Chapter 4 - Whispers of the Past
"Why were you in the main hall alone, Lily?" Ethan asked softly, keeping his voice gentle so as not to scare her.
Lily lowered her inhaler, resting her chin on her plush bunny. "I heard someone hurt," she said quietly. "My nanny told me to stay in my room, but Jesus says we must help people when they can't breathe."
Ethan’s chest tightened, not from his illness, but from a sudden rush of emotion. He learned that Lily was the daughter of their late brother, Arthur, who had passed away three years prior under mysterious circumstances. Since Arthur’s death, Julian had taken full control of the family business and Arthur’s estate, while Lily was kept secluded under the pretense of "protecting her delicate health." The family narrative was that Lily was too frail to be seen, a child who needed constant isolation. But as Ethan watched her calm, resilient demeanor, he began to realize the truth: Lily wasn't being protected from the world; she was being hidden from it.
