Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph
Chapter 232 Not a Simple Businessman

The video was kinda dark, but I could still make out Ethan's face turning red, like he was drunk or something.

Ethan was slouched on the couch, strumming a guitar and singing softly to the camera. He looked super sad, and his eyes were all teary as he stared off into the distance. When he finished the song, he tried to smile at the camera, but it came out all wrong, like a sad, forced smile.

"Honey, I'm sorry! I love you!"

Then the video cut off, and he was gone.

I reached out, but there was nothing to grab, nothing to hold onto.

I collapsed onto the table, sobbing uncontrollably.

I heard Faris's footsteps at the door. He paused for a second, then turned and headed downstairs.

In my overwhelming sorrow, everything started to blur.

Looking around the familiar room, I felt I had just woken up from a nightmare. Was it all just a bad dream? Yeah, it had to be a dream. Thank goodness it was just a dream. I ran downstairs.

Faris was feeding the kids. When he saw me rushing down, he just stared at me.

I went straight to the kitchen and opened the fridge. There wasn't much in there; he probably hadn't cooked in a while.

I remembered the first meal I made for him in this kitchen was spaghetti. The night we moved in, I made spaghetti too.

Ethan had joked, "Can you only make spaghetti?"

It felt like it was just yesterday.

I grabbed the spaghetti, ready to start cooking.

Faris came to the door and said, "I've already made dinner."

I kept washing the pot, not looking back, and said, "Ethan likes the spaghetti I make."

After cooking the spaghetti, I set it on the table, but he still hadn't come back.

I didn't check the time. I figured Ethan was probably busy. I waited for him. If the spaghetti got cold, I'd just cook it again.

I tried to keep myself busy. I ran upstairs, washed the shirt Ethan left in the bathroom, and hung it on the balcony to dry.

The sky outside was dark, and it was still raining, a constant drizzle.

I stood on the balcony, staring at the rain, lost in thought. The wind blew, and I shivered, realizing my clothes were soaked.

I couldn't remember why my clothes were wet, but why were they wet?

So, the heavy rain I got caught in wasn't a dream.

So, everything that happened in the dream wasn't a dream.

So, after the rain, the sky would clear, the earth would keep turning, and the sun would rise again tomorrow. But Ethan would never come back.

Realizing this, I clutched the shirt hanging in front of me, my heart aching intensely again. Ethan would come back, right? I so wanted to hear his car pull up, to hear him open the door and call me Honey.

I clung to that shirt, crying until I passed out. As I fainted, it felt like someone caught me just in time.

I had this long dream, filled with memories from the past.

All the stuff I used to worry about seemed so pointless now.

What could be more important than him being alive?

When I woke up, I saw a blurry figure by the bed.

I sat up and threw myself into his arms, holding him tight.

His chest was warm, so warm that it made me tear up.

This wasn't a dream, it couldn't be a dream.

"Ethan, you're back! I'm not mad at you, really, I know you had your reasons. I just want you back. Let's live well from now on and not sweat the small stuff, okay?"

A sigh by my ear, "Emily."

"Don't talk, just hold me."

I buried my head in his chest, soaking up his warmth, like I was in a beautiful dream I didn't want to wake up from.

"Emily, Hunter and Harper still need you."

My tears flowed, and I pushed him away in anger, crying, "Do you have to ruin my dream? Can't you let me dream a little longer?"

Jason looked at me, his eyes full of helplessness and heartache.

"Emily, don't be like this. Death is a part of life that everyone has to go through. Please, try to be rational, okay?"

I covered my ears, frustrated.

"Stop it, can you stop it? Why do you have to be so cruel, why do you have to keep saying he's dead, why?"

Jason sighed helplessly.

"Emily, I know losing Ethan is hard for you, it's hard for me too, I didn't expect this either. But you have to understand, Ethan wasn't just yours, he was also the father of two kids. When you lost Ethan, the kids lost their dad, and at the same time, they lost their mom's love. They're even more pitiful."

I slowly calmed down, looking at him in confusion.

"Where are they?"

"They're already asleep," Jason said.

I wanted to get up to see them, but Jason held me down.

"You better not move yet, you have a high fever."

Jason stayed with me until a few hours after I took the anti-inflammatory medicine. After rechecking my temperature, he finally let me get out of bed.

It was already dark outside. I went to the next room, where the two little ones were asleep, but their faces were still streaked with tears, probably from crying for a long time.

A wave of guilt washed over me. I gently wiped their tears with a tissue and tucked them in.

Faris was sitting nearby, carefully working on the unfinished airplane model.

Without turning around, Faris said, "Dakato helped you change your clothes."

I looked down and saw that I was wearing pajamas, the wet clothes had long been changed. I went downstairs, and the bowl of spaghetti I had cooked was still on the table, stone cold.

It finally hit me, clear as day-no matter how long I waited, Ethan was never coming back.

Later, Dennis told me that Drew had turned himself in. He said that with Ethan gone, there was no point in running anymore. He had fulfilled his wish.

But it wasn't Drew who hurt Ethan; it was the real mastermind, the drug lord Gideon.

Gideon tried to run, but he couldn't get out of Starlight City because the whole place was on lockdown.

According to the latest info, he and two accomplices had fled to the mountains. The cops had the area surrounded, making it impossible for him to escape, but he had taken a woman and a kid hostage, so the police were hesitant to make a

move.

"What exactly was Ethan's deal?" I asked Dennis.

Dennis was quiet for a long time before he finally said, "He wasn't just a businessman."

Ethan wasn't just a simple businessman, but no matter how complex or mysterious he was, he was the man I loved most in my life.

I took out the diamond ring he left for me and slipped it on my finger.

As I looked at the ring on my hand, I felt a moment of disorientation, almost like he had put it on me himself.

It was as if his soul was attached to this ring, staying with me, never leaving. Wearing it suddenly gave me a sense of strength. This strength kept me from drowning in sadness and instead made me look forward, become strong, and do more important and meaningful things.

That day, I left the kids with Sophie and Nora, asking them to look after them.

I didn't tell Faris or Jason. I drove out alone.

When I arrived at the foot of the mountain where Gideon was trapped, there was a police cordon, and no one was allowed to approach.

The police were using a megaphone to communicate with the people on the mountain.

I looked up. The other side was well hidden; I couldn't see anyone, only hear their voices.

From their conversation, I learned that Gideon was likely injured, but the police didn't dare to go up hastily, fearing for the hostages' safety.

Gideon demanded food and a doctor, both of whom had to be women. The police were discussing sending a female officer disguised as a doctor. "I'll go," I suddenly said.

The police turned to look at me. I saw the officer who had given me Ethan's belongings. He walked over and urged me to leave.

I stood my ground and said firmly, "Let me go. Gideon is very smart. He will see through a female officer immediately. Gideon has seen me; he knows I'm just an ordinary woman. Plus, I have some nursing training. I'm the best choice." The officer refused, but I insisted.

"Officer, if we delay any longer, I'm afraid the criminals will lose patience. Then it will be a dead end, and the hostages will be in danger."

No matter what I said, the officer wouldn't budge.

Suddenly, a woman's voice came from the side.

"I'll go with her."

I turned and saw it was Dakato.

She glanced at me and repeated to the officer, "There's no better option now. I'll go with her. I'll bring the food, and she'll treat the injury."

We quickly prepped a medical kit and food. I carried the medical kit, and Dakato took the food. We started hiking up the mountain together. Meanwhile, the officer shouted up the mountain.

"Don't get agitated. Don't harm the hostages. We're sending up what you need. Please stay rational and don't make things worse."

Step by step, I walked up the mountain with the medical kit. I knew there was a gun aimed at me, and any sudden move could mean a bullet through my head. Every step I took was on the edge of death. But I felt very determined inside, not a bit afraid. Death wasn't a scary thing to me now. Even if I died, Ethan would be waiting for me.

"Stop."

Halfway up the mountain, a voice suddenly stopped us. Dakato and I stood still, looking towards the source of the voice in a cluster of trees.

"Raise your hands and walk forward slowly," the voice said again.

Dakato and I complied, walking to the cluster of trees. Suddenly, two men jumped out from the side. They held guns, searched us, and checked my medical kit and Dakato's food bag before escorting us further up.

From this position, the people at the foot of the mountain couldn't see us anymore. At the top, I saw Gideon lying on the grass, his chest soaked in blood. He looked seriously injured.

Two other men were holding a woman and a child hostage. The woman and child cried louder when they saw us.

I quickly surveyed the surroundings. The open area wasn't large, and it backed onto a cliff. Gideon and his men had no way out.

Though injured, Gideon was still conscious. He looked at Dakato and me, stunned.

Gideon was stunned, saying, "It's you?"

I said calmly, "Gideon, we came as you requested. Please don't hurt them."

"Do you want to avenge Ethan?"

Gideon stared at me sharply.

My heart skipped a beat, but I didn't show it. I said irritably, "Don't mention him. I have nothing to do with a man who abandoned me."

Gideon scrutinized me, as if assessing the truth of my words.

"Then why are you here? The police wouldn't let an ordinary citizen take such a risk."

Gideon was indeed a tough opponent.

I glanced at the crying child. "Because I pity the child you're holding hostage. I'm a woman and a mother."

Then I smiled faintly, "Gideon, I'm just a helpless woman here at your request. If you don't need treatment, I'll leave."

I turned decisively.

Gideon shouted, "Wait!"