Chapter 16 Sixteen

• Jason's eyes fluttered open, the sterile smell of antiseptic filling his nostrils. He found himself lying on a plush bed in an unfamiliar room. The walls were adorned with paintings, and the air was filled with the soft hum of a medical machine. His vision was still blurry, but he could make out the silhouette of an elderly man sitting by his side—Thomas Carter, his grandfather.
• "You're awake," Thomas said, his voice a mix of relief and authority. "You gave us quite a scare."
• Jason groaned, trying to sit up, but his body felt like it had been hit by a truck. "Why did you lie to me?" Jason's voice was raspy. "Am I really your heir, or was this some kind of sick game?"