CHAPTER 4 — "THE SECRET HE HAD HIDDEN FOR FIVE YEARS"
General William Carter slowly sank to his knees.
Not before the crowd.
Not before the cameras.
Before his grandson.
His voice shook.
"I never abandoned you because I stopped loving you."
Ryan's mother glared at him.
"Then explain it."
The old man closed his eyes.
Five years of silence seemed to crush him.
"When Ryan was diagnosed..."
"The doctors gave him almost no chance."
"I couldn't accept it."
"I spent my whole life winning battles."
"I knew how to fight enemies."
"But I didn't know how to watch my grandson die."
The arena remained completely silent.
"So..."
"I ran."
His words echoed through the building.
"I was a coward."
"I convinced myself that staying away would hurt less."
"But every birthday..."
"Every Christmas..."
"I sat outside your house."
"I watched from my car."
"I saw Ryan grow up through a window..."
"...because I was too ashamed to knock on the door."
Ryan's mother covered her mouth.
She had never known.
The old man slowly reached into his pocket.
He handed her a thick envelope.
Inside were hundreds of hospital receipts.
Thousands of dollars.
Every surgery.
Every treatment.
Every medicine.
Every rehabilitation bill.
Paid anonymously.
The doctor looked through the papers in disbelief.
"He..."
"He paid for everything."
Ryan's mother burst into tears.
"You... it was you?"
The old man nodded.
"I didn't deserve forgiveness."
"But I couldn't stop loving him."
The Iron Titan stared at the receipts.
Then at the old soldier.
Without saying a word, the undefeated champion walked across the ring...
and wrapped the elderly man in a powerful embrace.
The audience exploded into applause.
People were crying openly.
But at that exact moment...
one of the nurses monitoring Ryan's heart suddenly shouted,
"Doctor!"
"His heartbeat is dropping!"
Every smile vanished instantly.
The heart monitor let out a long, terrifying sound.
May you like
BEEEEEEEEEP...
The entire arena froze in horror.
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