All Chapters of Ethan Storm’s Dark Awakening : Chapter 311
- Chapter 320
426 chapters
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“As of this moment — not only are you dismissed…”He paused.The room held its breath — every eye fixed on him, every heartbeat loud in the silence.“…you are under formal investigation.”A murmur burst through the lobby like a shockwave.The doctor’s eyes widened in horror.“W–What…? Director, this must be some kind of mistake—”Morrison’s gaze stayed locked on him.“For corruption,” he said, voice steady. “For bribery. For malpractice. For endangering patients under the influence of external power.”Several nurses gasped.A junior doctor whispered, “Corruption…? But—he—”A guard shifted uneasily. “Director… are you certain…?”Morrison did not look away.“I do not speak lightly.”He turned to the guards.“Escort him to administrative custody. Secure his records. Freeze his accounts tied to the hospital.”The guards hesitated — shocked, glancing at one another.One finally exhaled. “…Understood.”They nodded sharply in unison.“Yes, Director.”The senior director broke first.He sagge
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The butler bowed his head, emotion flooding his eyes. Lily wiped her cheeks, struggling to breathe. Ethan watched Morrison quietly. For a long moment, neither spoke. Then Morrison turned to him, voice low and steady. “I will tear every rotten root from this place,” he said. “If corruption has touched my hospital… I will expose it — no matter who falls with it.” Ethan held his gaze. There was no uncertainty left. Only quiet respect. “…See that you do,” he murmured. Morrison bowed his head. “I swear it.”Then Morrison turned to the trembling staff — the nurses, the junior doctors, the clerks who had stood frozen on the edges of the scene.A chorus of apologies spilled out at once.“Director — we’re sorry—”“We didn’t know—”“We weren’t involved with him, we swear—”“We were only following his orders—”Their voices shook — desperate, fragile — as if distance from the fallen senior doctor might wash away their guilt.Morrison’s gaze swept over them.Not cruel.Not indulgent.Me
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Lily stiffened.Morrison froze mid-note over the medical chart.“…Where?” Ethan asked quietly.John exhaled sharply.Then his came through the line — tight, simmering with anger beneath urgency.“It turns out,” he said, “that after hearing the Galaxy Consortium is preparing to enter Norwish… the Saler family issued an ancient challenge to the Hadel family.”Ethan’s eyes narrowed.“…An arena challenge?”Morrison looked up sharply.Lily froze, lips parted.John exhaled.“Yeah. A formal one. Three versus three — old-world rules, witnessed by neutral guild notaries. The winner earns exclusive qualification to negotiate with the Galaxy Consortium.”Silence rippled through the room.“The Salers…” he muttered. “Aren’t they the same family who Threw me out?"His expression did not twist.Did not flare.It merely grew… still.John’s voice hardened.“They didn’t just challenge us to compete,” he said. “They framed it as righteousness. They declared the Hadel family unworthy — ‘tainted by foreig
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Lily’s hands trembled as she clutched the butler’s armrest. “You… you’ll risk yourself?” she asked, voice cracking with worry. Ethan’s expression softened slightly. “Yes. But not recklessly. This is about strategy — about protecting the Hadel family, their legacy, and every life that could be endangered if we refuse or fail. I am not walking into a blind battle.” Morrison’s confusion was evident, his mind struggling to reconcile the magnitude of Ethan’s influence with the humility and quiet control he had witnessed all night. “And… you healed John Hadell earlier, yet you cannot cure all ailments. But you are willing to step into this arena…?” His voice was hesitant, almost incredulous. Ethan nodded. “I can purify corruption, control forces beyond conventional comprehension, and protect those who cannot defend themselves. But human vulnerability… illness… weakness… those still require skill, care, and expertise.” He glanced at Morrison. “And I will need your help — the Hadel family
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The group turned toward the door. A young girl stood there, framed in the warm glow of the hallway light. She was strikingly beautiful — not just in the innocence of youth, but in the sharp, intelligent way her eyes scanned the room. Long chestnut hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders. She wore a tailored ivory blouse tucked neatly into a high-waisted navy skirt, the ensemble simple yet elegant, suited to someone both youthful and precise. Her features were delicate yet defined, a pointed chin giving her an air of determination, high cheekbones that caught the light, and eyes sharp enough to pierce through pretense.She held a small porcelain cup with careful hands, clearly proud of the task she had completed. Her expression softened when she saw John, and she took a small step forward, offering the cup.“Grandpa,” she said softly, “you really should rest… drink this.”John smiled warmly, eyes lighting up with recognition and affection. “Jenna… you came back from the company a
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Ethan met her gaze, unwavering. “I do not ask for belief. I ask only for your focus. The Salers’ challenge is imminent. There is no time for doubt or mistrust. Every moment wasted in skepticism is a moment their advantage grows.”Jenna’s eyes narrowed, the sharp intellect she wielded like a blade now testing him further. Yet beneath her suspicion, there was the faintest flicker of acknowledgment — that he had acted, decisively, where others had faltered.John stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Jenna… Ethan Storm is exactly who he says he is. He has served our family when it mattered most. You will see that soon enough.”Jenna’s gaze flickered between John and Ethan, clearly wrestling with the dissonance between the loyalty her grandfather and father displayed and the instinctive distrust she felt for this unknown man who now stood calmly in their home.Finally, after a measured pause, she straightened, drawing in a slow breath. Her expression softened, but on
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The tension in her chest boiled over. She could no longer remain silent. Her voice rang sharply through the room, startling them all.“You’re stupid!” she exclaimed, voice cutting through the measured calm. “All of you! How can you trust him? He’s not strong enough! He’s not who you think he is!”Chris’s face darkened immediately, his jaw tightening. “Jenna!” he barked, his tone fierce. “Stop! Stop disrespecting Ethan!”But she didn’t falter. She stepped closer, the anger and disbelief burning in her expression. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “If not what?” she demanded, voice trembling with indignation. “If not what, father? That we should blindly trust a man who could be lying to us? That we should allow ourselves to be deceived? Open your eyes! Look at him! He isn’t a Storm! He isn’t our protector! He’s… a liar, an impostor!”John shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his brows knitting together in concern, but he said nothing, letting Chris handle the confrontation.Chr
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Jenna’s arms tightened across her chest, her face still flushed with anger. Her voice cut through the tense quiet again, sharp and unrelenting.“This isn’t over! You can’t just sit there and pretend everything’s fine!” she snapped. “Do you all really think he’s going to protect us? Do you understand how reckless this is? How can you trust him when there’s no proof, no history, nothing?!”Ethan stepped forward slightly, palms raised in a gesture of calm. “Jenna, I understand your frustration, but your anger—”“Shut the fuck up!” she exploded, cutting him off. “You don’t get to lecture me! You don’t get to tell me how to feel! You’re not my family! You don’t get to waltz in and claim you’ll protect us!”Chris slammed his fist on the table, his face red. “Jenna! That’s enough! You will not speak to Ethan like that! Do you hear me?!”Jenna’s eyes blazed, and she scoffed loudly. “And why not, father? Why shouldn’t I? He’s a liar! A fraud! A stranger! You and grandfather are fools for even
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Jenna’s chest heaved, a mixture of frustration and stubborn pride tightening her stomach. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, and she paced the room slowly, sharp heels clicking against the polished wood floor. The tension in her jaw made it ache, but she refused to release her anger; she couldn’t. Not when the very fate of her family — and her sense of judgment — seemed to be teetering on the edge of what she considered a reckless gamble.I can’t believe they actually trust him, she thought, her eyes narrowing to slits as they lingered on Ethan’s calm, composed figure across the table. Look at him. He’s weak. Unassuming. He doesn’t even seem capable of holding his own weight in a fight, and yet they act as if he’s some kind of savior. Foolish, all of them. Father… Grandfather… idiots blinded by the charm of some stranger.Her mind raced. She couldn’t stop herself. He’s manipulating them. He has to be. There’s no way someone like him could have saved Dad’s life, or Grandfathe
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Even as John spoke again, explaining logistics, and Chris attempted to reassure her, she remained steadfast, calculating, her mind locked on preparation — on the one thing she could control. The selection of the two strongest fighters to carry the weight she refused to entrust to a stranger, no matter how calm, no matter how confident, no matter how heroic he appeared.Her inner monologue was relentless: He may call himself a Storm. He may have performed miracles. But I will not be impressed. I will not be swayed. I will watch. I will wait. And when he falters, they’ll finally see the truth… and I’ll be the one who proved that our family’s survival does not depend on an impostor.Her lips curved into a faint, cold smile, almost imperceptible. Let him step into the arena. Let him play the hero. I’ve already written the plan that will ensure we do not need him at all.And with that, Jenna moved with swift, deliberate steps toward the war room, her mind already plotting, already calculat