Chapter 280
And now, here he was, in the flesh, his face twisted with disappointment and fury. Rafael’s stomach churned with guilt, the tent’s soft lighting casting long shadows that mirrored the darkness in his heart. Eliana lay unconscious in surgery, their unborn child at risk, and H’s arrival felt like judgment day.
“H,” Rafael finally managed, his voice thick with emotion. He pushed himself up from the wheelchair, legs steady and strong—revealing the lie he’d maintained for years. James tried to stop him, but Rafael ignored him, stepping forward with desperate urgency. “Please, listen. I… I didn’t mean those things I said. I was wrong. About Eliana, about you. I’ve been trying to make it right p>
H held up a hand, his expression unyielding, eyes flashing with controlled rage. “Save it, Rafael. You’re hereby relieved of your duty to take care of Eliana.” His words landed like blows, each one precise and cutting. He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low, intense growl that filled the small space. “Look at you—still faking disabilities, playing games while the real threats circle. She’s in there fighting for her life because of you p>
Rafael recoiled as if slapped, his tall frame trembling. He reached out, grasping H’s arm, his piercing eyes—now uncovered as he yanked off the shades—pleading. “H, wait. Calm down. Let me explain. The accident—it wasn’t my fault. Jason, he ex was there, but he’s hurt too. My team’s investigating. I swear, I’ll protect her p>
H shook off his grip with effortless strength, his face a mask of scorn. “Calm down? You want me to calm down while Eliana’s blood is on your hands?” He paced a tight circle, his movements fluid and predatory, like a man who’d spent years evading death. “You’re weak, Rafael. All that power, all those companies—tech, real estate, pharmaceuticals—and you can’t even keep one woman safe. I gave you the tools. Remember? After the surgery, when you could see again, I told you: gather evidence. Bury Mirabel and your father forever. But what have you done all these years? Nothing! You’ve let them fester, let them plot. You played the game too long p>
Rafael’s chest hitched, breath coming in uneven pulls as the tears surged back, hot and humiliating. He scrubbed at his face with the heel of his hand, angry at himself, angry that H could see him like this. For a moment, his powerful, athletic frame looked smaller somehow—like the weight of everything he carried had finally bent his spine.
“It’s not that simple,” he snapped, though the bite in his voice was already dulling. “I’ve been building the case. Slowly. Quietly. If I make a move too soon, they’ll vanish into thin air. Mirabel doesn’t just scheme—she collects people. Judges, doctors, politicians… anyone with a pulse and a price tag.” A bitter laugh slipped out. “And my father? He’s weak. Always has been. But weakness doesn’t make him innocent. He knew. He still knows p>
His voice faltered then, the steel in it fracturing. The mask he wore so well cracked straight down the middle.
“I thought I had time,” he whispered. “I thought the fake disabilities would keep them comfortable, complacent—just like before. Let them think I was broken. Let the evidence pile higher. Let them dig their own graves while I smiled and waited p>
He dragged in a shaky breath, fingers curling into fists. “But Eliana His voice broke completely now, stripped bare. “God, H. If I lose her—” He shook his head, unable to finish, fear flooding his eyes. “I lose everything p>
H stopped pacing, turning to face him fully, his eyes narrowing. “Exactly. You had time—four and a half years of it, while I risked everything to help you. I hit you with my car that morning on the highway, remember? You were blind, dumped like trash by that caregiver your family paid to abandon you. I could’ve driven on, but I didn’t. I took you to the best hospital, paid for it all anonymously. Why? Because I saw a man worth saving.” His voice softened for a moment, laced with the ghost of their old camaraderie, before hardening again. “I built your confidence when you had none. Found those specialists who said your blindness wasn’t permanent—when your own doctors, bought by Mirabel, swore it was. I sat with you through the surgery, watched you open your eyes for the first time in years p>
James, hovering at the edge, interjected softly, his kindness shining through. “Sir, if you’re who Rafael says, then help us now. Eliana needs all of us p>
H glanced at him dismissively, then back to Rafael. “Help? I taught you how to survive in that viper’s nest of a house. ’Add the paralysis,’ I said. ’Make them think you’re broken. Let Mirabel relax, convince herself she can kill you later and take it all.’ And it worked—for a while. But you squandered it. Now Eliana’s paying the price p>
Rafael sank into a chair, his legs giving way not from weakness but from the weight of regret. “I know. Damn it, I know. But H, we’re married now. She’s carrying my child. You can’t just order me to back off my wife.” His voice trembled, hands raking through his dark wavy hair. “That text you sent… it gutted me. But you’re right—I haven’t moved on Mirabel fast enough. Something about Eliana’s fall isn’t right? It reeks of her. She’s probably behind this, same as Jason. I feel it in my bones p>
H leaned against the table, crossing his arms, his posture unyielding. “Of course it’s her. Mirabel’s always been a puppet master—abandoning her own daughter for wealth, marrying your father, plotting your death. If you’d used the evidence I helped you gather—the financial trails, the crash reports, the bribes—you could’ve put her and your father away for life months ago. But no. You hesitated. And now Eliana’s in surgery, fighting because you couldn’t pull the trigger p>
Rafael stood again, desperation fueling him. “Help me fix this. Please. You’re the only one I trust completely—besides James here. You never wanted my money, just my well-being. We were like brothers. Don’t turn your back now p>
H’s expression flickered— a hint of the old affection warring with his anger. He sighed deeply, the sound heavy with exhaustion. “Brothers? You accused me of betraying you, Rafael. Said I was Mirabel’s pawn. After everything… the secrets I kept, putting myself out there so I could help you while I was still hiding from my own enemies.” He straightened, his voice firm. “I’m here to protect Eliana now. You’ve proven you can’t. Step aside p>
James stepped in, his loyal nature compelling him. “Wait—let’s talk this out. Rafael’s not weak; he’s strategic. But with you here, maybe we can end this together p>
Rafael nodded eagerly, hope flickering in his eyes. “Yes. H, tell me—who are you really? Why Eliana? What’s your connection to her p>
H’s lips thinned into a line, his secrets still guarded. “Not yet. I came out of hiding for her, not for questions. But mark my words, Rafael—if you want any shot at redemption, start by taking down Mirabel. Before she takes everything from you p>
The tent fell into a tense silence, the weight of unspoken truths hanging in the air like smoke. Outside, the murmurs of the waiting crowd filtered in, but inside, the confrontation had shifted something irrevocable. Rafael stared at H, fear and determination warring within him. The man who’d saved him once might just save him again—or take away the one thing he couldn’t live without.