Chapter 228: Catch Cedric.

Late that night, the island fell into complete silence. The gentle sound of waves rolling onto the shore was the only thing that broke the stillness.

Inside the villa, every light was off.

Evelyn and Ian were fast asleep. But beyond the trees, shadows were moving.

One by one, armed men emerged from the darkness and surrounded the villa. They moved carefully and spread out around the structure.

Their leader raised a hand. He glanced toward the gate.

"Get ready."

The men silently prepared to breach the entrance.

None of them noticed the figures already watching them from hidden positions.

High among the trees, several snipers lay perfectly still, their rifles trained on the approaching attackers. They had been waiting for this moment.

The attackers moved closer. One man reached the entrance and raised his weapon.

The instant he tried to force the door open, a suppressed shot pierced his chest.

He dropped instantly.

Before the others could react, another shot rang out, then another.

One after another, the attackers fell before they could even understand what was happening.

There was no loud gunfire, no warning. Within moments, the entire group had been taken down.

The island became silent again.

A few seconds later, several men dressed in black suits emerged from the shadows. Two men checked the fallen attackers while the others began clearing the area.

The bodies were dragged away. Weapons were collected, and every trace of the attack was carefully removed.

Then one of the men stopped.

"Wait."

A faint groan came from behind one of the fallen attackers.

He was still alive.

The man in the black suit crouched beside him.

The injured attacker immediately raised his trembling hands. "Please... Please don’t kill me."

The man stared at him coldly. "We won’t. But you have to tell us who sent you. Tell us who ordered this attack, and you’ll walk away alive."

The attacker hesitated. His breathing became rapid. He was terrified of betraying the person who had sent him. But he was even more terrified of dying.

"I..." His voice trembled.

"Talk."

The attacker swallowed hard. "It was Cedric," he rasped. "He ordered us to come here. We were told to kill the couple staying inside the villa."

He swallowed. "I swear. We were only given instructions."

The man in black grabbed the front of his shirt. "Then tell us what else you know. Where is Cedric?"

The attacker hesitated again.

The man in black leaned closer. "Remember what I promised you. Tell us the truth, and you leave this island alive."

The attacker finally broke. "Cedric is hiding in an old warehouse."

He quickly gave them the location. "He has been staying there for some time."

"Anything else?"

The attacker shook his head. "That’s everything I know. Please... let me go."

The man stood and looked at him coldly. "I promise to let you go. And I am keeping my words."

He pointed the gun toward him and pulled the trigger. The bullet pierced the man’s forehead, and he died instantly.

Within minutes, the area around the villa was clean again. There was no sign that anyone had ever been there.

Inside the villa, however, nothing had changed.

Evelyn and Ian remained completely unaware of what had happened outside. They slept peacefully in each other’s arms.

~~~~~~~~~

The phone on the desk suddenly rang.

Elias turned his attention away from the laptop screen and reached for it.

"Hello?"

"Sir, the intruders have been dealt with," a deep voice reported from the other end.

A knowing smile appeared on Elias’s lips as he leaned back in his chair.

He had expected this. That was why he had arranged everything beforehand.

Elias had stationed trained snipers around the villa and placed highly skilled guards throughout the property. The island had been turned into a fortress without Evelyn or Ian ever realizing it.

After everything that had happened to his family, he would never allow another mishap to put any of them in danger.

"Cedric is behind this attack," the man continued. "We captured one of the attackers. He revealed that Cedric is hiding in an old warehouse that once belonged to the Sterling family."

Elias had known Cedric wouldn’t stay hidden forever. That was precisely why he had orchestrated everything so carefully.

Through Victor’s cloud storage, Elias had uncovered countless secrets about Cedric. Among them was evidence that Cedric had helped Tessa get out of prison and had even arranged a job for her.

Cedric had kept Tessa hidden for all these days to use her at the right time.

Elias had given him the opportunity. He had deliberately chosen that restaurant for dinner. He had recognized Tessa in that waitress’s uniform, but he had pretended not to notice her.

Knowing she would report everything she overheard, he had deliberately mentioned the private island in front of her.

Elias knew Cedric would never let such an opportunity pass. And everything had happened exactly as he had thought.

Cedric had taken the bait.

Elias smirked. "They thought they were coming after me. They had no idea they were walking straight into my trap."

His fingers tapped slowly against the desk.

"You did an excellent job. You can enjoy the island for the rest of the week. But make sure my sister and Ian remain safe."

"Of course, sir. We’ll make sure they are protected."

The call ended.

Elias immediately dialed another number.

"Cedric is hiding in an old Sterling warehouse," he said. "Go there and bring him in. Hand him over to the police."

He paused. "I don’t want any mistakes this time."

"Consider it done, sir."

The line went dead.

Elias walked out of the study and headed toward the bedroom.

Meanwhile, Elena stepped out of the walk-in closet wearing her night suit. Her baby bump was clearly visible beneath the soft fabric.

Elias stopped. For a moment, he simply stared at her.

’She looks mesmerizing.’

He had seen her countless times. Yet somehow, she seemed more beautiful to him every day.

Her pregnancy had changed her appearance. Her skin seemed to glow, and her cheeks had become softer. She looked even more radiant.

His gaze lingered on her with unmistakable admiration.

Elena noticed. Her cheeks immediately flushed.

"What are you looking at?" She glanced down at herself self-consciously. "I’ve gained so much weight. Do you find me ugly?"

"Not at all." Elias crossed the room and stopped in front of her. "I find you even more beautiful."

Elena’s blush deepened. "Don’t joke. I know you’re only saying that to make me feel better."

She turned away and covered her face with both hands.

Elias smiled. He stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I’m not joking," he whispered, resting his chin on her shoulder. "You are the most beautiful woman in my eyes."

Elena peeked at him through her fingers. "Are you sure you are not mocking me?"

"Why would I mock my lovely wife?" He drew her closer. "I’m telling you the truth. You become prettier every day."

She looked at him hesitantly. "Will you still find me beautiful after I become a fat pig?"

Elias laughed. "Yes, my love."

He turned her gently toward him. "You are the only woman who can make my heart race. That will never change, no matter how you look."

He lifted her chin. "I love you not because of how you look. I love you because of who you are."

He lowered his head and kissed her.

Elena smiled against his lips before kissing him back.

~~~~~~~~

3:30 A.M.

Several masked men approached the old Sterling warehouse from different directions. They moved quietly, keeping close to the walls and staying out of sight.

Two men slipped toward the side entrance while another group moved toward the back.

They continued inside without making a noise. Their footsteps were almost silent against the dusty floor.

One man’s foot had struck a loose metal object.

Clang

The sharp noise echoed through the building.

Inside a small room on the upper level, Cedric’s eyes snapped open. He immediately reached for the gun beside him. His heart began pounding.

’Someone is here.’

He slowly approached the window and peered outside. His face drained of color.

Several men dressed in black were rushing into the warehouse.

’Elias found me.’

His breathing became uneven. "This is impossible." His grip tightened around the gun. "How did he track me down? He should have died there on that island. Why is this happening?"

Footsteps echoed through the warehouse.

Then a commanding voice rang out. "Search every corner. Don’t let him escape this time."

Cedric’s heart hammered against his ribs. He had sent all his men to the island.

Now he was alone and surrounded.

"I can’t fight them," he muttered. "There are too many. I have to get out."

He rushed toward an old wooden barrel and pushed it aside. A hidden tunnel appeared beneath it.

Cedric immediately dropped to the floor and crawled inside.

Seconds later, several men in black burst into the room. They stopped when they saw the empty space where Cedric had been.

Then one of them noticed the opening. "He escaped."

"Get him," the leader ordered. "He doesn’t get away this time."