Chapter 174: She Saw Despair, I Didn’t
A loud “Bang!” came from outside.
Nick was so stunned by the events of the night that he couldn’t even shout anymore, so he quickly walked outside. Paige, led by Enrico, also headed out, only to see a thick fog covering the road, refusing to disperse.
One of the bodyguards rushed over, waving away the choking smoke. “Sir, Miss, the people were taken, but they haven’t gone far. I’ll lead the men to pursue them immediately.”
Earlier, only two bodyguards had gone out first, with the rest still inside the bar, which led to them being outmaneuvered. However, those who came to rescue Mr. Mohan were going to be disappointed; in this country, no one could escape from Mr. Gustin’s grasp.
“Useless, what are you waiting for?” Enrico snapped coldly, tightening his grip on Paige’s hand.
As the smoke gradually cleared, Nick and the others exchanged puzzled glances, full of questions for Paige, but Enrico was already pulling her into the car.
…
The car stopped midway. Enrico got out, bringing Paige with him, leaving her somewhat confused.
“We’ll walk for a bit,” Enrico said, standing by the roadside. He then carried her on his back, stepping into the boundless darkness of the night.
Paige wrapped her arms around his shoulders, remaining silent as she quietly gazed ahead at the road.
This road had few vehicles and even fewer streetlights, with the dim light making it hard to see what lay ahead-whether it was a crossroad or a dead end.
“Don’t mind what that woman said,” Enrico’s deep, hoarse voice suddenly broke the silence of the night.
Paige looked down at his profile, realizing he was trying to counsel her, and forced a smile. “I’m not paying attention to her. I know what I’m doing. I haven’t told Nick and the others about my identity because the timing isn’t right yet. It’s not because I’m afraid of leading others to a dead end.”
She was taking the steps to rebuild the slums gradually, without causing trouble for the Peak Club.
Upon hearing this, Enrico stopped in his tracks, his expression instantly darkening. “I’m thinking about you, and you’re thinking about someone else?”
Paige was already used to his habitual jealousy and said, “I know that revealing my slum background could hurt you, but for now, that identity won’t bring any harm to Mr. Gustin.”
He was different from Nick and the others. He was powerful, untouchable. She could never be his downfall.
“Hmph.” Enrico let out a cold laugh, clearly displeased.
“In a few days, I’ll be giving my first speech. I’ll keep climbing higher and becoming more secure.”
When the time was right, everything would fall into place naturally.
Paige said.
“Climb all you want; anyway, I’m going abroad in a few days, conveniently during your speech.”
Enrico, carrying her forward, was clearly unhappy, gripping her legs more tightly.
Though he said he didn’t care about her ambitions, he had already checked the date of her speech.
Paige, her hands resting on his shoulders, thought for a moment before saying, “Enrico, can I visit your private estate?”
Her topic shift was abrupt.
“What do you want to do?” Enrico asked in a harsh tone.
That place was built in memory of his deceased mother and sister.
“I want to give you a gift, and I need to be in your estate to deliver it.”
Paige considered her progress in studying the art of engraving and figured she might have enough time to practice while he was abroad so that she could present the gift when he returned.
“A gift?”
The displeasure in Enrico’s voice vanished instantly, his mood changing so quickly it was almost comical. “Why do you need to go to the estate?”
Couldn’t she just hand him the gift directly?
“Can I go?” Paige asked instead of answering.
“Why? You’re going to pull weeds by their graves?” Enrico questioned.
“Something like that.” Paige replied, “You’ll understand when you return.”
“Fine, just don’t mess around.”
Enrico reluctantly agreed, though a smile tugged at his lips.
A gift. Paige was finally thinking of giving him a gift.
Mess around… Paige frowned. “Can I touch their tombstones?”
Would he mind?
“If I’m letting you in, then you can touch anything,” Enrico blurted out, realizing he might have been indulging her too much.
That place had always been off-limits.
Oh well. He had been indulging her for a while now.
“Okay.” Paige felt reassured, leaning on his back, looking at the road ahead.
After a while, feeling a bit tired, she rested her head on his, no longer looking ahead, just letting him carry her forward.
The night air was cool.
She closed her eyes, her arms wrapped around him, trusting him to carry her weight.
“I’m not Isabella.”
Enrico’s deep voice suddenly sounded in her ear.
As she pressed closely against him, each of his words seemed to vibrate directly against her eardrum. She slowly opened her eyes and heard him say again, “She saw despair; I didn’t.”
From the first moment he saw her, she was his light.
…
The sun was bright, the sky a clear blue, as if freshly washed, with the clouds scarcely changing.
It was perfect flying weather.
On the windy tarmac, a large private jet with white wings stood ready, with a group of bodyguards stationed below the stairs.
Jaden stood straight at the entrance, glancing at his watch.
Good, Miss Paige had been seeing Mr. Gustin off for three hours and still wasn’t finished.
Unable to resist, Jaden peeked inside, seeing nothing.
It was Paige’s first time on Enrico’s private jet, and the level of luxury was beyond extravagant. The interior was lavishly decorated, resembling a high-end living room, outclassing even the presidential palace.
The flight attendants were constantly shuttling between the kitchen and the cabin, serving one exquisite dish after another.
Paige sat on a nearly soft sofa, holding a cup of coffee, sipping it quietly. When she looked up, Enrico was already holding a small piece of foie gras dipped in truffle sauce near her lips.
…
She was somewhat helpless.
Today was the day Enrico was leaving for abroad. He had asked her to see him off, and she hadn’t refused.
After reaching the plane, he mentioned a world-class chef onboard who was skilled in various exquisite cuisines.
Seeing that there was still time, she didn’t refuse.
But once she got on the plane, she realized that this top-tier chef made tiny portions and took his time preparing each dish.
For example, with this foie gras, Enrico’s spoonful nearly cleared the plate, leaving only a thin layer of sauce.
Three hours later, Paige still wasn’t full and had grown tired of eating.
Yet Enrico, surprisingly still interested, had been feeding her for three hours without tiring.
“Maybe you should eat it yourself; I’m full,” Paige said, taking another sip of coffee.
“I know your appetite; this isn’t nearly enough for you,” Enrico insisted, holding the silver spoon close to her lips. “Come on, open up.”
“Shouldn’t your plane be taking off by now?” Paige tried to change the subject.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g