A sudden, sharp unease coiled in his chest. Without another thought, he jerked away from Kyla’s grasp and strode back toward the banquet hall, his steps quick and purposeful.
“Noah! Noah!” Kyla’s voice rose, tinged with panic and desperation. But she was too weak to follow, her pleas fading into the background as Noah disappeared through the door.
His face was set, grim and determined, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios.
He grabbed the first person he saw, a startled waiter, his voice dropping to a cold, dangerous tone. “Where’s Sadie?”
The waiter’s eyes widened in fear. “I don’t know, Mr. Wall…” he stammered, his words trembling in the tense air.
Noah shoved him aside, his unease now morphing into full-blown dread.
He moved swiftly, his long strides carrying him through the hotel toward the back entrance. As soon as he pushed through the door, the stark contrast hit him-the quiet, almost haunting stillness outside felt miles away from the banquet hall’s lingering laughter and music.
Then he saw it. Under the flickering streetlight, a dark red stain smeared across the pavement, standing out vividly against the concrete.
Noah’s pupils constricted, and a heavy, suffocating weight dropped into his chest.
Noah’s body trembled as he crouched beside the chilling pool of blood, his fingertips grazing the surface. A shiver surged from his hands, coursing through him with icy dread.
Just inches away, Sadie’s handbag lay discarded, its contents spilled out like silent whispers of the chaos that had unfolded.
“Damn it!” Noah hissed, a storm of emotions swirling within him. In a sudden burst of fury, he stood and slammed his fist against the wall. Pain exploded through his hand as his knuckles split and blood mingled with the paint, a sharp contrast to the pale barrier.
Taking out his phone, he dialed with unsteady hands.
“Find Sadie immediately! I need to see her, dead or alive,” he commanded, his voice a rough whisper laden with barely contained rage and a tremor of fear.
“Hmmm…” A faint groan pierced the silence. Sadie’s eyelids fluttered, fighting against the weight of her weariness.
As her eyes cracked open, a harsh white light assaulted her senses, forcing her to squint against the brightness.
She was enveloped by an endless white expanse, the sterile scent of disinfectant hanging heavy in the air.
A ventilator pressed uncomfortably against her face, hindering her breaths.
Awareness slowly crept in-she was in a hospital.
Her blurred sight slowly sharpened, forming the outline of a concerned figure standing over her. It was none other than Alex.
Recognition flickered through her foggy mind, and a wave of relief washed over her. Her heart, which had been pounding in wild disarray, settled into a more steady rhythm.
Thank goodness it wasn’t Noah.
“You’re awake, Sadie!” Alex’s voice carried a trace of concern as he lightly brushed his hand against her forehead. “How are you feeling?” he asked softly, his eyes searching hers for any sign of discomfort.
Sadie gave a feeble shake of her head, her voice just a raspy whisper.
“Water…” she murmured weakly, her lips barely moving.
Without hesitation, Alex grabbed a glass and filled it to the brim before gently assisting her in sipping.
The cool water glided over her parched lips and down her throat, offering a fleeting respite from her discomfort.
“Take me away from here,” Sadie muttered urgently, gripping Alex’s hand with surprising strength. Her voice was fraught with desperation. “Please. Take me away.”
Her eyes, wide and haunted, seemed to see something horrifying beyond the sterile hospital walls.
“I don’t care if I die-I just never want to see Noah again.”
Alex felt a painful squeeze in his chest, seeing her fear.
“The private jet is ready,” he assured with quiet confidence. “We can leave anytime you want. But your condition-it’s precarious. It’s best to rest here, under medical care, for a few more days. We’re safe, Sadie. We’re not in Jazmah anymore. This is my territory. Noah won’t find us here.”
But Sadie was shaking her head fiercely, tears cascading down her cheeks in silent testimony to her resolve.
“No. I want to leave now,” she insisted, her voice quivering with determination. “I can’t bear another minute here.”
Seeing the resolve in her eyes, Alex realized that arguing would be pointless.
“Alright,” he said with a heavy nod. “I’ll arrange for us to leave immediately.” He stood, his silhouette framed by the window, and dialed the phone. His instructions were murmured into the receiver with an air of finality.
Sadie’s breath caught as the haunting memory of the crash reverberated through her closed eyelids.
The black car, the blinding headlights-it had all collided with the force of a tempest.
Everything had spiraled so quickly, a blur of moments that could have spelled her end.
But here she was, breathing, her heart beating a fierce rhythm of survival, clinging to the hope of a brighter future-a future where she could finally be free, with Noah out of the picture.
“Alex,” her voice cracked as she reopened her eyes, desperation shimmering within them. “Please, you have to help me. Make Noah believe I’m dead-that’s the only way he’ll…”
“Stop searching for me.”
Alex turned to face her, his features softening, his heart twisting at the sight of her drained face and the sheer fear in her eyes.
Meanwhile, in the chilling glow of the study at Myrtlewood Estate, Noah’s fingers clicked the mouse in an impatient rhythm.
The screen froze on a frame: a slender figure, Sadie, was caught in the merciless embrace of a black sedan, the dim streetlight casting long shadows over the scene.
Noah’s heart clenched, his breath hitching as the vice-like grip of dread and realization tightened around him.
As the footage played on, a figure emerged from the driver’s side-a man shrouded in the anonymity of a hat and a mask.
Despite the disguise, Noah’s eyes narrowed, recognition dawning with chilling certainty. There he was again-Ryder.
With steady steps, Ryder closed the distance, bent down, and said something in a hushed tone.
Through the flickering glow of the screen, Noah could almost feel Ryder’s smugness oozing through, as if the man were basking in the glory of his vile actions.
“Damn it!” Noah’s voice cracked the tense air as he slammed his fist down on the table, his knuckles whitening with the force.
In that instant, the surveillance footage sputtered and died, leaving the room cloaked in sudden darkness.
Noah’s fist struck the mahogany coffee table with a resounding “Bang!” His frustration spilled out in a guttural roar.
His teeth were clenched so tightly that it seemed the veins on his forehead might burst from the pressure.
“What happened to the rest of the surveillance? Why did it suddenly stop? Where’s Sadie? Is there still no news?” His questions flew like bullets, punctuating the heavy silence of the study.
Noah stood up abruptly, his imposing figure casting a long, ominous shadow across the room.
Samuel, standing beside him, trembled slightly, holding his breath.
“Mr. Wall, we still haven’t heard anything about Mrs. Wall. The surveillance… It appears to have been deliberately sabotaged. The tech team says it’s beyond repair,” he stammered, his voice barely audible against the thick tension.
Noah’s expression darkened, a storm brewing in his steely eyes.
“Where’s Kyla?” he demanded, his tone icy.
“Miss Wade is in the hospital. She… She’s been hoping you’d visit,” Samuel replied, his eyes darting nervously, cautious of Noah’s impending explosion of wrath.
“Find Ryder as soon as possible and bring him to me,” Noah commanded, his voice low and dangerous, filled with a promise of retribution.
“This time, he won’t escape again.” His menacing tone echoed ominously, as if sealing Ryder’s fate with each syllable.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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