The Billionaire's Stolen Bride

THANKS HERO

After the meal, Sebastian drove Claire back to Harry Manor. Before she stepped out of the car, he turned to her, his expression unreadable.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, his deep voice laced with concern.

Claire met his gaze and nodded firmly. "I need answers, Sebastian. This is the only place I can start."

He studied her for a moment longer before sighing. "Call me if anything happens."

"I will," she promised, then stepped out of the car and watched as he drove away.

Inside her room, Claire wasted no time. She powered on her laptop and settled onto her bed. Sebastian had told her that her mother came from a wealthy family—one that, strangely, she had never heard of. If her mother was once part of high society, there had to be something about her online.

She started her search, typing Eleanor Harry into the browser. The results were underwhelming—there was almost nothing. Claire frowned, her fingers hovering over the keyboard as frustration set in.

How is that possible?

She tried another approach, adding her mother’s maiden name. Jones family. A grainy, almost unrecognizable family portrait popped up among the search results. Claire’s heart pounded as she clicked on it.

The image was old and poorly scanned, and the faces were barely distinguishable. She quickly saved it, a whisper of hope flickering inside her.

Digging deeper, she found only scattered mentions of business dealings—mergers, acquisitions, and property transactions dating back over twenty-five years, long before she was born. Then, buried in an old article, she spotted something.

An address.

Claire’s pulse quickened as she copied it down. Her palms were already sweaty. The text labeled it as the new Jones residence at the time the article was written. If the family had relocated back then, what were the chances they were still there?

Still, it was the only lead she had. With a deep breath, Claire closed her laptop and grasped the paper with the address she had copied, feeling the weight of it in her hand. Her heart raced with the excitement of having a potential lead on her mother’s past. She took out her phone, ready to text Sebastian with the information, but before she could type a word, there was a soft knock at the door.

Without hesitation, she rose from her bed and opened the door. To her surprise, standing in the doorway was Grad, her younger brother. His cheerful grin was an immediate contrast to the tension she felt. He had just returned from school and, certainly had to check up on her. He knew she was discharged today.

“Sis, how are you feeling?” Grad asked, his voice full of genuine concern as he pushed past her into the room, completely ignoring her unspoken desire for solitude.

Claire hadn’t immediately responded, caught off guard by his sudden appearance. Grad, sensing her hesitation, spoke again, his tone playful this time.

“Did anyone tell you how I carried you to the hospital that night?” His voice had an amused, teasing edge, as he gestured dramatically with his hands, exaggerating the effort of his supposed heroism.

Claire couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Despite the weight of everything she had uncovered today, his presence was certainly a welcome distraction. Her lips curled into a laugh, and she rolled her eyes playfully at him.

“You make it sound like you saved my life or something,” she teased, crossing her arms as she leaned against the doorframe.

Grad, acting the part of an overly humble savior, placed a hand on his chest, striking a mock-heroic pose.

"Well, I did carry you through the night and never once complained." He lowered his hand, grinning wide.

Claire chuckled, feeling the tension in her chest loosens just a bit. Grad always had that effect on her. His sanguine nature always contradicted her melancholic nature.

“Well, I’m fine now,” Claire said, trying to push her worries aside, but the weight of the search for answers still loomed over her. Grad, noticing her sudden shift in mood, raised an eyebrow.

“You sure? You don’t look fine. You look like you’re about to solve a murder mystery or something,” he said, his playful tone softening as he watched her more closely.

Her smile faltered for a moment, but then she found herself laughing again, this time more genuinely. “It’s nothing, Grad. Just... a little tired, that’s all.”

He seemed to accept that, but he wouldn’t give up entirely. “Well, if you need anything, you know I’m here. And if you do want me to carry you anywhere... I’m your guy.” His grin was wide, his carefree energy contagious.

"Thanks, hero," Claire said with a playful smirk, the warmth of his presence settling over her as she sank back onto the bed, momentarily letting go of her worries.

After Brad left, Claire paced her room for a while before texting Sebastian. They agreed on a time to meet tomorrow.

Claire’s body, exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster, finally allowed her to relax. She sank back into the pillows, her mind wandering to the image of Sebastian. Her eyelids fluttered shut, and her breathing slowed, her thoughts slipping into a hazy blur. She wasn’t sure if it was sleep that overcame her or just the feeling of her mind disconnecting from the present.

The next morning, Claire woke up later than usual; it was already noon when she opened her eyes. She had agreed to meet Sebastian by 11 AM but had missed all his calls. Claire sat up, feeling stunned.

"What happened to me?"

She must have been too tired from the day before. She picked up her phone to call Sebastian, but she still felt dizzy. When she tried to get up, she realized she couldn't. Something was wrong.