Chapter 42
816 Words
Elias POV
As I entered the mansion, dinner was already served and everyone was seated. I went straight to the table and sat down as food was placed in front of me.
I didn’t push it away, unlike I had done the past few days. I picked up my cutlery and began eating without comment.
The first bite went down easily.
The second followed.
Before I realized it, the plate was almost empty.
It struck me then that this was the first proper meal I had eaten since Mara was taken. Camille spoke at some point, something about Mara being found, about how worried she had been and how relieved she was now, but I only responded with a brief, “Yes.” I didn’t look up. My thoughts were elsewhere.
Who was the culprit in this mansion?
The question repeated itself over and over as I ate.
Andrea?
Jealousy clung to her like a second skin. It was obvious she despises Mara because of her past with David. But was she capable of something like this?
The anonymous sender had gone as far as attempting to kill me at the anniversary. And from what I knew, they were deeply familiar with Philip’s death.
It couldn’t be Andrea.
Hatred alone wouldn’t give her the strength or reach to orchestrate something this calculated.
The second name surfaced in my mind.
Camille.
She masked her intentions well, but she would gain nothing from this. She valued reputation above all else. Still, concluding anything too quickly would be a mistake.
Right now, I can't afford to trust anyone.
My gaze shifted to David. He had been watching me, as if he had a lot to say but had chosen to keep it buried.
My jaw tightened imperceptibly.
He wouldn’t deliberately put Mara in danger if he truly loved her.
Nothing about this was simple.
The thought of the burner phone being traced back to the mansion echoed in my mind like a loaded gun. Whoever was behind this was watching me right now.
Once my plate was cleared, I pushed my chair back and headed to my room. I showered, the water beating against my skin as my thoughts spiraled unchecked. I imagined her waking up alone. Afraid. I remembered instructing the nurses to guard her room and notify me the moment she regained consciousness.
A knock came at my door after I finished dressing.
I didn’t need to ask who it was.
David entered without waiting for permission, his expression tight and restless.
“Where is she?”
I turned slowly, fixing him with a look that stopped most men mid-sentence. “That is none of your concern.”
“I need to know where she is,” he snapped. “She trusts me enough to—”
“She is alive,” I cut in. “That is all you need to know.”
His jaw clenched. “You don’t get to decide that.”
I stepped closer, my voice low and controlled. “I already have.”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” he said, stepping closer. “You wouldn’t have found her if I hadn’t informed the police where she was.”
He scoffed, stepping back slightly. “You didn’t know,” he added, as if about to spill a secret. “I was the first person she called when she was kidnapped. I believe she still has feelings for me, considering the fact she hasn’t forgotten my number. Don’t deprive me of the right to know where she is when I technically saved her.”
I didn’t want to believe a word of it. I refused to.
My chest rose sharply, but I forced myself to remain still.
For a moment, I thought he might say more. But he didn’t. He left, anger burning in his eyes, questions lingering unsaid.
The next morning, I canceled everything related to work. Richard sounded startled over the phone, but he complied without argument. The company could wait. I couldn’t.
The hospital smelled of antiseptic and quiet despair. I moved through it without pause, my presence alone parting corridors and silencing whispers. Her VIP room was guarded, exactly as I had ordered.
She was still asleep.
Too still.
I stood beside her bed, watching the slow rise and fall of her chest. An IV line ran into her arm, clear liquid dripping steadily, as if time itself was being measured that way.
Why hadn’t she woken up?
The question settled heavily beneath my ribs.
The doctor was already checking on her when I arrived. He reassured me calmly, explaining that recovery took time, that her body was healing at its own pace.
After he left, it was just the two of us again.
Her fingers twitched.
My breath caught. I moved closer, unsure if it was real or just wishful thinking.
Her lashes fluttered.
Then her eyes opened, slowly.
- Writer
