The silence that followed the slamming door was so profound it felt heavier than the $150,000 Ethan had just paid. Alfred, Martha, and Lilly all stared first at the empty doorway, then at Ethan, their faces frozen in a mixture of shock, disbelief, and fear.
Alfred was the first to move. He stumbled towards Ethan, his face red. "Ethan, what have you done?! Son, that was all your money! You can't just throw away that much money! Where did you even get $150,000?!"
Martha rushed forward, tears welling in her eyes, but hers were tears of gratitude mixed with terror. She grabbed his face with both hands. "Oh, my sweet boy! You saved us! But those people... they're dangerous! You put yourself in danger for us!"
Lilly, still trembling, threw her arms around him again, burying her face in his chest. "Ethan, I was so scared! You were incredible, but they looked like they wanted to kill you!"
