Chapter 268 - Rest Assured
Chapter 268 – Rest Assured
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Sebastian groaned at the quiet noise, swatting the air, and then the area beside him for the alarm clock. When he registered the noise, his head shot up in shock. Glancing around, he saw the tracker was back on. Without warning, he dashed out of the control room and down the hallway, where guards patrolled the area, and many people were gathered.
"Boss, we've located her!" Sebastian shouted, picking up his tablet to show the man.
Kaden was mid-cigarette drag when he heard the frantic noise. Slowly turning in his chair, he cast a glance in Sebastian's direction. The entire room was filled with people, but none were assigned to the task.
"She's in Wraith," Sebastian said.
Finally, after thirteen hours, they were able to get a signal. The two knew she was being transported, but none would think it'd be overseas. This quickly, too. The situation nearly made Kaden laugh. He wasn't furious. He was amused, truly. Atlantis was that desperate to keep Lina that he had to fly her overseas?
Pathetic.
"Good for her." Kaden flicked his cigarette on the ashtray.
"We're not getting her back, Boss?" Sebastian asked.
"We can," Anakin informed his Boss. "It's kidnapping if she went against her will."
"I'm sure she went willingly…" Sebastian whispered to the lawyer.
Anakin's brows tugged together in confusion. The elite lawyer's gaze swept across the entire room, where many people were gathered, but what for?
"Then what am I here for? To sit here and look pretty?" Anakin remarked, leaning back in his seat in bewilderment. It was nightfall and he was exhausted from dealing with another legal dispute.
"Atlantis is out of the city and no one is in charge of his company," Sebastian informed Anakin. "We can cause havoc."
"Oh," Anakin blinked. "Fun."
"But that's not the point right now," Sebastian stated, turning to his Boss. "What are we to do with—"
"Everyone get out."
Sebastian tightened his grip on the tablet. Anakin remained in his chair. Everyone else, who was familiar with the command, left the room without another glance. They knew better than anyone not to disobey Kaden DeHaven himself.
Once there were only three in the room, Sebastian continued.
"Are we not going to get her back, Boss?" Sebastian asked, confused by the outcome. He thought his Boss would wreck the city to search for her. He'd tear everything into pieces if it meant a final glimpse at her.
"It's about time I dealt with the King of Wraith." Kaden inhaled his cigarette, but the smoke only irritated him further. It wasn't the addiction it once was. The nicotine paled in comparison. He could still taste Lina's lips.
Lina was thousands of miles away from him, but he could see her presence lingering everywhere.
Kaden felt the caress of her hands gripping his tightly; that was her signature move, wasn't it? He could feel her soft body pressed against his hard one. He could smell the berries and cream body wash she used.
Kaden could picture his hand running through her hair, watching each individual strand fall. Above all, he could taste her in his mouth.
"You mean, this was your plan all along, Boss?" Sebastian asked in disbelief. "To allow Atlantis to take Lina to Wraith?"
"Why else would I let a boy take her?" Kaden mused. He took another drag of his cigarette, eyeing the flat screen where Lina's location beeped vibrantly in Wraith.
"For a second, I thought you'd given up on Wraith, Boss," Sebastian stated, placing his tablet down.
"What's the plan, then, Boss?" Sebastian asked.
"Call the boys in. We have a country to invade."
– – – – –
The King of Wraith appeared bored out of his mind. He let out a small yawn, seated on his throne with a nonchalant expression. With his ankle crossed over his knee, he lazily propped up his head with the armrest.
"So, it's a waiting game?" the King asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Atlantis mused. "It's only a matter of time before the immortal brings himself to us. My wife is his sole weakness. At her disappearance, he must be panicking as we speak."
"Men don't usually have women as their weakness unless they're a lover or wife," the Queen softly spoke up, turning to her husband with a frown.
"What are you planning, Elias?" the Queen pressed, seated in a golden throne of equal weight and size as her husband's.
"Worry not, my sweet, I won't harm the girl," Elias teased, his lips tugging into a mischievous smirk. "At least, not in your presence, Adeline."
Adeline frowned deeply at his words. She turned her head to Atlantis, who remained standing in the throne room. Usually, they'd hold an audience to address any pressing issue, but it often came in the form of the People's Representative. Holding back a small sigh, the Queen twisted the ring on her finger.
"Besides, the night is long and tiring, Atlantis has just arrived in our country. Why don't we let the poor man rest with his wife?" Elias stated, reaching a hand to caress her face. "So I can rest with mine?"
Adeline's brows were taut with disapproval. She pulled away from his touch. "I just don't think it's right to abuse a human girl for the sake of bringing an immortal here."
"There will be no violence, Your Grace," Atlantis responded in a hardened voice. "The girl has a name and it's Lina Yang."
At this, Adeline's brows shot up. She knew how powerful and influential the Yang family was. Her good friend, Lydia Claymore once had a partnership with Feili Investment Firm. Feili's Chairwoman had extremely close ties with the Yang dynasty. Everything suddenly seemed to connect. What a small world they lived in.
"Despite the Medeor family heirloom on her finger, are you certain Lina Yang is your wife?" Adeline asked in a lethal tone. "You wouldn't lie to me, would you?"
Atlantis leveled with her strong gaze. He met the Queen five years ago. At that time, she had just given birth to twins.
Atlantis heard it was a troubling pregnancy, but he expected a weak and frail little human girl. What he was introduced to was a Pure-Blood woman. She hid her cunningness behind gentle smiles and loving eyes. He knew better than anyone to cross her—especially in her husband's presence.
"I never said she was my wife, Your Grace. You assumed and I didn't bother correcting," Atlantis stated.
Elias' easygoing smirk dropped. A dim expression crossed his face.
Instantly, Atlantis explained. "Lina was originally betrothed to Kaden DeHaven, the immortal you're searching for. But before she was his fiancee, she was my closest childhood friend. She came to Wraith willingly. In fact, I plan to wed her soon."
"You intend to steal the wife of another man?" Do you not fear the consequences?" Adeline pressed.
Atlantis let out a small laugh. "What is love without trouble, Your Grace?"
"A healthy relationship?" Adeline returned.
"Perhaps," Atlantis mused. "But rest assured, Your Grace."
"Rest assured?" Adeline repeated.
Adeline narrowed her eyes. She never liked Atlantis. The man was too sly and she hated people like that. She'd know, her husband was just as slippery. People like them spoke well, but their eyes were wild as a beast. Despite her irritation, she respected him as a businessman.
"Lina will wed me willingly. Her husband has betrayed her trust in more ways than you can possibly imagine. From his horrid actions, she doesn't even remember him," Atlantis stated.
"Did he hit her?" Adeline immediately asked.
"Much worse."
Adeline didn't know anything else that'd lead to memory loss. She sank back in her chair, then, her head snapped to her husband. She knew what caused the amnesia. Powers that only Pure-Bloods could possess.
Adeline always knew her husband had the ability to alter memories, but this was one of the rarest forms of abilities that only House Luxton was able to utilize. As far as Adeline knew, Elias Luxton was the only remaining Luxton with this power.
"A wife that runs from her husband will suffer consequences," Adeline mumbled, continuing to twirl her ring. Sometimes, it calmed her nerves. Other times, she needed things to distract her hand.
"Does the Immortal love her?" Elias suddenly asked, after listening to his wife's intuitive remarks.
Atlantis was reluctant to answer, for he was certain Kaden's adoration wasn't from love. It was from obsession. The darkest and most twisted one too.
Elias' keen ears pricked up. There was a commotion outside the throne room. His children must have come home from their elementary school. At the sound of his wife rising to her feet, he knew they had returned.
"It appears so, Your Majesty," Atlantis finally responded. "Words are nothing, but sweet promises. He may say he loves her, but does he really? It seems he's only obsessed with keeping her."
The King of Wraith said nothing. His lips curled into a humored smile.. Atlantis was just as obsessed.