Chapter 149: No clue
At the hospital...
Owen pushed the VIP room door open quietly, a cup of hot coffee in his hand. His footsteps halted the moment he entered.
Elias sat beside the hospital bed, one hand tightly clasping Elena’s. His gaze never left her pale face.
Hours had passed since they had arrived at the hospital. Yet he hadn’t moved an inch.
It was as though he feared that if he let go of her hand even for a moment, she would disappear from his life forever.
Owen let out a quiet sigh. He walked over and spoke gently.
"Sir, you’ve been sitting here for hours. You should get some rest. I’ll let you know the moment Madam wakes up."
"I’m not going anywhere," Elias replied without taking his eyes off Elena.
Owen had expected that answer. Still, he had hoped his boss might listen this time.
"You haven’t eaten anything since morning," he said. "At least have something to eat. I’ll stay here."
Elias shook his head. "I’m not hungry."
"Then, at least have some coffee." Owen held out the cup.
Elias finally looked up. His exhausted eyes were bloodshot, dark circles visible beneath them. He gently pushed the cup away.
"Take it back, Owen." His voice was calm but unwavering. "I won’t eat or drink until Elena wakes up."
Knowing there was no point arguing, Owen lowered his hand.
Silence settled over the room.
After a long moment, Elias finally broke it. "Did he confess?"
The warmth vanished from his expression. His voice turned cold enough to freeze the air.
Owen’s face grew serious. "He doesn’t know much. He claimed they were only following orders. Their boss instructed them to kidnap Leo. That’s all he knows."
He took out several photographs and handed them to Elias. "Their leader died during the shootout."
He pointed to the photograph of the scar-faced man lying motionless on the forest floor. "This was him."
Elias stared silently at the picture. His face remained expressionless. Only the terrifying coldness in his eyes betrayed the storm raging inside him.
"Dig into his background," he ordered. "Every contact, every phone call, every meeting. I don’t care how deep you have to dig."
His face was expressionless, but his eyes were colder than winter as he looked at the photograph.
"I want to know everyone he met during the past few days."
"Yes, sir." Owen placed the untouched coffee on the bedside table. "It’ll get cold if you leave it too long."
With one last glance at Elena, he quietly left the room.
The door clicked shut. The room fell silent once more.
Elias never looked at the coffee. His attention returned to Elena. He gently brushed a loose strand of hair away from her forehead.
His eyes gradually filled with tears.
"I’m sorry..." His voice was barely audible. "So... so sorry."
He lowered his head and pressed a tender kiss against the back of her hand. "If I had arrived sooner, you wouldn’t have been hurt. You wouldn’t be lying here like this. Please wake up, Elena."
"I can’t bear seeing you like this."
Elena’s brows knitted together. Even in her unconscious state, her breathing became uneven. She was dreaming.
’No...’
It was another nightmare. She found herself trapped inside the wrecked car once again.
Broken glass surrounded her. The metallic smell of blood filled the air.
Her abdomen throbbed with unbearable pain. ’My baby...’ Her trembling hand instinctively covered her stomach. ’Please, save my baby...’
Warm blood slowly trickled between her legs. Panic consumed her.
’No...’ she cried desperately. ’Noah, please... Save our baby...’
The world suddenly exploded with the sound of gunfire.
The shattered car disappeared. In its place stood the dense forest. She saw the kidnappers surrounding her.
Cruel smiles spread across their faces as they closed in.
She stumbled backward. "Don’t... Please don’t come closer. Don’t touch me..."
Her frightened voice echoed through the hospital room.
"Elena." Elias immediately leaned forward. He tightened his grip around her hand. "It’s me. Wake up. Open your eyes."
Elena’s eyelashes fluttered. A second later, her eyes flew open.
She gasped sharply, her chest rising and falling as if she had just escaped drowning. Her terrified eyes darted around the room.
"E-Elena..." Relief flooded Elias’s face. A smile broke through the tears gathering in his eyes. "You are awake."
Still caught between nightmare and reality, Elena stared blankly at him.
Gradually, she recognized the familiar face before her. "Elias..."
"It’s me." He gently cupped her cheek. "I’m right here."
The nightmare finally loosened its grip. Memories returned. She remembered Elias rescuing them.
Without thinking, Elena threw herself into his arms.
Elias embraced her immediately. He could feel her entire body trembling. His heart clenched painfully. He held her even tighter.
"You are safe now," he whispered, gently stroking her hair. "No one can hurt you anymore."
The reassurance shattered the wall she’d been holding together. She broke down completely. Tears soaked his shirt as she sobbed uncontrollably.
"The baby..." Her voice cracked. "I saw... I saw my baby again..."
The nightmare from years ago still haunted her. "It was my first baby... I couldn’t save my baby."
The pain in her voice pierced straight through his heart. He gently pulled back and cupped her tear-streaked face.
"Look at me."
Slowly, Elena lifted her eyes.
"It was all in the past." His thumb brushed away her tears. "What happened back then was cruel. And it was unfair. But it’s over. You survived. You are here with me."
His gaze softened with unwavering tenderness. "That’s what matters now."
Fresh tears rolled down Elena’s cheeks. "I never even had the chance to hold my baby."
Elias’s own eyes reddened. He wrapped both arms around her again, holding her as though he could shield her from every painful memory.
"You won’t face that pain alone anymore." He rested his cheek against her hair. "You have me."
His voice was gentle but filled with conviction. "We’ll build the family we’ve always dreamed of. We’ll have children."
Elena closed her eyes. The ache inside her chest eased ever so slightly. Nestled safely in his embrace, she felt peace.
Elias pulled back, searching her face. "Are you hungry?" he asked gently.
Elena nodded. "A little."
"Wait for a while. I’ll bring you food."
With that, he walked out.
Elena lay back. She gently touched the gauge wrapped around her forearm. She recalled everything about that incident: the kidnappers encircling them and the knife pressing against her cheek.
At the time, she had really thought her face would be ruined, that the men would rape her. But Elias had arrived at the right time.
"He saved me again," she murmured, touching her face.
Slowly, a warm smile surfaced on her lips.