Watching her hurry away, eager to fall into another man’s arms, Eddy felt a pain in his chest so sharp he could hardly breathe.
Blanche, a little out of breath, jogged up to Ablett’s side. “Director–General.”
“Don’t wander too far,” he said, glancing at her rumpled dress and the strands of hair spilling from her updo. His gaze drifted to the shadows of the forest bordering the estate.
“Sis, there are all sorts of wild animals roaming these woods, Rebekah said, linking arms with Blanche. “It’s not safe after dark. The roast lamb’s ready–Grandma wants everyone back at the table.”
Blanche steadied her breathing. Besides Rebekah, several other members of the Lopez family were gathered nearby.
She didn’t want her personal affairs to disturb anyone, so she simply nodded and
left with Rebekah.
“You know, you vanished all of a sudden–scared my brother half to death,” Rebekah whispered as they walked. “He may seem aloof, like nothing ever gets to him, but he cares about you more than you think.”
Blanche just smiled faintly, saying nothing.
Ablett lingered where he was, his usually calm eyes turning cold. Before long, a plainclothes officer emerged from the trees, crouching beside him to report.
“Sir, we found signs of several people inside, and quite a bit of blood, but whoever it was got away. We followed the trail but lost them.”
The forest was enormous–venture much further and it became untamed mountain. Ablett gave a curt nod and walked back toward the villa.
Immediately, security teams expanded their patrols, tightening the perimeter. A helicopter began circling overhead, its searchlight sweeping the grounds, sealing the Lopez estate in a fortress of light.
The evening’s excitement had barely faded as everyone returned from the bire on the beach to the family dining room.
A maid brought out a platter of roast lamb. Ablett’s long, deft fingers handled the knife and fork with meticulous care, slicing the meat into neat pieces and placing a
10:01
plate before Blanche.
Since returning, she’d seemed distant, her spirits low.
It wasn’t until he set the plate in front of her that she snapped out of her daze. She offered Ablett a faint smile in thanks, but made no move to pick up her fork.
No one at the table had ever seen Ablett wait on anyone before.
He’d always been the golden child–reserved, brilliant, handpicked early for training by those in power. He’d spent much of his childhood away from home, and as an adult was often sent on special assignments. With his proud, icy demeanor, his siblings both feared and admired him, but none dared ask for his help. Only Leda, to whom he’d been engaged since childhood, ever exchanged more than a few words with him. But even Leda had never been treated this way.
Now, watching Blanche receive his care–and seemingly take it for granted–some of the family found it hard to stay silent.
“How did you and my cousin meet, Miss Griffiths?” asked Adelina Lopez, Ablett’s younger cousin.
All eyes turned to Blanche.
“We met at university–just a random encounter on campus,” Blanche recalled. In truth, their first meeting hadn’t been when she won the computer science competition and was invited to meet him, but even earlier.
“I’d dropped my phone, and, well… Ablett happened to pick it up for me,” she said, glancing at him, wondering if he remembered.
At her words, Ablett’s dark eyes–reflecting the shimmer of the distant sea–fixed on her hand, where a drop of blood had splattered.
He reached out without hesitation, gently brushing the blood away.
Blanche started, glancing at him in surprise. Meeting his cool gaze, she squeezed his hand and lowered her eyes.
ys
To everyone else, the scene was intimate–restrained yet unmistakably passionate.
“Wow, I can’t believe my brother was the one to make the first move. He’s so… well, you know…” Rebekah grinned, just as her phone buzzed. Seeing the caller ID, she lit up and hurried out to the hallway.
“I’m here at my grandma’s place too,” she said into the phone, tucking her hair behind her ear, cheeks flushed with excitement. “Why don’t you come over for a few days? Don’t worry, my grandma’s really welcoming.”
1001
Soon after Rebekah returned, leading a tall, striking man into the dining though she owned the place.
As they entered, Ablett’s uncle, Patrick Lopez, nearly dropped his fork. Eddy! Wh are you doing here?”
Eddy’s eyes, burning with anguish, found Blanche’s pale face and locked onto her.
Everyone’s gaze shifted to her as well.
Patrick blinked in surprise. “Wait–do you and Miss Griffiths know each other?”
Chapter 214
