The phone call came from the study,Harry's private one. Ana stepped inside, her fingers trembling slightly as she picked up the receiver. The heavy oak door shut behind her with a soft click.
"Hello?" she said softly.
There was a short pause before his deep, familiar voice echoed in her ear.
"Ana."
Her heart jumped. She clutched the phone tighter, her throat tightening. "Harry…"
"I'm sorry I couldn't be there tonight," he said. "I know what these gatherings are like."
Ana closed her eyes for a second. "It's been… manageable."
"Has anyone made things hard for you?" His voice sharpened. "Sasha? Trisha?"
She hesitated. "Not directly."
There was a pause on the line.
"I hate that I left you alone there," he said. "But the situation here needed my attention. I'll wrap things up quickly and return by the end of the week. I promise."
Her heart squeezed. "I miss you, Harry."
He didn't respond right away, but when he did, his voice was low, intimate. "I miss you more than you know. Everything feels off without you."
Ana smiled faintly, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"Also," he added, "I heard something odd from one of my guards. A man's been bothering you… someone named Russell?"
She stiffened. "He wasn't bothering me. He introduced himself as your cousin."
"I don't care who he is," Harry said firmly. "If he approaches you again, walk away. Don't let that smile fool you. Be careful."
Ana nodded. "Alright."
Another pause. Then, in a softer tone, Harry asked, "Are you still riding every morning?"
She chuckled lightly. "I try. I fall more than I ride."
"Next time, I'll take you out myself," he said. "Just you and me. Away from the stares, the drama, all of it."
Ana bit her lip to keep from crying. "That sounds perfect."
They stayed silent for a few moments, the distance between them heavier than the miles.
"I love you, Ana," he said quietly.
"I love you too."
The next morning, Sasha stood at the breakfast table in a powder-blue dress, flipping through the guest registry with thinly veiled irritation.
"He really called her during his trip?" she asked, her voice coated with venom. "Does she whisper some secret spell into the phone?"
Trisha, lounging beside her, scoffed. "I don't get it either. He's obsessed. If I were her, I'd keep a low profile. Instead, she parades around the garden like a dainty duchess."
Elsewhere in the city,
In the hushed luxury of a private room, a meeting unfolded.
An elderly man, impeccably dressed in a custom-tailored black suit, sat opposite a cold and distant young man. The old man leaned on a polished cane, his lined face lit with a mix of excitement and nervousness, eyes never straying from the figure before him.
"This… This old man is quite pleased to see you again," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. "You've grown into a fine man. I've always wanted to ask...how are you doing?"
The young man's gaze was expressionless. There was no warmth, no recognition, only indifference.
"Child," the old man continued, voice thick with longing, "all these years I never gave up hope. My heart ached not knowing where you were or how you were living. The accident that year....it was this old man's fault. Please… forgive me."
Years of searching had finally borne fruit. His men had traced the whereabouts of his missing grandson, and he had traveled overnight from S City to see him. One glance had been enough. He was certain this was his blood.
But the young man's response was like ice.
"Mr. Lhoman must be mistaken," he said coldly. "I'm the son of an ordinary family. I have no connection to yours, and I don't know what you're talking about."
He stood, preparing to leave.
"You're him. Alessandro Lhoman!" Mr. Lhoman exclaimed, standing in his way. "I can never be mistaken."
The young man paused, then said calmly, "Well then, Sir should also know....I'm Adonis Lyle. I'm not related to you in any way."
Without another glance, Adonis walked away.
Outside the room, a man in a black suit greeted Adonis enthusiastically, but was met with the same cold indifference. Adonis left without a word.
Inside, Mr. Lhoman remained seated, his expression one of sorrow and defeat.
"Sir," the man in black spoke gently as he entered the room, "have you spoken with the young master?"
Mr. Lhoman sighed, his voice quiet and broken. "All these years, it was him who chose not to come back. He still blames me… for what happened that year."
"But sir mustn't give up hope," the man urged. "The report said the young heir suffered from amnesia. That's why he doesn't remember you. You are the most important person to him. He wouldn't abandon you on purpose."
Mr. Lhoman nodded slowly, hope flickering faintly in his tired eyes.
"Aaron," he said, "you were his childhood companion. If anyone can reach him, it's you. Stay here and watch over him. I must return to S City and prepare for his return."
Aaron bowed in acknowledgment.
He had once been the young heir's closest friend, his assigned study companion. They had shared everything until the accident. Aaron had been thrown from the car and survived, but the heir had vanished without a trace. Ever since, Aaron had lived with guilt and made it his life's mission to find him.
Now, he had a second chance.
Adonis returned home to the comforting sounds of pots clanging and the scent of food in the air. In the kitchen, Sandra and Julia were preparing lunch together.
"Brother! You're home!" Julia beamed, rushing over. "Come eat! Sister Sandra helped me cook."
"Welcome home, handsome," Sandra chimed in with a flirtatious smile. She had been smitten with Adonis from the first moment she laid eyes on him, but as always, he remained unmoved.
"Where's Mother?" he asked plainly.
"Mama went out. Said she had something urgent to take care of. She'll be back this evening," Julia replied.
Adonis nodded, then turned to go when Julia stopped him.
"Brother, guess what? Sister Sandra promised to call Sister Ana for me. I'm so excited!"
Adonis paused, his expression shifting. He turned to Sandra, surprised. "Is that true? You know how to contact Ana?"
Sandra hesitated under his sharp gaze, then nodded sheepishly. She hadn't expected Adonis to return home so soon certainly not before she fulfilled her promise.
But faced with Julia's hopeful eyes and Adonis piercing stare, she relented.
She placed the call.
Moments later, Julia burst into tears upon hearing her sister's voice. "Ana! I missed you so much! Please come home soon."
Ana, crying on the other end, assured her sister, "I will, Julia. I promise...I'll be home very soon."
Julia held the phone tightly to her ear, tears spilling down her cheeks as soon as she heard her sister's voice.
"Sister Ana!" she cried out, her voice cracking with emotion. "It's really you! I thought you'd forgotten about us. Why didn't you call? I missed you so much!"
On the other end of the line, Ana went quiet for a moment. A soft sniffle followed, then her trembling voice finally came through.
"Julia… my baby sister. I've missed you too. So, so much…"
Adonis stood silently by the kitchen doorway, arms folded, watching Julia with softened eyes. Sandra shifted uncomfortably, trying not to intrude on the emotional moment.
"I'm sorry," Ana continued. "I didn't mean to disappear. I didn't mean to hurt you or Mama… Things just got… very complicated."
Julia wiped her face, sitting down slowly at the table. "What happened, Ana? Where are you? We were so worried. Mama cried herself to sleep for weeks. Adonis even went out looking for you."
Adonis's jaw tensed at the mention of danger. He leaned in slightly now, listening intently.
"I promise… I'm coming home soon. I just need a little more time to sort things out."
"When?" Julia begged. "Can I tell Mama? Can she hear your voice too?"
"I wish she could," Ana replied softly. "But not now. Not yet. Tell her I love her… and that I'm okay. Please, Julia. Just a little more time. I'll come home when it's safe."
Julia nodded, even though Ana couldn't see her. "Okay. I trust you. But please, don't disappear again. Even if you can't talk for long, just send a message. Something. Anything."
"I promise," Ana said. "You'll hear from me again soon."
"She's alive," she whispered, as Adonis walked over and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "She's alive and she's coming back."
Sandra looked away, guilt prickling her chest. She hadn't expected the call to be so emotional. She hadn't expected Ana to sound so… real.
Adonis narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. What exactly happened to her? Who is she with now? And what kind of danger was she talking about?
Whatever it was, he was determined to find out and protect Ana at all costs.
He gestured at Julia to hand over the phone to him. "Sister, brother Adonis wants to speak to you" she sad. She reluctantly gave the phone to Adonis.