Divorced: The Hidden King Rises

Ch.5 - The Lost Young Master

The VIP suite on the top floor of the hospital was silent, save for the faint, rhythmic hiss of the humidifier.

Nicholas Wells stared intensely at the top-secret file the butler had just handed him.

The paper was crisp—evidently "dug up" from the core database using the highest level of clearance in record time.

"Name: Ryan Sinclair. Left the Capital twenty years ago..."

The butler's voice was trembling.

"Sir, there's no mistake. The blood type, the dark red birthmark on his collarbone... it all matches."

"It's really him..."

Nicholas's thumb brushed over the photo in the file. The young man in the picture looked handsome but possessed a certain stubborn edge. Nicholas's eyes reddened instantly.

"Thank God... It's been over a decade. I thought I'd take this regret to my grave."

"The Little Young Master of the Grant family... the titans of the Capital's business world. I never expected to find him here, in this small coastal city."

The butler stood by, dumbfounded. In his memory, Nicholas—the tycoon who controlled half of Newport's economy—hadn't shed a single tear even during the darkest hours of the financial crisis.

…..

A full day and night had passed.

In a luxury apartment in Hayden City, Elise sat on the leather sofa, her long legs crossed. She stared at her phone, her brow furrowed.

The screen was clean. No missed calls. No apology texts.

Ryan, you've really outdone yourself this time.

She snorted, but the irritation in her chest only intensified.

For three years, Ryan had never been gone for more than six hours without checking in. Now, he had pulled a disappearing act for an entire day?

Is he actually hurt?

"Elise, have some warm milk. You don't look well."

Justin, dressed in a white knit sweater, looked gentle and refined. He walked over with a glass and sat down naturally beside her.

He glanced at the phone in her hand. A flash of malice crossed his eyes, but his voice remained soft, like a concerned younger brother.

"Still no word from Brother Ryan? Actually... I'm quite worried. If what he said on the phone was true, he might be lying in some small clinic right now."

Elise arched an eyebrow but said nothing.

Justin sighed.

"But then again, if he was seriously injured, the hospital would definitely keep calling his family, right? Our family is so wealthy; there's no reason for a hospital not to contact you."

"Since there's no news, it just means... he probably just got a scratch and is hiding on purpose to see if you'll worry."

Hearing this, the flicker of concern in Elise's eyes vanished, replaced by deep loathing.

"You're right. With his personality, that's exactly the kind of petty tactic he'd use."

She stood up and walked to her laptop, quickly scrolling through yesterday's news.

"The Starshine Hyatt fire... the ignition point was in the city center."

Elise pointed at the screen, her tone cold and certain. "Ryan's fire station covers the old South District. That's halfway across the city from the Hyatt."

"His jurisdiction didn't even have a fire mission. As I thought—he's self-directing a drama. He made up the lie about being injured just to trick me into backing down."

"Pathetic. To save that ridiculous pride of his, he'd actually tell a lie like that."

She tossed her phone into a drawer and slammed it shut with a loud thud, as if trying to lock away her disgust for Ryan.

"Don't mention him again. I'm looking up information on Nicholas Wells. Whether the company can successfully expand depends entirely on getting an investment from that man."

"Justin, help me prepare a list of Mr. Wells's favorite collectibles. We have to intercept him at the next gala."

Inside the patient room.

Ryan felt his eyelids weigh a thousand tons. His consciousness struggled through a chaotic darkness for a long time before finally tearing open a path of light.

He slowly opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw wasn't the cold fluorescent lights of a hospital, but a glittering Czech crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

By the bed, the most powerful man in Hayden City, Nicholas Wells, was staring at him with a face full of agitation. His hands were visibly shaking.

"You're... you're awake?"

Nicholas's voice was hoarse, carrying a sense of ecstasy as if witnessing a resurrection.

Ryan was stunned.

As a frontline firefighter, he naturally recognized the man who was a constant fixture in the headlines.

In Newport, the Wells family was the equivalent of local royalty.

"Mr. Wells?"

Ryan struggled to sit up. A piercing pain shot through his wounds, forcing a muffled groan from his lips.

"Don't move! Please, don't move!"

Seeing this, Nicholas almost instinctively lunged forward to support him. He looked overwhelmed, as if he were being granted a great honor.

Ryan was confused. He endured the pain and said politely, "Mr. Wells, you're being too kind. Saving lives is my job. There was no need for you to stay here yourself."

As he spoke, Ryan habitually tried to bow his head in thanks.

After all, a visit from someone of Nicholas's stature was usually seen as a massive favor.

But the moment Ryan began to lean forward, Nicholas looked like he'd been struck by lightning.

He staggered back half a step, his hands waving frantically.

"No! Please! Don't do that!"

Nicholas's face went pale. "Why... why would you do that? You saved my life! I'm the one who should be bowing to you!"

Ryan watched him, bewildered.

Even for a life-saver, someone of Nicholas's status would usually just offer a massive check or a promotion.

Where was this near-humble reverence coming from?

It didn't feel like gratitude toward a savior. It felt like... fear and awe toward a supreme being.

"You rest first. What do you want to eat? What do you need?"

Nicholas was rambling. He looked at Ryan's face—so strikingly similar to that "God" in his memory—and his eyes watered again.

He spoke instinctively, "Since you're back, the Grant family..."

Before he could finish, Nicholas realized what he was saying and clamped his mouth shut. Cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

If I reveal his identity now and mess up the Master's plans, I'm dead!

"What do you mean? Back? The Grant family?"

Ryan caught the words instantly, his eyes filling with suspicion.