Chapter 1313:
Melany’s desperate jump into the ocean—the way she vanished beneath the crashing waves—was a memory that still haunted him. Yet Rylie’s words had planted a fragile hope in his heart that Melany might still be alive somewhere, living a life far from him. The days blurred into nights, and the ache of missing her only deepened. Unable to move on, he had continued sending search teams across the world, month after month.
Every search ended the same way—with nothing.
After yet another country had been combed through from end to end, the voice on the other end reported, “Sorry, Mr. Owen. We still haven’t found any trace of Miss Cohen. It doesn’t appear she’s in Akotana. Should we redirect the team elsewhere?”
At this point, the search felt hopeless—like looking for a single needle buried somewhere in an endless haystack.
Deandre was quiet for a long moment, his eyes resting on a single fallen autumn leaf on the pavement below. “No,” he finally said. “Call the men back.”
“Understood,” came the relieved reply.
Yet not long after hanging up, he sent another message.
Continue the search.
He simply couldn’t let go. With each passing day, the regret grew heavier and the longing burned deeper, settling like a permanent ache at the center of his chest. He should never have buried his feelings for so long. The truth was plain—he loved her.
He stood at the top of the world now, a man others respected and no one dared oppose. But the one person he actually wanted beside him was nowhere to be found.
With work still waiting in Marinth, Deandre paused briefly at the hospital entrance before finally getting into the car.
а𝗱𝗱𝗂𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝖾 𝘀𝘵𝗈ri𝖾𝘀 оn 𝗴а𝗹𝗇𝗼𝘃𝖾𝗹ѕ.c𝘰𝘮
It was a public holiday, and the nearby entertainment complex had choked the surrounding streets with traffic. Deandre sat in the back seat, watching the slow, unmoving line of cars through the window while his thoughts drifted far away.
The car gradually slowed to a stop at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to change.
A gentle autumn breeze swept down the street, stirring fallen leaves and sending them skimming along the pavement.
Deandre shifted his gaze to the pedestrians crossing in front of him. Not far away, a woman in a soft, light-colored outfit walked past, pushing a stroller and carrying a backpack on her shoulders. A man walked at her side, and every so often she turned to him with a quiet smile to say something. The little girl in the stroller waved her small hands happily in the air. The three of them were a picture of effortless contentment.
When the woman turned slightly and her profile came into view, Deandre went completely still.
He stared at her face as though he couldn’t trust his own eyes.
The light changed. The cars moved forward. The familiar figure disappeared behind the passing vehicles.
Deandre spoke through clenched teeth, his voice low and tight. “Pull over.”
The bodyguard, who had also recognized her, reacted immediately—spinning the car around sharply and bringing it to a screeching halt at the side of the road.
The car behind nearly slammed into them. The driver rolled down his window, already winding up to curse, and immediately went silent the moment Deandre stepped out. One cold, unhurried look was all it took.
.
.
.