The next morning, Mr Adam woke up with a dull headache.
He didn't really sleep well last night.
He lay on his back for some time, staring at the ceiling, but no matter how hard he tried, sleep refused to come.
His thoughts kept drifting back to Williams, the way he had walked past him without a word, the silence he had left hanging between them.
He had been so angry last night that he hadn't spoken to him at all.
"I hope his hand is okay…" he murmured, pushing himself out of bed.
The house was quiet as he walked down the hallway. He stopped in front of Williams' door, hesitated for a moment, then slowly opened his door.
Williams was curled on the bed, his body drawn inward like he was trying to protect himself. In his hand, he still held his mother's picture tightly against his chest.
Dried tear lines marked his face. Mr Adam's heart clenched, as he moved closer, gently pulling the blanket up to cover him better, careful not to take the picture from his hand.
For a long moment, he just stood there, watching him sleep, the sight of his son looking so small and fragile breaking something inside him.
After a while, he turned to leave.
Suddenly, someone grabbed his hand.
Then, he froze.
"Dad… I'm sorry," Williams whispered, his voice weak and rough.
Mr Adam slowly turned back and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Williams…" His voice shook.
"Why are you trying to kill me before my time?"
"Why do you keep doing things that will send me to my early grave?" He said staring ahead, his eyes dark with pain.
"Do you want to kill me?"
Williams swallowed hard. His chest felt tight. He wanted to speak, but the words wouldn't come.
"You are twenty-seven years old now Williams," Mr Adam continued.
"Why can't you grow up? Why can't you be responsible and settle down, then marry a wife, and live properly?"
His voice cracked.
"You want to destroy everything I spent my life building.
"You treat life like it's just fun ...drinking, and parties, living life recklessly… even when you know I have enemies everywhere, who wants to bring me down."
He finally looked at Williams, his eyes tired, and things he never knew how to say.
"I am not as strong as I used to be. Secretary Kim will not be here forever. I need you, Williams.
"Why can't you look at yourself? Why can't you reflect?"
Williams' eyes burned. As he starting at his father, weakly.
He had never seen his father like this, not as the powerful man everyone feared, but as someone who was scared of losing the only thing he had left.
His lips trembled. His body felt heavy and weak.
He tried to say something, but nothing came out.
He slowly lifted his father's hand and placed it against his own forehead, holding it there like he was afraid to let go.
Mr Adam felt the heat and stiffened.
"Williams…"
He called him as fear rushed through him.
He stood up quickly. Shouting,
Butler! Hurry!"
The servants rushed in, confused why their master was shouting.
Seeming Mr Adam helping Williams to stand up they quickly join him.
them lift Williams, his heart pounding hard in his chest as they hurried him out.
The drive to the hospital felt endless.
Williams lay in the back seat, his breathing uneven, his skin burning.
Mr Adam sat beside him, holding him, his mind filled with memories of when Williams was small.
"Drive faster," he said quietly. Still holding Williams.
At the hospital, nurses rushed he with a stretcher.
"His fever is very high, and his pulse is unstable" one nurse said.
Mr Adam followed them down the hallway, his chest heavy, his hands cold.
Outside the emergency room, he stood there in silence, staring at the closed door.
When the doctor finally came out, Mr Adam's heart nearly stopped.
"He will be fine," the doctor said. "Severe fever from the gun shot, exhaustion, stress, and alcohol.
His body was pushed too far."
Mr Adam released a shaky breath.
Meanwhile, inside the room, Williams lay quietly with an IV in his arm, his face pale.
Mr Adam took his hand. "I'm here," he whispered. Williams' eyes slowly opened.
"Dad…"
Tears slid from his eyes.
"I didn't want to hurt you, I didn't mean to," he whispered. "I just… I didn't know how to stop having fun, and be alone."
Mr Adam's voice broke.
"You were never alone. I just didn't know how to show you."
They stayed like that, holding each other, in the quiet hospital room .
------
Meanwhile, in Linda's apartment, Linda had just finished cleaning when the doorbell rang.
She frowned slightly.
Does Ha Rin not have work to do today? she wondered as she stood up.
When she opened the door, the person standing outside made her freeze.
"Mr Kwon?" She exclaimed.
He stood there calmly, arms folded across his chest, while a backpack strapped to his back.
"How did you find my place?" Linda asked, still shocked.
"Your father gave me the address."
She quickly stepped aside. "Please, come in."
Mr Kwon entered. Linda pointed to the chair. "Have a seat. What can I get you?"
"I am not here to drink," he said. "We are going to the forest and the mountains today, to train. We have no time to waste."
Linda blinked. "I thought you said every Saturday? Why today? I haven't even bought the things I need for training."
Mr Kwon's eyes hardened.
"Your father called me last night. Some strange men were seen around your house.They were asking questions about you."
Linda's heart dropped.
"Your father believes they might be Marcus's men. If they have started searching for you, then it means one thing... you must be ready."
A fire burned inside Linda as she listened.
Mr Kwon opened his bag and placed it on the table. "Your father prepared this for your training."
Linda slowly reached inside. She saw shoes, clothes and equipment, she needed for the training.
Tears slipped down her cheeks.
The man who was not even my blood is doing everything to protect me...
while the one who shares my blood wants me dead.
She thought, clenching the shoe in her hand, as she wiped her tears away.
"Let's go," she said, standing up.
Her voice was steady.
Her eyes were full of determination.