Chapter 83

"Boss, based on what we've uncovered, it’s clear the phone was hacked, but the hacker can't be traced."

Alexander immediately stood up upon hearing this. So, Lilly had known about his plans all along but pretended she didn’t?

He clenched his fist. "Max!"

"Yes, boss?" Max quickly entered the room. He had been following closely behind to see what Alexander intended to do with his phone.

"Bring Jacob and Michael here immediately! They must know where she is!"

"Right away, boss."

"Wait," Richard interrupted, stopping Max from leaving.

Alexander shot him a deadly glare. "What do you think you’re doing?"

"Calm down, Alexander."

"Calm down? They helped her leave that mountain; they know where she is!"

"You know how stubborn those two are. They won’t tell you anything, even if you threaten them. You’ve never gotten along with them, and they don’t like you either," Ethan pointed out. Matthew and Michael were fiercely loyal to Lilly.

"So what should I do?" Alexander asked, desperate to get his wife back. Her grandfather and father had given him only a few days to find her, and now Viola was starting to suspect something wasn’t right.

"Think about it—Sarah is the only one you get along with. She’ll tell you where Lilly is," Richard suggested.

"How do I know she even knows where Lilly is?"

"Because there’s no way Lilly would plan something like this and leave Sarah out of it. I'm sure she knows," Richard replied, and Ethan nodded in agreement.

"All you have to do is ask Sarah—politely," Richard emphasized the "politely," knowing Alexander's usual demeanor.

"Since we’re done here, I’ll be leaving," Ethan said, turning to go.

"Where are you going?" Alexander demanded.

Ethan gave him a surprised look. "Have you forgotten that I also have a multimillion-dollar company to run?" Alexander had gotten so used to having Ethan around whenever he needed him that he’d forgotten Ethan was the CEO of the Lawrence group of companies.

"Can you blame me? You never seem like someone who’s busy," Alexander remarked dryly.

"I agree," Richard added, nodding. "But how you manage to run your family empire so smoothly and win multiple contracts surprises me."

Ethan smiled. "Seems you’ve forgotten who you’re talking to."

"Remind me," Richard said, knowing full well that Ethan was just as sharp as Alexander. But while Alexander juggled three empires—the Kane Corporation, his family’s company, and his underworld dealings—Ethan had only one.

Richard was grateful he only had to manage his family’s hospitals, which was stressful enough.

"Before I go, good luck getting Lilly back," Ethan said, then left.

"I’ll be going too. But please, don’t make another mistake. She might do something drastic again," Richard warned before leaving.

After they were gone, Alexander called Sarah. She wasn’t expecting his call so soon, but Lilly had predicted he’d find out she left of her own accord.

She answered the call, holding the phone to her ear. "Sarah."

Hearing his voice made her nervous. Even after knowing Alexander for three years as her friend’s husband, he still intimidated her.

"Alexander."

"You know why I’m calling, right?"

"Why did you call?"

"Don’t play games with me. Tell me where Lilly is, now!" His voice was authoritative.

Sarah didn’t like his tone, but she knew who she was dealing with. He wasn’t someone she could talk back to. "Lilly didn’t give me her location, so I don’t know where she is." She was telling the truth; Lilly hadn’t shared her location, only her new phone number.

"You can’t be serious. She must have contacted you when she left."

"She did."

"Then give me her contact."

"I’ll send it." Sarah hung up and sent him the number. She was at work and didn’t want to continue the conversation.

Alexander checked his messages and saw the number. He left the room, grabbed his car keys, and headed out.

His bodyguards tried to follow, but he told them he was going alone. He got into his sports car and drove out to the main road, dialing Lilly’s number as he went.

When Lilly saw the call, she smiled and let it ring for a while before answering. "Hello," she greeted first.

Alexander pulled his car to the side of the road. Hearing her voice brought him back to life; he’d felt like a walking dead man until now. His racing heart finally calmed.

"Lilly, where are you?" Alexander asked, surprised by his own calmness.

Lilly was taken aback by how calm he was. She expected him to be shouting but instead, he was composed, which made her smile.

"Somewhere."

"Where? Tell me the location so I can pick you up and bring you home. Viola is asking about you."

"Then tell her I went on a trip. Isn’t that what you told her before taking me to that mountain?"

Alexander was silent. "She hasn’t heard from you, so she’s starting to suspect."

Lilly couldn’t believe how calm he was. She hadn’t expected this from him. Maybe she had really scared him.

"When you get home, call me back so she can hear my voice. Or better yet, give her my number so she can call me whenever she wants."

Alexander frowned. Was she planning on not coming home?

"You don’t want to come home to me?"

"Not yet. I’m still relaxing," Lilly yawned, testing his patience.

"Lilly!" He shouted, his anger finally showing. "Give me your location now!" he ordered.

"This conversation is over," she said, ending the call.

She started counting, and in less than ten seconds, he called back. She picked up, "Alexander."

"You hung up on me?"

"Why did you raise your voice? I’ll only respond to you if you speak calmly."

Alexander forced himself to stay calm. "Okay, fine. I’m sorry."

She smiled at his apology. "Okay."

"Can you please just tell me your location?"

"What if I’m not ready to come home?"

Alexander was silent for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Then I’ll stay there with you."

Lilly hadn’t expected him to say that.

"Lilly Blake, haven’t you succeeded in turning me into a love-struck fool?"

Lilly was stunned by his statement. Had she really done that?

Seeing she was speechless, he continued, "I won’t return home without you."

"You plan on leaving Viola at home alone?"

"I’ll take her with me to find you." As he spoke, he had people tracking her location.

"Alexander, you won’t find this place unless I tell you." She knew what he was doing.

Lilly hung up after saying that, wanting to show him that he could lose her for good if he mistreated her.

Alexander called again, but she didn’t pick up. He called several more times, growing more agitated each time.

He dialed a different number. "Did you get her location?"

"No, sir. Her location is unknown."

"Didn’t you check where the call signal is coming from?" Alexander shouted.

"We did, sir, but it’s showing as outer space," the person on the other end replied nervously.

"Outer space?"

"Yes, sir. When a call location shows outer space, it means it’s untraceable."

Alexander ended the call and was lost in thought. Wherever she was, it wasn’t on any map.

She was right—he wouldn’t know where she was unless she told him. He had truly underestimated his wife.

He called her again and was relieved when she picked up. He had thought carefully about what to say. He’d wanted to punish her, but now she was making it clear that if he treated her poorly, she’d leave, and he’d never find her again.

Lilly saw his call. It had been ten minutes since their last conversation, so she was sure he’d figured out he couldn’t locate her.

She answered to hear what he had to say.

"Okay, I get it. I’m sorry for what I did. I shouldn’t have treated you that way. Please forgive me and come back home."

Lilly remained silent.

"I promise it won’t happen again," Alexander added.

Lilly smiled, pleased that he’d admitted his wrongdoing.

"Apology accepted."

Alexander sighed in relief. "Tell me your location."

"Ocean resort,” she said then hung up.

Alexander couldn’t believe it. He hadn’t thought of searching hidden resorts. So that’s where she was?

He got back in his car and drove to the location, not caring about the distance.

Lilly started packing, knowing he’d arrive in about three hours.

Three Hours Later

A gentle knock came on her room door, and she rushed to open it, knowing it was Alexander. The receptionist had already informed her.

Lilly opened the door, and before she could say a word, he hugged her tightly.

Alexander hugged her, inhaling her scent. "God, I’ve missed you." He had been terrified when he couldn’t find her.

He pulled back to look her over, making sure she was okay before hugging her again. "Please don’t disappear on me again, okay?"

Lilly nodded. "I won’t."

"Everyone was worried, especially me. I can’t bear to lose you," Alexander said, gazing into her eyes before kissing her on the lips and then her forehead.

Lilly kissed him back, having missed his kisses.

People in the rooms across from them smiled at the couple. "They’re so in love," a woman said to her friend.

"Yes, they are."

"They look familiar, though."

"Don’t you know them?"

"Who are they?"

"Alexander Kane and Lilly Blake."

Her friend gasped. "Oh my God, I can’t believe it’s them."

Lilly smiled as she hugged Alexander. If anyone had told her she’d make Alexander love her this much, she wouldn’t have believed it.