Pride and Promises ✔

Chapter 57

Adrian's POV

"F*ck! What do you mean he's dead? Are you sure?" Nate asked, looking alarmed.

I read the text once again before nodding. "Yeah, this person is authentic. It seems that the bastard died of sudden cardiac arrest. As if he even had a heart to begin with." I scoffed.

"He got off easy despite his evil doings. But what does it mean now? If the sick murderer is dead, who is behind this then? Who is trying to frame Eves?" Nate asked the question that was burning in my mind.

"F*ck!" I threw the phone away once again in frustration, stepping on it until the screen broke to several pieces. I had no answer to his question. Just when I thought I had figured it all out, I found out that I'd been following the wrong lead all along.

Nate sighed. "Does Dylan have a son who wants to take revenge or something?"

I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. "I've looked at it but no. He apparently has only two daughters who are happily married and living far from the States. His wife left him some years ago. I've checked her bio, she's not suspicious."

I could feel a heachache coming at me with its claws out to torment me. The amount of alcohol I had imbibed last night did not help the matter at all. I knew it would only be a matter of time before I'd be arrested. A chill ran up my spine at the thought of this person trying to harm Eve. If not her uncle, then this person must have some serious ulterior motive to harm her.

"So what does it mean? This is getting too frustrating!" Nate added, running his own fingers through his hair. "Wait, Ad, if this is not Dylan's doing, then the person responsible for this can be more dangerous. We have to warn Eves! She must be in her apartment. We can go check on her!"

I stopped him when he made a move to get up and leave. "That would be of no use. She's not in her place." I said.

Nate stopped on his track and raised his eyebrows. "Then where is she? And how do you know that?"

"She's at her grandparents' place. She's reached there an hour ago." I replied calmly.

"Okayyyy. And you know that... how?" He asked dumbly.

I sighed. "Nate, did you seriously think I'd leave her without security knowing that there's a death threat literally looming over her?" I asked in exasperation.

"Oh, right." He replied lamely. "How long have you been tracking her?"

I rolled my eyes at him- a feature I'd acquired from her, I thought sadly. "Remember when she went to Paris?" I continued when he nodded. "Well, she had her own security but I discreetly asked her head of security to keep a close eye on anything that might harm her. I didn't know about all this then but I still wanted to be careful considering she was going to a different country.

I know very well that she can take care of herself- it wasn't the first time she'd be traveling as she said, but it was the first time she was going with the intention of opening an organization on foreign land. She doesn't know how nasty people can be when they don't get their way- especially to a 'foreigner' who is about to do business on their land. I knew she would disapprove if I told her of this so I asked him to keep me informed of every minor detail. I didn't do anything except strengthen her already existing security system. But I didn't know that they would turn out to be incompetent fools." I mumbled the last part to myself, rage consuming me once again when I remembered what the Blanchet bastard had done.

After I returned from the confrontation with my dad and Mr. Martinez that day, I had smashed my phone into pieces because I couldn't handle not answering her calls and not responding to her texts. I felt my heart break with every ring and every ping signaling her call or text. I had tried so many times to pick it up, if only to assure myself that what I once had was indeed real. But the old man and my promise to him made me hold back. I felt a mixture of relief and a strong desperation when my phone was finally damaged beyond repair.