Beyond The Gaze: A Love Unseen

Chapter 53

Ares Simon's POV:

I sank into the chair, my head cradled in my hands, fingers entwined in my hair. My clouded eyes glanced at the unconscious form of Elysia lying on the hospital bed, the chaos in my mind manifesting as a persistent ache in my temples.

The past few hours blurred together in a disorienting sequence. Everything was going according to the plan until Sebastian messed up.

A sigh escaped me, and I closed my eyes, releasing a string of muttered curses. If he wasn't so adept at his role of safeguarding Elysia, he would have been out of the country by now for his failure.

I yanked at my hair in frustration, my gaze returning to Elysia. She was not supposed to be there. She was never meant to be a part of this mess.

Eric Peterson, the previous owner of the company I had acquired years ago, ended up in prison for attempted murder and illegal trading. He attempted to harm Maron and me upon discovering our involvement in his case. Now, he's out on bail, likely due to some connections he pulled. I typically avoid interfering in legal matters, but this time I was genuinely disturbed by his presence around the company. He posed a threat to my family in the past, and it's evident he still harbors ill intentions.

Maron and I were aware that Eric or his associates might seek revenge and were just waiting for an opportunity. We had two choices: wait for an unpredictable move or lure him into attacking first, gathering solid evidence against him, and I, of course, chose the latter.

If the situation was unavoidable, I couldn't have simply stand by and let my family's safety be jeopardized. They were seeking an opportunity, and we inadvertently provided that opening. I was confident that Eric wasn't smart enough to realize it could be a trap or that the area was under my ownership.

And I was right; he foolishly entered my territory, completely oblivious to any suspicion. Assuming I was alone, he surrounded me by the roadside.

One thing I could never have imagined was that Elysia would spot me there, and, more surprisingly, that she would foolishly follow me too.

Rising from the chair, I silently approached her bed and cautiously took a seat beside her. My heart constricted gazing at her pale form, my mind plunged into utter chaos once again, the earlier incident flashing before my eyes...

"Oh, it's your lucky day, Simon. You're not dying alone," Eric jeered, his tone mocking as he looked past me.

My eyebrows furrowed, and I followed his gaze. No one was supposed to be there until I signaled. When I saw Elysia standing there, my body froze.

My men surrounded the entire area...

Sebastian was positioned in front of her too...

There's no way I would allow them to harm even a strand of her hair in my presence...

It should have been an easy win, but the mere sight of her there momentarily clouded my rational thoughts with a sense of dread.

What if things go wrong?

What if she gets hurt?

The weight of those possibilities pressed heavily on me, overshadowing the tactical advantage we had.

A slight movement in my peripheral vision jolted me back to awareness, and I swiftly dodged the knife, signaling Sebastian. I clenched my jaw as the knife slid past my arm, leaving a slash.

It was all we needed—evidence of their attack and an injury. I seized Eric's hand, twisting it backward. A faint bone crack echoed before his loud groans filled the surroundings.