Chapter 1497 The Lover Selena Has Been Searching For
The atmosphere in the hall grew thick with tension as every eye fixed on the hooded figure. Parker's grip tightened on his weapon, his gaze sharp and predatory—as if the moment he glimpsed the man's face, he'd pull the trigger without hesitation.
Just as the standoff reached its breaking point, a voice called from the doorway.
"Mr. Schmidt, Mr. Blair has arrived."
Before the words had fully settled, a masked figure strode into the room—clearly young despite the concealment. Emilio entered with over a dozen bodyguards trailing behind him, all bearing the dust and weariness of hard travel.
Parker immediately rose to his feet. "Mr. Blair, what brings you here today?"
Emilio's gaze swept from Yosef to the hooded man, his brow furrowing deeply. "What exactly is going on here?"
Parker quickly laid out his suspicions with practiced efficiency. "Mr. Blair, given that you know this gentleman personally, perhaps you could verify his identity for us."
A masterful deflection. If the hooded man proved genuine, Parker would have offended him—but by passing the responsibility to Emilio, any potential slight would fall on Emilio's shoulders instead. Of course, since Emilio and the hooded figure were already allies, no real harm would be done.
Without a word, Emilio approached Raymond directly. Standing face-to-face with the seated figure, he reached out and lifted the black hood in one swift motion.
The moment Raymond's face was half-revealed, Emilio's fingers froze for an instant before slowly pulling the hood back down. The gesture was instinctive—so automatic that even he seemed surprised by his own reaction.
From their positions, neither Parker nor Yosef could see what Emilio had glimpsed. Only he had witnessed that brief revelation before the hood fell back into place, concealing everything once more.
Emilio moved to take a seat, and Parker immediately pressed him. "Mr. Blair, did you get a clear look?"
Emilio reached for a glass of water, taking a measured sip before responding with a cold laugh. "What, you think I can't recognize someone I know?"
Relief flooded Parker's features as he quickly backpedaled. "Of course not, of course not. I'm just relieved there's no deception at play."
He turned toward Raymond with an apologetic bow. "My sincerest apologies for the offense, sir."
Raymond remained silent, his attention now focused entirely on Emilio. So this was the mysterious puppet master he'd been hunting—the shadow figure who could manipulate these powerful families with such ease. Judging by his build and movements, he appeared surprisingly young.
Yosef hastily lowered his weapon as well. "With both you and Mr. Blair here, we've clearly made fools of ourselves today. Age must be catching up with me—my apologies, my deepest apologies."
He moved to pour Raymond a cup of tea with exaggerated courtesy. "I hope you'll forgive our paranoia, sir."
Raymond's fingertip traced the rim of the cup in slow, deliberate circles, his mind racing to understand Emilio's motives. The man had clearly seen his face, yet chose to remain silent. Why?
The atmosphere in the room shifted to something far more complex. Emilio rarely appeared during daylight hours, yet here he was, face-to-face with the hooded figure. These two never appeared together—it was an unspoken rule.
Parker was about to speak when Mario emerged from the inner rooms, still wearing protective goggles and a white lab coat. It had been Mario who first voiced suspicions about the hooded man's identity the night before, and those doubts clearly lingered.
Mario's questioning look met Parker's subtle headshake—the identity had been confirmed, no infiltration detected.
But if Raymond hadn't infiltrated their ranks, where was he? Mario's frown deepened. With Selena in his custody, Raymond should be desperately searching for her.
The moment Emilio spotted Mario, his eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. So the fool had regained his wits, had he? His presence here could only mean one thing—Selena was nearby.
Selena... Emilio's head bowed slightly as realization struck. If his eyes hadn't deceived him, beneath that black robe sat the very man Selena had been desperately seeking—her lost love.
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