The Lawyer’s Romance in Law

The Lawyer’s Romance in Law

Novel The Lawyer’s Romance in Law is an amazing story about a young woman Elias Winters and rich people Amanda Bailey. After being secretly married for a year, Elias Winters brought his mistress home but was confronted by his wife, Amanda Bailey, who presented him with a positive pregnancy test. Falsely accusing her of infidelity, he vowed never to see her again. Four years later, Amanda returned to the country as a successful barrister, causing Elias to cling to her and beg for reconciliation. He even went as far as kneeling in the rain, seeking her forgiveness. However, Amanda remained unmoved. It was then that their child rushed out and asked about Elias. He was shocked because he had always believed that she had aborted the child. To his surprise, the little one standing before him was a spitting image of himself!

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 55 Aiden Is Missing.

Inside the mansion, Amanda was busy making fish stew, and it tasted a little bland when she took a spoonful, so she asked Colette for some salt. However, no response came from the woman. She turned around and found Colette was no longer in the kitchen.

Where has she gone? She was still here helping me with dinner a second ago…

“Mrs. Colette?” Amanda called out again, and it was only then the nanny hurried back into the kitchen. “You called, Miss Bailey?”

“Where were you?” she couldn’t help asking. “Could you please pass me the salt? The soup tastes a little bland.”

At that, Colette handed her the seasoning, then smiled guiltily. “I went to answer a call and also checked on Aiden. I’m surprised by how quiet he is. He’s been sitting in the dining room the whole time, waiting for you. I said he could watch some cartoons, but he insisted on being the first person you see when you serve the food.”

Amanda pulled a relieved smile in response. Her precious baby boy had always been her pride. and joy, after all.

“He’s been pretty attached to me since he was a baby.”

At that, Colette couldn’t help asking, “Miss Bailey, please don’t mind me being nosy, but the company of a father is also important to a child’s growth. Are you not planning to reconcile with the father? Boys especially need their father, you know.”

Amanda’s smile gradually disappeared, and it was soon replaced by displeasure. This is a private issue, Mrs. Colette, and it’s not within your job scope. You just need to take care of Aiden.”

“I know, I know, I’m just curious as to why you’ve never talked about Aiden’s father, that’s all.”

“The stew should be ready in another ten minutes or so. Bring the dish out later, will you? I’m heading out,” said Amanda as she left the kitchen, not wanting to continue the conversation with. Colette anymore.

Although she was a decent nanny, she was very inquisitive and would often ask her about Aiden’s father. If anything, she reminded Amanda of a busybody.

If it weren’t for the fact that she took great care of Aiden, Amanda would’ve long fired her. It was pretty annoying when one’s nanny constantly pried into one’s privacy.

After leaving the kitchen, Amanda went to the dining room and found the little one sitting quietly. at the table, waiting for dinner to be served. His actions were already in high regard toward her cooking.

A chuckle escaped her as she went up to Aiden and patted his fuzzy head.

“Hungry?”

I’m famished, Mommy. When can we eat?” Aiden asked as he lay feebly on the table, looking absolutely adorable.

“Very soon. The stew will be ready in another ten minutes. Hang in there.”

“Okay…”

Just then. Amanda’s phone rang. She checked to find it was Elias. After taking a gander at Aiden, she answered the call. “Yes?”

“Did you move just to avoid me?” Elias’ husky, alluring voice came from the other end of the line.

“You can put it that way,” Amanda answered. “Did you go to my place? What for?”

“Nothing. I just wanted to see you.”

She felt somewhat speechless. The man was truly stuck in his ways, ever so overbearing. Plus, her patience was beginning to wear thin. “If it’s nothing important, I’m going to hang up. I’m kind of busy.”

“What are you busy with? Desperately playing the role of a stepmother? Have you forgotten how much you enjoyed being under me? Does Nicholson know about it?” Mockery and jealousy filled Elias’ tone.

“Must you make it sound so ugly? Fuck off!” Amanda ended the call at once, enraged.

The bastard spoke so rudely and bluntly that she wanted to sew his mouth shut. All he did was anger people.

“Mommy, who made you angry?” Aiden asked, blinking when he saw his mother getting enraged.

At the same time, Colette came over with the fish stew.

With that. Amanda smiled and said, “It’s nothing. They just called the wrong number. Let’s eat.”

The next day, Amanda headed to the law firm bright and early and left Aiden under Colette’s care. Before leaving, she even deliberately took a gander at the adorable sleeping piglet, whom she gave a peck on the cheeks.

However, soon after she left, Colette woke Aiden up, got him dressed, and proposed not to go to school after he was done washing up.

Instantly, the little one widened his eyes with excitement. “Okay! Are we going out to play, Mrs. Colette? I promise I won’t tell Mommy. It’ll be our little secret.”

It was within a child’s nature to play, so it was only normal that Aiden would be over the moon after hearing he didn’t have to go to school.

“Sure. You must keep this a secret, okay?”

Moments later, Colette took Aiden out of the mansion after receiving a call, then shoved the child into a car

As Colette watched the vehicle drive into the distance, she couldn’t help mumbling. I've done good, right? After all, there isn’t anything wrong with a child meeting his aunt.”

“Where are you taking me to play, mister?” Aiden asked from the back seat as he gazed at the driving elder. However, the latter didn’t entertain him at all.

Later, a ringtone blasted, and the elder answered it. It was Grace.

“Have you picked the kid up?” she asked.

“I have, so don’t worry. What next?”

“Wait for my instructions. For now, just drive out of the city. Keep a close eye on the kid, and you will get your money as promised.”

“Got it. Don’t worry, I can still handle a small matter like this. As if I can’t even keep an eye on a kid.”

After hanging up. Dick guffawed, elated at the fact that he’d earn almost 300,000 for nothing after this job.

That said, never would Grace have imagined the man she hired would be Amanda’s father, and little did Dick know that the child he was asked to kidnap would be his grandson!

Meanwhile, Aiden thought the elder behaved and spoke bizarrely. If anything, he looked like a bad guy to the little one.

Amanda had many things to handle at the law firm that day. She had a few clients to meet, and by the time she was free, it was already near dusk.

After returning to the office, she thought about giving Simon the day’s update before getting off work, but the man was on the phone when she entered his office with several folders in her arms. At that, he signaled her to wait for a while on the couch, to which she smiled and obliged with at nod.

The phone call ended several minutes later, and Simon approached her sternly, all business-like. “So, how did it go with the clients?”

Amanda frowned. “One of them was rather difficult to deal with, so I plan on meeting them again

Just then. Amanda’s phone rang. She hung it up, deciding to reply to it after she was done reporting. However, her ringtone played again, indicating some kind of emergency.

“Answer it,” Simon urged. “I’ve got time. Besides, it’s time to clock off. There’s plenty of time.”

“Thanks for your understanding, Boss.” Amanda smiled helplessly, then glanced at her phone to realize the call was from the kindergarten.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 56 Bizarre Demand

Typically speaking. Colette would’ve taken Aiden home by then. Why would the kindergarten be calling at this time?

Baffled. Amanda answered the call. “Hello, Amanda Bailey speaking.”

“Hi, Miss Bailey. This is Miss Zimmers from kindergarten. May I know if something happened at home? Why hasn’t Aiden come to school today? I don’t think I received a note either.”

What?! The news came like a bolt from the blue, and Amanda widened her eyes with incredulity. Did Aiden not go to kindergarten?! How is that possible?! Didn’t Colette bring him over in the morning?!

“W-What did you just say. Miss Zimmers? Has Aiden not been to school all day? How is that possible? The nanny should’ve brought him over in the morning.” Amanda stuttered anxiously as she spoke.

Where could Aiden be if he hadn’t gone to kindergarten? Was he at home all day? An ominous feeling rose within her.

“Have you not seen Aiden the whole day, Miss Bailey? He hasn’t come to kindergarten at all…”

Amanda could no longer hear the teacher, and she ended the call right away to phone Colette.

Meanwhile, Simon, who had been sitting across from her, turned solemn after hearing her conversation, knowing something bad had happened.

I can’t get through to Colette’s phone! Sweat began gathering on Amanda’s palms. What does this mean?!

Her heart began racing wildly, and it felt like it was about to jump out of her chest.

“Don’t call anymore, Amanda” Simon grabbed his suit jacket and pulled Amanda up from the couch at once. “Let’s check the mansion. Don’t scare yourself just yet.”

At this point, Amanda’s mind was blank, and she was completely disoriented, not knowing what to do other than allowing Simon to lead her out of the office just like that.

While Simon sped through the streets, he glanced at Amanda. She sat in the passenger seat with a blanched face, “Don’t worry. Perhaps Aiden and Colette are just playing at home. You know how much he doesn’t like going to school, so Colette might have given in to him,” he said, trying to- comfort her.

“But I can’t get through to Colette’s phone….. Tears had gathered in Amanda’s eyes at this point, and she had a terrible feeling. Could it be…

“Let’s check the mansion first.”

Simon tried many ways to comfort her throughout the journey, but nothing seemed to work.

Upon pulling up at the mansion, Amanda immediately dashed inside, only to find it empty. Plus, Colette was unreachable.

What does this entail? A kidnapping? But I didn’t receive any ransom calls, Could it be a child trafficking incident?

At that, Amanda dropped to the floor in devastation and burst into tears, whereas Simon, who followed in closely, hurriedly helped her up.

“Let’s call the cops, Amanda, Simon suggested, finally realizing the severity of the situation. After all, it was no good omen if both the child and the nanny had gone missing.

“Yes, yes. Let’s call the cops!” Amanda pressed 9-1-1 at once, but the next split-second, an unknown number came in, and she answered it at once. “Hello?”

“Your son is in my hands,” said an evidently treated voice. “Do as I say if you want him back alive.”

“What do you want?! I’ll give you anything. Please don’t hurt my son!” Amanda choked with sobs, feeling like she was losing her mind.

“I will tell you that later. Now, do not call the cops, or you will find your son’s fingers at your doorstep tonight.”

With that, the call ended.

As it was deadly silent in the mansion right then, Simon heard the conversation loud and clear.

“Hello? Hey!” Amanda shouted into her phone several times, but the call had already ended.

“Calm down. Amanda. Don’t forget you’re a lawyer!” Simon kept the devastated young woman in check and helped her to the couch.

Meanwhile, Amanda forced herself to calm down. Her voice had turned raspy at this point. “Don’t call the cops. They’ll hurt Aiden if we call the cops…”

There was no doubt she’d pass out right away if she saw Aiden’s tiny fingers at the door.

“Simon, please help me check this number!”

“Sure,” said Simon, only to deliver bad news after taking a gander at the phone number. “This looks like a virtual number. When a call is made with a phone simulator, it probably can’t be traced/

“What do we do now? Are we going to sit back and do nothing?”

No, she couldn’t do that, especially when she was clueless as to Aiden’s current situation. Is he injured? Even if he isn’t, he’s certainly scared.

Simon tried many ways to comfort her throughout the journey, but nothing seemed to work.

Upon pulling up at the mansion, Amanda immediately dashed inside, only to find it empty. Plus, Colette was unreachable.

What does this entail? A kidnapping? But I didn’t receive any ransom calls. Could it be a child trafficking incident?

At that, Amanda dropped to the floor in devastation and burst into tears, whereas Simon, who followed in closely, hurriedly helped her up.

“Let’s call the cops, Amanda,” Simon suggested, finally realizing the severity of the situation. After all, it was no good omen if both the child and the nanny had gone missing.

“Yes, yes. Let’s call the cops!” Amanda pressed 9-1-1 at once, but the next split-second, an unknown number came in, and she answered it at once. “Hello?”

“Your son is in my hands,” said an evidently treated voice. “Do as I say if you want him back alive.”

“What do you want?! I’ll give you anything. Please don’t hurt my son!” Amanda choked with sobs. feeling like she was losing her mind.

“I will tell you that later. Now, do not call the cops, or you will find your son’s fingers at your doorstep tonight.”

With that, the call ended.

As it was deadly silent in the mansion right then, Simon heard the conversation loud and clear.

“Hello? Hey!” Amanda shouted into her phone several times, but the call had already ended.

“Calm down, Amanda. Don’t forget you’re a lawyer!” Simon kept the devastated young woman in check and helped her to the couch..

Meanwhile, Amanda forced herself to calm down. Her voice had turned raspy at this point. “Don’t call the cops. They’ll hurt Aiden if we call the cops…”

There was no doubt she’d pass out right away if she saw Aiden’s tiny fingers at the door.

“Simon, please help me check this number!”

“Sure,” said Simon, only to deliver bad news after taking a gander at the phone number. “This looks like a virtual number. When a call is made with a phone simulator, it probably can’t be traced.”

“What do we do now? Are we going to sit back and do nothing?”

No, she couldn’t do that, especially when she was clueless as to Aiden’s current situation. Is he injured? Even if he isn’t, he’s certainly scared.

“I’ll think of something. At that, Simon walked away and made a call.

Meanwhile, a certain someone popped into Amanda’s head-Elias Winters.

The man merely took hours to pinpoint her location and even successfully saved her the last time she was kidnapped.

Elias had a vast network in Imperia and could go in and out of anywhere as he pleased. Plus, he was an IT genius himself and could locate phones via satellite.

As far as Amanda knew, Elias even developed many tracking systems independently, which explained why he managed to find her so easily last time.

His family background and looks weren’t the only reasons he was such a ladies’ man-his talent and charm played important roles as well.

That said, Aiden’s existence would be compromised if she asked for Elias’ help, and the Winterses would certainly fight her for Aiden’s custody. Nonetheless, only by relying on the Winterses forces could they locate Aiden quickly, or the little one would only suffer further if they relied wholly on the kidnapper’s instructions to save Aiden.

Amanda fell into a tough dilemma at that.

Sometime later, the phone rang again, and Amanda answered it. “Hello?”

“You didn’t call the cops. Very good. That means we can cooperate. Follow my instructions, and your son will be returned to you very soon.”

“What do you want? Money? I’ll give you as much as you want. Please don’t hurt my son. He’s only three! Tears welled up in Amanda’s eyes at the thought of her three-year-old child suffering at the hands of the kidnappers.

The thought that Aiden might be shrouded in fear and crying out for her broke her heart.

“I don’t want money. I want you to book a fight and leave the country. You can go anywhere you want. After you arrive, I will send your son to you. Understand?”

The kidnapper’s demand stumped Amanda, for instead of asking for money, they asked her to leave the country before returning Aiden to her. The bizarre demand baffled her greatly.

“Why? I don’t get it. Why do I have to leave the country?”

“Another question and you can get ready to see your son’s cute little fingers.”

“Alright, alright, no more questions. I’ll do as you say, but I need time to leave the country. I need to get my visa and everything else done, after all. It won’t be that quick!” She dared not provoke the kidnapper for fear that they would harm Aiden.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 57 Let Me Hear My Son’s Voice!

The call ended abruptly again, but Amanda couldn’t understand why the kidnapper didn’t ask for ransom but demanded that she leave the country instead.

“Amanda, let’s check the mansion’s surveillance footage and see if we can find any clues,” Simon suggested, inspiring Amanda, who immediately stood up and headed upstairs. “Yes, let’s check the surveillance!”

Simon had installed several cameras on the outside of the mansion alone. They would’ve certainly captured something.

With that, the two went to the monitoring room and scrutinized the day’s footage, and sure enough, they found Colette shoving Aiden into a black sedan, which drove away but never returned.

Colette, on the other hand, stayed inside the mansion the whole day before leaving frantically at night. Coupled with the fact that she was now unreachable, she must’ve fled.

I'll have someone check the license plate right away,” Simon said before turning around to make the call.

Although Amanda was grateful for his help, to be honest, that was too slow… She was worried they might drug her son with sleeping pills if this kept up. After all, Aiden hadn’t always been the calmest child. The kidnappers would certainly put him to sleep if he kicked up a fuss and aggravated them.

“It’s already very late, Amanda. My friend told me he might only be able to find Aiden in the morning. Take it easy, alright?” Simon was well aware of how anxious and desperate Amanda was right then. However, his connections were just that slow.

“I know, Simon. Thank you…” She slumped lifelessly onto the couch, imagining what Aiden could be doing right then. At the same time, she wondered if he was suffering any torment from the kidnappers.

“Amanda, let’s call the cops. They have better access and can sort out the clues more clearly.” Simon suggested after pondering. After all, he believed that bringing the cops into the picture was the safest and most effective solution. However, Amanda dared not risk it. “Don’t! The kidnapper said I would receive Aiden’s fingers if I called the police! I can’t call them. I can’t risk it!”

How dare she make such a big gamble? What if the cops failed to locate Aiden on time, and the kidnapper found out she had called the police? The consequences would be unimaginable.

Still, Simon thought bringing the cops into this was the best solution. “I get how you’re feeling. right now, but we’ll only be sitting ducks if we don’t call the cops…”

“Please, Simon, I beg you. Don’t call the police. Go home. I’ll wait for the call here and let you know as soon as I have any updates. Her slightly reddened eyes made her look pitiful and helpless.

“Alright, I won’t call the cops, but I can’t leave either. I’ll stay here with you. How could he leave with peace of mind right when Amanda was on the verge of breaking down?!

“Fine. I. I’m spent. I’m going to rest for a while. Make yourself at home. Well, this is your home, after all” With that, Amanda dragged her feet upstairs.

Simon, on the other hand, frowned grimly as he gazed at her disheartened figure. After seeing Amanda enter the bedroom, he ultimately called 911 after much deliberation.

It was normal for Amanda to yield to such a threat and not call the cops at this time. However, as a spectator, he had to remain clear-headed, and he believed only by getting the cops involved could they rescue Aiden quickly.

Meanwhile, Amanda slid down the door, leaning against it, and broke down in tears after returning to the bedroom.

Never did she imagine Aiden ever experiencing such danger. She already thought Colette behaved suspiciously the night before, but she didn’t think much of it, and it paved the way for the kidnapping.

You are an incompetent mother, Bailey! Aiden was still having the sleep of his life when you left in the morning, but now…

Just then, her phone rang again, and Amanda stopped crying at once. At this point, she thought every call from an unknown number could be from the kidnappers.

“Hello? Is that you?” she answered with choking sobs.

“How dare you call the police?! Do you not care about your son’s little fingers? Looks like his life means nothing to you. I’m even beginning to doubt if he’s your son!” The eerie and terrifying treated voice came from the speaker once more.

What?! Amanda widened her eyes with shock and incredulity. “I didn’t call the cops! I really didn’t!”

“Don’t lie! Look at the police cars outside your mansion and the police in your living room! They’ve already begun setting up. How dare you still lie to me?!”

At that, Amanda clambered up and looked out the window. Sure enough, there were several police cars parked right outside.

Then, she rushed out of the bedroom and looked toward the living room. It was just as the kidnapper said: several officers had begun setting up, seemingly waiting for the kidnapper’s next call. –

The discovery stunned Amanda. Did Simon call the cops? But I had already begged him not to do it!

“You have to trust me. I didn’t call the cops! My friend did it on his own accord. Please don’t hurt my son. I’ll do anything you want. You want me to leave the country, don’t you? I’ll leave tomorrow!” She was going crazy. Why did Simon have to act on his own? She already said not to call the cops, after all.

“I don’t believe you anymore. Just wait to receive your son’s fingers,” said the kidnapper.

“No! Don’t! Please, I beg you. Don’t!” Amanda screamed as she trembled, her face pale.

“I’ll give you another chance, then. Flee the mansion. Make sure the cops can’t find you. I’ll call you back in three days. I’m getting pissed now.”

With that, they hung up, not giving Amanda the chance to respond.

“Wait! Wait! Let me hear my son’s voice!” Amanda clutched her phone, but the call had already ended. What responded to her was only the busy signal.

Meanwhile, the police arrived at the mansion and began setting up their monitoring equipment in the living room, ready to monitor Amanda’s phone at any time.

Just then, Simon glanced at the bedroom and felt that Amanda was being strangely quiet. Could she be asleep?

But the thought was quickly dismissed, for he thought Amanda couldn’t have fallen asleep during a moment of crisis.

“Mr. Nicholson, please ask the lady of the house to work with us, or we won’t be able to monitor her phone.”

“I’ll go and get her.”

Simon was prepared to face Amanda’s wrath. After all, she didn’t want to gamble with Aiden’s safety. However, he had also deliberated for a long time before deciding that calling the police was their safest option.

At that, he knocked on Amanda’s door. However, the young woman never answered it.

Is she really asleep? Simon entered at once to find an empty bedroom.

He searched high and low, but Amanda was nowhere in sight. However, the window was wide open

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 58 Begging Elias on Her Knees

It took Simon a second to register what he saw, and he immediately went up to the window and found a piece of fabric of women’s clothing hung on the window.

It must’ve gotten caught in the window when Amanda jumped. I hope she didn’t injure herself in the process.

At that, he pulled his phone out to call Amanda. Alas, her phone was turned off. Has she gotten upset and left because she found out I called the police?

Amanda scraped her ankle after jumping out of the second-floor window, and blood oozed out continuously. However, she had no time to think about the pain.

It wasn’t until she was out of the Galaxy Bay community that she saw a cab. At that, she hailed it and called Elias at once after getting in. He was the only one who could help her at this point.

The kidnapper said they would call her back in three days, but there was no way she could take not hearing anything for three days, let alone three minutes, nor could Aiden.

The phone kept ringing, but no one answered it, and Amanda was beginning to break down. “Please pick up!” she pleaded in a whisper.

Kids these days… The cab driver shook his head and sighed, thinking she was a girlfriend desperately trying to win her boyfriend back.

Finally, the call went through, and a hint of brightness finally returned to Amanda’s eyes. “Elias, where are you?!” she called out excitedly. “I’m coming to you!”

“You’re coming to me?” Elias repeated after a moment’s silence.

“Yes! Where are you? Tell me! This is important!” How she wished she could teleport to him right.l away.

“I’m at the estate. Are you sure you want to come to me?”

“Yes!”

“Should I get the guys to pick you up?” Elias didn’t seem convinced Amanda would go to him.

“No. I’m already in a cab. Wait for me!”

Elias was in the outdoor hot spring of Winters Estate, surrounded by mist and enjoying his leisure time with his eyes closed when a servant brought him his phone, telling him he had a call from Amanda.

A call from Amanda! That woman usually avoids me like I’m some plague. No doubt she wants something from me.

After hanging up, Elias recollected the worry in Amanda’s tone and couldn’t help wondering what had happened.

With that, he got out of the hot spring and wrapped a towel around his waist with a grim frown. before heading to the living room to await Amanda’s arrival. Let’s see what that woman wants from

About an hour later, the butler brought a disheveled Amanda into the living room while Elias scrolled through his phone mindlessly, leaning leisurely against the couch in his loungewear.

“Sir, Miss Bailey is here.”

Elias took a gander at her reflexively, only to be slightly taken aback by what he saw. “Have you come to seek refuge?” he asked.

Amanda was in a wretched state right then. Her clothes were torn from jumping out of the window, and her ankle was injured because of it. Plus, her hair was a complete mess, and her usually deer-like eyes were red. It looked like she had been bullied..

“I need your help! Please, Elias, I beg of you! I—”

“Go upstairs, get a shower, and get changed. Elias interjected mercilessly. “I don’t want to help you in your current state.”

How is she still not willing to come back to me when she’s already in this sorry state?! When had she ever looked like this when she was my wife?! But now, she looks like a fallen princess…

Amanda saw the unadulterated despise in Elias’ eyes, but she was in no mood for a shower or a change-not when her precious baby boy’s life was on the line.

“I don’t have time for that. Please help me find someone. I beg of you. Only you can find him quickly. I

“No deal, then,” Elias interjected again. “See to it yourself.”

With that, he ambled to the elevator, seemingly no longer wanting to entertain her.

“Alright, alright, I’ll shower and change.” Amanda yielded at once. “Please don’t go. You have to help me! Only you can do it!”

She wanted to tell him his son was in danger, but she still dared not let the Winterses know of Aiden’s existence. She wasn’t ready.

Elias smirked and turned to the butler in response. “Show her the way.”

At that, he shifted his gaze to the young woman. “I’ll be waiting for you in the bedroom. You’d better make it quick. I’m getting sleepy, and I have a whole day of meetings tomorrow.”

“I know!” Amanda replied through gnashed teeth, wanting to belabor the hateful b*stard.

Half an hour later, Amanda rushed to Elias’ bedroom, where the man savored a cup of coffee on the armchair. Though her hair was wet, she had changed into a set of fresh clothes.

“Elias! Can I ask you to help me now?” She genuinely couldn’t take it anymore..

Elias, on the other hand, nodded pleasingly now that she looked fresher. “Mm… Much better. Tell me. What do you need me to do?”

It infuriated him that she would only voluntarily come to him when she needed his help, or he would never come to her mind. As such, he decided to take this chance to punish her.

“Please help me save a child. He’s been kidnapped. The sooner, the better! Can you do it in a few hours? Just like when you saved me.” Amanda went up to him and gazed expectantly at the man.

“A child?” Elias squinted. “You’re not asking me to save Nicholson’s son, are you?”

What other children does she know of nowadays?! This woman is so desperate to become the boy’s stepmother that she’s even more dutiful than his birth mother!

Amanda hurriedly nodded after taking a second to process what he said. “Yes, it’s him! Can you help me? I’m sure you can find him quickly with your connections and high-tech methods! Please, I beg of you!”

She believed she would be able to see Aiden by sunrise if Elias was willing to help.

To her dismay, the man sneered disdainfully. “Amanda Bailey, are you trampling all over my dignity because you know I’m trying to win you back? Why should I help Nicholson find his son? What does his kidnapping have to do with me?! If that’s all you have come for, leave! I don’t have time for that!”

With that, Elias shot up from the armchair and headed toward the bed. It appeared he was getting ready to go to sleep.

“Elias, please, I beg of you! The child is innocent and very pitiful.. And…“

And he’s your son!

She couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth, not even in this dire state.

“And?” Elias” glanced icily at her from the bed.

“And you’ve met him before. Besides, saving a life is of boundless beneficence! Can’t you pity the child? You clearly are able to help!”

“Last time I checked, I met the back of his head!” Elias was beside himself with fury, so livid that he laughed. How devoted she is to Nicholson. She even sees his son as her own!

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 59 If You Don’t Agree, Then There’s No Point in Discussing

Amanda was in a great dilemma. Should I tell Elias the truth? He will save Aiden if I tell him that’s his son, right? But…

Sometime later, Amanda looked up at the infuriated man and asked, “If… I mean, if that’s your child, would you refuse to save him as well?”

Her words enraged Elias for good.

He shot up from bed, strode to her, and clamped her jaw as he snarled: “Don’t talk to me about this! There is no “if”! My child died four years ago, and you know it! I won’t save this child no matter what you say!”

At that, tears rolled down Amanda’s cheeks and onto Elias’ arm before falling onto the carpet.

Is she crying?! Elias’ eyes widened slightly with incredulity. She’s crying because I refuse to save Nicholson’s son, and she’s crying so devastatingly at that!

His possessiveness and jealousy brewed at once, and he clamped Amanda’s jaw even harder. “Did you cry when you gave up our child?! Were you this sad?!”

“You’ll regret this!” Amanda flung his arm away with unadulterated malice.

This bastard is just as heartless as he was four years ago. Nothing can change his mind once he’s decided on it.

“I won’t,” Elias enunciated.

“Very well. I shouldn’t have come in the first place!” Amanda’s tears were like beads of a broken string at this point, rolling one after another down her cheeks as she left his bedroom without even looking back..

Meanwhile, Elias pressed his lips into a thin line as he looked at her obstinate back, and the knuckles of his clenched fists popped by his sides.

**

“Mr. Elias is hot-tempered like that, Miss Bailey. You just have to talk to him,” said the butler as he followed the teary-eyed woman out of the estate.

“Say no more. He’s just a duckhead. I don’t want to see him ever again.”

“Let me arrange for a car to send you back, then. You won’t be able to hail a cab here,” the butler advised.

The Winters Estate was located in the suburbs. It was impossible to hail a cab there, and the butler noticed Amanda had come in one earlier.

“No, thanks! Don’t follow me anymore!” Amanda was feeling her worst, and she couldn’t think about anything else other than Aiden right then.

Alas, she realized how wrong she was when she left the estate, for there wasn’t even a bus stop in sight, let alone a ghost of a cab.

What else can I do? She wouldn’t accept any more help from the Winterses. She’d crawl back to the city if she had to this night..

Must I wait three days for the kidnapper to contact me again, though? How would Aiden survive the next three days?! We’ve never been away from each other as long as three days!

Devastation overwhelmed Amanda at this point, and she thought the world had fallen on her.

She hadn’t even felt this devastated when Elias divorced her so mercilessly four years ago.

It was pitch-black all around, and only the streetlamps illuminated her path.

Because she injured her ankle while jumping out of the window and showered with cold water to cut time, her head now felt woozy.

I must’ve caught a cold… Amanda sneezed as she hugged her arms, covered in goosebumps.

The next second, she blacked out and dropped to the ground, gradually losing consciousness.

Sometime later, a car slowly approached her direction from afar while its headlights shone on her.

The door opened, and Elias went up to her with heavy, urgent footsteps, attempting to shake her awake, “Hey! Wake up!” However, no matter how he woke her up, she was a lifeless lump.

At that, he picked her up and put her in the back seat. Her scorching temperature made him. frown with displeasure as he cursed under his breath. “Idiot!”

At 3.00AM, Amanda woke up groggily with a dry throat. “Water… Thirsty..

With that, a glass of water was brought to her mouth. She was even propped up and fed, but because she drank too quickly, she nearly choked. Cough, cough…

“Slow down. No one’s rushing you,” said a husky, alluring voice.

Huh? Doesn’t this voice belong to… Elias? Amanda widened her eyes and finally saw who was supporting her.

“How did I get here…

After realizing it was Elias, she struggled out of bed. She didn’t have time to rest when she still had a child to rescue!

“You’re not going anywhere! Where do you think you’re going with a fever?! You sure are Cludan’s number-one stepmother! Just what spell has Nicholson put you under to make you so devoted to him?! The man’s words were full of sarcasm, and his tone was sharp and acerbic.

Amanda couldn’t help supporting her groggy head as she fell back against the bed while gazing icily at the man before her. “It’s none of your business. Move!”

At that, she lifted the covers to get out of bed, but Elias pressed her back down and pinned her under him, scolding. “Don’t be ungrateful! You’d have died of a high fever out there if I hadn’t brought you back!”

“Did I ask you to bring me back? You could have just left me there!”

“Has a dog eaten your conscience away, you heartless wench?!” Elias wanted to strangle her. She was so gentle and considerate to Simon but only ever sharp-tongued and obstinate with him.

Seeing that Amanda continued to fight him like a ferocious wildcat, Elias finally gave in and made her an offer, saying, “Fine, I’ll help you find the child, but on one condition.”

Sure enough, Amanda stopped struggling and lay quietly under Elias. Even her gaze turned from malice to surprise. “Really? You’re not lying to me, are you? What condition?”

Seeing how quickly her expression changed, Elias snorted disdainfully and stood straight, looking down at the young woman in bed. “Sever ties with Nicholson after the child has been retrieved, and stop dreaming about ever becoming that child’s stepmother!”

Sever ties? How can I do that when Simon has helped me out so much in the last four years?! Wouldn’t that make me the ungrateful b*stard, then?!

“There’s no point in discussing if you don’t agree to it.” Elias saw through her hesitation.

“Alright, deal!”

The most important thing now was to rescue Aiden. Everything else could be dealt with after that.

“When will you start looking for the child, then?” Amanda gazed firmly at Elias. “He’s been missing for a day. Any longer, and I worry he’ll have a meltdown.”

“What’s the rush? Since it’s a kidnapping, they won’t do anything to the child before they get ransom,” said Elias as he sat on the bed and handed her the remaining glass of water. “Finish it.”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 60 You’re Not My Grandpa! You’re a Bad Guy!

“Do you need me to provide you with any information? Like the kidnapper’s phone number or something.” Amanda probed gingerly. After all, she needed him right now.

“Any surveillance footage or license plate number will work,” Elias answered professionally.

“We have footage! I don’t have it with me right now, though. I do remember the license plate number in the footage. Will that do?” She stared at him.

The more prudent Amanda behaved, the more pissed off Elias was. Why are you so concerned about someone else’s son?!

“Yes!” Elias snarled through gritted teeth. “Give me the number!”

At that, he chucked her a pen and paper, and she quickly wrote the license plate number down. “I still remember the car model. Do you need a description of it?”

“No! I’ll find it out myself!” Elias took the paper away furiously and headed out of the bedroom.

Amanda got out of bed at once, wanting to stay informed, but Elias’ scolding came the next second. “You’d better stay in bed! Move, and I will walk away from this!”

The young woman already had a foot down on the carpet when she hurriedly jumped back into the bed upon hearing Elias’ words. “Okay, I’ll stay. Please go quickly. Please!”

Elias turned beyond grim at this point. Winters, you useless son of a b*tch! To make this woman stay away from Nicholson, you have to help that b*stard look for his son!Bam! The door closed, and Amanda coughed involuntarily before heaving a sigh of relief.

She didn’t have to worry too much anymore now that Elias was willing to help. Aiden will be found soon. In fact, he might come back by sunrise.

As she had taken fever-reducing pills, Amanda felt groggy, and she gradually fell asleep while waiting for updates from Elias.

At the same time, Dick had taken Aiden away from the city and into a nearby town, and he decided to find a nearby hotel to crash for the night.

Right as he parked the car in the parking lot, Grace’s call came, and Dick answered it while unbuckling the seatbelt. “Don’t worry. I’m already out of Imperia and in Calcheth. I plan on crashing here for the night before heading back on the road the next morning.”

“Very good. There’s a slight change in our plan. Continue to head south with the kid. Drive as far as you can. Remember, no planes or trains. Don’t leave any traces behind.”

“I got it.”

After hanging up. Dick opened the back door and carried the sleeping child out.

“Why does this kid look so familiar?” Dick couldn’t help mumbling as he looked at the boy in his arms. “Where do I know him from…”

He knew he had seen the child from somewhere; he just couldn’t put a finger on it.

Suddenly, Aiden opened his eyes and bit Dick’s arm fiercely, making the elder scream in pain. “Why, you little rascal! Let go!”

Dick whacked the child’s butt, and Aiden took the chance to jump away from Dick’s arms to flee. Nonetheless, how could a three-year-old outrun a middle-aged man?

“Come back here, you little rascal!” He yanked the child back into his arms.

“Ah! Let go of me! Help! Police, help!” Aiden screamed and struggled in Dick’s arms, drawing the attention of many onlookers.

“Don’t mind us. He’s my grandson. He just doesn’t want to go home,” Dick explained to the crowd with an awkward smile..

Just then, it hit Dick where he had seen the child.

Isn’t this the boy Amanda was carrying the other day?! Dick was gob-smacked, unable to speak for a long time. Could he really be Amanda’s boy?

“Help! Help! Police, save me!” Aiden continued to wriggle and screech.

Amanda had taught him to scream and shout in crowded places if he ever encountered such a situation. It would be even better if he could attract the police’s attention.

However, there wasn’t even a police officer in sight after he looked around.

Just then, Dick covered his little mouth. “Who is Amanda to you, kid? Is she your mother?”

Aiden quieted down instantly and gazed at the bizarre elder. “How do you know my mommy?” he asked.

“Mommy? Is Amanda your mother?! That makes you my grandson, and I’m really your grandpa!” Dick was flabbergasted. Never would he have thought he would one day kidnap his own grandson. What is this blasphemy?!

“What?” Aiden frowned in disgust. “Mommy said I don’t have a grandpa. He’s long dead!”

“What did she say?! She told you I’m dead?! That wretched wench, how dare she curses her father?!” Dick hit the roof. He couldn’t believe Amanda claimed he was dead when he was alive. and kicking.

At that, he said solemnly to the child in his arms, “Listen, I’m your grandfather, and I’m very much alive! I’m not dead!”

“You call yourself my grandpa, but what proof do you have? Why should I believe you?” Aiden snorted and looked away with his chin held high contemptuously.

This rascal truly is the son of a lawyer, Dick mused while gazing at Aiden. He’s already talking about evidence at such a young age.

“Proof is that your mother is my daughter, and I’m your grandfather!”

“Why would you kidnap me, then? You’re not my grandfather! You’re a bad guy!” Aiden snorted again. He refused to believe the elder was his grandfather. You’re clearly a bad guy!

Dick was rendered at a loss for words, for he had indeed kidnapped his own grandson.

Who in the world is that woman? Why would she want to abduct my grandson?

“No. I haven’t kidnapped you. I’m just bringing you out to play. Let’s have fun for a couple of days. before I bring you back to your mommy, okay?” Dick decided at once that he would bring Aident right back to Amanda once he got the money from Grace.

Either way, it was very wrong of him to kidnap his own grandson. Besides, the child looked pretty smart and cute.

“Really? You’re not lying to me, are you?” In actuality, Aiden didn’t trust the elder at all. He just wanted to quickly return to his mother. Mommy must be worried sick about me.

“Of course. I’m your grandfather! Why would I ever lie to you?” Dick affirmed.

“In that case, do you know what my mommy likes to eat, what she hates the most, and who she loves?” Aiden fired three questions at Dick.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 61 I’m Going to Take a Bath. Are You joining Me

Dick was inspirin

The following morning Amanda did not expect to sleep through the night and thought it might be her dever mediation he was metanih fostered when she woke up to the bright morning om. After throwing away the envers the dashed nut of the bedroom pot in time to encounter a servant approaching her Grabbing the servant she questioned. Where Ela Where he ar

One whole night had passed and she woke up

“Mr Winter is in the study. He hasn’t slept all right,” the servant replied.

He pulled an all-nighter. That instantly made Amanda feel somewhat guilty, so she thanked the servant and headed toward the study

When she arrived, she pushed the door open and was met with a collection of books from around the globe. After stepping inside the saw a man behind the desk, looking seriously at the computer screen while typing on the keyboard

Elas did seem like he had not slept all night because his face seemed slightly tense, and his deep eyes showed he was tired

At that moment, a servant came over with a cup of coffee Amanda gestured for the servant to hand her the cup at which the servant nodded before exiting the study, leaving them alone.

She placed the coffee cup before the man’s desk, and heard hun order without looking at her. “Get out. Don’t bother me

Once that was over, he picked up the cup and drank his coffee but noticed the person beside him had not left so he impatiently glanced over When he saw it was Amanda, he frowned “Why are you here Are you here to check my progress

“No that’s not why I came I only wanted to the searching progress, she was worried Elias might not take this seriously

“Stop explaining I know what you’re thinking” He was annoyed and even more irritated as he looked at her. Is this necessary? The kid is not even her own Why does she have such a strong relationship with him?

Fine I just came to ask what you found Have you discovered any clues?”

Leaning against his chair. Elias massaged his temples and replied. “The car has left Imperia and is most probably in Calcheth. I’m planning to head over and search there. They might change locations if we’re

I’m Going to Take a Bath, Are You Joining Me?

Once he finished, she eagerly exclaimed, “I'll come with you!”

The man looked at her without saying anything. Seeing how enthusiastic she was, he immediately felt the urge to quit. That was because he could not figure out why he should help his love rival find his son Had he gone mad?

Amanda realized she might have come off too strongly and explained, “Bring me along, please. I can’t rest assured if I stay here, and I’ve already recovered from my fever. I can take care of you!”

The man grunted. “Take care of me? Are you sure you have the mind and effort to take care of me?” It was hypocritical to him because she had the words ‘I want to find my child’ written on her face.

“I can do it!” She promised.

“Fine. You can go if you want to.” Elias got up, deciding to take a shower before heading out.

Since she wanted to go with him, he would bring her along. He did not feel safe leaving her here anyway.

Afterward, Amanda tailed him back to his room. When he opened the door to the bathroom, she was event ready to head into the bathroom with him.

Suddenly, the man stopped walking, causing her to crash into his firm back nose-first. It was in so much pain that she covered it and whined, “Ouch… That hurt.”

“I’m going to take a shower. Are you joining me?” Elias looked at the pitiful scene of Amanda holding her nose with tears in her eyes. It seemed like the force of the collision was quite impactful.

“Uhm… My apologies. I didn’t realize that. I thought you were…” She thought he was about to leave, and since she was so eager to find her son, she did not overthink it.

He turned around to look at her. “Aren’t you going to call Simon? We’re looking for his son, after all. Shouldn’t he come with us?” Those who don’t know might think that kid’s mine. I seem more eager to find him than Simon, the real dad. F*ck this!

“I…” She felt somewhat conflicted because Simon had chosen to go to the cops, which was what drove her to escape. Was it necessary to ask Simon to help her?

Unexpectedly, Elias interrupted her before she could continue. “Forget it. He’s not allowed to come with us. I don’t want to see him.”

If he let Simon come with them, he might regret that decision every second of the day. Therefore, he closed the bathroom door with a bang, leaving Amanda at a loss outside. However, she felt relieved that he had changed his mind because she could not put herself through asking Simon.

Over ten minutes later, Elias finished his quick shower and exited the bathroom with wet hair that covered his eyes, giving him a mysteriously attractive look.

“Are… Are you done?” Amanda suddenly began to stutter.

While looking at the man’s appearance, she could not help but recall the day he forcefully slept with her

I’m Going to Take a Bath, Are You Joining Me?

multiple times, and when she did, she felt more embarrassed the more she thought about it.

“I need to change. If you’re anxious, you can wait for me inside the car.”

He knew why Amanda was impatient and wanted to leave immediately, but the more she behaved like that, the longer he wanted to take because jealousy kept surging inside him.

“I’m not… that anxious. I can wait, so please change. I’ll wait here. By the way, do you want breakfast? You haven’t slept all night, so you must be tired. Have some breakfast to replenish your energy.” She behaved. very humbly because she was asking him for a favor.

Moreover, Elias had been awake all night, and it would take at least two hours to get to another city. Could his body hold up to that? Although he had always had a healthy body, staying up late was still harmful to his health.

“No, thank you. I can sleep on the way.” While speaking, he entered the closet and removed the towel. around his waist before appearing naked before her.

“Oh, my God! What are you doing?” She did not expect him to strip naked and quickly turned around.

When he saw her immediate reaction, he let out a disdainful scoff. “Why are you so worked up? It’s not like you haven’t seen it before.”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 62 How About You Feed Me

That rendered Amanda unable to retort, wondering how shameless that man could be. What does he mean by It’s not like I haven’t seen it before?

Frustrated, she grumbled. “Hurry up and change. I’ll wait in the car

Just as she came out of the room, she saw a female servant ready to head inside. “Wait, don’t go inside. He’s changing.” She stopped the servant.

The servant stopped and informed her, “Oh, I came to ask Mr. Winters if he would like some breakfast. The kitchen staff has finished preparing the food.”

“Help me pack some sandwiches and milk. I’ll bring it with us so he can have it while we’re on the road.”

“Okay, Miss Bailey.”

Amanda waited in the car for over half an hour before Elias came and opened the door. She suspected he might have deliberately stalled for time because he knew she was in a hurry.

Once inside the car, he put on his seatbelt before ordering the driver, “Let’s go. Drive steadily. I need to take a nap.

The driver looked at Elias from the rearview mirror and nodded. “Yes, Mr. Winters.”

However, Elias seemed to have no intention of talking to her because he lowered his lids, preparing to catch some shut-eye.

Amanda looked at the packed breakfast and poked the man’s firm arm. “I had the servants pack your breakfast. Why don’t you have some? You haven’t slept all night, and your stomach might feel ill if you didn’t eat anything.

After slowly opening his eyes, he glanced at her and gave a mocking remark. “Seems like you’re great at flattering people, but unfortunately, you’re flattering me for someone else.”

Speechless, she thought Elias was ungrateful because she was concerned for him, yet he spoke such hurtful words. In the end, she could not stand it anymore and rolled her eyes. “If you don’t want it. fine. You deserve it if your stomach hurts.”

Seeing her all riled up made him scoff. “Is this how you treat the person helping you?”

She surrendered. If it were not to find her baby, she would not be here to suffer such treatment. Forcefully suppressing her anger, she flashed him a fake smile. “Are you going to eat or not? If you don’t feel like cating. I’ll keep it until you’re hungry.”

When Elias noticed how annoyed she was but still had to force a smile, he laughed as an evil thought appeared in his mind. “Who says I’m not going to eat that? But I’m tired after pulling an all-nighter and can’t move my arms. How about you feed me?”

That rendered Amanda baffled. What a lame excuse! She could tell he did it on purpose to make things difficult for her, but since she wanted to find Aiden, she had to endure it!

How About You Feed Me

Taking out the sandwich, she placed it beside the man’s lips. “Here. Open up.” A smile appeared on his lips as he slowly opened his mouth to take a bite of the sandwich, enjoying her service.

At the same time, in Calcheth, Dick was prepared to leave early to continue his journey with Aiden. He planned to trick the culprit into giving him the money and then return the child to Amanda. As the child’s real maternal grandfather, he could not hurt his grandson.

“Kid, eat up. The sooner you finish breakfast, the sooner I’ll bring you somewhere else to play.”

Aiden was obediently drinking his chicken soup. Although he seemed accepting of Dick as his grandfather, he still did not trust him. “Grandpa, I want to go home to Mommy. I miss Mommy… Sob…” The child pretended to feel aggrieved and pouted his lips, rendering anyone who saw him heartbroken.

Successfully, Dick felt his heart almost melting when he saw that, especially because he knew this was his biological grandson. Hence, he coaxed Aiden. “Oh, sweetie, we’ll play around for a little longer before sending you back to your mommy, okay? I promise I’ll bring you to see her.”

While blinking his large, round eyes, Aiden nodded. “Okay! But you can’t lie to me! The one who lies is the sore loser!”

“Okay, okay. I promise I won’t. Dick thought he was getting along quite well with his grandson. The more he looked at Aiden, the more he liked the kid. It seemed like they had a solid bond.

Ring! Ring!

It was then he received a call from Grace. He went to pick up the phone at the side and even warily snuck a peek at the child behind him. “Are you still in Calcheth?”

“Yes. I’m about to leave with the kid. Didn’t you say to keep heading south?”

“There’s a change of plans. I’ll give you every penny I promised, but when you get to the next destination, find somewhere without reception or traffic and get rid of the boy.”

“Get rid of him? Aren’t you counting on the kid to get the ransom?”

When Dick received instructions to get rid of the boy, he was shocked and wondered what that woman was up to. Is she crazy?How can she ask me to leave my grandson in a deserted area? Doesn’t that mean Amanda would never see her child again? Wasn’t this just a simple kidnapping situation? This is getting stranger by the second…

Grace’s voice was firm as she ordered, “Stop with the nonsense and do what I say. Otherwise, you won’t get a penny from me, and the cops will immediately find out about you.”

“Okay. Fine. I’m just doing my job. I’ll do whatever you say.”

“Good. Hurry up and leave. Don’t stay there any longer. By the way, leave this phone at the hotel and get your hands on a new one.”

Confused, Dick asked, “And why should I do that?”

“Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t be asking and just do it. I’ll send you a portion of the money tonight”

Once Grace said that, she hung up, leaving Dick dumbfounded. He had no idea what that woman was trying to do, and he first thought this was just a simple kidnapping case that would end with no harm and the ransom paid. Now, it felt like it had almost turned into child trafficking.

Turning to look at the child with food all over his face, Dick exclaimed, “You’re lucky to have encountered me. Or else, you would never be able to see your mother again”

If someone else took this job and kidnapped that kid, would that not mean Aiden would be stranded in a rural area? He, however, naturally would not leave his grandson in a place like that.

As such, he decided he would send Aiden back to Amanda once he received the money tonight and give up on the rest.

Meanwhile, Grace stood on the balcony after hanging up the call, feeling the gentle early morning breeze as her eyes filled with viciousness. In reality, she would rather kill the child and make him disappear from this world but dared not do so. It was unlikely for the child to be found after being left in a rural area.

“Amanda, don’t blame me for this. Elias, I just don’t want to lose you… she muttered.

She could not afford to lose Elias because she had waited for this for so long; she was so close to succeeding! How could she be willing to let that go? Moreover, no one in the world would love him more than her.

But….. No matter how hard she planned, she did not expect the kidnapper to be Amanda’s biological father.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 63 Spending the Night with Him.

It was the afternoon when Elias and Amanda arrived in Calcheth. He had someone start a detailed search according to the coordinates from the location tracker. Meanwhile, she hoped to join the search party but could only stay with him and wait.

After a few hours of looking, it was almost dark, and they finally found the hotel Dick was at this morning. all thanks to the phone he had left there.

Suddenly, Elias’ phone began vibrating, and Amanda immediately sat upright while looking at the phone, hoping they had found her son. He glanced at her with his cold eyes and answered the call. “Speak.”

“Mr. Winters, we found something, but it’s just a phone. The kidnapper is quite sly and seems to have found out we were tracking his location, so he deliberately left his phone in the hotel. According to all the hotel’s security footage, that car has left toward the highway. So, they might be in another city by now. He’s just toying with us.”

“Let’s move.

“Yes, sir!

After he hung up, Amanda looked at him expectantly. “What happened? Did they find him?”

“They did.”

She immediately felt relieved and smiled but did not expect the man to dampen her spirits the next second. “They found a phone, and that car is probably headed to another city. We have to move now.”

Her smile froze as she almost broke down uncontrollably. “What is that kidnapper trying to do? He didn’t call to ask for a ransom or even try to contact us. Instead, he brings Aiden everywhere. What is the meaning of this?”

She could not wrap her head around what the kidnapper was thinking. Don’t kidnappers abduct people for ransom? But this kidnapper is bringing Aiden everywhere and says he will contact me in three days. What is he up to?

Elias narrowed his eyes. “Maybe this isn’t about the ransom.”

“Are you saying…“ Amanda seemed to have realized something, but she was unsure if they were thinking about the same thing.

Then, he explained, “How many cases have you and Simon done, and how many people have you offended? Maybe it’s someone out to get back at you. All the signs the kidnapper is showing don’t seem like he’s out for money.”

What he said was true, and it shocked Amanda so much that she turned ashen. She had accepted countless cases throughout these years and offended many rich and powerful people. There were even some that vowed to kill her.

It was even so for Simon because he had sent many convicts to jail, and if those people thought Aiden was Simon’s son, it was reasonable for them to want to kidnap him.

The more she thought about that, the more she became terrified and began following Elias’ idea, thinking of possible suspects who would want revenge against her. Little did they know that the person who spending the Night with Him

kidnapped Aiden was the seemingly weak Grace.

“Come on. It’s getting late” Elias looked at his watch and did not finish his dinner before grabbing his coat, ready to leave.

Amanda followed suit, feeling somewhat sorry for him. He had not slept since last night and was constantly worried, ordering the bodyguards to search for Aiden Though he said he would sleep on the way here, he did not catch a wink and merely closed his eyes.

Once they got inside the car, he seemed tired and massaged his temples, but his eyes were still focused on the laptop on his lap as he tapped on the keyboard.

Amanda sat beside him and fastened her seatbelt. There were several times when she wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, she could not help but ask, “Are you tired? Why don’t you take a nap if you are? You haven’t slept since last night.”

“I’m fine. It’s nothing.” Elias’ eyes remained focused on the moving target on his screen. He had already tracked down the car’s movements,

“Okay…”

Maybe it was because she took the fever medicine last night and had a night’s sleep that caused her to stay energized. However, he had not caught a wink. Could his body stand it if this persisted?

Suddenly, she heard the sound of even breathing beside her and looked over. She saw Elias’ eyes were closed while leaning against the chair, seeming to have fallen asleep immediately, exhausted. Like father. like son, that was something he had in common with Aiden. The kid could also fall asleep immediately, which she was thankful for because it saved her the time and effort to coax him to bed.

The car shook slightly, and Elias’ head slowly fell onto her frail shoulder. She lowered her head to glance. at his handsome face inches from his and noticed his beautiful nose and sexy lips.

From her angle, she noticed Aiden looked like a miniaturized Elias and was growing to become more similar to him. That realization struck a faint smile on her.

She then used her head to steady Elias’ head on her shoulder so he could sleep more comfortably. Then, she turned to look outside the window, praying and hoping the universe would protect Aiden from harm. Also, she wished she would be able to see her baby soon.

Three hours later, they finally arrived at the city where the car was.

The vibration from the phone woke Elias up. When his eyes shot open, he saw a snowy-white neck before him and smelled the familiar sweet scent belonging to Amanda. He sat up straight and answered the call. “Speak.”

The bodyguard who called told him something, and she heard him mention a few areas in the city before letting the bodyguards continue their detailed search. Then, he hung up.

As he had a headache after waking up, he rubbed his temples, asking. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“You were exhausted, so I didn’t want to.”

“Let’s wait at the hotel Elias glanced at the driver in front.

The driver replied. Okay, Mr. Winters”

Amanda seemed confused. “We’re going to a hotel?”

“It’s getting late, and they need time to search. They might be able to find him before dawn, so let’s wait at the hotel’

“Oh…” He was right. It was almost 9.00PM, and a detailed search was tedious, so the driver drove them to a national chain hotel under Winters Enterprise.

When they arrived at the hotel, the receptionist told them. I’m sorry, but there aren’t any double rooms left. There is a VIP suite, though.”

Since Winters Enterprise was popular in every industry they were involved in, it was not surprising that their hotels were fully booked as well.

Then, we’ll have that. Elias spoke, but Amanda muttered something, feeling quite uneasy because she was slightly scared to stay in the same room as that man.

He had forcefully slept with her at the pool party that night… but there was no other option because that was the only room left.

When she and Elias arrived at the VIP suite via the elevator and entered the room, they froze after hearing a woman’s affectionate groan coming from next door. The atmosphere between them instantly became more awkward.

The woman’s moans rose and fell, seeming to be enjoying herself….

Amanda looked at the man beside her and noticed his helplessness as well. How… was she going to spend the long night with him?

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 64 A Strange Atmosphere

“I’ll take a shower. You can rest for a while.” Elias took off his coat, making his way toward the bathroom, not wanting to listen to that woman’s heinous howling.

Amanda nodded and sat on the bed somewhat helplessly. Then, she took out her phone, which had been switched off for a full day. She wanted to turn it on and see if the kidnapper had contacted her but felt disappointed after seeing no calls from them.

However, there were dozens of missed calls and numerous text messages from Simon.

Biting her lip, she knew he was worried about her, but she could not help but feel angry when she remembered how he chose to call the cops.

Suddenly, her phone began to ring. It was a call from Simon, but it was too late for her to turn off her phone. It continued to ring as though it would not stop until she picked up the call.

After hesitating. Amanda answered the call and placed it to her ear. Before she could say anything, she heard Simon’s anxious voice yelling, “Amanda! Where have you been? Why did you run away like that? Is it because I called the cops? My rationality told me we should call the cops because that’s the quickest way to find Aiden. His voice sounded tired and raspy as if he had not slept all night.

“Simon, I’m fine. We might be able to find Aiden soon, so don’t worry.”

“Amanda, where are you? Please come back. I’m worried something might happen to you…”

Since she could not reveal too much to Simon, she waited until he finished and hung up before deciding to keep her phone turned off. At that moment, the bathroom door opened, and Elias came out with a white towel around his hips. His wet hair was stuck to his forehead as he looked at her sitting on the bed.

“Your turn.”

Amanda was silent, thinking, why do I feel like the atmosphere’s a little strange?

Now that Elias had finished his shower and asked her to take hers, what would happen next? Would the appropriate progress not be that they sleep together?

It was then the woman’s moan sounded from the room beside them again in crescendo. It was… simply outrageous.

“Fuck this…” Elias could not help but curse. How was anyone going to sleep tonight?

Meanwhile, Amanda bowed her head, wanting the floor to swallow her whole. That was the only room left, so there were no other options. How were they going to get past tonight?

Suddenly, she noticed the television on the wall and went to grab the remote. Then, she turned it on and increased the volume, successfully covering most of the moaning from the room next door. “Here. You can’t hear it anymore, right? You can go to bed now.”

Elias glanced at her and retorted, “How am I going to sleep like this?” He leaned against the bed and began making calls, arranging for his men to search specific places.

After looking at the busy man, Amanda quietly entered the bathroom. It had been a tiring day for her as well, and since it was a hot summer day, she felt uncomfortably sticky and needed a shower.

After carefully locking the door, the stood behind it for a while, worried that Elias might barge in again like last time. Though she thought he might not do it again, she had indeed witnessed how ruthless he could be back at the pool party. Despite her cries, he did not care about ber feelings and forced himself on her

She stood at the door for a long while waiting When it sounded like Elias was not moving around, she felt relieved and began removing her clothes. Then, she stood under the shower, letting the warm water hat her body

Outside the bathroom, Elias lay in bed after hanging up the phone, listening to the sound of running water from the bathroom, and began imagining the scene of the woman’s body under the shower Her curvy figure and snowy-white skin.

Then, he could not help but be reminded of the night from the pool party Four years ago, he could not remember when he dept with Amanda or how she got pregnant with that child. However, he remembered how her reluctance transformed into enjoyment while lying under him. This time, he knew who he had slept with and remembered every detail of it.

A smile smeared across his lips, drowning in utter reminiscence..

Suddenly, the bathroom door opened.

Amanda came out wearing a bathrobe wrapped tightly around her while staring vigilantly at Elias on the bed It was like she was entering dangerous territory.

Her gaze annoyed him. What’s the meaning of this? Does she think I’m a pervert or something?

I'd suggest you stop looking at me like I’m a pervert. I don’t like that.”

She was taken aback and stammered, ‘I..I’m not. You’re being oversensitive.”

“Isn’t it because I slept with you last time? Is sleeping with your ex-husband something difficult to accept?"

Is that something a sane human would say? Amanda did not want to argue with the scmbag because he was unreasonable. However, she needed his help, so she could only endure it. Just go to sleep. I’ll call you if a call comes in.” She wanted to coax him to sleep like how she would with Aiden. This man was simply annoying

I can’t sleep. Elias replied.

About to ask why, the woman next door began moaning again. It was growing louder with was unfathomable. The television could not get any louder, yet they could still hear her moun

softly, “Is it that good? We can still hear her through the loud TV…”

that, Elias scoffed and teased her. “You screamed even louder than her last time. Was it that good?”

Amanda’s eyes widened as her face instantly turned pink. Does this scumbag have to be so direct? With an angry expression, she gnashed her teeth, demanding. “Elias! Shut up now!”

Once she finished speaking, they heard screams coming from the room next door again. It was so loud

While looking at her angry expression, Elias smiled even brighter. He then lay on the bed and closed his eyes, speaking slowly. “Don’t forget what you promised me I’m going to bed Remember to wake me up.

Afterward, he fell asleep instantly again.

Amanda looked at the sleeping man, whose handsome face displayed his vivid exhaustion She kept quiet and tucked the man in the bed before sitting quietly on the couch and staring at the phone, afraid she might miss a call.

At the same time, Dick brought the child and found a hotel for the night, and Grace’s call arrived as promised. Hello, Miss Murphy. Yes, we’re here in a city called Folkshield and heading toward a rural area. You must know that it’s hard to drive at night, right? But I’ll get rid of him before sunrise, so don’t worry”

She ordered from her end, “Remember. You must leave him in the poorest and most secluded village, where no one would think to look.”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 65 This Little Brat Has Quite a Temper

“Yes, don’t worry. You can count on me, but shouldn’t you send the first payment? I’ve been on the run with the child for nearly two days and a night. It’s getting more difficult for me to afford fuel after covering so much distance. This child has been quite troublesome throughout the journey. You have no idea how much risk I’ve taken. I came close to involving the cops several times.”

Dick was not expecting any further payment at this point. His sole intention was to earn some money and leave. Besides, he would never abandon his grandchild in such a remote mountain ditch.

“Alright, just wait. The money will be transferred soon.”

He smiled foolishly and repeatedly agreed. “Yes, I’ll wait. I’m running low on fuel, so please hurry up, Miss Murphy.” With that, he ended the call and glanced at Aiden, who slept like a piglet in the back seat.

Ding!

A notification from the mobile banking app appeared, indicating that the money had been successfully deposited:

Dick eagerly unlocked his phone and gazed at the seven-figure amount in his account. A laugh escaped his lips uncontrollably. “Haha… Finally, it’s mine. Our cooperation ends here. I’d never abandon my grandson. If anyone should be blamed, you’ve made the wrong choice.”

Without hesitation, he blocked Grace’s number and threw the phone out the car window.

At that moment, Aiden in the back seat woke up groggily, calling out in an innocent and gentle voice, “Grandpa… I need to use the restroom.”

“Oh… I’ll pull over for you. Hold on. You have to hold it. Dick pulled the car over to the side of the road and lifted Aiden out of the car seat.

“Grandpa, when will you take me to see Mommy? I miss her. I want her to tell me stories and tuck me in bed.” Aiden rubbed his eyes and gazed at Dick next to him.

Dick patted his head. “Good boy, I’ll take you to see your mom soon. Everything is taken care of. Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?”

The blood relationship between them was remarkable. Dick had an unconditional fondness for Aiden and desired to provide him with all the wonderful things in the world.

“I don’t want to eat. I want Mommy. It’s been so long since I’ve seen her…” Aiden pouted and appeared like a deeply upset child, with tears ready to fall at any moment.

“Alright! Don’t cry. Hold back your tears! I’ll take you to see Mommy, I promise. Please don’t cry. I’m not very good at comforting kids. Dick was taken aback when he saw Aiden on the verge of tears. He had no experience in comforting children.

At that, Aiden’s eyes immediately lit up. “Let’s go now, Grandpa! Hurry up!” With excitement, he turned around and climbed into the car’s backseat to sit obediently and even fastened his seatbelt.

Dick found it both frustrating and amusing to witness this scene. What a clever kid. He even fastens his seatbelt.

Aiden’s round, grape-like eyes darted around as if he had thought of something. He suddenly acted. adorably and exclaimed, “Grandpa, can I call Mommy? I miss her so much…”

“Well… Maybe it’s not a good idea. I brought you out without telling your mommy, and she would be angry if she found our Dick could not possibly call Amanda now. If she found out he had kidnapped. Aiden, he would likely be sent straight to jail.

Pouting, Aiden said sweetly, “Grandpa, I won’t tell Mommy that you took me out. I just want to let her know that I’m safe. It’s been a long time, and I’m sure she misses me too.”

Tsk… This little brat is surprisingly sensible for a three-or-four kid. Dick took out his phone and handed it to Aiden. “Alright, go ahead and make the call. But I can’t remember her phone number. Do you?”

“Yeah, I do.” With his chubby little hand, Aiden dialed a string of numbers-the ones Amanda had taught him to memorize. However, after he dialed, it prompted that the recipient’s phone was switched off.

He let out a grumpy snort and tossed the phone aside.

“Why did you throw the phone? What’s wrong?” Dick picked up the phone.

“Mommy turned off her phone. She doesn’t care about me at all. Hmph! I’m angry!” Aiden turned his head. away, his little face filled with unhappiness.

Dick muttered, “This little brat has quite a temper. Just like someone I know…”

At 4.00AM, the buzzing of a vibrating phone startled Amanda, who was dozing off. She abruptly woke up and grabbed Elias’ phone, exclaiming, “There’s a call! There’s a call coming!”

The man asleep on the bed jolted awake, sat up abruptly, and brought the phone to his ear. “Did you him?”

With anticipation, she stood beside him and closely observed his facial expressions, hoping to glean some information from them.

He ended the call and turned to the nervous woman by his side. In a deep voice, he informed her, “We located the car. They’re on the highway to Imperia, and the men are attempting to intercept them. If all goes well, the child should be in that car.”

“Really?! That’s great! Let’s go right away!” Amanda’s eyes sparkled with excitement, and she felt a sudden wave of relief wash over her. She realized that reaching out to Elias had proven to be the quickest method, even faster than she had anticipated. In other words, if they could intercept that car, I can see Aiden right away!

Looking at her joyful expression, he sneered. “You can go by yourself. I don’t want to see that child. I have an important meeting today. I’ll take a flight back first.

That little brat has nothing to do with me! Why should I bother seeing Simon’s son? Even a glimpse of that child irritates me. Why does his son receive her care while my child was aborted?

He stood up and began changing his clothes, seemingly oblivious to anyone else in the room. He grabbed a shirt and started buttoning it up.

Amanda instinctively turned her head away, her heart feeling a slight pang. “You really… don’t want to meet him?”

Don’t you want to meet your biological son?

She even secretly told herself that if Elias discovered Aiden’s existence, she would confess…

This Little Brat Has Quite a Temper

Unexpectedly, he heartlessly refused without hesitation. “No, I won’t go.”

Amanda’s gaze dimmed as she realized this was the most probable chance for them to recognize each other as father and son.

After swiftly changing his clothes, he made a phone call and issued an order. “Prepare the car for the airport.”

“Don’t forget what you promised me. Come to the estate tonight, or I’ll come to you myself. And when I find you, I might not be as forgiving”. With those words, he left the room without glancing back.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 66 It’ll Affect Everyone if He’s Upset

At 5.00AM, Dick decided to avoid the highway, fearing it would attract the cops’ attention. However, he could not shake off the feeling that several cars were tailing him.

At first, there was only one, which he dismissed as his over-sensitivity. However, he realized something was amiss as more cars appeared and slowly surrounded him.

Driving the car onto a secluded road, he glanced at Aiden in the back seat. “I need to use the restroom. You stay in the car and behave, okay?”

He speculated that the cops must have caught up with him. If they apprehended him, it would spell trouble, and Amanda would spare no effort to ensure he ended up in jail.

Since the cops are here, it should be relatively safe to entrust Aiden to their care. As such, Dick deliberately steered the car into a nearby cornfield and swiftly exited the vehicle, leaving behind the innocent Aiden, who believed he had simply stepped out to use the restroom.

Meanwhile, Amanda watched from one of the cars in the back as Dick’s car drove off the road and disappeared into the cornfield. She instantly panicked. “What’s happening?”

Driving, the bodyguard speculated. “They must have realized we were tailing them and attempted to evade us.” He then parked the car by the side of the road, and the entire team disembarked, rushing into the cornfield.

She pushed the car door to exit, but the bodyguard quickly intervened. “Miss Bailey, please remain in the car. Let us handle the situation.”

“I need to see-”

Before she could finish her sentence, the bodyguard interrupted her. “It could be dangerous. If the kidnappers have brought the car to a place like this, there’s a possibility they intend to use someone as a hostage. It’s safer for you to stay here.”

Seeing the highly trained bodyguard, Amanda nodded in agreement. Considering they are under Elias’ command, I can trust their skills.

As she complied and remained in the car, her forehead became covered in a thin layer of cold sweat due to nervousness. She could not help but wonder if they could rescue Aiden successfully. Her fingers tightly clutched her skirt, every passing second feeling like an eternity.

Through the car window, she anxiously watched as the bodyguards disappeared into the cornfield, but they did not emerge for a long time.

Could they have encountered some danger? Amanda’s heart was in her throat, her nerves on edge. Anxiously checking the time, she realized that only ten minutes had passed. She had never experienced time moving so slowly before…

As the sky gradually brightened, Amanda’s eyes remained fixed on the cornfield. She was afraid to divert her gaze, fearing that she might miss the pivotal moment when they emerged.

Lappeared from the cornfield with a small figure in his arms.

Her eyes lit up instantly, and she could not help but smile. Her fingers trembled with excitement as she pushed open the car door and stepped out. “Aiden!”

At that, he immediately turned his head from the bodyguard’s arms to glance at her. He let out a dismissive snort and turned away, burying his face in the bodyguard’s broad shoulder. It was clear that he was intentionally ignoring her presence.

She was a bit confused. Why is this brat ignoring me? What’s with this attitude?

Even so, she could not contain her joy as it had been two days since she last saw him.

Amanda reached out and caressed Aiden’s little face, saying, “Aiden, I’m talking to you. Why are you ignoring me?”

“Hmph! You didn’t answer my call last night. Mommy, you don’t care about me at all. We haven’t seen each other for so long, and you didn’t answer my call, he voiced his grievances straightforwardly like someone else she knew well.

She was taken aback. My phone was turned off the whole time. But then, this little brat called me? Are the kidnappers these days so considerate?

“I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have ignored your call. How about a hug? I missed you so much…”

Looking at Amanda’s pitiful expression, Aiden finally stretched out his little hand and dove into her embrace.

She embraced her son, a genuine smile lighting up her face. As she held him tightly, she made a silent promise to never lose him again. The thought of him vanishing had been too distressing-

Yacob, the bodyguard standing nearby, was rendered speechless. Having served as Elias’ bodyguard for seven years, he had witnessed Amanda and Elias’ marriage. With the task of finding Aiden this time, he found himself unable to bear witnessing the emotional reunion.

Why do they appear more intimate than some blood relatives? She has gone above and beyond as a stepmother. It’s no wonder Mr. Winters was so furious that he refused to come. If he did witness this scene, it would surely enrage him even further.

“Miss Bailey, it’s not advisable to stay here for long. Let’s return to Imperia as soon as possible.”

“Okay.”

Amanda got into the car with Aiden in her arms and carefully checked if he was injured anywhere. He seems to be perfectly fine. Thank goodness…

Starting the car, Yacob observed her actions through the rearview mirror and could not help but offer a gentle reminder. “Miss Bailey, forgive me for being nosy, but it might be wise to set some boundaries in your attachment to this child.”

She was taken aback. “What do you mean?” For a moment, she could not grasp the intention behind his words.

He started the car and drove slowly, explaining, “The more attached you are to this child, the more it may displease Mr. Winters. It’ll affect everyone if he’s upset, including yourself.”

She remained silent and simply held Aiden tightly in her arms.

A few hours later, they arrived in Imperia.

After dropping off Amanda and Aiden at Galaxy Bay, Yacob instructed, “Miss Bailey, once you hand over the child to Mr. Nicholson, please proactively approach Mr. Winters. Otherwise, we’ll have to come and pick you up again.”

“Got it.” She stepped out of the car with the sleeping Aiden in her arms and glanced at Yacob inside the vehicle before entering the villa.

As she pushed open the door and stepped into the living room, she discovered Simon lying on the couch, seemingly asleep. She was startled as she wondered if he had been waiting there all along.

Hearing footsteps, he snapped out of his dreams and abruptly sat up. He saw her standing there with Aiden in her arms and questioned whether he was dreaming. “Amanda?” He could not believe his eyes to see them standing here so perfectly fine.

“Simon, we’re back…”

“You found Aiden?” He looked at Aiden in her arms with a face full of disbelief.

“Let him in the room to sleep. Please wait for me.” Amanda glanced at the sleeping Aiden and

He put gestured for him to lower his voice.

He nodded and watched her carry Aiden upstairs.

She found Aiden… How did she manage to find him? Did she locate him on her own so quickly? Could it be… Elias” doing? He was willing to help find Aiden. Has he already discovered Aiden as his biological son? At the thought of this possibility, Simon felt an indescribable sense of suffocation.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 67 As if He Could Not Get Enough

After a while Amanda came downstairs

Simon had prepared a cup of tea on the coffee table and pushest toward her “Take a few sips to relied yourself You look exhausted

“Thank you” She lifted the reap and sipped. Although tired, the exhaustion disappeared the moment she saw Asten.

Arden was found so quickly I guess Elias was involved It was not a question but a statement.

Amanda nodded in respon

Simon asked. “So does has already know the vhild is his? Otherwise he wouldn't help find Aiden. "

He doesn’t know

“I don’t know, but he made a condition"

What condition?

Simon was genuinely curious. What condition could make Elias willing to help her find her child

Amanda said. “He asked me to cut off contact with you.”

“Hah Simon sneered he knew it. How could Elias be magnanimous? Those who navigate the businew world always prioritize their interests.

“And you agreed to it?” However, what shocked him the most was that she had agreed to cut off contact with him.

She felt somewhat troubled. “I didn’t think too much at the time. I was desperate to find Aiden as soon as possible, so-

You could’ve told Elias that Aiden is his biological son Whether he wants to find him or not is his choice Why did you have to agree to that condition” Simon was a bit angry. Am I really that misignthoant to hert and our relationship so easily disposable

“I… I’m sorry…

“Are you determined to keep Aiden’s true identity a secret from Elias forever?” He sensed a wavering in Amanda’s determination.

She tightly held the teacup. I'm conflicted. There are times when I see Elias’ remarkable capabilities and think that Aiden may have a better life with him, but then. I remember his cruelty in the past and feel resentment toward him I don’t know what to do.”

If Aiden were to be with the Winters Family, he would undoubtedly have the best of everything in the world. However, she could not forget or forgive how Elas heartlessly abandoned her when she way pregnant four years ago.

Simon slowly stood up "I can give you some advice”

Amanda looked up at him, seemingly seeking his opinion as she knew he was always a man who prioritized rationality

“Give Aiden back to the Winters Family and live your own life. After all, it seems safer for him to stay with them” He glanced at the time I'm relieved to see you’ve returned safely I need to head to the law firm now It’s been two days since I was last there” With that, he turned and left

She sat alone on the couch her mind in chaos like a tangled mess

Through this incident. Amanda witnessed the power of the Winters Family and Elias ability to protect his loved ones. On the other hand, she had made many enemies in the years of being a lawyer That made her wonder how she would handle a similar situation in the future

Despite that, the thought of giving Aiden back to the Winters Family or reconciling with Elias was unbearable for her. The humiliation she had experienced four years ago lingered in her mind.

As night descended, the entire city was enveloped in shimmering neon lights.

Amanda arrived at the Winters Estate to fulfill the promise she had made earlier. She understood that failing to do so might result in Elias sending someone after her, and she knew his response might not be as forgiving as before.

“Miss Bailey, please follow me.” The butler led her to Elias’ bedroom, only to find it empty.

She was perplexed as to why they were in Elias bedroom and wondered where he could be at that moment. “Why are we here? Where is Elias? Isn’t he in the estate?”

The butler smiled and replied, “Miss Bailey, please change into the clothes Mr. Winters has prepared for you. He’s attending a charity auction tonight, and you are expected to accompany him”

Amanda was speechless about his decision. He’s as domineering as ever. When did I agree to accompany him to a dinner party? This doesn’t make any sense!

After speaking, the butler exited the bedroom and closed the door.

Looking at the clothes in the gift box, she felt a lack of interest in wearing them. However, when she thought about Elias’ relentless search for Aiden in the past few days, her heart softened slightly.

She picked up the dress from the gift box and was instantly captivated. It was a breathtaking starry-sky dress, a high-end limited edition from a renowned brand.

Amanda hesitated for a few seconds before finally deciding to put on the dress. However, she could not reach the zipper behind her and walked over to the mirror in the dressing room.

The moment she saw herself in the reflection, she froze. The dress was breathtakingly beautiful as if she had the entire galaxy delicately woven around her. She could not help but reveal a sweet smile

Wanting to reach the zipper behind her, she could not grasp it, no matter how hard she tried. Even as the bedroom door was pushed open and the deep footsteps of a man approached, she remained oblivious.

“What’s wrong with this zipper” she muttered softly, growing increasingly annoyed. Her arins were getting tired, yet she could not reach the ripper

Unexpectedly, a pair of large hands belonging to a man firmly grabbed Amanda’s slender waist, with the other hand effortlessly pulling up the zipper from behind

She stood still as if struck by lightning and looked at the man who appeared in the mirror. Unable to contain herself, she quippest. Are you a ghost Can’t you make any sound when you walk?”

The atmosphere in the dressing som gradually became ambiguous

Elias handsome features were enveloped in a mischievous smile as he gazed at her reflection in the mirror Ofcourse, there was sound. You just didn’t hear it. Amanda

“What?” she responded in annoyance and took a small step to the side, not wanting to be in such proximity to him.

His sexy and deep voice slowly sounded. “It’s been four years, and you seem to have become even more attractive” As he spoke, his pitch-black eyes fixed on her chest.

Amanda’s eyes widened instantly as she looked at her chest and instinctively covered it with her hands. “Elias’ Your pervert! Where are you looking?!”

With that, she turned around, intending to leave the dressing room. Unexpectedly, he swiftly pulled her back. With his firm grip on her cheek, he lowered his head and kissed her deeply.

Amanda struggled to break free, but the man seemed even more engrossed in the kiss as if he could not get enough. She realized things could spiral out of control if they continued like this.

She managed to push him away, gasping for breath as she asked. “Are you attending the auction or not?”

A faint smile appeared on his lips. “I almost forgot about that. Let’s go. I’ll deal with you later.

She was speechless by his response.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 68 Red Wine Poured Over Her Head

At the auction, Amanda followed Elias into the grand hall. It was a prestigious event exclusive to wealthy and privileged individuals. She sat beside him but was absent-minded.


The auction commenced with an emerald bracelet from Deskolor, emanating an air of vintage elegance nious allure.

The auctioneer introduced the bracelet’s origin. “This bracelet is the creation of the renowned Fliaria jewelry master, Larina. She dedicated three years of craftsmanship to design it, bestowing it the name aralleled.’ It’s a symbol of perfect love, believed to bring happiness and fulfillment to its recipient. We’ll begin the bidding at 10.5 million.”

10.5 million? She did not pay attention to the auctioneer’s lengthy explanation but did catch the number of the price mentioned. This is ridiculously expensive. Who in their right mind would spend 10.5 million on such a bracelet?

Elias’ pitch-black eyes fixed on the bracelet displayed in the showcase as if he were staring at his prey. He glanced at Amanda’s wrist as if noting the absence of a bracelet as an accessory.

On the other hand, she only hoped to endure this tedious auction and could not bear to stay for another second. Unexpectedly, the man beside her raised his paddle, capturing the auctioneer’s attention. “Excellent! The gentleman at Table 6 has made a bid. Starting at 10.5 million, do we have any higher bids?”

She was dumbfounded as she gazed at the handsome profile of the man beside her. “Are you out of your mind? Why are you bidding on this?”

Does he intend to give it to me? Amanda could not fathom where her sudden confidence came from as the thought crossed her mind until Elias’ cold voice cut through. “It’s none of your business. Besides, it’s not for you.”

“That’s good.” She felt relieved. She believed he might be the only one interested in that ordinary bracelet, and no one would compete with him.

In the next moment, the auctioneer announced, “The lady at Table 10 has placed a bid. 10.65 million for the first time!”

Amanda could not help but turn her head and look. At Table 10 was an elegant and noble-looking woman who appeared to be a young lady of means.

Why does this woman look so familiar? Where have I seen her before?

Without sparing a glance backward, Elias promptly raised his paddle to increase the bidding.

The woman at Table 10 also persisted with her bids as if they were determined to outdo each other, neither willing to concede.

Amanda could not bear to watch anymore. The price of the ordinary bracelet keeps rising closer and closer to 15 million with each bid. Is it truly worth that much?

“Are you planning to raise the bid to 15 million?”

Elias fixed his gaze on the emerald bracelet in the showcase and lazily replied, “When I want something, I
make sure to get it. No one can compete with me.”

Speechless, she realized she should not have asked. The world of the wealthy is truly beyond my understanding

“The gentleman at Table 6 has placed a bid of 15 million! 15 million for the first time 15 million, second time! 15 million, the third time! Sold’ The Unparalleled bracelet will now belong to the gentleman at Table 67

Amanda felt speechless and cast a disdainful glance at the man beside her. What a spendthriji, spending 15 million on such an ordinary bracelet. To whom is he planning to give it to Bat home could that mysterious teeman at Table 10 give up now when the bidding for the bracelet has reached 15 million?

She could not help but turn her head for another glance at the woman. Although she was quite far away and could not see the woman’s face, she could not shake off the strange sense of familiarity.

Two hours later….

The auction was ongoing, but Amanda and Elias left as she made the excuse of being hungry. So, he took her to an open-air restaurant located on the rooftop of a hotel. From there, they could enjoy the cityscape at night and gaze at the starry sky.

It was a romantic dating spot that any woman would love.

They settled in a corner, where a gentle breeze brushed against them. From their vantage point, she could turn her head and see the bustling night view of the entire city.

“Do you like it here?” While flipping through the menu, Elias glanced at Amanda’s serene profile.

She smiled faintly. “You must’ve brought Grace here before.”

He fell silent, realizing he had been exposed.

She knew she had hit the mark, and a flicker of surprise in his eyes almost made her burst into laughter. She explained, “I know traditional masculine men like you wouldn’t be familiar with places like this. You must’ve brought a woman here before, and Grace’s positive reaction made you assume that all women would enjoy it here-

Before she could finish her sentence, Elias frowned in displeasure and placed the menu before her. “Enough with the nonsense and order your food.”

Amanda chuckled and picked up the menu to browse through it.

“Miss, what would you like to eat?” The waiter smiled beside them, ready to take her order.

She opened the menu and quickly skimmed through the options. The prices listed were quite high, and just looking at them made her feel full. However, since Elias was the one paying, she did not have to worry
about the cost.

“Well…” She was about to speak when suddenly, a person rushed toward her and deliberately poured a glass of red wine over her head.

It happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that no one had a chance to react, not even Elias, who was sitting across from her

“Ah!” Amanda let out a cry of surprise and looked up, taking a few seconds to recall who the woman was that had poured wine on her.

It was Lunabelle, Simon’s ex-girlfriend.

She seemed to instantly understand why Lumabelle was so angry. She probably thought I betrayed or cheated on Simon as his wife. It seems that his ex-girlfriend cares a lot about him.

Lunabelle posed with an indifferent attitude as she looked at Amanda’s disheveled appearance.

In the next moment, Elias abruptly stood up and pushed Lunabelle aside. He walked to Amanda’s side, taking a napkin to wipe off the wine from her face. “Why haven’t you called the cops? Useless!” he scolded the waiter nearby.

The waiter was stunned as it was the first time he had encountered such a situation since he started working.

“Call the cops! I’m going to sue him for assault!” Lunabelle exclaimed angrily, holding her forehead as she lay on the ground.

Amanda turned her gaze toward Lunabelle and noticed that she had hit her head on the sharp edge of the table, resulting in a bleeding wound on her eyebrow. Blood was trickling down her eyebrow.

Curious glances filled the restaurant as speculations about a possible love triangle spread through the air.

Elias did not even glance back at Lunabelle and snorted. “If you can win the lawsuit, fl acknowledge your abilities.”

“You despicable couple!” Lunabelle watched the scene and felt pity for Simon, questioning his choice of Amanda as a partner. She even doubted if Aiden was his biological son, wondering whether Amanda had been cheating on him and betraying his trust all along.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 69 Elias! You’re Crossing the Line!

Despicable couple? No shame? These sensitive words hit Elias’ sore spot, instantly infuriating him. He grabbed an empty glass before him and threw it directly at Lunabelle.

“Ah!” She let out a painful scream the next second.

It struck her head again. Not only was the cut bleeding, the glass shards were also embedded in her skin. giving a horrifying sight. It was evident that Elias’ strength was too much for a woman to bear. This man’s temper was known to be extremely violent within the wealthy circle of Imperia.

Seeing this, Amanda immediately got up and hugged the man. “Stop! Stop!” After all, Lunabelle was just a confused outsider, merely standing up for her ex-boyfriend, Simon.

Elias looked down at the woman in his arms, and his anger subsided slightly. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.

–

Simon received a phone call and quickly rushed to the hospital. He ran to the inpatient department and found the ward where Lunabelle was staying. As soon as he entered, he saw a bandage wrapped around her forehead. Her eyes seemed swollen from crying.

“Luna, what happened?” He walked over, his face filled with concern.

“Simon! There are some things I must tell you today. Even if you don’t wish to listen or believe, I still have to tell you. I’ve made up my mind about being the villain.”

She also felt that she should not interfere in the affairs of a married couple, especially as his ex-girlfriend. However, she could not bear it any longer. Why is such a good man being treated like this? What did Simon do wrong to Amanda? Why did she betray him?

“What happened exactly? Please tell me who caused you to get hurt like this. I can be your defense lawyer. I’ll make sure they pay the price.” Simon was extremely anxious when he saw blood seeping through the bandage on Lunabelle’s head. He just wanted to understand what had happened.

She composed herself and slowly began speaking, “I saw your wife having an affair. That man injured me. I know I shouldn’t interfere in such matters, but I couldn’t bear to watch it. They were very intimate, and it seems they have known each other for a long time. I think you must go back and have a paternity test done. It’s possible that the child…

Midway through her words, she noticed Simon seemed unfazed, even somewhat calm. Does he already know?

“You knew?” Lunabelle’s face filled with shock. When did the Simon she remembered become so generous?

“Rest up. Leave the rest to me.” He seemed reluctant to bring up the matter and turned to leave.

She grabbed his arm. “You can tolerate your wife betraying you? Simon, when did you become so generous?”

“It’s all my fault. I’m sorry. It’s because of my mistake that you got hurt. I’ll give you an explanation.” After saying that, he removed her hand and turned to leave the ward.

Lunabelle was left in confusion, completely unaware of what was happening. She felt like her moral principles had been ruined.

Simon arrived at the emergency surgery department as he heard that the other party was getting stitches. here. Upon entering the emergency surgery department, he indeed saw Amanda and Elias. This exceptionally handsome and beautiful couple always stood out, catching one’s attention effortlessly; they were irritatingly matching.

At that moment, she had cleaned herself up and stood by, watching the doctor stitching her wound. Elias” hand was also splattered with glass shards from the restaurant. A few small pieces had embedded in his skin, requiring wound cleaning and stitches.

She casually looked up and saw Simon standing there. Her emotions became complicated.

This situation could be said to have been caused by both herself and Simon. Lunabelle would n been so angry if she had not cooperated with Simon’s lie.

“Alright. Remember not to wet the wound for seven days. Avoid eating spicy and stimulating fool don’t drink alcohol. The doctor finished stitching and gave some precautions before turning to le

Only then Simon approached and straightforwardly said, “As a man, it’s disgraceful to lay hands on woman.

Elias lifted his head at the sound and glanced at the person. Then, he calmly and composedly stood up t raise his chin slightly. In a deep voice, he said, “Woman? Are you referring to that lunatic? She suddenly came over and splashed wine on Amanda before cursing at us, calling us a despicable couple. You should be grateful that I didn’t lay my hands on her. If I had, that lunatic would be lying in the ICU now instead of a regular ward.”

“Elias! You’re crossing the line here! There’s a reason behind Lunabelle’s actions. She mistakenly believed. that Amanda cheated on me. She didn’t know the truth!” Simon’s anger surged, his fists clenched tightly at his sides as if he could throw a punch at any moment.

“So what? It’s none of my damn business!” After saying that, Elias took Amanda’s hand, preparing to leave the hospital.

However, Simon extended his arm to block their path and said. “You must apologize to Lunabelle. Otherwise, she will press charges against you for intentional injury.”

“Are you her lawyer? What’s up with the both of you? Why did she stand up for you?” Elias narrowed his eyes. His intuition told him that these two people had a special relationship.

“That’s none of your business. In any case, you need to apologize, or we’ll see you in court.”

Elias pondered for a moment and said, “Is she your ex-lover?”

Simon remained silent, and Elias let out a cold laugh. “Your ex-lover knows about your relationship with Amanda, so she thought Amanda cheated on you and stood up for you?”

Amanda was speechless. This se mbag is quick in his reactions. His guess is almost spot on.

Elias glanced at the woman beside him, who had been silent the whole time. “Amanda, you broke your promise. You didn’t fulfill what you agreed to. I’m mad at you”

“Huh?” Her mind was in chaos, and she was momentarily puzzled.

“Why haven’t you cut ties with him? Are you waiting for me to come and break you two apart? Do you want me to be the bad guy?” He looked at her innocent expression and wished he could strangle her. After saying that, he turned to Simon. “A man who can’t even find his son, relying on his love rival to save the day, so incompetent. Yet, you still have the leisure to protect your ex-lover. Don’t you feel pathetic? What right do you have to speak to me?”

“You” Simon was about to say something, but Amanda gestured to him as if pleading for him not to reveal the truth. After all, Elias was still clueless that the child was his biological son.

Simon finally held back his words.

Meanwhile, Elias forcefully pulled Amanda away from the hospital. He could not help but feel nauseated whenever he looked at Simon. Frankly, he did not understand what Amanda saw in this man.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 70 All Because of You

Amanda was forcefully pulled away from the hospital by the man. As they returned to the car, the atmosphere became tense. Elias was still angry, his slender fingers tugging at his tie, his handsome face filled with displeasure.

He could not help but pipe up. “Tell me the truth. What are you thinking?”

She remained silent and looked at the man’s beautiful face, unsure how to respond.

The man became even more infuriated when she did not reply. He firmly grabbed her chin, pressing hard on it as he stared into her innocent eyes. “You just wanted to use me to find the child. You never intended to cut ties with Simon, did you?”

“I… I’ve known Simon for four years. He’s helped me a lot during that period. It would be heartless of me to cut ties with him like this-

Before she could finish her sentence, the man impatiently interrupted her. “It’s none of my busin then asked, “Do you have feelings for Simon? Truly?”

Just as she was about to answer, the man cut her off harshly. “Forget it. Don’t say anything. I don’t hear it!” He was afraid to hear an answer he disliked, which would make him explode with anger.

“I don’t care who you like, but you must cut ties with Simon. You can come to me if you want help although…..” He paused, reminiscing about the child they lost four years ago. He continued, “Although lost our child, I’m still fertile. Why become a stepmother to someone else’s son? I can make you pregnant again, and we’ll have another child. Do you understand?”

“Are you crazy? Who would want to have another child with you?!” Amanda’s emotions instantly became somewhat uncontrollable. I can’t believe this scumbag dared to say such things.

She was alone and helpless in a foreign country just to give birth to Aiden. She had to endure a day and a night of pain and excessive bleeding, even contemplating suicide. Now, he wanted her to have another child? Furthermore, if he did, she had to bear it. If he did not, she had to abort it. Why was he still so domineering and oblivious to his own mistakes?

Elias was taken aback for a moment. “What did you say?”

“I said there’s no way I’ll have another child with you. If you want one, find another woman to bear it!” After speaking, she turned around, pushed the car door open, and was about to get out.

The man forcefully pulled her back, raging with anger. “Amanda, you will pay the price for what you said tonight!”

“What are you doing?

Seeing Elias suddenly angry, she felt rather panicked. After all, it was well-known that this man had a volatile temper and could do anything when he lost control.

“I’m going to show you what I’ll do tonight!” He gritted his teeth and helped her fasten her seatbelt. Then, he stepped on the accelerator and drove away from there.

That was the way back to the estate.
He drove recklessly, speeding rapidly, rendering Amanda terrified. “Can you slow down a bit? Are you in at hurry to die? Elias, slow down!” She had never seen him drive so fast before. It was nerve-racking as if he was heading toward his death.

He kept his eyes on the road ahead and continued to accelerate. “I’m in a hurry to make a son.”

“What?” She was too nervous to understand what he meant by that.

In this manner, it only took them half an hour to race back to the estate.

Amanda could not help but gasp for breath as soon as the car came to a stop. She felt like she had come back to life, having been on edge the whole way, afraid they would crash at any moment.

Before she could catch her breath properly, Elias unbuckled his seatbelt, slammed the car door, and walked around to her side. She looked at the man outside the car window in terror. What is he going to do now?

He opened the car door and released her seatbelt, forcefully lifting her out of the car before carrying her toward the villa.

“Elias, let me go! What are you doing? Are you going crazy again?”

“I am going crazy, all because of you.”

“Don’t mess around! I warn you, let me go, or I’ll get angry!” She struggled and squirmed, but it was futile. How was it possible for her to overcome the strength of a man, especially someone like Elias, who stood 6 feet tall?

Several servants passed by on the way, greeting him, but he ignored them and carried Amanda straight. into the elevator. With a ding, the elevator doors slowly opened.

The man carried her back to the bedroom. Her eyes widened when she saw the bedroom door open, and she struggled even harder. “Elias, I warn you once again. Let me go, or I’ll bite you to death! If you don’t believe me, just watch, I’ll do it!”

She had sensed the danger and seemed to anticipate what would happen next. He threw her onto the soft and fluffy bed before locking the bedroom door.

Just as she was about to struggle to get up, the man forcefully pressed her down, kneeling on both sides of her body, holding her tightly so she could not move. She lay on the bed, watching as the man took off his suit jacket. He then tossed his tie onto the carpet and began unbuttoning his shirt one button at a time.

At that moment, the man exuded a wild and intense aura, like a predator pinning down its prey, eager to indulge in pleasure, full of desire.

“Do not touch me!” Amanda screamed in a high-pitched voice, writhing her body.

The next second, the man’s sexy chest and abs came into her view, presenting an absolute visual feast. Elias suddenly leaned in, gripping her chin firmly, his tone forceful and dominant. “Look at me! I want you to see who I am clearly and remember me tonight!”

Intimidated by the man’s aura, she stared at him blankly.

“Mmm!”

The next moment, her lips were forcefully pried open, and she barely had time to react.

The man rudely tore off her starry sky dress with spaghetti straps. She struggled with all her might. “Stay away from me! Don’t touch me! Believe me. I’ll bite you to death!”

“Bite me if you want. Even if you bite me to death, it won’t stop what’s going to happen tonight.” Elias had a resolute expression as if no one could persuade him otherwise.

She bit down on the man’s shoulder, wishing she could bite it off and hoping it would sober him up even a little bit. The man let out a muilled groan, but he had no intention of stopping. He whispered in her ear, “You’re tough, but I still won’t stop. Amanda, I’m going to own you tonight.”

She felt hopeless, for this man was so stubborn. Once he set his mind on something, he would go through with it, and no one could stop him..

She closed her eyes, overwhelmed with sadness, without understanding why.

Meanwhile, Grace was at home, about to call Dick. She wanted to see if he had succeeded. That little boy would’ve been abandoned in some remote mountain valley if everything went smoothly.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 71 I Will Not Give Birth for You

A wicked smile crept up on her lips. If that were the case, Amanda and Elias could never find the child. Without the kid’s existence, Amanda would no longer be a threat to her.

However, gradually, Grace’s face turned unpleasant. It was because she could not reach him on the phone. It just would not connect, no matter how many times she dialed.

Had they lost contact?

She frowned. What’s going on? Why can I not reach him?Is he caught by the cops? I only gave him the first installment, while the final payment isn’t settled yet. How can this person just disappear like that? Most likely, he has been apprehended.

Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of this. If that were the case, would she not be soon discovered? Suddenly feeling anxious, Grace tremblingly dialed the phone number and quickly got through. “How is the surveillance on your end? Are the cops still guarding the villa?”

“It seems they dropped the case. They said they found the child, so the case’s dropped.”

They dropped the case. They found the child.

Grace felt like she had been struck by lightning, unable to react for a while. She hung up the phone and slumped onto the couch. They found the child.

Amanda had such great ability that she managed to find the child in just two days. No wonder she could not contact the kidnapper. At that moment, her phone received a news notification with the headline, ‘Elias’ Secret Late-Night Meeting with a Beauty, All for the Sake of Love.

Grace glanced at it, annoyed, but her eyes could not look away. She immediately opened the news article.

It depicted an eyewitness capturing him taking a hottie to a restaurant but encountering troublemakers. He even resorted to violence, disregarding his image to protect the lady. In the video screenshot, the so- called ‘beauty’ was Amanda!

The news was published half an hour ago, and it happened tonight!

Grace’s state of mind instantly collapsed.

While she was here gleefully thinking the child had been abandoned, Amanda had already found the child long ago and was even on a date with Elias! How does Amanda possibly have the ability to locate the child? Could it be Elias who helped?

“Oh my… He knew about the child’s existence?” She could not help but mutter to herself.

Otherwise, why would Elias agree to help find the child?

She suddenly felt like she was falling into an endless abyss and had no hope left if he already knew about the child. There was no way she could grab Elias’ attention anymore!

She cried out in despair, screaming. “How can this happen? Even God is not on my side! Why is this happening to me? I’ve tried so hard! I was about to attain happiness. Why…”

The night was long-

Amanda felt like she was tormented to death. When she opened her eyes, she realized it was already 3.00AM

She glanced at the satisfied man sleeping beside her, the blanket covering his waist, but his chest had several marks that looked like scratches from cat claws.

Four years later, she was forced to sleep with this mqn again. She endured the soreness throughout her body as she slowly sat up to glance at the moonlight shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

She wanted to return and see Aiden after experiencing those thrilling moments; she wanted to be by his side every moment. However, her body was in so much pain that even the slightest movement hurt. She looked at the red marks on her fair skin and could not help but curse in her heart, What a scumbag!

She lifted the blanket, intending to get up. Yet, as soon as her feet touched the ground, her legs gave up and she fell directly onto the carpet. Just as she raised her head, she was startled when she saw the man handsome face right before her.

“Ah! You scared me!”

Moonlight streamed in through the French window, making Elias’ face appear sharper under the glow, lik a sculpture.

“Why are you not sleeping in the middle of the night? What are you trying to do?” The man reached out his long arm and effortlessly pulled her back onto the bed, trapping her in his embrace.

Once again, her cheeks could not help but blush from being close to the man’s scorching hot skin. It was because her mind was replaying the intense and lingering moments with him.

He kept repeating. “Amanda, you are mine… Only mine… You’re not allowed to like anyone else… You’re not allowed to become another man’s stepmother…”

She thought this man was simply unreasonable-a madman demanding as if he wanted to brand her body with his exclusive mark.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

She was speechless because it was impossible to argue with a fool. So, she harshly said, “Obviously!”

“Well… How about applying some ointment?”

“Save it! Just do me a favor and bring me a contraceptive pill. Thank you!” She suddenly remembered that the man had not taken any safety precautions. What if she got pregnant?

She did not want to have another child. It was too painful.

Once those words fell, the atmosphere in the room suddenly turned cold. The man’s face darkened. “If you take the pill, won’t all my efforts tonight be in vain?”

He had worked hard all night, so there was no way he would let her take the pill.

“Elias, let me make it clear to you. I was pregnant with your child four years ago, and that’s enough. I don’t want to bear another child for you. If you didn’t want it back then, you can forget about having it forever!”

Amanda admitted she was being stubborn, but thinking about what happened four years ago made her angry. She could never let go of it.

“But I want it now!”

“It’s too late! Some things won’t come back once they’re gone! You can only wish for it no matter how much you want it!” She would never get pregnant again, at least not for him.

He stared at her intensely. “Do you have to be this ruthless?”

“Yes! If you still want to be with me, be prepared to never have children in your lifetime. I won’t bear any children for you. Otherwise, find another woman. Plenty of women would want to do that for you.”

She was deliberately making things challenging, hoping this man would eventually give up. She understood very well that Elias had to have children as the sole heir of the Winters Family. In other he relied on his offspring to inherit the family business.

He remained silent for a long time without saying a word.

At that moment, his phone vibrated. He was in no mood to answer the call, but the phone kept buzzin he angrily picked it up. “For fuuck’s sake, why are you calling in the middle of the night?

He immediately started getting angry as soon as he answered the call. It was unclear what the person on the other end said, but the man’s expression changed abruptly. “What? She slashed her wrist? I’m coming!”

He hung up the phone, got up, and quickly changed into a new set of clothes in the walk-in closet. What? Who attempted suicide? Amanda sat on the bed, utterly confused about the situation.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 72 Don’t Go, Elias! Stay With Me

After a few minutes, the man emerged from the walk-in closet looking neat and composed. He seemed to be in a rush, quickly putting on his coat and glaring at her with fierce eyes. “Dare to take the pill and see what happens! I won’t spare you!”

The bedroom door slammed shut with a bang.

Suddenly, a cold silence filled the room.

Amanda sat on the bed, still pondering over the phone call the man had just received. She only caught four keywords-she slashed her wrist!

Who could’ve attempted suicide to make Elias so panic? Suddenly, she thought of someone. Grace? Did she really do that? Her face turned slightly pale, her small face filled with shock. It took her a while to come back to her senses

In the hospital.
Elias arrived at the hospital and headed straight to the operating room. Outside the emergency room, a middle-aged couple anxiously waited. They immediately stood up and approached him upon seeing his figure, demanding answers.

“Mr. Winters, why did you break up with Grace? Why? It’s because of this blow that she attempted suicide. When we found her, she had been lying in the bathtub for a long time, losing so much blood. We don’t even know if she can be saved.”

The woman cried insincerely while the man reprimanded her, “What are you saying? Grace will be fine. She’s lucky and strong. Nothing can happen to her!”

This couple was Grace’s uncle and aunt, who benefited greatly from relying on Elias. Now, they were going crazy knowing their niece had been broken up.

“Shut up!” Elias could not bear the incessant nagging from the couple any longer and angrily shouted at
them.

Instantly, silence fell, with only the aunt shedding a few fake tears on the side. Of course, the couple did not want anything to happen to Grace. Without her, their source of income would be gone, losing the guarantee of a worry-free life in their later years.

After an unknown period, the door of the operating room slowly opened. A doctor walked out and removed his mask.

Elias immediately approached him, asking, “How is she?”

“Had it been a few minutes later, she could’ve had excessive blood loss and died. She’s safe for now, but she’ll be under observation for a few days.”

At that, the man breathed a sigh of relief. As long as she was okay, everything was fine. Grace’s uncle and aunt similarly heaved a sigh of relief as their source of income remained untouched.

In the VIP ward, Grace finally regained consciousness an hour later. Her wrist was wrapped in pristine. white bandages, with traces of blood seeping through. Her face was pale as paper, devoid of vitality as though she had just returned from the gates of death.

The moment she opened her eyes, she saw the tall and handsome figure of a man standing in front of the French window. Is that Elias…Is this a dream? He’s been avoiding me these days, and I couldn’t even enter his office. How is he here in the hospital?

“Elias… Is that you?” Grace’s voice was weak, struggling to sit up. She was afraid that this was all a dream.

At that, Elias turned around and walked toward the hospital bed. He helped her sit up and placed a pillow
behind her.

“It’s really you!” She grabbed his arm, her eyes filled with tears. This isn’t a dream. This is him!

However, his words were hurtful as they came out. “Grace, what you did was foolish. No man would like a woman who threatens to commit suicide.”

Grace looked somewhat embarrassed, biting her lip, not knowing what to say.

Elias pulled back his arm and sat on a nearby chair, looking directly at her on the hospital bed. He said in a deep voice, “It’s just a breakup. There’s no need to threaten me by committing suicide. There are many things you can do in your life. Do you need a man to survive? Are you deliberately trying to make me feel guilty?”

“No, it’s not like that! You want me to divert my attention, but I can’t do it. You’re all I think about! I’ve always revolved around you. You’re my dream, and now, you’ve shattered it. How am I supposed to accept that?” Grace cried with a sense of grievance,

She needed to vent, to express herself, and she might go crazy if she continued to suppress her feelings. She did not wish to give up on him after waiting for so many years! I just can’t!

“Then, learn to accept reality.”

His voice was cold and ruthless, leaving her no trace of hope.

Tears could not resist flowing from her eyes, skating down her cheeks and onto the blanket. “Are you suddenly so heartless because you discovered about the child?”

It must be because he found out about him. Otherwise, why does his attitude change so drastically?

Elias frowned slightly, his pitch-black eyes filled with confusion. “What child?”

Grace was taken aback. How can Elias not know? “The child by Amanda’s side. Didn’t you break up with me because of that child?”

He did not react much, feeling disdainful inside. It was probably Simon’s son again, and Grace misunderstood and thought it was Amanda’s child. “Grace, that child has nothing to do with us. Besides, he’s not mine.”

She looked puzzled and started to doubt in her mind. The paternity test confirmed that the child is Elias” biological son. Does he not know about the child’s existence? This child is truly a trump card. Why hasn’t Amanda told Elias? What is she thinking? She could not understand Amanda’s intentions.

He continued. “Also, don’t mention that child to me again. He has nothing to do with me.” There was a strong sense of disgust in his tone as if he truly detested that child’s existence.

Is he completely unaware?

“You rest well. I’ll come to see you again tomorrow. Don’t do anything foolish. I don’t like it,” Elias said as he stood up, preparing to leave.

Grace quickly threw off the blanket and removed the IV needle from her hand. Then, she hopped off the bed and hugged the man’s tall figure from behind. “Don’t go, Elias! Stay with me. I’m really scared.”

“Scared of what?” He stood still, his tone icy.

Her eyes darted around as she deliberately mentioned her brother. “I’ve been having dreams about my brother these days. I dreamed that he was covered in blood, calling me for help, but I couldn’t save him. I was terrified.”

Needless to say, Elias would always fall silent whenever Yelan was mentioned, agreeing to whatever she asked for, It had always been the case.

She felt anxious because she was unsure if it would work this time. After all, his attitude was firm. indicating a complete desire to cut ties with her.

Sure enough, the man fell silent again. He remained quiet for a long, long time.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 73 Go Ahead and Try

Elias did not waste a moment. He gently released the woman’s grip around his waist, calmly stating. “Please go ahead and rest. I’ll find my place on the couch.”

Grace’s face brightened instantly, and she responded with a soft affirmation. She obediently returned to her spot on the hospital bed, observing as he settled himself on the couch, and closed her eyes.

As he took his seat on the opposite couch, his mind delved into a haunting recollection of a vivid, blood- soaked scene from years past while looking at the girl sleeping on the bed.

It was a sight of unimaginable horror-Yelan had valiantly sacrificed himself, descending into a pool of blood to protect Elias. When Elias finally arrived, Yelan’s grasp on life was tenuous at best. Within that crimson pool. Yelan clung to Elias’ hand, his voice trembling as he pleaded, “Mr. Winters, I implore you, take care of my sister…”

At the grand Winters Estate.

The first rays of morning light painted the sky with delicate hues. As Amanda roused from her slumber, a surge of determination spiked through her. She slipped out of bed, exchanged her sleepwear for a fresh ensemble, and adorned herself with confidence. Today, she had made up her mind to leave this place behind.

The matter of birth control pills loomed over her thoughts. Elias had callously refused to provide them. leaving her with no option but to venture out and obtain them herself. She understood the urgency, aware that taking them promptly would prevent any potential complications if she were to conceive.

However, the moment she swung open the bedroom door, an unexpected sight greeted her-Yacob stood in stoic stillness as if crafted from unfeeling machinery. His right arm formed an impervious barrier, obstructing her path with unwavering resolve. “Miss Bailey, Mr. Winters has instructed that you cannot leave until he returns.”

A ball of anger erupted within Amanda, fueling her fiery response. “Why should I wait for him? He’s not even here, and we’re already divorced! What gives him the right to keep me captive?” It was clear that Elias, the scumbag, was intentionally preventing her from buying the birth control pills.

Yacob remained stoic, his expression unchanging. I apologize, Miss Bailey. I am simply following orders. I have no choice.”

His unwavering obedience, irrespective of the command’s nature, further ignited Amanda’s fury. “Im going out today! Let’s see what you can do to stop me!”

With a determined force, she forcefully pushed his arm, believing that a grown man like him would not dare lay a hand on her. However, her expectations were shattered as Yacob calmly uttered, “My apologies.”

“Hey! What are you doing!”

Amanda had made her way to the elevator, her finger inching closer to the button when he suddenly sprang into action. Swiftly, he approached her, his grip firm as he forcibly dragged her back into the bedroom, ensuring the door closed with an authoritative thud.

She stared at the tightly shut bedroom door and could not contain her frustration any longer. Laughter bubbled up from within her, a mixture of incredulity and exasperation.

Does he have to be so unswervingly loyal?

With a mix of determination and frustration coursing through her veins. Amanda reached for her phone and dialed Elias’ number. After a few rings, he answered, but she wasted no time launching into a fiery tirade. “Show some decency, will you? What gives you the audacity to imprison me like this? Do I have nothing else to do with my day? I still need to work and earn a living, you know. Why should my time be wasted because of your whims?”

Elias’ voice, on the other end, remained infuriatingly composed. “I’ll compensate you for any lost income. Just be obedient and wait for me to return home.”

Well. He certainly has deep pockets!

An overwhelming resentment flooded her. “Stop flaunting your wealth! I don’t need your money! Let me out! Don’t you dare think you can prevent me from getting those pills. And let me make this crystal clear, even if I were to become pregnant, I will never keep it!”

Her frustration reached its peak as if her lungs were ready to burst from the sheer weight of her anger. This man was relentless in his authoritarianism, caring only for his satisfaction in every decision he made.

“Then, go ahead and try,” he retorted before abruptly ending the call.

Amanda stared at the disconnected line, rendered speechless by the extent of his despicability and contempt. What a despicable man!

Determined not to be thwarted, she swung open the bedroom door, only to find Yacob standing outside. like an impregnable gatekeeper, blocking her every step. Undeterred, she forcefully slammed the door shut, causing it to resound with a thunderous crash, as if she intended to shatter it into a million fragments.

Returning to the bed, she lay down, her anger intensifying with each passing thought. Is this wretched man planning to confine me for a full twenty-four hours? Even emergency contraception will be futile after that time.

Yet, as she calculated her menstrual cycle, a flicker of reassurance illuminated her mind. She was currently in her safe period, reducing the likelihood of pregnancy..

With this newfound reassurance, she finally let her guard down, relishing in the fact that Elias’ scheme had backfired. He has brought it upon himself!

However, the stifling monotony of being trapped within the confines of the room grew unbearable for Amanda. Summoning her inner resolve, she rose from the bed and approached the door once more, pushing it open.

Yacob, in his unwavering dedication, appeared somewhat resigned to her persistent attempts. “Miss Bailey, I implore you not to waste your effort. You can only remain here and patiently await the return of Mr. Winters,” he advised.

Interrupting his words, she asked curiously, “Has Grace attempted suicide by cutting her wrist? Is Elias attending to that matter?”

He offered no response, refusing to engage in idle gossip or involve himself in Elias’ personal affairs. His silence spoke volumes, leaving Amanda to draw her conclusions.

“Your silence speaks volumes, huh,” she remarked.

Meeting her eyes briefly, he responded, “Miss Bailey, it would be best for you to remain within the confines of the bedroom. If you require anything, please inform me. If you’re hungry. I will ensure the kitchen prepares a suitable meal for you.”

“I have a present need. It’s rather dull being alone in this room. How about keeping me company and engaging in conversation?” She leaned against the door frame, crossing her arms, projecting an air of nonchalant contentment.

“I don’t possess a natural inclination for casual conversation, and I’m not well-versed in it,” he explained. his demeanor characterized by reticence and reserve.

“That’s not a concern. Simply address my queries. I am curious about the connection between Elias and Grace. He claims that he owes her a life. What does that signify? Did Grace save his life?” Her curiosity was piqued.

What magnitude of debt could prompt Elias to lavish such indulgence upon Grace, forsaking his wife and child in the process?

Yacob responded as he furrowed his brows. “It was not Grace who saved Mr. Winters’ life; it was her brother.”

“Her brother? What’s the relationship between her brother and Elias? Are they close friends?” Her m began to wander, conjuring various conjectures about how Grace’s brother could have saved Elias’ li

Yacob seemed reluctant to delve into the matter but did not want Amanda to speculate wildly. There he offered a concise response with a touch of creativity. “Yelan was Mr. Winters first bodyguard who remained by his side, protecting him for ten years. They were like brothers, and he treated Yelan exceptionally well, better than us.”

At least, they had observed that Elias treated Yelan as a brother in the past.

She continued to ask as her curiosity piqued. “So… How did Yelan save his life to the extent that Elias would sacrifice his love for it?”

That was because Elias had confessed to her multiple times that he did not love Grace and that his action were merely driven by guilt.

Yacob fell silent for a few seconds before speaking, “Yelan sacrificed his life to save Mr. Winters. In his dying moments, he entrusted Mr. Winters with the care of his sister, as they had no parents. Mr. Winters was only fulfilling his promise.”

“He sacrificed his life?” Amanda was genuinely shocked. She thought Yelan had only saved Elias’ life, but she had not expected him to die in the process. She then nodded with a look of understanding. “I sec..”

No wonder Elias doted on Grace so much; his guilt must run deep.

Unable to hold back, he added, “Miss Bailey, Mr. Winters isn’t the scoundrel you imagine him to be. He simply has an overwhelming sense of responsibility. Yelan’s death was a tragic and gruesome affair, and that’s why Mr. Winters continues to carry the burden in his heart.”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 74 The Pain in Elias’ Heart

Amanda had initially not wanted to ask, but Yacob’s words sparked her curiosity. “May I ask how Grace’s brother died? How gruesome was it, exactly? Of course, if it’s inconvenient for you to talk about it, forget what I asked.”

She was not intentionally prying into someone’s privacy; she was simply curious. Yacob seemed reluctant to bring it up, so she decided not to push further and prepared to turn around and get some more sleep. After all, she could not leave anyway.

Suddenly, his voice sounded behind her..

“When Mr. Jensly Winters’ enemy wanted to kidnap Mr. Winters, and we were living in constant danger. Mr. Jensly came up with a plan for Yelan to disguise himself as Mr. Winters, to become his substitute until the officers captured that deranged enemy. But…”

Amanda stopped in her tracks, slowly turning her body and continuing his words, “But before the officers. could catch the culprit, Yelan was kidnapped and treated as Mr. Jensly’s son. He suffered unimaginable torture, didn’t he?”

He nodded, and her expression became somewhat sorrowful.

“It was more than just torture; it was a level of cruelty beyond imagination. By the time we arrived, he had been broken beyond recognition. His fingers were cut off, both feet severed. His eyeballs were gouged out, and his ears were sliced off. He was barely clinging to life, waiting for Mr. Winters to come, hoping to entrust his sister to him for care…

Amanda could not help but cover her mouth, her eyes filled with horror. Just hearing these descriptions was so painful that she could not help but feel like crying. How did Yelan endure until they arrived? It’s so tragic…..

Yacob forced a bitter smile. That’s why Mr. Winters feels indebted to Yelan. During that time, Mr. Winters often had nightmares. That’s why he tries to make it up to Grace for everything because it was truly horrifying…

She seemed to have a faint understanding of the pain in Elias’ heart.

He continued, “Because of Yelan, Mr. Winters has a strained relationship with his parents. He believes that his father’s decision led to Yelan’s demise, and he doesn’t even consider Yelan’s life as a human life.”

Amanda fell silent.

Indeed, it seemed that way. To be so ruthless, there had to be deep-rooted hatred.

Now that she had thought about it, she had not met his parents and had only seen his grandfather since she and Elias married.

“By the way, I don’t think I’ve seen my parents-in-law since entering the Winters Family. Only his grandfather has been with him all along. Where are his parents?”

This topic made Yacob fall silent for a long time, and he said, “You should save this question for Mr. Winters in the future. We’re not at liberty to disclose that.”

Is there some earth-shattering secret hidden within again?

It was almost dark when Elias finally returned.

Amanda had been confined to the bedroom all day, not stepping outside for a moment. The servants would bring her meals when it was time to eat. The moment the bedroom door flung open, she thought she was phantom listening.

Until she saw his figure, she sat up in surprise from the bed. “You’re finally back. Can I leave now?”

She stood up without a word and attempted to leave. As she passed by the man, he grabbed her arm firmly. “Don’t you have any questions for me?” he asked.

“Questions?” She looked puzzled but soon understood his meaning.

“Oh… I’ve already figured it out. There’s no need to ask. Grace couldn’t bear the blow of being abandoned by you, so she attempted suicide by cutting her wrist. By the way, how is she? Is she okay?”

Her sincere concern for Grace’s well-being made the man furrow his brow. “You care about her life and death?”

Amanda burst into laughter as she was unable to contain herself. “Even if I dislike her, I wouldn’t wish for her to lose her life. It’s a matter of life and death, not to be taken lightly.”

The man fell silent for two seconds. “She’s fine. She’s under observation in the hospital. She’ll probably have to stay there for a few days.”

“Alright, then. Take good care of her,” she said, ready to leave. However, the man still held onto her.

Amanda gazed down at her wrist tightly grasped by him. “Is there something else? You’ve kept me here the whole day. What more do you want?”

“Do you not want to see me? Does every second you spend with me suffocate you?”

He had kept her with him the entire day but had not even seen her once. Every time she saw him, she wanted to leave without hesitation or reluctance.

“Yes! I don’t want to see you at all. I don’t want to spend even a second with you. Are you satisfied now?” She forcefully shook off his hand and turned around, leaving the bedroom without looking back.

This time, Elias did not try to restrain her. Instead, he let her go. Watching as the door slammed shut, he felt like his world had also plunged into darkness.

He walked over to the soft, fluffy bed and collapsed onto it heavily. As he closed his eyes, the horrific image of Yelan’s final moments kept haunting his mind, refusing to fade away. It was a constant reminder that taking care of Grace was his responsibility, one he could not escape.

At Galaxy Bay

After returning home, Amanda quickly rushed upstairs to check on her baby. She discovered that Aiden, that little rascal, was secretly making a call to Simon again. Why can’t this little rascal let go of him?

Feeling helpless, she went downstairs to prepare milk for him. When she saw the bodyguard sitting on the couch in the living room, she instantly felt a sense of security. He was provided by Elias for her use.

She had only borrowed the bodyguard from him for a week. After that, she would have to find her bodyguard to protect Aiden.

“Um, you can go upstairs and choose a guest room to sleep in tonight,” she awkwardly said to the bodyguard in the living room.

The bodyguard replied. “It’s not necessary, Miss Bailey. I can sleep on the couch in the living room at night. It’s convenient for me to keep an eye on the surroundings and protect you all.”

“Alright, then. Thank you for your hard work. I’ll find a suitable bodyguard as soon as possible, and you can be free to leave.”

The bodyguard did not say anything and just nodded. Of course, he wanted to return to Elias’ side as soon as possible. After all, he was employed by the Winters Family.

Back in her room, Amanda discovered that Aiden was still on the phone. She walked over with the milk bottle, forcefully put it in his mouth, and snatched the phone from his ear. “You should accompany Miss Gowen properly at the hospital. Kids don’t understand things and shouldn’t bother you. I apologize on his behalf.”

Just as she was about to hang up, she heard Simon’s voice from the other end of the line. “Wait, don’t hang up!”

“Do you have anything else to say?”

“Amanda, Lunabelle spilled wine on you without knowing, and I’ve already explained it to her. She understands everything now.”

She responded, “So what? Are you going to defend her against Elias? Don’t worry. I won’t interfere.”

“No, that’s not what I meant. I just want to say that there are misunderstandings among the three of us that need to be cleared up.”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 75 Parent-child Sports Event

Amanda’s gaze fell to the floor as she stole a glance at her son, who sat peacefully drinking milk from his bottle. With a wistful smile, she addressed Simon over the phone. “Simon, it’s not right to deceive Miss Gowen. If there’s genuine affection between you two, let fate take its course.”

Before Simon could utter a word in response, she abruptly ended the call, denying him the opportunity to explain himself further.

“Mommy!”

She then turned her attention back to Aiden, cradling his bottle, and inquired, “What’s the matter?”

“Why can’t you be kinder to Uncle Simon?” He defended his favorite stepdad candidate, and his voice tinged with indignation. He genuinely believed that Simon was a good person.

“Since when am I not kind? Finish your milk quickly, and then we’ll take a bath and go to sleep. It’s been too long since you’ve been to kindergarten.”

She then urged her son to finish his milk promptly.

As Aiden continued to sip his milk, he suddenly let out a frustrated huff and tossed the bottle aside. “I was just telling Uncle Simon about the parent-child sports event at kindergarten tomorrow. I wanted him to come with us, Mommy.”

Parent-child sports event….

Amanda feigned a light-hearted tone as she wanted to spare her son any disappointment. “Don’t worry. Mommy will be right there with you. It’s a fun event where parents and children team up. And let me tell you. Mommy’s got some serious athletic skills!”

However, he responded with a knowing look, challenging her words. “Mommy, you always say lying is bad. It makes your nose grow longer, remember?”

She was left speechless and let out a bittersweet chuckle. “Mommy doesn’t lie. Just wait and see tomorrow. I will surprise you, I promise.”

In truth, her athletic abilities were far from impressive. Physical education had always been a struggle for her during school days. However, how challenging could the sports activities at the kindergarten be? She clung to a glimmer of confidence, hoping to prove herself.

Aiden paid no heed to her words, swiftly finishing his milk and urging her toward the bathroom. “All done. Let’s go take a bath!” Without waiting for her, he darted into the bathroom, his excitement palpable.

Left alone in the hallway, Amanda could not help but smile at her son’s spirited demeanor. He just doesn’t believe me, does he?

Inside the bathroom, he played with the bubbles in the bathtub, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of the upcoming parent-child sports event. Worry etched onto his little face, reflecting the weight of his anticipation.

Observing his demeanor, she leaned against the doorway, her smile taking on a playful edge. “What’s on your mind? Always trying to act like a grown-up.”

“Mommy, will all the other kids’ mommies and daddies come to the parent-child sports event tomorrow?” His question pierced through the air, and his voice tinged with a mix of hope and uncertainty.

The question struck a chord within Amanda, erasing the playfulness from her face. Nodding gently, she replied, “Most likely..”

His gloom deepened as he stared down at the toy in his hands, lost in his thoughts.

Witnessing his despondency, she felt her heart sinking in tandem. A sudden realization washed over her. Am I being too selfish?Does he honestly need his father’s presence? Growing up with only a mother, will he lack the influence of masculinity he yearned for?

Moreover, he longed for paternal love. The envy in his eyes when he saw other children calling out for their dads tore at her heartstrings.

Should she reveal the truth to Elias, acknowledge their child, and let him know about Aiden’s existence?

Her mind was in a dilemma, Uncertainty loomed over her, leaving her at a loss for what she could d

There would be many more occasions like parent-child sports day in the future. Could she continu fake her way through each one of them?

“Baby, do you wish you had a daddy?” She gently touched Aiden’s head.

He nodded. “Yes. Why does everyone else have a daddy except me?”

His words pierced through her heart once again, stirring a painful ache within her. Yes. Why does every oth child have a father while mine doesn’t?

The belief that she could raise Aiden on her own, without the presence of a man, was beginning to crumble before her eyes.

The next morning, Amanda arrived at the kindergarten with Aiden, prepared to participate in the parent- child sports event. As expected, all the children were accompanied by their parents, with only a few grandparents in attendance. She was the only single parent there.

She was taken aback, grappling with a mix of emotions that rendered her speechless. Was she the sole divorcee in this vast kindergarten, or was it merely an unfortunate coincidence?

“Mommy…” Aiden suddenly seemed insecure, tightly holding onto his mother’s hand.

It was then Amanda understood how he felt in these situations. It must have been awkward every time, yet there was nothing he could do.

“Aiden, cheer up!”

“Mommy, I want to go home. Let’s not participate in the sports event. It’s not fun anyway. He was already starting to show avoidant behavior.

Her heart skipped a beat, her concern deepening. Why is he starting to withdraw from such occasions? Will this pattern impact his developing psyche?”

Just when she found herself at a loss for words, a familiar male voice, laced with genuine remorse, emerged behind them. “Aiden, Amanda, I apologize for being late.”

That voice! It’s Simon!

Both she and Aiden turned to face the unexpected source of the voice-Simon. She had not anticipated his presence.

Aiden’s face transformed, a radiant smile replacing his earlier insecurity. Releasing his mother’s hand, he darted toward Simon, his excitement evident.

This ungrateful little guy. She worried for nothing.

Simon swept Aiden into his arms, closing the distance between them and Amanda. “There was traffic on the way, so I got delayed. Hasn’t it started yet?”

“Not yet. I think it’ll be another half an hour.” Although she did not want to trouble him, she had to admit that he arrived just in time to save the situation.

Aiden seemed to regain his confidence instantly. He jumped down from Simon’s arms and started showing off to the other children.

Amanda could not help but sigh. It seemed that children understood more than adults imagined and also had a sense of pride.

The little rascal seemed proud, holding onto both her and Simon’s hands, looking like the happiest kid in the world.

A whirlwind of emotions stirred within her, defying description and leaving her at a loss for words.

Following a morning filled with the parent-child sports event, Amanda found herself utterly drained. She had underestimated the physical activities at the kindergarten.

At noon, Simon whisked them to a charming restaurant, where they settled at a cozy table by the window. Aiden’s face radiated uncontainable joy, his excitement palpable throughout the entire morning.

Meanwhile, a Rolls-Royce slowly stopped at a traffic light intersection on the bustling street.

Grace insisted on being discharged from the hospital today, so Elias had no choice but to drive her home. As their car happened to stop at the intersection outside the restaurant, she caught a glimpse of the harmonious and blissful scene through the window display.

Intentionally, she pointed it out to him and said, “Elias, is that Amanda? She looks familiar… Who is the man and the child with her? I can’t see it clearly.”

Upon hearing her, he immediately turned and looked over, confirming it was indeed Amanda. As for the man and the child next to her, there was no need to guess-it was undoubtedly Simon and his son.

In the next second, the man muttered, “Fuck!”

He angrily slammed his hand on the steering wheel. Witnessing this scene, he felt his anger welling up, but he was unable to stop it.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 76 I Can’t Give Up on You

Observing Elias’ contorted visage, Grace innocently queried. “Elias, what troubles you? Are you alright? Perhaps we misunderstood, and that woman may not be Amanda after all.”

“If it isn’t her, who else could it be?” His tone exuded intense hostility.

Eventually, after stealing one last glimpse of Amanda’s tender smile through the boutique window, he firmly pressed the accelerator, propelling the vehicle forward. This woman has never bestowed upon me such a gentle smile. Does she truly find solace in the company of Simon and his son?

Witnessing the frightful expression etched on the man’s face, Grace found her uneasiness heightened, causing her to clutch her seatbelt tightly. “Elias, please slow down. I’m scared…”

In that instant, the man’s mind was consumed by the idyllic and joyful tableau they had just witnessed, rendering him impervious to her pleas.

Half an hour later, the car gradually halted outside the residential area.

Grace’s uncle and aunt stood there, eagerly anticipating her arrival. Ever since she ascended the social hierarchy, they had relocated from a squalid slum to an affluent community.

As the car door opened, her uncle and aunt put on hypocritical expressions and approached to welcome them. “Be careful, Grace. You just got discharged. Don’t exert yourself.” Her uncle supported her as she got out of the car.

Her aunt, on the other hand, was even more exaggerated; it was as if she wanted to kneel and serve as a steppingstone.

“Uncle Grant, I’m not that weak.” Grace was well aware of the couple’s motives.

Elias carried the luggage, and they entered the residence together. The man placed the suitcase in her bedroom and turned to leave. “I’m leaving. Get some rest.”

Unexpectedly, she stepped forward and closed the bedroom door, locking her uncle and aunt outside. They exchanged puzzled glances, looking utterly confused.

“Why did she close the door? We’re here; we could’ve helped persuade him.” Her aunt also wanted to help her hold onto the man’s heart. Otherwise, they would have no hope for their future, considering Grace’s success in the entertainment industry relied on Elias.

Her uncle waved his hand dismissively. “Enough. Don’t worry about it. Grace must have her reasons for doing this, and she wants to keep Mr. Winters more than we do.”

“You’re right.” Her aunt nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, inside the bedroom, Grace leaned against the door. “Elias, I’m telling you. I can’t give up on you.”

“That’s your business. I’ve already made it clear. We can have any kind of relationship except developing feelings.” He remained cold and indifferent, showing no intention of compromising.

Feeling desperate at his aloof attitude, she grew anxious. “If you insist on this, don’t bother about my life and death. My suicide has nothing to do with you!”

“Don’t do anything stupid. I’m not interfering with you; I’m simply disciplining you on behalf of your brother. If your brother saw you like this, did you think he’d let it slide?”

After all these years, it was the first time he had brought up Yelan’s name voluntarily because he never liked to mention him. She stood still, unable to speak for a long time. If her brother had seen her cutting her wrist and attempting suicide because of love, he would have scolded her awake.

Elias opened the door and was greeted with the sight of his uncle and aunt pressed against the door. cavesdropping.

They awkwardly chuckled. “Uhm, Mr. Winters, why don’t you stay and have lunch with us? I’ve asked my wife to buy the groceries. As long as you’re here, Grace will behave-

Before Grace’s uncle could finish his sentence, Elias mercilessly interrupted. “No need. I have work to attend to at my company. Keep an eye on her, and don’t let her do any more foolish things. With that, man left without looking back.

The uncle and aunt hurriedly entered the room. cautiously observing Grace’s expression. “Is everything going well, Grace? Did you manage to capture his heart?”

“That’s right. When Mr. Winters came to the hospital yesterday, he seemed anxious. He still has feelings for you.”

Faced with relentless questioning from her uncle and aunt, Grace felt her head was about to explode. She was fed up! In an irritable tone, she shouted, “Get out, all of you! I’m sick of it!”

After having lunch, Amanda and Simon dropped off Aiden at the daycare center and went to work at the law firm together.

“Amanda, I heard that you were bullied by Carlisle at the pool party last time. If you find it difficult, you can hand this case back to me,” Simon spoke slowly as he was driving.

She was taken aback and immediately recalled the time when she was forcefully. It made her angry just thinking about it. Moreover, Carlisle was nothing more than a prodigal who had committed such acts without any sense of crisis, relying on his power and influence.

“That’s good. I really can’t communicate with him. I’ll hand it back to you. Besides, he doesn’t value women at all. I don’t understand why our law firm took on his case.”

She wanted to stand on the side of justice. Defending the girl who was sexually harassed would be acceptable, but defending such a sc*mbag would truly trouble her conscience.

The scenery outside the car window rapidly retreated, and the wind tousled her hair.

Simon smiled. “Even criminals have the right to hire a lawyer for their defense. You and I are well aware of
that.”

She remained silent. Of course, she was aware, but it disgusted her.

“Leave it to me, so you don’t have to worry about this case anymore.” Simon also noticed her resistance and no longer pressured her to take on the case.

Amanda nodded, feeling much relieved.

After returning to the law firm, they went to their respective offices to work. Yet, as soon as Amanda entered her office, she froze in place. The professional smile she had just greeted her secretary with became plastered.

A man sat with his back facing her on the couch in the reception area. Just seeing his back made her feel an immense sense of pressure.

“What are you doing here?”

Regaining her composure, she closed the office door and walked toward the reception area. Her office was designed in a low-key style, but because of this man’s presence, it felt somewhat oppressive.

Elias lifted his head slightly, looking at her delicate face, and could not help but chuckle self-deprecatingly. “You’re so unhappy just seeing me, but you’re all smiles when you’re with another man. Am I a monster? Do I scare you so much?”

The thought of seeing Amanda and Simon dining harmoniously together filled him with uncontrollable jealousy.

“Did you come to my office just to mock me? Don’t you have anything better to do? Is Winters Enterprise going bankrupt?”

Amanda’s anger rose as well. Why is this man always so inexplicable, leaving people puzzled?

With her attitude, Elias’ mood became even worse, and he forcefully pulled her into his embrace.

“Ah! What are you doing? This isn’t your territory. It’s my office!”

She was indeed flustered because she knew too well about this man’s temper. In any situation, he was capable of doing anything.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 77 Let’s Date

As Elias leaned closer to Amanda and his handsome face loomed before her, he spoke in a deep and cold voice. “So? Are you afraid of what I might do?”

“Me? No! I’m just reminding you to watch your words and actions!” She struggled to retract her hand, but the man’s grip only tightened.

His anger was uncontrollable now as he growled through gritted teeth, “Amanda, are you ignoring my words? I told you to stay away from that father and son. And what do you do? Not only do you not stay away, but you also get closer to them. Are you just using me for your own gain? You are going to turn your back on me now that you’ve found the kid?”

With how terrifying Elias looked, Amanda felt as if he was going to get violent anytime now. Suddenly, she desperately tried to retract her hand out of fear. “When did I turn my back on you? Stop accusing me!”

“Then stay away from that father and son! Do you hear me? Do you think I’m someone you can throw away? You will die horribly if you play games with me.” The man made a point with his pitch-black eyes were locked on her.

She suddenly felt a chill down her spine.

This man was terrifying when he lost his temper, suffocating her as if she were plunging into the boundless darkness.

“Elias, don’t you think you are asking for too much? You want me by your side, but you don’t want to give up taking care of Grace. No woman can tolerate that!”

After saying this, even Amanda herself was somewhat surprised. I… care about these things? I thought I didn After all, I don’t even know what relationship it is I have with Elias now. He forced me to sleep with him a few times four years ago, but why am I starting to care that he is taking care of Grace?

Elias’ pitch-black eyes flickered slightly, and he asked in a deep voice, “Are you jealous? Do you Then, why don’t you speak up? Why are you acting like you don’t give a shit about it?”

“I’m not!” She turned her head away, not wanting the man to see the look in her eyes.

“I’ve told you before that I don’t love Grace. I just owe her, that’s all.”

The man explained once again even though he used to dislike explaining himself. Although he hadn’t realized it yet, it seemed that he had somewhat changed because of Amanda.

After hearing Yacob’s narrative last night, Amanda had a rough idea of why Elias treated Grace with such care.

However, she just couldn’t accept the fact that there was an entanglement between Elias and Grace. What he did for Grace far exceeded what love was supposed to be.

“It’s none of my business. After all, we’re already divorced. I seriously don’t understand you. Grace is beautiful, she loves you very much, and she is obedient to you. Why can’t you just try to live a life with her?” Amanda voiced her doubts. Does he only want what he can’t have?

“There is no particular reason. I just don’t love her.”

“But you didn’t love me either four years ago. You wouldn’t have been so cruel to me otherwise, no?” Amanda reminded him earnestly.

Four years ago, Elias showed no affection for her, or he wouldn’t have been so indifferent to her feelings and treated her with such ruthlessness and cold-bloodedness.

Elias stared at her with a gloomy expression for a while. “Looking back now, I might have loved you then.”

Flabbergasted, Amanda thought that she heard him wrong. “What did you say?”

The man fell silent for a few seconds. “I thought I didn’t love you four years ago, but now I realize that I must have loved you. Why would I have married you if I didn’t? I have no intention of marrying Grace now. Even though there are many reasons for me to marry her, my heart is against it.”

A speechless Amanda was almost amused by his logic. What kind of reasoning is this?

She then commented, “You married me four years ago because your grandfather forced you, didn’t you? It seemed like you didn’t want to marry me back then. You did it just to fulfill your grandfather’s wish in case you regret it if he passed away.”

The man sneered. “No one can force me to do something I don’t want to do. Even if my grandfather was on the verge of death back then, I wouldn’t have agreed to such an absurd request. By agreeing to it, it meant that I didn’t dislike you back then. I even thought it was possible for me to marry you.”

Amanda was stunned as she silently stared at the man’s handsome face, unsure of how to react or what to say.

After a moment, Elias released her slender wrist, which had turned red from his grip.

While he stood up straight, she also straightened her posture.

The height difference between the two seemed oddly harmonious. The two of them together were like a beautiful oil painting when the sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

“I know you resent what I did to you four years ago. I can make it up to you. As for our child. If fate allows, I will do whatever it takes to protect him when he comes looking for me.”

Elias didn’t look like he was joking at all with that serious expression on his face.

Amanda only watched him without saying a word. She was on the verge of being swayed.

“Amanda, let’s date. We had no emotional foundation four years ago, and we even went straight to getting. married without having a proper wedding ceremony. I know you’ve been wronged, so let’s date like a normal couple and work our way to our wedding. What do you think?”

Date, huh? She couldn’t help but laugh out loud at how the man kept coming up with ideas. It was as though the whole world revolved around him. “I don’t want to! Why should I repeat the same mistake?”

“You won’t know if you’re repeating a mistake until you try. If I disappoint you again this time, you can block me whenever. I won’t complain.”

Elias felt that he missed out on Amanda because he didn’t truly understand his own heart four years ago, Now, he had to do his best to win her over.

The office fell into silence.
Amanda looked at the man in front of her. Deep down, she was somewhat wavering. She remembered how insecure Aiden was during the recent parent-child sports event, where other kids had their parents accompanying them.

Perhaps boys needed the presence of a father when they were growing up. She should let Aiden know who his biological father was, but could Elias really turn over a new leaf?

Could a heartless and ruthless scoundrel who stops at nothing be a good father?

“Say something. Amanda.” Elias grew increasingly impatient when he received no response from her.

Amanda snapped out of her thoughts and calmly walked towards her desk, her expression placid. “It’s my decision to reject you, but I can’t stop you from doing whatever you want.”

She was clearly telling Elias that she would see what he was capable of.

Meanwhile, Elias furrowed his brows slightly. I’m not good at pursuing women, but I’ll do as you don’t reject me.”

He still had a shot as long as Amanda stopped rejecting him emotionally.

Amanda smiled at that. “First of all, there’s something you can’t do.”

“And what is it?”

"my best"

“Get rid of your foul temper and stop interfering with my personal social circle. Can you do that? If you are charming enough to make me fall in love with you, I will naturally stay away from other men. There’s no need for you to get angry.”

Elias suppressed his burning anger. “I will make you fall helplessly in love with me and voluntarily distance yourself from those men!”

With that, he turned around and left the office.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 78 Is This Your Idea of Dating?

After the door was slammed in Amanda’s face, she couldn’t help but laugh. It was somewhat amusing to her.

Elias was still as arrogant as ever, not having changed one bit since four years ago.

However…..

Were Elias’ words just now sincere? When we got married four years ago, he actually did have feelings for me….

Amanda sat in her office chair and burst into laughter..

She couldn’t understand why she was always so soft-hearted to this man. Deep down, she always seemed to want to give him another chance.

“I just wanted Aiden to have a normal childhood. Yes, that’s the only reason…” she whispered in an attempt to comfort herself.

After Elias left. Amanda couldn’t focus on work for the entire afternoon. Her head was a mess.

She was contemplating whether to give him another chance even in the meeting.

Simon looked up at Amanda then. “Amanda, do you have any opinions on this case?”

“Um… Huh? What did you say just now?”

Amanda only came back to her senses after having her name called. She was completely unaware of what Simon had said.

It was the same as drifting off in class and getting called upon by the teacher to answer a question.

Seeing how absent-minded she was, Simon frowned and asked, “What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?”

“It’s nothing, really. Sorry, I just got lost in thought. She straightened up, shook her head, and tried to get into work mode.

Soon, it was time to leave work

Amanda glanced at her wrist to check the time. She had arranged to meet with a client regarding the case, but this person was too busy during the day to meet up in the morning.

After she packed up her things, she grabbed her bag and left the office.

As she walked out of the office building through the elevator to go to the garage, a white Bentley suddenly stopped in front of her.

Elias’ handsome face appeared when the window slowly rolled down. He asked in a deep and sexy voice, “Where are you going? Let me give you a ride.”

She smiled. “Is this your idea of dating?”

The man pulled his eyebrows together into a frown. “Don’t couples normally do this? Isn’t it a basic thing to have the man pick up the woman from work?”

Amanda did not know what to say. Well, it is the most basic thing in a relationship. However, it seems strange when Elias is the one doing this.

She didn’t bother thinking about it and walked straight to the garage. “Thanks for the kind offer, Mr. Ex- husband, but it’s alright. I’m going to meet a client. I’ll just drive there myself.”

The car slowly caught up with her pace. “What if I hire you a driver? Is that still a no? Also, you’re bad at driving and it’s rush hour now. You are going to get your head chewed off if you get on the road now,”

She instantly stopped in her tracks and turned to look at the man in the car.

This despicable man and his low EQ! Did he really expect to have a normal relationship like this? I bet no woman would want to date him if it weren’t for the Winters Family’s influence and his handsome face. There is no saving his insensitivity!

“Amanda, get in the car, the man said again.

Feeling a bit annoyed, she sighed and opened the car door. After she sat in the passenger seat, she fastened her seatbelt.

“Take me to the World Trade Center, please. Thanks, Mr. Ex-husband.” She intentionally emphasized the way she addressed him just to make him uncomfortable.

Displeased, the man furrowed his brows. “I don’t like that name. Change it.”

“But it’s the truth. Mr. Ex-husband. Is there something you are not happy about? Should I show you the divorce certificate to help you remember how you forced me to sign the divorce agreement back then?”

Elias didn’t say anything further. It seemed that this woman was deliberately making things hard for him.

It’s alright, he told himself. I won’t argue with women, especially since she is my woman.

Furthermore, I owe her too much back then. I have to make it up to her.

Amanda waited for a long time, but the man didn’t retort. She was somewhat surprised at that. Did his temper improve?

As expected, the streets were packed like crazy because it was rush hour.

When she drove through this intersection, she would always get cut off or honked at by drivers behind her, leaving her a nervous and flustered wreck. Her car had been scratched many times.

But today, with Elias driving her, they smoothly passed through this intersection.

She couldn’t help but wonder if her driving skills were really that bad. Maybe I just drive a bit slower…. Finally, Elias’ car entered the underground parking lot when they arrived at the World Trade Center. Amanda unbuckled her seatbelt and tried to send him away. “You can go if you have something to do. I might take some time to discuss work. I’ll take a cab back later.”

To her surprise, the man also unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car, his tall figure walking behind her.

Amanda stopped in her tracks and looked back at him with a face filled with confusion. “Why are you following me? You’re not planning to meet my client with me, are you?”

“No worries. I won’t get in your way. I’ll just sit at the table next to you,” Elias commented.

Amanda was speechless from disbelief.

Is this still the irritable demon I know? Is he really going to sit at the next table and wait for me quietly?

“What if it takes a few hours?” She couldn’t say for sure how long she would take. It would definitely take a long time if she couldn’t reach an agreement with the other party.

The man seemed unbothered. “I’ll wait for you. I have nothing else going on today anyway.”

Amanda narrowed her eyes slightly.

This was the future heir of Winters Enterprise they were talking about. There was no way he would be so free to waste his time. His daily schedule was supposed to be packed.

However, Amanda couldn’t be bothered to deal with him anymore. She was already running late for her appointment.

She then hurriedly stepped into the elevator, determined to reach the agreed-upon location before the client. It was a matter of proper etiquette.

She accidentally stumbled when she rushed into the elevator. Luckily, the man behind her caught her before he scolded her, “Walk properly! How can a lawyer be so careless?”

Amanda couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him. “I got it!”

It was strange. Even though Elias was the one pursuing a relationship with her, she felt as if his imposing presence was weighing her down.

Ding!

When they arrived on the 15th floor, Amanda walked into a cafe and chose a seat by the window.

Elias, being considerate, took a seat next to the aisle. However, his gaze remained fixed on Amanda like he was her bodyguard.

She felt herself becoming uncomfortable under his intense scrutiny. She helplessly looked at him and begged, “Will you stop staring at me?”

She needed to get into the right mindset to discuss work with the client later.

A faint smile appeared on the man’s lips. “Alright.”

At that moment, a waiter approached Elias to take his order.

After waiting for a few minutes, Amanda’s client finally arrived. He was the CEO of an advertising company, and he needed Amanda’s assistance in dividing marital assets for his divorce.

Amanda stood up, extending her hand with a smile. “Hello, Mr. Jensen. I’m Amanda Bailey from Justice & Associates.”

“Hello, hello, young lady. I’m surprised by how young you are. I thought you would be an older woman when Simon highly recommended you.” Zayne Jensen shook her hand and took a seat across from her.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 79 I’m Currently Pursuing Miss Bailey

Somehow, this simple handshake made Elias, who was sitting there, feel very displeased.

He picked up his coffee and took a sip. Instead of savoring the taste of the coffee, he treated it like alcohol.

Amanda’s way of shaking hands with clients always made him feel uneasy. He wondered how he managed to turn a blind eye to Grace’s intimate scenes, including sex scenes, with male celebrities.

He had always thought he didn’t care about things like that. But now that he thought about it, he probably didn’t care about whom Grace got intimate with.

Amanda, on the other hand….

The burning and possessive gaze made Amanda feel uncomfortable. She had to send signals to Elias with her eyes to not stare at her.

Zayne, who was sitting opposite her, noticed her sending knowing looks to someone with her eyes and couldn’t help but follow her line of sight.

And in the next second, Amanda was ignored by the client right there and then.

“Oh my, Mr. Winters! What are you doing here?” Seeing Elias sitting next to the aisle, Zayne stood up in surprise and went over to shake his hand.

Elias maintained an air of superiority and casually returned the handshake without standing up.

“I’m waiting for Miss Bailey.” Elias replied while staring at Amanda.

Zayne, being an astute person at his age, could see what was going on at a glance and pretended to be surprised. “So, you and Miss Bailey know each other, Mr. Winters? Are you two… in a relationship?”

He had already seen this morning’s news about Elias and that actress breaking up. It seems he has a newe target.

Amanda glared at Elias as if warning him. Don’t shoot your mouth off, or I’m going to block you right away!

Elias chuckled softly when he saw her glare. “No, but I am pursuing Miss Bailey. It all depends on whether she accepts me or not.

“Oh… I see. You have great taste, Mr. Winters! Are you by yourself? Why don’t we sit together?”

Since Zayne didn’t normally have a chance to meet Elias, today was a great opportunity for him. He wanted to play up this man of power and influence. If he could cooperate with the Winters Enterprise in the future, his advertising company would become famous overnight.

Amanda sighed and rubbed her forehead in frustration. Wherever Elias went, he always stood out the most. No one could ignore him.

And now, he had stolen the limelight again. Does Mr. Jensen still care about the divorce or is he only focused on business?

With that, Elias sat down next to her.

“Let’s get started, Miss Bailey. Let’s wrap it up quickly so that we don’t delay Mr. Winters’ appointment. with you. I can’t afford to take responsibility for that.” Zayne’s words were as sweet as honey as he hoped to leave a good impression on Elias.

“Mr. Jensen, work is important to me. I take every case seriously. I heard you have many concerns regarding the division of property and I have drafted a new divorce agreement. Would you please check if the agreement is reasonable? Can you agree to it?”

Amanda then handed a document to the man across from her.

Zayne quickly scanned through the document and looked up. “I think it’s great,” he commented. “I have no questions. I will leave this case to you, Miss Bailey. I feel assured now.”

As he spoke, his gaze remained fixed on Elias as he observed the latter’s reaction.

Amanda was speechless.

Zayne had been constantly reading Elias’ expressions. As such, he was being oddly agreeable despite rejecting her drafts time and time again in the past.

Meanwhile, Elias appeared indifferent while he leisurely sipped his coffee in a calm and composed manner.

“So, should I hand this divorce agreement to your ex-wife’s lawyer? Do you truly have no other questions?”

Amanda asked again, not convinced that Zayne wouldn’t change his mind once she was back at work tomorrow despite his compliant behavior today.

“Mhm. I have none. I’ll entrust you with everything, Miss Bailey. I trust your abilities.”

“Well…” Amanda suddenly didn’t know what to say.

Zayne tactfully smiled. “Alright, let’s wrap up the work. Everything is going smoothly. You two should go on your date. I won’t keep you any longer. I’ll leave first.”

After saying that, he stood up to leave.

Elias was quite satisfied with the man’s actions and spoke up. “Wait a moment.”

“Mr. Winters… Is something the matter?” Zayne was slightly startled, thinking he had done something wrong or said something amiss. He wanted to leave a good impression on Elias whenever and wherever “Please give me your business card,” Elias uttered in a deep voice. “For future collaboration.”

“Sure, sure! I’ll get it for you.” Zayne was dumbfounded. He hadn’t expected Elias to ask for his business card on his own.

He took out a business card from his briefcase and handed it over carefully with both hands.

After Elias accepted the business card, he gave Zayne one of his own. “Here’s my card. We’ll get in touch for any potential collaborations.”

“Thank you, Mr. Winters. I’ll be at your service anytime!” Zayne couldn’t stop grinning after he received the business card.

Amanda got up to see Zayne off.

Before he left. Zayne glanced at Elias sitting behind her and whispered to Amanda, “Miss Bailey. I’m really grateful for you. You’re truly my benefactor. Do you know how badly I want to cooperate with the Winters Enterprise? My advertising company would immediately establish itself in the industry if we could work on a deal together.”

“Please don’t say that, Mr. Jensen. You’re still my client.”

“No, no. You truly are my benefactor. Thank you, Miss Bailey. I’ll take my leave now and not disturb your date.”

Amanda couldn’t help but sigh when she saw the CEO of the advertising company off.

Just what was that?

She didn’t even have to persuade him. It is all thanks to Elias, the revered man sitting there, that today’s work came to a smooth end.

As Amanda returned to her seat, she picked up her coffee cup and took a sip.

“Are you upset? Didn’t it go well?” Elias couldn’t understand why she had that expression.

Amanda couldn’t help but roll her eyes and replied to him without any emotion, “He was being so agreeable because of your presence, not because of the divorce agreement I drafted.”

“Does that really matter? What’s important is that things went smoothly and you can finish your work early today.”

“Thank you, Mr. Ex-husband. I can leave work now, all thanks to you.” Amanda grumpily packed her things and started to leave.

Elias also stood up. “Have dinner with me.”

“I want to go home. I don’t want to eat with you.”

“Then I’ll go home with you and you can cook for me.” Elias shamelessly suggested.

He vaguely remembered Amanda’s wonderful cooking when he had tasted her cooking four years ago.


Confused, Amanda asked, “Mr. Elias Winters, is this how you date someone? You are pursuing me now, not the other way around. Why should I cook for you?”


The man proceeded to reply matter-of-factly, “I would love to cook for you, but I don’t know how.”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 80 This Is All Karma

“Can’t you learn? Is it so difficult to learn to cook for the woman you love? Or is this the extent of your sincerity in pursuing me?”

She was deliberately making things hard for Elias in an attempt to let him have a taste of his own medicine.

Knowing that Amanda was filled with resentment, the man remained silent.

When she got up and left, he stood up as well, offering. Then let me send you home.”

“There’s no need. I want to take a cab back. You promised to fix your temper, remember?”

In reality, she was worried that they would run into Aiden if Elias sent her home.

The man fell silent once again. He did promise to fix his bad temper.

Suppressing his dissatisfaction, he followed Amanda out of the World Trade Center and watched her flag down a cab and leave.

He then drove his car out of the parking lot and followed the cab, wanting nothing more than to ensure her safe arrival home.

In truth, he understood why Amanda treated him this way.

He deserved such treatment for all the wrongs he had done.

After following Amanda all the way back to Galaxy Bay, Elias parked his car in a dark corner and stayed there for a long time.

As he recalled the various wrongdoings he had committed against Amanda four years ago, he couldn’t help realizing that each one of them was quite excessive.

His phone vibrated all of a sudden.

Frowning, he only glanced at it as he didn’t feel like answering the call. However, he quickly picked up the phone when he saw that it was from the nursing home.

“Did something happen?”

The voice of the attending doctor came from the other end of the line. “Mr. Elias, your mother’s condition seems to be deteriorating. She keeps asking to see you. Do you have time to come over?”

Elias’ expression changed abruptly. “What happened to her?”

His parents had always been a mystery, having disappeared for many years. No one in his circle knew the whereabouts of his parents; it was as if they had disappeared from the face of the earth.

Howard might have claimed to the public that his son and daughter-in-law had settled abroad, but that was not true.

“I’m afraid I can’t say for sure, but your mother’s condition has been getting worse. I’m sure you are aware of that. It might be a good idea to come and see her if you have the time.”

“I’m on my way.”

After hanging up the phone, Elias immediately turned his car around and headed toward the nursing home.

Come to think of it, it seems like I haven’t visited my mother in half a year.

It wasn’t that Elias didn’t want to go, but every time he went, his presence would always trigger his mother and cause her mental state to deteriorate even further.

Elias arrived at the South Hill Care after nearly an hour’s drive.

Either due to the late hour or its inherently lifeless atmosphere, the place was eerily quiet.

After parking the car, he made his way to the upscale ward where his mother resided.

As he entered the room, he saw his mother’s frail figure in a patient’s gown as she sat in a rocking chair. muttering incessantly, “Waldo, all of this is retribution… Why do you still not believe in karma?”

Waldo Winters was the name of Elias’ father.

Elias walked up to his mother and kneeled slowly, observing her exhausted appearance.

“Is that you, Elias? Son.. Is it really you? Am I dreaming?” His mother looked at the handsome man before her and hesitated to believe what she was seeing. After all, she hadn’t seen her son in a long time.

In a deep, resonant voice, Elias replied softly, “Mom, it’s me.”

“Elias, you’ve finally come! I was so scared!”

Jennifer Morales embraced him tightly right after she said that. She seemed to have been genuinely frightened, seeing as how tears poured out of her eyes.

Elias gently patted his mother’s back. “What are you afraid of? Are you unhappy staying here? I can find another nursing home for you.”

Jennifer shook her head vigorously and broke away from his embrace. “No, it’s not that. I’m afraid, retribution will fall upon you again. I’m really scared.”

“Mom, stop imagining things!” His face darkened the moment he heard the word ‘retribution Elias despised that word.

However, his mother grabbed his arm in a firm hold. “Have you forgotten how your father died? It was all retribution. How could he do something as cruel as making someone else’s son be tortured to death in his place? And then he died in a car accident after he was crushed to a pulp. What is this, if it’s not retribution?!”

Ever since Yelan’s tragic death years ago, strange events had plagued the winters family

Waldo consecutively got into car accidents, ultimately tragically dying in the last one. Since then, Jennifer had suffered a mental breakdown and had to be sent to this nursing home.

The worst thing was that Waldo had passed away on Elias’ birthday.

Because of that, Elias never celebrated his birthday again.

Four years ago, Amanda took the initiative to celebrate Elias’ birthday, only to have him leave her pale with fear when he exploded in a fit of anger.

“Stop it!”

Elias roared in frustration, completely silencing his mother, who then stared blankly at him.

Impatiently, he stood up. “I thought you wanted to see me. If you’re only going to talk about these things, I’ll leave. Take care and rest well.”

He was fed up with his mother’s belief in retribution every time he visited her. It gave him splitting headaches.

His mother grabbed his arm. “Son, even if it’s for the sake of your future children, you need to be careful. Aren’t you afraid that your children will be hit by karma?”

Children…

Elias tall figure froze in place and a hint of shock appeared in his pitch-black eyes.

Did I lose my child because of… retribution?

Noticing his silence, Jennifer continued, “Hurry up and marry Grace. Yelan will leave us alone once you marry her. The only thing he was concerned about was his sister. As long as you marry his sister, everything will be fine!”

Elias’ annoyance was visible on his face. Even though he couldn’t bear to listen to another word from his mother, he didn’t want to upset her, considering her fragile state of mind.

He managed to muster a response, albeit insincere. “I’ll consider it. With that, he retracted his arm and turned to leave the ward.

As the door closed, the bathroom door creaked open and Grace emerged from inside.

Jennifer gazed at Grace and sighed in a tearful voice. “I hope he listens to me. Grace, you mustn’t leave Elias. You really mustn’t. Nothing must happen to him; he’s the sole heir of the Winters Family.”

Grace feigned a meek demeanor as she kneeled before Jennifer. “Mrs. Winters, please rest assured. I will never leave Elias. I don’t want to be apart from him. He’s the one who doesn’t want me…”

“Grace, my dear. I believe Elias will come around. He said he will consider it, so he definitely will. After all, you’re the only daughter-in-law I accept.”

Jennifer gently caressed Grace’s head. She was utterly convinced that Grace was the key to breaking this karmic cycle.

“Thank you, Mrs. Winters. I will be a supportive partner to Elias.” Even though Grace nodded with a smile,

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 81 Can’t Get in Touch with Elias

Galaxy Bay

“Mommy, I don’t want to wash my hair. I hate how it feels”

“No can do. You didn’t wash your hair yesterday, so you have to wash it today. You need to when you go to kindergarten so that other children will like playing with you. No one will want to pr close to you if you smell vucky”

Standing in the bathtub, Aiden constantly dodged the showerhead in his mother’s hand as he refused to
wash his hair.

However, Amanda was determined to wash the little brat’s hair tonight

Last night, the boy got away when he started acting cute with her. It’s not going to work even if he tres again tonight!

“Baby, be good and come over here. We’ll watch cartoons after washing your hair, alright?”

However, Aiden’s face was dripping with disdain when Amanda started her tactics of persuasion

“Mommy, you’re lying again. You never let me watch cartoons before bedtime. You always use this track to fool me.

This little brat has really grown up. It’s getting harder and harder to deceive him, she mused before stating. Tm serious this time. I absolutely won’t trick you! Come here!”

She quickly pulled the child in front of her and swiftly aimed the showerhead at his small head. Amid Aiden’s screams, she eventually finished washing his hair.

She wrapped the boy in a towel and carried him back to the bed in the bedroom

She was just about to tell him a bedtime story but just as she turned around to get a storybook, she found that the little bundle on the bed had already obediently fallen sound asleep when she looked back. His small lips were slightly parted as he slept with his limbs sprawled.

She couldn’t help smiling at the sight of his posture.

After she tucked him in, she turned off the bedside lamp and left the bedroom.

Amanda then returned to her bedroom to take a shower and go to sleep. This had been an exhausting day for her.

Her phone suddenly rang. She glanced at it and saw that it was a call from Elias Has he decided to be annoying after all? Is this what he thinks he should do when pursuing a two

Instead of answering the call, she put her phone on silent and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

Half an hour later, she walked out of the bathroom in a bathrobe, wiping her hair while glancing at her phone.

To her surprise, she saw seven or eight missed calls-all of which were from Elias-on the screen.

Is it an emergency? She wondered as she picked up her phone.

Right when she was hesitating whether to return his call, she unexpectedly received another call from Elias.

She answered the phone and held it to her car. “Why are you calling me so late at night when you should be sleeping?”

A deep and hoarse voice came from the other end of the line. “I just wanted to hear your voice.” The man sounded like he was intoxicated.

Does he really have to be so cheesy? she quietly wondered before asking. “Mr. Elias Winters, is this how you date? Do you really think this is how you should date?”

“Why don’t you teach me, then? I haven’t had much experience with women.”

Amanda let out a snicker. “Are you kidding me? You’ve never been in a relationship, you say? There are rumors all over about your romantic escapades.”

That’s why they call them rumors.”

“I don’t want to waste my time arguing with you. It’s been a long day. I’m tired and I want to sleep.”

After saying that, Amanda was about to hang up the phone when Elias stopped her. “Don’t hang up. There is something I want to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“My birthday is on the day after tomorrow. Will you celebrate it with me?”

Birthday?

Elias’ birthday was like a nightmare for Amanda.

She still remembered how she wanted to surprise him with a birthday surprise and made him a birthday cake four years ago.

However, when she presented the cake to Elias, he became so furious that he smashed the cake on the ground and warned her never to celebrate his birthday again.

Amanda started crying out of shock then. She had no idea what was going on.

And now Elias has the audacity to bring up his birthday? What a scumbag’

“Are you seriously bringing up your birthday? Have you forgotten how you destroyed my cake four years ago? You warned me never to celebrate your birthday again. Have you forgotten all about it? I’ll have you know that it’s etched in my memory.

Whenever she thought of that scene, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of humiliation. She couldn’t understand why Elias hated her so much.

The man on the phone remained silent for a long, long time.

After what felt like an eternity, Elias replied slowly, “I’m sorry…

Amanda was somewhat surprised when she received the unexpected apology from the man. Not only that, it sounded sincere too.

Is this the same Elias who is arrogant and never thinks he is in the wrong?

“Am I allowed to reject your apology?” She believed that the Elias from back then didn’t like her at all, or he wouldn’t have treated her so badly.

“Of course, you have the right to do that. Still, I want to spend the day after tomorrow with you. I’ll pick you up. It will only take two hours of your evening.”

After saying that, he hung up the phone without giving her a chance to refuse.

Amanda looked at the disconnected call and found it somewhat ridiculous.

This jerk claims he wants to fir his terrible temper and yet, he is still as domineering and forceful as ever.

It seemed that a leopard couldn’t change its spots.

Two days later, Amanda had a full schedule for the day. It was already 7.00PM after she had her meeting.

Since she had completely forgotten that it was Elias’ birthday, she drove back to Galaxy Bay, intending to make dinner for Aiden

At around 8.00PM, lightning started flashing outside before there was a downpour.

“Mommy, it’s thundering. I’m scared…”

Aiden quickly nestled in her arms and held her tight.

“Don’t be afraid, sweetheart. It’s just thunder. I will go and close the windows.”

Amanda then got up to shut the windows. As she took a glance at the raindrops as big as beans outside, she muttered, “Why is it suddenly raining so heavily..

“Go play with Mr. Bodyguard in the living room. I’m almost done preparing dinner.”

Amanda glanced at the bodyguard who had indeed been dutifully taking care of the child these days. However, she still needed to get new bodyguards and nannies as soon as possible.

“Aye!” Aiden wiggled his bottom and ran to the living room.

At that moment, Amanda’s phone rang right when she was about to serve the food and have dinner.

Looking at the unfamiliar number on her phone, the puzzled woman answered the call. “Who is this?”

“Miss Bailey, this is Boris Jones speaking. I wanted to ask if Mr. Winters is with you. He whipped up a feast and said he wanted to pick you up for his birthday. However, he’s been gone for a long time and I can’t
reach him on his phone.”

It turned out to be a call from the butler at Winters Estate.

The birthday!
Amanda had completely forgotten about his birthday, Elias, too, hadn’t come to find her or called her.

“No, he hasn’t come to see me and he didn’t call me either. He probably went to celebrate his birthday with his friends, no?”

“I don’t think so. Mr. Winters has never cooked before. He spent the whole afternoon with the chef today, and then he went to personally pick you up for his birthday. But now we can’t reach him and it’s raining so heavily. I’m a bit worried…

The butler’s concern was not unfounded, since driving in heavy rain like this could be especially dangerous.

“I’ll try calling him.”

“Alright. Thank you, Miss Bailey. Mr. Winters was in a good mood before he left today, and he seemed like he really looked forward to you tasting his cooking. That’s why I’m afraid something might have happened to him, now that we can’t get in touch with him.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll try to call him.”

After hanging up the phone, Amanda couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 82 Broken Headlights

Amanda found Elias’ phone number in her contacts and dialed it, but no one answered

She kept trying a few more times but to no avail.

The rain outside was pouring harder and harder.

Where could Elias be? Why can’t I reach him?

For some reason, even she started to worry about Elias disappearance. Although he was a grown man and there was no reason for him to go missing, she couldn’t be certain about anything at the moment.

“Mommy, I’m hungry! Is dinner ready? I’m starving!”

Aiden couldn’t bear the hunger any longer and ran to the kitchen, whining adorably.

“Oh.” Amanda snapped back to reality when she heard that. “It’s done. You and Mr. Bodyguard can have dinner at home. I have something to do, but I will be back soon.”

As she placed the dishes on the table and filled two plates with pasta, she went outside and instructed the bodyguard, “Please eat with Aiden. I have something to take care of.”

The bodyguard had no objections and simply replied. “It’s raining outside, Miss Bailey. Please come back

Thank you. Please take good care of Aiden. Don’t let him out of your sight for even one second,” she emphasized once again.

The bodyguard nodded. “Don’t worry.”

“Mommy, where are you going? I want to go too! Don’t leave me at home. I want to go too!” Aiden hugged Amanda’s slender legs like he was a koala.

Feeling a little helpless, Amanda kneeled and patiently explained. “I have an urgent matter to attend to. What about I accompany you when I come back, hmm? I’m not going out to have fun.”

“Ugh… Fine. I’m hungry now, anyway. I don’t have time to go with you!” Aiden huffed before obediently getting on a chair at the dining table to eat his dinner.

Amanda glanced at the bodyguard in the dining room and felt somewhat reassured.

She then returned to her bedroom upstairs, changed into a different outfit, and grabbed an umbrella before leaving the house.

Once she drove out of Galaxy Bay, she had a bewildered look on her face. She had no idea where she should start looking for Elias.

Amanda continued dialing his number, but she couldn’t get through since no one answered.

She called the Winters Estate again, and the butler quickly answered and eagerly asked. “Miss Bailey! Are there any updates? Did you manage to contact Mr. Winters?”

From the sound of it, it seemed that even the butler had no clue where Elias might be.

“No. You still haven’t found him? Where could he possibly be when it is raining so heavily outside?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know. All I know is that Mr. Winters was busy whipping up a feast to celebrate his birthday. I don’t know why we suddenly can’t reach him. It has been five to six hours. I’m really worried that something might have happened to him.”

“Stop thinking negatively. I’m sure he is fine. Maybe he got caught up with something at the very last minute. I’ll go to the company and check.” That was what Amanda thought. After all, considering how Elias was always occupied with work, he might have some business to attend to.

But the butler on the other end of the line explained, “I already called the company earlier. They said that he is not there. I’m genuinely worried that Mr. Winters had a car accident on the way. If something did happen right when it was raining so heavily, it would be difficult for anyone to notice him. Just like what happened to the chairman years ago—”

Boris abruptly stopped mid-sentence when he realized that he had said the wrong thing-

However, Amanda found out something important from Boris words. Was Elias’ father in a car accident?

However, she had no time to worry about things like that now. All she wanted to do was find Elias as quickly as possible.

“Don’t worry. I’ll go and look for him again while I keep calling him.”

After ending the call, Amanda decided to retrace the route from here to Galaxy Bay. If something had really happened to Elias’ car halfway, she would surely come across it.

She kept calling, but not once were her calls answered.

The rain that grew heavier poured onto the windshield like a cascade of water, making it almost impossible to see the road ahead. Fortunately, the Winters Estate was located in a suburban area, and there weren’t many vehicles on the road.

Amanda deliberately slowed down the car, both for safety reasons and to check if Elias’ car was anywhere along the way.

There was no one in sight on the road she drove. In fact, it would make more sense for there to be no one who drove in this terrible weather.

Her confidence started to falter when she had almost reached the entrance of the estate and still hadn’t noticed anything unusual.

Can a person just disappear like this out of the blue? It doesn’t make sense!

And so, she decided to go back to where she came from. I must have missed some places because of how heavy the rain is

Amanda turned the car around and started heading back the same way. This time, she went slower than before as she scanned the surroundings.

At last, she noticed something amiss. She slowly stopped the car and carefully examined a tree by the side of the road. It seemed to bear signs of impact as there were fallen leaves and branches scattered on the ground.

With an umbrella in her hand, she opened the car door and strode toward the tree.

Upon reaching the tree, she touched the fresh scratch marks on its trunk. It was definitely recent, likely from today.

A wave of uneasiness washed over her. Did he really get into a car accident?

Her anxiety also rose as she looked at the fresh leaves on the ground.

Even if she despised Elias and was against remarrying him, she didn’t want anything bad to happen to him.

Amanda held the umbrella and walked into the woods, hoping to find the man’s car, as finding the car would lead her to him.

Even though she had already prepared for the worst-case scenario, which was that Elias might truly be in trouble…

The constant pitter-patter she heard from the umbrella above her head sounded like they were beating against her heart, each drop making her tenser than before.

She spent some time walking deep into the woods, but there was no sign of the car. She even had to use a flashlight to illuminate the path ahead.

The further she went, the more fearful she became. In truth, she was slightly afraid of the dark, especially in a deserted forest like this.

Just as Amanda was about to retreat and turn around to leave, she suddenly felt something under her feet.

Startled, she shone the flashlight on the ground and discovered a shattered car headlight all over the place.

This means that Elias’ car is nearby!

Amanda swept her flashlight around and searched for his car in the vicinity.

Finally, she spotted a Rolls-Royce on the left, but it was in a horrible state as it had been overturned. The headlights and bumper were scattered on the ground.

Tears welled up in Amanda’s eyes as she cried and hurriedly approached the scene. Her heartbeat accelerated with each step.

She couldn’t bear to imagine the condition inside the car right now. What happened to Elias in the crash… Is he… dead?

She suddenly had an emotional breakdown. As she stared at the overturned vehicle before her, her steps grew heavy and she hesitated to go closer.

But if Elias was seriously injured, she couldn’t afford to delay getting him to the hospital. It could cost him his life.

Amanda rushed forward and shone her flashlight into the car, only to find it empty with the windows open.

“Elias, where are you? Elias!”

She turned around and called the man’s name out loud. However, the sound of rain hitting the leaves drowned her voice, covering it completely.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 83 Be Good and Listen to Me, Okay?

“Elias? Elias! Where are you? Can you hear me?!”

Amanda held her umbrella and looked around while shouting, hoping the man could hear her.

It was perplexing to her how the car had overturned in the woods, but the driver was nowhere to be found.

Amanda couldn’t quite understand what had happened at that moment. How can the car be so wrecked while the driver has disappeared? Did a kind passerby rescue Elias and take him to the hospital? That seems to be the most logical explanation. After all, a person can’t just vanish into thin air, right?

With that thought in mind, Amanda abruptly turned around, intending to drive to the hospital and look for Elias.

Perhaps Elias was lying in the hospital right now, which was why he hadn’t been answering the phone.

“Ah!”

Amanda tripped and stumbled because she was in such a hurry. Fortunately, she grabbed hold of a nearby tree. She would have fallen onto the muddy ground otherwise.

However, it was this stumble that allowed her to spot a figure in the distance amidst the darkness.

When she saw a shadow leaning against a large tree in the distance, she shone her flashlight in that direction and shouted, “Elias? Is that you?”

She wasn’t entirely sure, but she couldn’t resist the urge to go and take a closer look. With that, she started approaching that figure.

As she approached, she realized that it was indeed Elias.

He was currently leaning against the tree trunk with blood pouring down his forehead. His head seemed injured, but his eyes were empty as they looked ahead soullessly.

“Elias? What happened to you? Say something! What are you doing here all alone? Why didn’t you answer the phone? If you had an accident, why didn’t you call for help? What’s going on with you?”

Amanda suddenly felt anger welling up within her. Just what is this man doing?

Everyone was worried about him searching for his whereabouts, and here he was, hiding without answering any calls despite looking as awake as ever.

Elias’ clothes were soaked through, and his disheveled short hair gave him a touch of wildness, especially in such a primitive environment.

When he finally showed a reaction, he glanced at her indifferently and breathed, “If only I died.”

Thinking she had misheard, Amanda couldn’t help but widen her eyes.

She couldn’t believe that she was hearing such pessimistic words from him. What is going on? Did he hit his head too hard? Is it a concussion?

“What are you talking about? It’s just a car accident. It’s not a big deal as long as you’re okay. Why would you have such thoughts? Do you think it would be better if you died? People can only dream of being you. and yet you want to die!”

Amanda crouched down and covered Elias from the rain with her umbrella. She noticed how the man exuded an air of desolation when she saw his handsome but pale face and his lips which were devoid of color.

Surprisingly, he put on a despairing smile and began slowly. “Do you believe in karma…”

Karmal’ Amanda was confused. Why is he bringing that up out of nowhere?

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Do you remember what I did to you four years ago when you celebrated my birthday?” Elias voluntarily brought up his birthday four years ago.

It would have been better if he hadn’t mentioned it, as Amanda couldn’t help but get angry. However, she let it slide at the sight of Elias in such a pitiful state.

She asked in return, “Yeah. What about it?”

Elias let out a deep sigh and lifted his chin to gaze into her clear eyes. “I didn’t mean to get angry with you. It’s because my birthday coincides with the anniversary of my father’s death”

The anniversary of his father’s death?!

Amanda’s eyes were gradually filled with astonishment. Has the father-in-law I haven’t met passed on?

She had never met her mysterious in-laws. Howard did say that they have settled abroad, so how…..

Not knowing what to say, she could only quietly listen as the man poured his heart out.

“My birthday is an unlucky day. My father was crushed to pieces and died in a car accident on that very day. There was no chance to save him. Now, I want to forget the past and start celebrating my birthday anew. And yet, I ended up in a car accident again.”

With a bitter laugh, Elias continued, “It’s probably karma. I should never expect to celebrate my birthday. I don’t deserve it.”

Amanda’s heart melted and she couldn’t help but pat the man’s shoulder. “How can you say such things? What does it have to do with karma? It was just a coincidence that your father had an accident on your birthday. It has nothing to do with you or karma.”

“That’s because you don’t understand what really happened!” The man erupted in anger. “If it wasn’t for my father’s decision, Yelan wouldn’t have died such a horrible death! His death was the retribution, and now it’s my turn. Ever since I crawled out of my car. I’ve been wondering why I didn’t die. Does my death signify the end of everything…

Stunned, Amanda was unsure of how to react.

She didn’t know how to console Elias because everything did seem eerily similar to retribution.

“I’ll take you to the hospital to have your injuries treated first.”

She then tried to help him up, but Ehas pulled her into his arms and tightly embraced her

Her umbrella fell to the ground as she was forcefully held by him, unable to break free.

In a low, husky voice, the man whispered into her ear, “The reason we lost our child was probably because of retribution too.”

Amanda’s body stiffened and her eyes widened in disbelief.

He has lost his mind! How can he think about something so terrifying? Our child is living well. Karma played no part in this!

“Elias, I’ll take you to the hospital. You’re not being rational now. Let’s deal with your wounds first!” Amanda insisted.

She didn’t want to say too much to Elias, who seemed disoriented after the accident.

The man only ignored her words and continued, “Amanda, if I were to die, would you be sad? When the time comes, please place my tombstone next to our child’s

Amanda did not know what to say in response. He is mad. He has gone completely mad. He must have a concussion for him to come up with nonsense like this.

“Be good and listen to me, okay? Let’s go to the hospital now. In what way is your accident retribution? It’s because of the rain. And if it were truly retribution, you would have died instantly. You wouldn’t have come out alive.”

Amanda broke free from Elias’ embrace and helped him stand up like she was coaxing a child. They then slowly walked toward the roadside outside the woods.

Seeing the seemingly severe injury on Elias’ forehead drenched in rain, she began to worry about the risk of infection. They needed to get to the hospital as soon as possible.

Elias only remained silent as he allowed her to help him out of the forest.

“It’s alright. We’ll take our time if you’re in pain. No need to rush,” Amanda reassured him.

She noticed that Elias’ gait was off, possibly indicating an injury to his leg as well. After all, the car had overturned. It was unlikely that he only sustained an injury to his head.

She wasn’t even this patient toward Aiden. However, the child hated it when she cooed at him.

Elias’ face suddenly fell when he complained, “Can you not talk to me like you are speaking to a child?”

Hearing that, a speechless Amanda couldn’t help thinking that both Elias and their son were a pair of stereotypical macho men. Like father, like son!

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 84 Don’t Fall Asleep, Elias

Amanda no longer uttered another word as she helped the man out of the woods. The rain had subsided significantly by now.

Finally reaching her car, she opened the passenger door and helped Elias get inside.

When she returned to the driver’s seat, she noticed the man struggling to fasten his seatbelt.

It was then she realized that Elias had also hurt his arm. It should have been obvious to her that he had more injuries than one. Even the car was wrecked, so how could he possibly walk away with only minor injuries?

“Let me help you”

They were immediately close to one another when Amanda leaned over and buckled him up.

Elias could even see the fluttering of her thick, long eyelashes. A faint smile appeared on his lips then. It was as if he could only experience her momentary tenderness during situations like this.

Meanwhile, raindrops outside the car window resumed their fierce assault on the glass, creating an unsettling pitter-patter.

Amanda started to drive toward the city. She wanted to pick up the pace since Elias had sustained multiple injuries and had been drenched in rain for a considerable amount of time.

However, it seemed as if the rain deliberately trapped her here, prolonging their journey and preventing her from accelerating.

Sensing her thoughts, Elias reassured her. “It’s okay. Take it slow. I can manage.”

A surge of anger coursed through Amanda when she heard those words, and she couldn’t help but lose her temper. “What do you mean by “you can manage? Your car was flipped over and you have so many wounds. You’ve been sitting in the rain for so long. Do you even realize that your injuries could get infected an inflamed? Let’s see how you are going to manage that when your condition worsens!”

Elias had been observing her profile all along. Seeing her complaining put a smile on his face.

“Do you worry about me?” he asked.

Unaware of the peculiar look in Elias’ eyes as she continued to drive, Amanda replied in a slightly annoyed tone. “What do you mean by that? Even if a random stranger had witnessed the accident, they would have helped you. That’s called human decency! Besides, are you stupid? You didn’t report the accident immediately or call emergency services. Instead, you sat in the rain, wondering about retribution and. whatnot. Are you too bored or…”

Despite being bombarded with Amanda’s continuous grumbling. Elias found great enjoyment in listening to her.

In a way, this was her way of showing her concern.

After complaining for quite some time without receiving any response from the man, Amanda finally glanced at him and caught him staring at her in a daze.

She frowned. “Why are you looking at me like that? Do you find my nagging annoying? I’ll have you know that if I hadn’t come here to find you, you would have been stuck in the rain all night. I checked the weather forecast. The rain will continue until tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you”

Amanda did not know what to say in response. The car fell silent in that instant. It felt so unfamiliar to her. Recently, Elias had been acting like he had both changed and remained the same old him. It was strange.

He even started thanking and apologizing to her.

The old Elias wouldn’t have done something like that.

Amanda didn’t speak anymore. She quietly drove, hoping the rain would get even a little lighter so that she could speed up and go to the hospital.

She was genuinely afraid that Elias would pass out in the car. When she let him lean against her earlier. she felt his higher-than-usual body temperature.

“Why are you not talking?” Elias consciousness started to blur. He felt like sleeping.

Amanda glanced at him. “It’s raining cats and dogs. I need to focus on driving. I can’t even see the road properly.”

“Just say something. I’m getting sleepy…” The man’s gaze became unfocused as he leaned against the car seat, his mind feeling hazy

Sleepy Amanda turned her head and carefully observed the man’s condition. He did seem a bit off. Noticing this, she couldn’t help but step on the gas and drive faster.

“Elias, don’t fall asleep. Please don’t fall asleep. We’ll be entering the city soon. You can continue talking to me once we reach the hospital. It’s really dangerous for you to sleep now”

Right then, Amanda noticed that the passenger seat next to her was stained with a lot of blood. Is he losing too much blood

She started feeling anxious then. Elias might go into shock if this goes on!

“Okay… Got it. Just talk to me.”

“W-What should I say? I don’t know what to say.” Amanda was on edge now. Not knowing what to say anymore, she started to speak incoherently.

Elias no longer responded. His face was as pale as paper as he leaned against the car seat.

“Elias! I’m warning you, don’t fall asleep. Don’t sleep! Oh, right, weren’t you thinking about karma in the woods earlier? Let me tell you something that will make you not believe in karma

Amanda had a clever idea. She decided to tease him a bit and stimulate his mind to keep him awake.

Drowsy and weak, Elias replied in a feeble voice, “What is it…”

He is still awake! Perfect!

“That is.”

Amanda’s inner turmoil grew. Should I tell Elias about the child? At this point, nothing is more important than his life.

“What is it..” Elias’ voice grew weaker as if he could collapse at any moment. His face also became paler.

With beads of cold sweat forming on her forehead, Amanda tightly gripped the steering wheel. “IO 106”

Elias no longer responded then. After his eyes slowly closed, darkness enveloped his vision.

“Elias Winters! Don’t fall asleep! What I wanted to tell you is that your child is alive. There’s no karma or retribution. Don’t believe in those, okay?”

Having fallen into a deep slumber, the man remained completely unresponsive. Unfortunately, not a single word of the most crucial information reached him.

Amanda abruptly slammed on the brakes and reached over to tap Elias” face. “Elias? Elias, wake up! Don’t fall asleep!”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she desperately tried to wake him. She had no choice but to quickly drive to the city center. She couldn’t believe how he passed out when they were almost there!

It was late at night by the time they reached the city center. As the streets were devoid of pedestrians and vehicles, they didn’t have any trouble getting to the hospital.

With the support of doctors and nurses, Elias was swiftly taken into the operating room. Amanda finally felt a slight sense of relief as her heart eased slightly.

What followed was a lengthy wait. She watched as the operating room’s sign lit up, and it felt like her heart was in her mouth again.

She quietly prayed, please, please let everything be all right….

After all, Elias was Aiden’s biological father. Amanda genuinely didn’t want anything to happen to the man.

She paced outside the operating room for what felt like an eternity as the doors remained shut. She had no idea what was happening inside.

Her phone rang at that moment.

It was a call from the estate.

Thinking that it was Boris who called to ask about the situation, she answered the call and reassured the caller. “You don’t have to ask anymore. I have found him. He did get into an accident along the way, but I’ve already brought him to the hospital. Do send someone to take care of him as soon as possible.”

“What?! Something really happened? Alright, I’ll send someone right away!”

Just then, the lights in the operating room finally went out, and the lead surgeon took off his mask after he emerged from the room.