The Tyrant's Stolen Bride-Chapter 103: Thrown Out

High above Mistvale, in one of its most luxurious penthouses, Dante listened to the update on Camela as he calmly sliced the meat on his plate.

He speared a piece with his fork, lifted it to his mouth, and chewed slowly. He dipped it into the sauce again, smearing a faint trace along the corner of his lips.

Only then did he speak.

"What do you mean she didn’t board? Then where is she?" he asked calmly.

"Our people at the airport confirmed she didn’t appear at the boarding gate, but they failed to track her," Griffin reported, relaying what he’d received from his subordinate.

"I warned her yesterday. Why is she still being stubborn? Or did something happen there?" Dante asked.

"Yes. There was an incident at the time, a kidnapping attempt. The victim was identified as Dr. Ashford, and the criminals have been arrested."

The moment he heard the name, his expression hardened. Camela hadn’t listened to him after all.

"Dr. Ashford? How is she now?"

"She’s at the hospital now. They drugged her, and there was an attempted sexual assault, but the suspects were caught before they could escape the airport. She’s safe."

Dante reached for a napkin and dabbed at his mouth before standing up. The news of Lyra’s abduction drained his appetite completely.

"Search every corner until you find her."

Griffin bowed slightly and left to carry out the task.

...

Inside the ward, neither the beeping of machines nor the faint smell of antiseptic bothered Rowan at all.

All that mattered was the woman before him. He sat in the chair beside her bed, both hands clasped around hers.

He gazed at her face, still unconscious. His thumb brushed gently over her cheek. Dark bruises shadowed beneath her eyes, the lingering effects of the drugs still evident.

Thankfully, the criminals had been caught before they could escape the airport. He couldn’t bear to imagine what might have happened if they hadn’t been.

A faint knock came at the door before it slid open. Alex stepped in, accompanied by a nurse for a checkup. He patted Rowan’s shoulder, and they exchanged a few words before Rowan left the room, allowing Alex to carry out the examination.

Outside, Kane was already waiting for him. He was leaning against the wall, flipping a cigarette between his fingers. As Rowan approached, he straightened immediately.

"Speak," Rowan said, lowering himself onto the chair.

"They confessed. They said they were hired by Camela Dolan. She claimed Madam was responsible for James’s death. This was her way of taking revenge."

Rowan frowned. The Dolans hadn’t listened to their warning. How blind they were to pin the blame on Lyra, when she had been the victim that day.

"Have you informed my father?"

Kane shook his head. "Not yet. I came straight here after getting the updates from the police. I’ll report to your father afterward."

"Alright. Let him handle the Dolans. I can’t leave my wife after what just happened," he said, staring blankly at the space in front of him.

Kane nodded and continued, "The suspects we brought back are being kept safely in our cell. That’s all. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave."

"Alright. Inform Martin. My father wants to meet him, and there’s something he needs to hand over. It’s related to Edgar. I might help him find a clue."

After that, Rowan dismissed Kane.

...

At Stonehollow, Rosalba was in the middle of having dinner alone. Nico was nowhere to be seen, likely out indulging himself with friends.

She was shocked when the maid announced that Camela had appeared at her doorstep. Without a second thought, Rosalba abandoned her half-eaten meal and rushed out.

"Why are you here? Didn’t I tell you to run and hide?" Rosalba shouted from the doorway, blocking the entrance.

Camela broke down in tears, rambling as she begged her mother to let her inside. She didn’t know where else to go anymore. The thought of Dante or Rowan finding her filled her with terror.

"Mom, I did everything you asked, and yet you’re throwing me away," she cried.

Rosalba bit her lip. What Camela said was true, but after a moment, she brushed the thought aside.

She planted one hand on her hip and flung the other into the air, shooing Camela away once more.

"Go. You failed me... you’re nothing but a disappointment. Don’t drag me down with you. Leave."

She called for the guards and had Camela thrown out of the gate.

"Don’t abandon me, Mom. Think about the baby," Camela wailed, her voice breaking and it faded away as the guards dragged her off.

But that night, Rosalba couldn’t sleep a wink. Guilt crept in whenever she thought about her unborn grandchild.

At this point, helping Camela was beyond her power. All her authority had already been handed over to Dante.

Or perhaps if she begged Dante, he might be willing to protect his own unborn child, at the very least.

Maybe Volkhan would spare Camela for the baby’s sake and keep her out of the Pierces’ reach.

She rose from her bed and strode out of her room. She called the guards and ordered them to search for her poor daughter.

That night, they searched everywhere but could not find her.

She was consumed by guilt, tears falling for the wrongs she had done to her own bloodline.

When morning came, dark circles shadowed beneath her eyes, clear signs that she had cried through the night.

Rosalba lay on her side, guilt still weighing heavily on her, when a knock came at the door.

"I told you I don’t want to eat. Go!" she shouted.

Silence followed, then the maid spoke softly. "You have a visitor. Mr. Pierce is here to see you. It’s about the young miss."

Rosalba sat upright abruptly. She rose from the bed and opened the door.

"Who from the family is coming?"

"Sir Albert and his men," the maid replied, and Rosalba felt a wave of relief.

If Rowan had come, she would have had to chase them away. But with Albert, she could still beg for forgiveness.

She then began getting ready, taking far longer than usual as she worked to hide the bruise beneath her eye.