his father. Not Lady Sachel. Not even Anshi, who simply stood there, watching him with cold detachment.

Mathew clenched his fists, his heart aching for Adrian. But he couldn't risk revealing the recording just yet. He needed to get it into the right hands.

As Wuner and Lady Sachel turned to leave, satisfied with their handiwork, Mathew quickly slipped out of the room. His heart raced as he made his way to his car, pulling out his phone to call Leclair.

The phone rang twice before Leclair's deep, authoritative voice answered. "Mathew. What's the situation?"

Mathew took a deep breath, his voice tight with anger. "It's worse than we thought. Adrian... they forced him to sign the divorce papers. I recorded everything."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, followed by a low, dangerous growl. "Send me the footage," Leclair ordered, his tone cold and furious. "I'll handle it from here."

Mathew nodded, even though Leclair couldn't see him. "I'm on my way now. I'll send it to you as soon as I get back to the office."

"Good. Those bastards will regret this," Leclair said, his voice filled with venom. "Nobody hurts my brother like this and gets away with it."

Mathew hung up the phone, his hands trembling slightly as he started the car. He couldn't afford to waste any time. Adrian's entire future—and possibly Ethan's—depended on what he did next.

Back in the hospital, Adrian remained on the floor, too weak and devastated to move. The cold tiles pressed against his palms, grounding him in the bleak reality that had just unfolded. He had been thrown away, discarded like he was nothing. He had fought so hard, but in the end, it wasn't enough.

"Adrian..." came a soft voice, hesitant and filled with sorrow.

Adrian looked up to see a nurse standing in the doorway, her expression filled with pity. "You... you need to leave. The hospital has been instructed to remove you from the premises."

Adrian's heart clenched painfully in his chest. "But Ethan... I... I can't leave him."

The nurse's face softened, but she shook her head gently. "I'm sorry. You don't have a choice."

Tears slid down Adrian's cheeks as he stood on shaky legs. His body felt hollow, his spirit crushed. With one last glance at Ethan's unconscious form, he forced himself to walk out of the hospital, leaving behind everything he had fought so hard to protect.