Surprise Marriage to a Billionaire-Chapter 413: A Gamble

Rain woke to an empty bed. As expected, Sanya was already up. She wondered if her friend had managed to get any sleep at all. Feeling groggy, she got up and headed back to her bedroom. Just as she was about to get dressed, a sudden wave of nausea hit her. She rushed to the bathroom, where she found herself hunched over, throwing up.

Moments later, Alexander walked in and immediately knelt beside her, his hand gently stroking her back to comfort her. His presence was soothing, and his concern palpable.

When Rain finally turned to look at him, she managed a small wink, trying to lighten the mood as Alexander carefully wiped her face with a soft towel. "Is it bad?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.

Rain chuckled softly and met his gaze. "Not at all. It’s just part of the process. Some women don’t go through this, but I don’t mind. It’s a reminder that a beautiful life is growing inside me."

Alexander pulled her into a warm embrace, holding her close as if shielding her from the discomfort. Rain didn’t know how long they stayed like that, but eventually, she gently pushed him away, a soft smile on her lips. "What time is it?" she asked.

"It’s a little past seven in the morning," he replied, brushing the back of his hand gently against her cheek. Then he pulled her out of the restroom, leading her directly out of their bed but Rain halted walking.

"Is there any news?" Rain inquired, her eyes searching his.

Alexander smiled faintly. "Yes, William got them. They’re locked up in one of our secure locations."

Her brows furrowed in concern. "Wait, isn’t that-"

"Illegal? Technically, yes," Alexander admitted with a shrug. "But turning them over to the authorities isn’t an option. Dina has already proven how easy it is for her to escape prison. This way, William can make sure we get every piece of information we need out of them."

"That’s good news. I’m sure Sanya feels more at ease now," Rain said with a small smile.

"Yes," Alexander replied with a nod. "William called her earlier. She just finished preparing breakfast, and I’m here to fetch you."

Rain nodded as she stood up, brushing her hair away from her face. Today was a holiday, so she didn’t have work. It was supposed to be a relaxing day, but later they would have to attend the glamorous Lane family event.

"I really hope we find out the truth this time," she said, her voice laced with a mix of determination and worry. "I don’t want to go through another tragic event like before, especially now that I’m pregnant." She let out a weary sigh.

Alexander stepped closer and gently pulled her into a firm, reassuring embrace. "Don’t worry," he whispered into her ear. "I will make sure nothing and no one harms our family. Not just me, but every man in our family will make sure of it. We’ll protect you and our child with everything we’ve got."

Rain closed her eyes, letting his words sink in as his arms enveloped her in warmth and safety. She couldn’t deny the comfort his promise brought, but deep down, she knew there were still uncertainties lurking ahead. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

During breakfast, Father Rock glanced at Alexander and asked, "What time will William return?"

"He said he’ll head straight to the event tonight," Alexander replied casually, sipping his coffee.

Father Rock nodded thoughtfully, his expression grave. "I would’ve liked to see him squeezing the truth out of Rico and Dina, but it would be too risky for any of us to visit their location."

"That’s true," Ben chimed in. "We can’t be certain who else is working with those two. If their target is Rain or anyone in the family, you can bet there are eyes on us already."

Vernice, sitting at the far end of the table, shook her head in disbelief. "I still can’t wrap my head around it. They actually have the audacity to mess with the Lancasters."

"That’s exactly why whoever’s pulling the strings must be someone with serious influence," Ben added, his tone sharp.

The table fell into a contemplative silence, each member of the family deep in thought as the weight of the situation pressed heavily on them. Despite their vigilance and efforts to stay ahead, the lingering threat of an unseen enemy with significant resources was deeply unsettling.

Rain closed her eyes for a moment, trying to calm the unease that had settled in her chest. Until now, they still lacked substantial evidence, even against Tim Clayton. All they had were theories and speculations, pieces of a puzzle that didn’t yet fit together.

She sighed inwardly, hoping that with Dina and Rico now in custody, they’d finally get the answers they so desperately needed. Because with her pregnancy and the constant danger hanging over them, she couldn’t afford for this mystery to drag on much longer.

"Hmm, I’m sorry if I soured the mood by bringing this up," Father Rock commented, his tone apologetic yet firm. Turning to Rain, he offered her a reassuring smile. "Everything will be fine soon. William is someone we can count on. He’ll get to the bottom of this, no matter what it takes."

Rain nodded softly, returning his smile. "I trust him."

"But..." Sanya’s voice broke the brief silence, her expression clouded with worry. "What if neither Dina nor Rico talks? What if they don’t give him anything?" Her hands clenched tightly on the edge of the table, revealing her anxiety.

Father Rock’s confident smile didn’t waver as he turned to her. "Sanya, William always has a backup plan. Trust me, he won’t stop until he gets the truth. If those two think they can outsmart him, they’ve gravely underestimated what he’s capable of."

Sanya nodded hesitantly but didn’t look entirely convinced. Rain reached out to squeeze her hand gently, offering silent comfort. Though the weight of uncertainty lingered, Father Rock’s unwavering confidence seemed to bring a small measure of reassurance to the table.

"We just have to trust him," Rain added quietly. "He’s never let us down before."

*****

Inside the dimly lit interrogation room, William stood with his arms crossed, his sharp eyes fixed on the one-way mirror. Beyond it, Rico sat cuffed to a chair. One of William’s trusted men, Kellan, stepped up beside him and gave a subtle shake of his head.

"No progress yet, sir," Kellan reported, his voice low but firm. "Rico’s holding his ground, refusing to say a word. He’s clearly stalling, likely hoping for an opportunity to escape or for someone to come for him."

William let out a quiet breath, his jaw tightening. "And Dina?"

Kellan shifted uncomfortably. "She claims she doesn’t know much, only that Rico orchestrated her prison break. From her responses so far, it seems like she’s just a pawn in his plans. She insists she doesn’t have any deeper involvement."

William’s gaze darkened. "We’ll see about that. Keep her separate for now. She might not know much, but we can’t trust her either."

Kellan hesitated for a moment before asking, "And Rico, sir? Should we keep trying the usual methods?"

"No." William’s voice was cold, his words deliberate. "Rico thrives on manipulation. He won’t talk unless he’s pushed beyond his limits. It’s time we take a more... direct approach."

Kellan nodded in understanding. "I’ll prep the team."

William entered the interrogation room, his expression unreadable. Rico looked up, smirking despite the situation. "Back for more questions, kid? I thought you’d have given up by now."

William ignored the taunt, taking a seat across from him. "I’ll keep this simple. You either talk now, or we’ll make sure you do."

Rico chuckled darkly. "You don’t scare me, Lancaster. You think I haven’t been through worse?"

William’s lips curled into a thin smile. "Oh, I know you have. But you’ve never dealt with me."

He rose from his seat and signaled to Kellan, who entered with a small metal case.

William leaned down to Rico’s eye level, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "You’ll talk, Rico. One way or another. And when you do, I’ll make sure you wish you had just stayed silent from the start."

As William exited the room, leaving his men to begin their work, he glanced at the camera feed showing Dina sitting alone in another room. She looked anxious, her hands fidgeting in her lap.

William stepped away from the interrogation room, his expression unreadable as his phone vibrated in his pocket. He answered immediately.

"Boss, it’s as you expected," came the voice of one of his men. "One of them contacted someone, but we’re still working on tracing the location. The number isn’t registered, it’s likely a burner phone. It might take some time."

William’s lips curved into a smirk. "Good. Make sure you trace it. I want to know exactly who he called and where. Keep me updated."

"Yes, sir," the man replied before the call ended.

Sliding the phone back into his pocket, William’s smirk deepened. Everything was falling into place just as he had planned. He had deliberately allowed some of Rico’s men to escape, fully aware that desperation would force at least one of them to reach out to who was really behind everything... the real Boss.

It was a gamble, but one he was confident would pay off.