Chapter 1,20
“Mr. Sinclair, are you alright?” Martin asked in alarm.
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As far as he knew, Gregory’s physical checkups had always come back flawless. But right now, Gregory was clutching his chest, his face pale with pain.
Adrian was also visibly concerned. He steadied Gregory and helped him lean back into the seat. “Should we head to a hospital?”
“No need.” Gregory shook his head.
He then took a deep breath. The pain had eased a bit, though there was still a faint, lingering ache in his chest.
“Greg, be honest with me. Are you sure the injuries you sustained after you saved Anathea from the car accident have really healed?” Adrian studied Gregory seriously.
“Of course.” Gregory gave a small smile. “Didn’t Louie show you the report?”
Adrian didn’t reply. Deep down, he suspected Louie was hiding something from him.
Gregory ignored the skeptical look in Adrian’s eyes and pulled out his phone. He checked Anathea’s location, and when he saw she was still at the villa, he finally felt a bit more at ease.
At this hour, Anathea was probably already asleep. He wanted to go back so badly so he could hold her as they slept. But the matters in Syntherra kept him tied up.
He looked at their message thread–he had texted her last night and today.
“I might not be home tonight. Get some rest. Goodnight.”
“Good morning. Don’t eat food that’s gone cold. It’s bad for your stomach.”
“Good afternoon. I’ve wrapped ravioli in advance–they’re in the fridge. If you want some, ask Bella to cook them for you.”
“Goodnight.”
Anathea hadn’t replied to any of his messages. Worried something might have happened to her, Gregory quickly texted Jenny to ask how she was doing.
Jenny responded by sending a video. In it was Anathea calmly arranging fresh flowers on the table, looking completely focused. Her phone was placed far away. Either she hadn’t seen his messages, or she had seen them and chosen not to respond.
Gregory figured it was probably the latter. Maybe he had broken his word again and made her so upset that she didn’t want to reply to him.
A wave of regret washed over him. He lifted a hand to rub at the sore corner of his eye. He had been running nonstop for nearly two days without rest. Red veins were beginning to show in his eyes.
Thankfully, after tomorrow, everything would finally be settled. Once all obstacles were cleared, he could return to Anathea’s
side.
He’d fought so hard to earn the chance to start over with her. He had to cherish it.
Adrian glanced over at Gregory, seeing him staring at a photo of Anathea on his phone. His eyes were fixed on it as if he couldn’t even blink.
It was a picture taken just a few nights ago, after Anathea had fallen asleep. Gregory had quietly stepped into the room, unable to resist capturing her peaceful sleeping face on camera. Only when he saw her resting safely like that could his uneasy heart begin
to settle.
Eventually, Adrian let go of his doubts. He reached over and patted Gregory on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’ll pull this off.”
Gregory gave a small nod. Then, reluctantly, he put his phone away and turned his focus to the ceremony tomorrow.
1/2
Chapter 420
+25 BONUS
Anathea was jolted awake by the cold.
As she opened her eyes, she realized she was in a run–down storage room. There were no windows, just a single translucent tile in the roof that let in a sliver of sunlight, casting a faint patch of brightness on the floor.
Her hands and feet were tied.
Anathea frowned.
She remembered hearing someone knock at the door last night. She’d just been about to answer it when a wave of dizziness had hit her. The next thing she knew, everything had gone black.
Was it the rose tea?
Her eyes widened in sudden realization.
She struggled to sit up and began inching her way toward the door. She managed to get a glimpse of the courtyard, and she froze.
This was the Sinclair residence.
Why would they tie her up and bring her here? What were they planning?
Whatever the reason, she couldn’t just sit here and wait for whatever came next.
She tried calling out for help, but the place was far too isolated. Hardly anyone passed by this corner of the residence. No matter how loud she screamed, it was unlikely anyone would hear her.
If screaming wasn’t going to work, then she’d have to find another way.
Anathea started working on the ropes around her wrists, determined to break free.
