Chapter 293
Bianca chimed in, her fierce beauty contorted with rage. “She’s right! You can’t hide what you’ve done. Sarai and I—we have followers, connections. They’ll tear this place apart looking for us p>
Sarai, rubbing her wrists where the ropes had chafed, added in a shaky voice, “Please… just let us go. We didn’t mean… I mean, whatever happened with Eliana, it wasn’t p>
Charles interrupted, his voice steady but laced with warning. “Think carefully, sir. Kidnapping, assault— these are felonies. Release us, and we can negotiate. Money, influence, whatever you want p>
H’s laughter returned, a deep, rolling sound that filled the chamber once more, making the captives flinch. He stepped closer to Mirabel, his eyes locking onto hers with a piercing gaze. “Oh, my dear Mirabel, you might have noticed—if you’d been paying attention—that my men were very deliberate. Not a single hit to the face, no marks on those pretty necks or arms. Nothing that a good suit or dress won’t cover. You’ll look as polished as ever tomorrow. Fresh, as I said p>
The realization hit them like a wave, amplifying their terror. Mirabel’s elegant poise shattered, her hands trembling as she clutched at her pearls. “You monster,” she whispered, but H only laughed harder.
“Take care of them,” he instructed his men with a wave of his hand, his tone shifting to brisk efficiency. “I’ve got more important matters to handle.” With that, he turned on his heel, striding toward the chamber’s exit, his boots echoing against the stone.
Outside the cave, the cool night air greeted him like an old friend, carrying the faint scent of pine and distant rain. Two of his men flanked him, their footsteps silent on the rocky path. They reached a sleek black SUV hidden in the shadows of towering trees, its engine purring softly. H slid into the back seat, the leather cool against his skin. As the door closed with a solid thunk, he reached into the console, pulling out a black face cap, a surgical mask, and dark shades. He adjusted them methodically—cap low over his brow, mask covering his mouth and nose, shades shielding his eyes—transforming himself into an anonymous figure, unrecognizable to any prying eyes.
“Take me to the hospital tent,” he ordered the driver, his voice muffled but authoritative.
The driver nodded, pulling onto a hidden dirt road that wound through the forest. “Yes, sir p>
A few minutes later, the SUV burst free from the treeline, rolling onto the sprawling conference grounds drenched in harsh white floodlights. The sudden brightness felt almost intrusive, like the world insisting on being seen after so much secrecy. Ahead, the hospital tent dominated the area—a massive white structure stamped with bold red crosses, its canvas walls glowing faintly from the activity inside.
Conference security stood guard at the entrance, faces set in practiced seriousness, hands resting near radios and weapons. When H stepped out of the vehicle, his disguised appearance drew more than a few curious looks. Heads turned. Whispers nearly followed. But no one stopped him.
Whether it was the quiet authority in the way he moved or the fact that someone higher up had already cleared his path, the guards shifted aside without a single question. No ID check. No delay. Just a clear lane forward.
H didn’t slow. He ducked into the tent, the heavy flap falling closed behind him with a soft whoosh, sealing him inside—and cutting him off from the world he’d just left behind.
The interior was partitioned into private areas, the air humming with the beeps of monitors and the murmur of medical staff. H navigated to one of the rear partitions, pushing aside the curtain to reveal a dimly lit space. There, on a narrow bed, lay Eliana Bennett Vexley, her warm brown skin pale against the white sheets, her long curly black hair fanned out like a halo. Her expressive honey-brown eyes were closed in sleep, an IV drip connected to her arm. Beside her sat Rafael Vexley, the billionaire recluse no longer pretending blindness or paralysis, his tall, athletic frame tense in a crisp designer suit. His piercing steel-grey eyes, once hidden behind a facade, now burned with worry as he held her slender hand.
The moment Rafael spotted H, he leaped to his feet, his chiseled jaw set in fury. “H! Did you catch them? The ones who did this to Eliana—who pushed her? Tell me you have them p>
H raised a hand, his voice calm and steady. “Easy, Rafael. Yes, I caught them. Bianca confessed everything—with evidence. She said Mirabel sent her. It was all planned to look like an accident p>
Rafael’s face darkened, his dark wavy hair falling over his forehead as he clenched his fists, muscles rippling under his suit. “Mirabel? That witch—and Bianca? I’ll kill them. I’ll tear them apart with my bare hands p>
“Relax,” H urged, stepping closer, his tone soothing yet firm. “I’ve got it under control. You don’t need to dirty your hands p>
Rafael’s breath came in ragged bursts, his cold, calculating nature warring with the raw emotion Eliana had awakened in him. “How? Tell me how you’re handling it. I need to know—now p>
H opened his mouth to explain, his words forming on his lips, when a soft rustle from the bed interrupted them. Eliana stirred, her eyelids fluttering open at the sound of their urgent whispers. She blinked groggily, her heart-shaped face creasing in confusion as she took in the scene—Rafael’s tense form and the mysterious, fully covered stranger standing nearby.
H froze, his explanation dying on his tongue. He moved toward her slowly, gently taking her free hand in his, his touch warm and reassuring.
Eliana’s eyes widened in shock, her lips parting as she stared at the masked figure. “Who… who are you?” she whispered, her voice weak but laced with alarm.
Rafael stepped forward protectively, his voice sharp. “Back up, H. She doesn’t know you like this—she’s confused. Give her space p>
But H ignored him, his movements deliberate. He reached up, first removing the black face cap, revealing salt-and-pepper hair cropped short. Then the dark shades came off, exposing kind, wise eyes that crinkled at the corners. Finally, he peeled away the face mask, unveiling a weathered face etched with lines of experience and a gentle smile.
The heart monitor beside Eliana spiked, its beeps accelerating into a frantic rhythm that filled the tent. Her honey-brown eyes filled with tears, recognition flooding her features like a dam breaking. “Papa H!” she cried, her voice breaking with emotions as she stare dumbfounded at him like she was seeing a ghost.