Chapter 19

Thankfully, Emilia managed to restrain herself,resisting the urge to attack and blow her cover.

Elias reached over with surprising gentleness and placed a reassuring hand on her head.

"You're safe now. No one's going to hurt you," he said, his voice carrying a rare mix of coolness and comfort.

Shock flickered in Emilia's eyes as she met Elias's cool, piercing stare. Everything she'd heard about his distant nature seemed to crumble in that moment.No one would have believed he could be so gentle.Clearly, the rumors didn't tell the whole story.

Up in the front seat, the driver couldn'thelp but stare through the rearview mirror, his mind reeling. Never once had he witnessed his boss act so openly gentle,let alone with a woman. It felt as if he'd wandered into someone else's dream-utterly unreal. For a second, it almost seemed like Elias was teetering on the edge of falling for her.

Emilia pulled away, uncomfortable with the unexpected tenderness, and Elias instantly realized he'd crossed a line.

"My mistake," said Elias, voice low.

"No worries." Emilia offered a small, nervous laugh.

The silence in the car lingered until a sudden alert buzzed from Elias's phone. As he read the message,his entire presence shifted-cold and threatening,as if an invisible chill swept through the air.

Emilia could feel the tension radiating from him,something almost dangerous in the way his jaw tightened. She studied him for a moment,puzzled by his change in mood.

Without looking up, Elias slid his phone back into his pocket and spoke in a clipped, emotionless voice."The people who arranged your kidnapping weren't acting alone. There were two behind it." "Who are they?" Emilia asked, her curiosity sharpening.

She had already planned to track down whoever was responsible, but Elias was giving her the answers before she could even ask.

"Your husband's brother and lover," Elias answered,his tone flat as ice.

Emilia's lips curved in a faint smile. "Thank you for letting me know, Mr. Dixon."

"Do you want me to handle it?" Elias's eyes narrowed just slightly.

"No, I'll take care of it myself." Emilia shook her head,her gaze unwavering.

Elias met her determined gaze, letting a moment pass before he spoke. "If you ever need backup,you know where to find me."

Emilia offered a small, appreciative smile. "I'll keep that in mind, Mr. Dixon." The sleek black Bentley rolled to a stop outside an apartment building.

The driver, hands encased in spotless white gloves,stepped out and opened the rear door with a practiced flourish.

"Ms. Harris, please." He bowed, his tone formal.

Emilia climbed out, giving Elias a polite nod. "Thank you for the ride. Take care getting home."

Elias gave a simple nod, his eyes never leaving her.

Arriving earlier and waiting on the curb, Sloane greeted Emilia with a relieved smile. Together, they waved as the Bentley pulled away into the night.

Sloane leaned close and lowered her voice."We know who set this up-Sebastian and Violet are behind it. You're their target. Sebastian's probably still bitter about you beating his brother in that race.Violet wanted the thugs to rough you up and get blackmail material. So, what's your move? Planning to kidnap them and let them taste their own medicine?" A chill crept into Emilia's eyes, though her lips curled with the hint of a smirk. "I'm in no hurry to deal with them. Where's the fun if we move too soon? The best part is drawing out the game. Besides, Elias is sharper than most people give him credit for. If we go after those two right away, it'll be obvious-and he'll connect the dots, even if he can't prove it. I need to keep my options open with the Dixon family for now."

Sloane scowled, clearly frustrated. "So we just let them get away with it?"

Emilia's grin turned icy. "Far from it. Once our contracts with the Mitchell Group end, cut all ties.Make it public. Let them feel the consequences."

"You got it!" Sloane replied, her smile quick and fierce.

The truth was, the Mitchells owed much of their power in Oticester to Emilia's silent backing.

Emilia's voice grew more thoughtful. "There's something else I need you to investigate."