(08
“I need another investigation,” I said, leaning forward in my chair, fingers steepled.
My assistant nodded but hesitated. “On what exactly, sir?”
I glanced at the folder on my desk. “Felicity Rose. Something doesn’t add up about her death. I want to know everything–start with the crash.”
The name felt strange on my tongue after all these years. Felicity and I had crossed paths in college. She was sharp, strikingly intelligent, and carried an air of quiet determination. Back then, I’d been too caught up in my rivalry with Adrian to give her much thought. But now, her name was in every headline, and a nagging voice told me there was more to her story
As the day passed, my suspicion only grew. The emails from the so–called disgruntled employee were too personal, too precise. The way they described Adrian’s flaws, the small details only someone close to him could know–it all pointed to Felicity.
My assistant returned hours later, her expression tight. “You were right,” she said, setting the folder in front of me. “Felicity didn’t die in the crash. It was staged. She’s alive.”
I stared at the words, feeling a mix of admiration and disbelief. “Find her,” I ordered. “Track her through the email IP address. She’s been in contact with me this whole time.”
It didn’t take long. My team pinpointed her location to a small suburban town.
“Let’s move quickly,” I said. “And make sure Adrian doesn’t get there first. Disrupt any leads he has and send him
in the wrong direction,”
alert.
As I left my office, my phone buzzed with a breaking news
Adrian Rose Offers Reward for Information on Missing Wife.
I clenched my jaw and called my assistant. “Handle this. I don’t care how–just make sure Adrian’s team doesn’t get to her before I do.”
The quiet suburbs were the last place I’d expect to find Felicity. As I pulled up to the address, I couldn’t help but wonder how she had managed to disappear so seamlessly.
I approached the house cautiously, ready to knock, when movement down the street caught my attention. Two large men were dragging a struggling figure toward a van. My heart raced as I recognized her–it was
Felicity.
Without hesitation, I bolted toward them, my voice echoing down the street. “Let her go!”
The men stopped, turning to glare at me. “Mind your business,” one of them growled.
I didn’t bother responding. My fist connected with the first man’s jaw, sending him stumbling back. The second lunged at me, but I ducked and landed a punch to his stomach
“Who sent you?” I demanded, grabbing one of them by the collar.
“No one,” he spat, his eyes blazing. “We just want the reward.”
I pulled out my wallet and threw a thick wad of cash at them. “Take this and disappear. If I find out you went to Adrian, you’ll regret it.”
The men hesitated before grabbing the money and running off.
Turning back to Felicity, I saw she was unconscious, her body limp and bruised. Carefully, I lifted her into my arms and carried her to my car.
At the hospital, I paced the hallway outside her room, making call after call to ensure Adrian was misled. My
8:46 AM c ct
When it’s too Late |
team had already planted false leads, sending his men in circles while I stayed one step ahead.
The doctor finally emerged, his face calm. “She’s stable. She just needs rest”
I nodded, stepping into her room.
Felicity lay on the bed, her face pale but peaceful. Seeing her like this stirred something unfamiliar in me–an overwhelming need to protect her.
I took a seat beside her bed, watching her chest rise and fall with each breath. She looked fragile, but I knew better. This was a woman who had faked her death and outmaneuvered Adrian. She was anything but weak.
Her eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, confusion clouded her expression
“Felicity,” I said softly, leaning forward.
She bolted upright, her eyes wide with panic.
“Hey, hey,” I said quickly, raising my hands. “It’s me. Hans.”
She froze, her breathing shallow as she stared at me. Slowly, recognition replaced the fear in her eyes.
“Hans?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
I nodded, offering a small smile “Yeah. It’s me.”
Her shoulders relaxed slightly but suspicion lingered in her gaze. “What are you doing here?”
“Saving you,” I replied simply
Her lips parted as if to argue, but she said nothing.
