h4Chapter 63: Contradictions/h4

    Sarai and Bianca stood frozen in the dusty clearing outside the abandoned warehouse, unable to tear their eyes from the intimate scene unfolding before them. The moon loomed high and silver, spilling its glow over the sleek ck cars that ringed the lot like watchful predators. The night still carried the low ghost of engines that had just gone quiet, as if the ground itself remembered their growl.

    And in the middle of it all was Rafael Vexley—the man whispered about in boardrooms and headlines, the untouchable recluse with too much power and too many secrets. Only now he didn’t look untouchable. He looked human.

    His wheelchair rested motionless on the gravel, James hovering close at hand, but Rafael’s attention was anchored on the woman in his arms. Eliana. He clutched her like she was thest thing keeping him from breaking apart. His face was buried in the curve of her neck, dark waves of hair tangling with her curls as if even their strands were unwilling to let go. His arms, strong beneath the sharp cut of his suit, wrapped around her with a kind of hunger that had nothing to do with wealth or control—just need.

    Sarai had always painted him in her mind as a ruthless tyrant made of steel and shadows. But here, in the silver wash of moonlight, she saw something she hadn’t thought possible. Vulnerability.

    It hit her harder than fear of him ever had.

    "Eliana," Rafael murmured against her skin, his voice a low, trembling rumble that carried through the still night. "Tell me again—are you truly okay? Did theyy a hand on you? Any bruises, any pain at all?"

    Eliana, perched on hisp, felt the warmth of his breath tickle her ear, sending an unexpected shiver down her spine. Her eyes fluttered shut for a moment, overwhelmed by the flood of emotions—relief, confusion, and something deeper she couldn’t yet name. She ced a gentle hand on his chest, feeling the rapid thud of his heart beneath the fabric. "I’m fine, Rafael. Really, I am. No one hurt me. It was Sarai and her sister Bianca—they showed up just in time. They scared the kidnappers off. If it weren’t for them..." Her voice trailed off,ced with genuine gratitude mixed with the lingering haze of betrayal.

    From the shadows, Sarai’s green eyes narrowed into slits, her glossy ck hair catching the moonlight as she clenched her fists at her sides. Her light brown skin flushed with a heat that had nothing to do with the cool night air. iThis wasn’t the n, /ishe seethed inwardly, her mind shing back to those calcted moments months ago. She’d been the one to dangle the caregiver job in front of Eliana like a carrot, whispering about the "easy money" while secretly hoping Rafael’s infamous reputation as a miserable, unfeeling tyrant would break her childhood friend. Sarai had pictured Eliana crumbling under endless demands, isted in that sprawling mansion, suffering in silence just like she always did. But this? Watching Eliana melt into Rafael’s embrace, seeing the way his clouded grey eyes softened as he held her? It ignited a fury in Sarai’s chest that burned hotter than any jealousy she’d felt before. iHow does she do it? /iSarai thought, her full lips twisting into a silent snarl. iEliana, with her goody-two-shoes behavior and that innocent, hopeful smile, always getting what she wants! She tamed the untamable. Really?! But I’ll help Bianca rip him away from her. If only to shove Eliana back into the poverty she belongs in./i

    Bianca, standing beside her sister like a mirror image of poised elegance—her own sharp features framed by sleek hair and designer attire—crossed her arms, a subtle smirk ying on her lips. She leaned in slightly, whispering so only Sarai could hear. "Look at her, ying the damsel. But we’ll turn this around. Remember what I taught you—patience, darling. We’ll strike when they’re weakest."

    After what felt like an eternity, Rafael finally loosened his embrace, his hands lingering on Eliana’s waist as if afraid she’d vanish into the night. But he didn’t let her stand; instead, he shifted her slightly on hisp, pulling her closer to his chest. The gravel crunched faintly under the wheelchair’s wheels as he adjusted, his body a solid anchor against her exhaustion. Somehow, in that chaotic moment, he needed her near—close enough to shield from the world’s cruelties, close enough to promise no one would ever touch her again.

    "Eliana," he said softly, his voice steadying now, though still edged with concern. "Did you see who took you? Any faces, voices? Where were they heading? Who sent them—what did they want?"

    Eliana’s mind raced, shing to Jason’s familiar features, the betrayal. But then her gaze flicked to Sarai, who stood there with those pleading green eyes, her expression a silent beg for mercy. Eliana’s heart twisted—childhood memories shing with justice like thunder in her chest. She swallowed hard, her lips parting hesitantly. "I... I don’t know anything, Rafael. It all happened so fast. They blindfolded me almost immediately."

    Rafael nodded, his chiseled jaw tightening as he stroked her arm reassuringly. "Don’t worry, dear. I’ll find out soon enough. No one touches what’s mine and walks away."

    Those words sent a chill through Eliana, her emotional resilience fraying at the edges. Against her better judgment, a flicker of worry sparked for Jason—her ex-fiancé, the man who’d shattered her trust but once shared her dreams. What if Rafael really does erase him? she thought, her honey eyes clouding with fear. But she pushed it down, focusing on the man holding her.

    Rafael’s "clouded" eyes scanned the lot subtly, noticing the two women standing a couple of feet away. He pretended not to see them, of course—his blindness a carefully guarded facade. He’d never met them personally, but the name Sarai rang like a warning bell. James had briefed him long before Eliana entered his world: this was the "best friend" who’d slept with Eliana’s fiancé, a snake in sheep’s clothing. Rafael didn’t know which of the two was Sarai, but hatred simmered in his veins regardless. Even if Eliana credited them with her rescue, he sensed the rot beneath their elegant exteriors.

    Eliana, meanwhile, felt a flush creep up her warm skin, her heart pounding erratically. Why wouldn’t he let her stand? And why did she like it—the security of hisp, the way his arms encircled her like a fortress? Her mind whirled with contradictions: this was the man who’d locked her in his mansion, the one she’d fled into the night from, only to end up kidnapped. The one who’d whisked her father away from the hospital without a word. Yet here she sat, making no move to leave, letting him hold her close to his chest where she could hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. It was maddening, exhrating, and utterly confusing.

    With a feigned tilt of his head, as if listening to the wind, Rafael spoke up. "Where are these brave women who saved your life, Eliana? I need to thank them properly."

    Bianca and Sarai exchanged a quick nce, their booted steps crunching on the gravel as they approached. Sarai smoothed her sleek bun, stering on a sweet smile that didn’t reach her eyes, while Bianca adopted a gracious poise, her sharp green eyes gleaming with calction.

    "We’re right here," Sarai said smoothly, her voice dripping with false warmth. "I’m Sarai Monroe, Eliana’s best friend since forever. And this is my sister, Bianca."

    Rafael "looked" in their direction, his grey eyes unfocused for show. "Sarai... Bianca. Thank you—from the bottom of my heart—for saving Eliana. I don’t know what I would have done if..." His voice caught, genuine emotion slipping through his sarcasmced armor.

    Sarai waved a manicured hand dismissively, her fierce beauty masking the venom within. "Oh, it was nothing, Mr. Vexley. I was just trying to save my best friend. We’d do anything for Eliana."

    Bianca nodded, her glossy hair catching the light. "Absolutely. Eliana’s like a little sister to me. We couldn’t stand by and let those monsters take her."

    Rafael’s lips curved into a polite smile, though internally he filed away their words like evidence. "Your bravery deserves more than words. I’d like to thank you personally—over dinner. James?" He gestured vaguely, and his secretary stepped forward, producing two sleek business cards from his pocket.

    "Here you are,dies," James said evenly, handing them over. "Mr. Vexley can be reached at this number to arrange."

    As the exchange happened, Eliana’s mind spun. Why had Sarai, who professed such love, betrayed her so cruelly—sleeping with her fiancé, shattering her world—only to swoop in as a savior now? The contradiction made her head throb, a dull ache building behind her eyes. But not tonight. She’d been through hell: the kidnapping, the escape, the emotional whirlwind. All she wanted was to find her father, confirm he was safe, and then copse into sleep. Boldly, without overthinking, sheid her head on Rafael’s chest, her body sagging with exhaustion as she rxed into him. His heartbeat lulled her, a rhythmicfort amid the chaos.

    Rafael felt her weight shift and wrapped an arm around her shoulders protectively. Raising his voice to his men, hemanded, "Keep searching for those kidnappers. Scour every inch of this city if you have to. For now, I need to get Eliana home."

    Turning back to the sisters, he added, "We’ll see you at dinner soon,dies. You must be rewarded for your bravery. Good night."

    Sarai and Bianca watched in awe as Rafael bid them farewell, his wheelchair turning with Eliana still nestled on hisp. James pushed them toward the lead car, the ramp extending smoothly. Rafael’s hands never left her, guiding her gently inside as the door closed with a soft thud. The convoy roared to life, tires kicking up gravel as they sped away into the night.

    Inside the plush interior of the Mercedes, Eliana had finally sumbed to sleep. No longer on hisp, she sat beside him, her head lolling against the leather seat, her long curly hair spilling like a dark waterfall. Rafael watched her, his piercing eyes tracing the soft lines of her heart-shaped face, the rise and fall of her chest. The city lights blurred past the tinted windows, but his focus remained on her—peaceful, vulnerable, his.

    As James drove steadily through the winding roads, Rafael leaned forward slightly. "James," he said in a low tone, not wanting to wake her. "Look into Sarai and Bianca Monroe. Dig deep—I don’t trust them one bit. I’m not letting them back into Eliana’s life to stir up trouble. Something’s off here, and I want to know everything. Get to the bottom of it."

    James nodded in the rearview mirror, his expression resolute. "Consider it done, sir."

    The car hummed onward, carrying them toward the mansion where secrets waited to unravel, and love—fragile and fierce—began to take root.