Chapter 330 Is It Because I Suddenly Left
Ethan was waiting at a red light when his phone buzzed with a call from Sophia.
It was a drizzly evening in Starhaven, the sky darkening and visibility getting worse by the minute.
His family already knew he was back in town.
He hadn't asked Garrett to drive him; he was heading to the hotel on his own.
Seeing Sophia's name on the caller ID, he picked up.
He had a hunch his family had some hidden agenda for calling him back, but he hadn't expected them to try and set him up on a blind date.
"Got it," Ethan said, keeping his irritation in check.
Sophia sounded incredulous. "That's all you have to say, Ethan?"
Ethan watched the rain intensify outside his window and replied coolly, "What kind of reaction were you expecting?"
"At least some shock or anger? Ethan, you're not seriously going along with their matchmaking, are you?" Sophia asked.
She had strong feelings about this, even though she hadn't dared to voice them when their parents mentioned it earlier.
"This isn't something you need to worry about," Ethan said flatly.
Before Sophia could respond, he added, "I'll pick you up tomorrow morning to visit Grandma at the hospital."
"Tomorrow? But Dad's home today," Sophia said, worried that if Ethan came to get her, he might clash with Donovan.
Donovan was the one most opposed to her visiting their grandmother. Ethan taking her would be seen as a direct challenge.
"Yes, tomorrow. If he wants me to go on a blind date, he has to make some concessions."
Ignoring Sophia's protests, Ethan hung up the phone.
The light turned green, and Ethan drove forward.
A small van ahead of him blocked most of his view of the road.
As the van crossed the intersection, Ethan followed slowly, only to see a figure stumbling onto the crosswalk.
He braked hard, but the person collapsed to the ground.
The rain was now pouring down, making visibility even worse.
Ethan got out to check on the person and found a pale-faced girl lying on her side.
Not wanting to cause a traffic jam, Ethan confirmed she was breathing and just unconscious.
He lifted her into his car and placed her in the back seat.
He hadn't hit her, but leaving her in the rain wasn't his style.
Meanwhile, Katniss had just finished treating Maximilian's wound and was now making a simple meal.
Maximilian wanted to help, but Katniss refused, citing his injured arm.
He stood in the kitchen doorway, not straying far.
He knew Katniss was upset, but he was always clumsy in these situations.
Despite his improvements, he didn't know how to make things right with her.
Katniss, not in the mood for anything complicated, made some noodles and added two eggs to the broth.
She glanced at Maximilian standing in the doorway, his tall frame and stern demeanor softened by the way his eyes followed her.
This was a side of Maximilian he never showed to anyone else.
"Grab the bowls," Katniss called to him.
Maximilian quickly approached, grabbing the utensils.
Katniss watched him and suddenly asked, "Is it because I left so abruptly?"
She had considered this possibility before but had quickly dismissed it, thinking it was too self-centered.
Maximilian paused for a moment before responding, "No."
Katniss sighed, knowing he wouldn't admit it, but she had already seen the answer in his brief hesitation.
"Tonight, I'll treat your leg and prepare new medicine for you. You need to take it properly."
After discussing things with Jesse, she had new ideas about how to address Maximilian's issues.
If they didn't work, there wouldn't be many side effects, but if they did, it would be a pleasant surprise.
"I'm too tired tonight. Let's postpone the treatment," Maximilian said. "I'll take the medicine you prepare."
Katniss frowned but agreed.
She was tired, and Maximilian had been busy at work all day.
"Fine, we'll postpone the treatment," she said, needing to be in the right state of mind for it to be effective.
After dinner, Maximilian offered to do the dishes.
Katniss didn't stop him and instead called Jesse.
Jesse knew Maximilian well, and Katniss hoped he could shed light on why Maximilian had harmed himself after she left.
When she saw the bandages on Maximilian's arm, she knew she needed to talk to Jesse.
Jesse answered after a while, sounding groggy. "Katniss? Why are you calling? Aren't you in Starhaven?"
Katniss got straight to the point. "You treated Maximilian's wounds. Do you know when and why he had an episode?"
Her tone was calm but firm.
"What?" Jesse hesitated before asking, "You found out already?"
"Yes. Tell me the time and reason. I need to know to prepare the right medicine for him."
Katniss was worried that Maximilian's condition hadn't improved.
The only reason he seemed fine recently was because Katniss had been with him.
Maximilian cared about her, and she cared about him.
She realized this after they confessed their feelings for each other.
But now, she was concerned that his well-being depended too much on her presence.
She wanted Maximilian to be okay, with or without her.
Maximilian had told him how important Katniss was, and Jesse had already accepted her.
Even though Maximilian didn't want Katniss to worry, she had asked directly, so Jesse had no reason to hide the truth.
"The night you left, around 2 AM, I got a call. When I arrived, he was in bad shape, having hurt himself pretty badly."
Jesse had been terrified when he arrived at Golden Crest Estates.
If Maximilian hadn't had such strong self-control, he might not have made it until Jesse got there.
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