Milan still wore his mask, glasses, and cap, keeping his identity partially hidden. Ethan's face was frozen in shock, almost paralyzed.
Selene's confusion deepened; she couldn't make sense of the sudden tension.
"Are you… really… Milan?" Ethan's voice trembled, the shock clear in every word.
"Sir, should I prove it?" Milan's tone was calm, yet carried an unmistakable weight.
"No… no, it's not that. But… how? How did you finally come outside again?" Ethan's expression was a storm of emotions: anger, sorrow, guilt, and an overwhelming fear that made him almost unrecognizable.
Milan's voice remained steady, calm but heavy: "Sir, I thought we had a good relationship." Then, a subtle shift—a colder, almost inhuman undertone crept in. "Do all of you wish for me to rot… or remain stuck there?" His words hung in the air, heavy and pressing.
Selene's curiosity overrode her fear. "Who are you? How do you know my dad?"
Milan's glare pierced her. "Do you really want to know me?"
"Definitely, I wa—"
"Shut up, Selene. Don't interfere in matters you shouldn't," Ethan interrupted sharply. For the first time, his voice was harsh, almost unrecognizable to Selene. Her heart sank; tears threatened to spill.
Milan's gaze softened as it fell on Selene, carrying a mix of sorrow and restrained anger. "Mr. Ethan," he said firmly, "with all due respect, this is not how you speak to a woman."
Selene blinked in shock — this was the first time anyone had stood up for her in front of her father.
Ethan knew, deep down, the kind of man Milan Everhart was. Gentle, fair, and overprotective toward women, we can say he is biased toward them. yet when he found something wrong or any female who betray his trust, then he became 1000 times more dengerous, psychopath or Maniac who would do anything to let them feel despair and make them wish for death, death is most merciful reward that he can give to anyone.
utterly merciless to anyone who opposed him or crossed lines. Cold sweat formed on Ethan's brow as realization hit: if Milan defended his daughter, it meant he respected her, acknowledged her. And Ethan knew that if anything went wrong… the consequences would be catastrophic.
"I'm sorry, Selene," Ethan said, his voice softer but weighed with worry. "Some matters are best left to the adults."
"Sorry, Dad," Selene murmured, still struggling to understand. He had never hidden anything from her before — why was this different?
Ethan's voice cut through the tension. "How are you… I mean, how is your condition? Did you come out specifically for some—"
"I'm perfectly fine," Milan said calmly. "Can't be better." He shook his head slowly. "I've moved on."
"Really…" Ethan's face lit with joy, almost as if he had been given a second chance at life. "I knew from the start you were going to be okay."
"I know what I had to do to get here," Milan replied quietly.
"It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that you've finally become what you wanted. I'm truly happy for you… from the bottom of my heart. I pray you'll never have to change again." Ethan's voice wavered slightly, tinged with sorrow, dread, and fear.
"I do as well," Milan said softly, his tone heavy with melancholy.
"I'm on a journey now," Milan continued, his voice deep and profound. "To walk this world for a while… wherever my heart or fate leads me."
A long silence stretched between them. Ethan's eyes flickered as he weighed his next words carefully. Finally, he spoke, his tone serious and pleading: "Can I ask you… to take care of my daughter for a while? We have… many issues at home. Let her see the reality of this world."
Milan's tone turned sharp. "What kind of father are you, asking a stranger to take care of your daughter? You are—"
"She is like you," Ethan interrupted firmly, placing a hand over his face, frowning. "The same kind as you."
Milan's eyes widened in disbelief. He glanced at Selene, who looked equally confused. Then he turned back to Ethan, his glare serious.
Ethan nodded slowly. "Yes…"