The Billionaire Who Saved Me

“How could you not check?!”

A shout greeted Carolus that morning. Just as he visited the Morales residence after learning of Daphne’s condition. Thinking that Daphne was really sick as reported, he was not prepared for the anger that erupted right in front of his face.

“This woman is Ariel’s ex-girlfriend! Why didn’t you check her background?!”

Carolus swallowed hard. His hands clasped in front of him in a polite and accepting posture. He made no attempt to evade the accusations he had received.

“I’m sorry, madam, but everything happened so fast yesterday, and-”

“Silence!”

Daphne snapped. The traces of emotion were clearly visible on her aged face. Her breath was racing, a sign that the current situation was truly testing her limited patience.

“Well, what can we do? What can we do? The whole world knows about Garrett and Elice’s relationship! Everyone knows, Carolus!”

Daphne clenched her fists. Then she slapped the arm of the sofa repeatedly while muttering.

Carolus remained silent. At that moment he didn’t know what to say. Trying to think felt useless. The situation had really backed him into a corner.

“I don’t need your excuses here,” Daphne growled. “But a way out of all this! I can’t marry Garrett to a woman like that. Ck! What will people say later? Garrett marrying the ex-girlfriend of his own cousin? With the fact that their relationship was bad from the start? Hah! Great. That is excellent news for public consumption!”

Daphne shook her head several times. Just the thought of this possibility made her head spin. What if it really became reality?

“I don’t want to take that risk. Garrett’s name will be tarnished. And he just took over the Pacific,” Daphne continued. “No. This cannot happen. Garrett must not marry Elice.”

Then Daphne looked at her personal assistant with a sharp stare.

“Whatever happens, you must do everything in your power to prevent any marriage between Garrett and Elice. By any means necessary.”

Carolus nodded. “Yes, Madam.”

“And make sure all news of them is taken down today,” Daphne ordered. “I don’t care how. But I certainly don’t want any more media discussing this. Twenty-four hours from now, if there is any news or articles mentioning their names, you know the consequences, Carolus. I’m not joking.”

Daphne didn’t have to say that. After working with her for years, Carolus understood Daphne’s nature very well.

“I’ll make sure there are no messages mentioning you, madam.”

Daphne stared at Carolus with a probing look, as if to make sure that her personal assistant really understood what she wanted. Then she took a long breath. A hand rose and waved.

“You may go, then. Take care of everything. Make sure nothing is overlooked, as it has been. I don’t want to be caught off guard like that again, Carolus.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Carolus nodded in understanding. He said goodbye politely before finally leaving the room. As he left Daphne’s chamber, he left the elderly woman with her personal nurse.

“Please, madam. Drink this first.”

Daphne looked at the glass of water he offered. But instead of reaching for it, she raised her face to watch the nurse. Her forehead creased.

“Who are you?”

The nurse smiled. “I am Irina Lane, madam. Fortunately, Regina couldn’t work today, so I replaced her.”

Daphne snorted. She glanced back at the glass of water and waved it away.

The glass slipped from Irina’s hand, floated in the air for a few seconds, and finally landed on the floor. The sound of the impact echoed, accompanied by shards of glass scattering in different directions.

“Praaang!”

Irina jumped in surprise, while Daphne just rolled her eyes.

“Tell Regina to come here. And you, do not come near my room. Go!”

*

“There’s been a bit of turmoil in our camp this morning, sir. But don’t worry, everything is still under control.”

Garrett paid little attention. Instead, there was something else he wanted to know about the situation.

Just as Garrett and Amber entered his office, Garrett finally got a chance to be alone with his secretary. Without any other eyes or ears that might be curious about their conversation.

“How is Elice?”

Amber lifted her face from the tablet she was looking at. Behind the glasses she wore, her eyes blinked once. Garrett sat behind his desk, staring directly at her.

“Is she okay?”

In Amber’s opinion, Garrett should be more concerned about his own condition first. Especially with the bruises and discoloration that adorned his face. Clearly, in Amber’s opinion, Garrett’s condition did not fall into the category of being okay.

“She’s fine, sir. And even though she has no appetite, at least I managed to get her to eat. Not without a fight, of course.”

Garrett sighed. He felt a little relieved by this news.

“And what about her family?”

“The last our people saw; the reporters had already left her family’s house. It seems they gave up trying to meet Elice’s mother.”

Garrett remained silent. But he could guess. It must have something to do with Daphne.

“So, what now, sir?” Amber asked. “Should I still bring Elice’s family?”

After a short moment of silence, Garrett thought. Then he shook his head.

“No need. I’m sure everything will be fine. Today…” Garrett looked at Amber again. “… everything will end.”

Amber understood. She nodded.

“But please, arrange everything. Tonight, I will meet Elice.”

Amber’s understanding vanished, replaced by a reluctant expression.

“I don’t think it’s the right time to meet her, sir.”

Garrett ignored that. Indifferently, he said as he turned on the computer on his desk.

“There is never a right time. Especially in a situation like this.”

Amber gave in. Garrett’s decision wouldn’t change.

“Alright.”

After Amber left, Garrett found Sherly serving him black coffee. A good companion for Garrett when he was trying to get through his working hours while staying focused. Because it was almost impossible for Garrett to work without thinking about Elice and all the chaos that was happening now.

When the day finally came, Garrett didn’t waste any time and went straight to Elice’s place. He arrived to find her condition not much changed from the day before, except that Elice was not wearing her work clothes. In his heart, Garrett was grateful to Amber. Clearly, his secretary had genuinely cared about Elice’s well-being.

“Elice.”

Garrett closed the door behind him and stepped forward, unable to gauge Elice’s feelings. Was she still angry? Or had she softened a bit?

“What happened to you?”

Unexpectedly, Garrett found Elice approaching him, her face lifted and her eyes focused on him.

Elice’s hand reached out to Garrett, and her fingers touched the skin of his face.

Garrett was caught off guard, and a chuckle escaped him. Elice quickly pulled her hand back.

“I’m sorry.”

Garrett wiped the bruise from his face and shook his head. “It’s okay. It’s just a small bruise.”

It might be small, but Elice was sure it still hurt.

“Did you get in a fight?”

Garrett remained silent, not answering. But Elice was sure that she understood.

“Is it because of me?”

Still without an answer, Elice understood again. It must be something about her. But…

“Who did you fight with?”

With this question, Elice noticed something different in Garrett’s eyes. For a moment she saw a spark of surprise, shock, as if Garrett hadn’t expected to be asked this question.

“Garrett?”

As Garrett looked into Elice’s eyes, he knew. Sooner or later Elice was going to find out everything. Just like the pressure of his impending marriage, Elice would eventually find out. For now, Garrett could only guess. That Elice would find out later, too. The problem was who would tell her, and when would Elice find out.

Garrett didn’t want to take any chances. Maybe he had to stick to Amber’s principle now. The sooner the better.

“Want to know who I fought with?”

A small wrinkle appeared on Elice’s forehead. This time she didn’t answer the question. Instead, she gave Garrett a puzzled look.

“Ariel.”

At that one name, Elice blinked.

“I fought with Ariel Sebastian Ramirez.”

Elice’s face changed instantly. It seemed as if there was no blood left in it. Pale and frozen. Indicating shock in a terribly frightening form.

“W-what?” Elice stammered. “Who fought with you?”

Garrett was sure that Elice had heard his words clearly. But he had no problem repeating them.

“Ariel Sebastian Ramirez.”

Elice felt the ground shake beneath her feet. But strangely, she didn’t collapse as Garrett had predicted. Only her expression was shocked.

“Ariel?”

In the journey of her life, Elice was sure that there was only one Ariel she knew. Especially if the last name Ramirez followed, there would be no doubt. Surely the Ariel Garrett mentioned was the same Ariel she knew.

“Yes,” Garrett nodded. “Ariel. I fought with him last night.”

So, it was only natural that Elice was confused about what had happened. Even more confused, in fact. If yesterday she had been confused by the fact that the scandal about her and Garrett was spreading everywhere, now it was a different story. She was perplexed by questions that had to do with Garrett’s and Ariel’s names.

“D-do you know Ariel?” Elice asked in a horrified tone. “D-do you know him?”

Garrett knew he couldn’t back out. The moment he mentioned Ariel’s name, everything had already happened. Besides, that had been his intention. So that Elice would really know without leaving anything behind.

“Elice, I have to be honest with you. I’m going to tell you everything. And I hope you can stay calm.”

Elice stared at Garrett with an unreadable look. Instead of accepting his request, Elice asked.

“How much do I not know, Garrett?”

Garrett cleared his throat. Not wanting to take any chances, he invited Elice to sit down first. Without letting go of her hand, Garrett decided to begin.

“I’m not going to hide anything from you. Including this.”

An uncomfortable feeling overcame Elice immediately. Although she couldn’t guess it yet, somehow her instinct told her that what Garrett was about to say was not good. And it turned out to be true.

“Ariel and I are cousins.”

Cold, that was the impression Garrett felt from Elice’s fingers.

“What did you say?”

A bitter lump seemed to form in the back of Elice’s throat. It made it almost impossible for her to speak. Even taking a breath seemed incredibly difficult.

“Y-you and Ariel are cousins?”

Elice hoped that Garrett didn’t mean what he said. Because it really came as a shock to her.

How could it be? The stranger who comforted her from her grief was a cousin of the person who caused her grief?

How could that be? Out of so many men in this world, she met those who are still family?

How could it be? When Elice tried to break free from Ariel’s shadow and start a new life, she ended up in the same circle with a different cause?

Even if she wanted to say each question one by one, Elice wouldn’t be able to express all the questions that suddenly flooded her mind at that moment. Just as Garrett nodded, she felt her body instantly go numb.

Elice shook her head. Rejecting the reality before her eyes. But ironically, reality would not change just because it was unwanted.

*