Chapter 63 – The Storm Beneath Calm

Mannie’s POV

Dominic perceived that something was wrong and walked up to me.

His footsteps were steady, the soft thud of his shoes against the marble sounding louder in the sudden quiet of the living room. His brows furrowed as his eyes settled on me. My hands shook so badly that the phone I’d just dropped was still vibrating faintly on the floor beside my shoe.

“What happened?” he whispered, his voice low but filled with concern.

I couldn’t speak. My lips parted, but no words came out. My heart pounded so fast that my breath came in short gasps. I stared at the floor, my throat tightening until it hurt to swallow.

He bent slightly, his face closer now. “Mannie,” he called again, softer this time.

I raised my trembling eyes to meet his. The warmth in his brown eyes felt almost too much to bear, and for a moment, I wished I could just cry and hide in that gaze. But fear choked me.

I hesitated. I didn’t want him to know too much. If he found out about my children, everything I had been protecting would be exposed. And if he ever met them, my entire secret could unravel in a heartbeat.

Still, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. My voice broke as I whispered, “My child got kidnapped.”

The words tasted like ash on my tongue.

Dominic’s eyes widened for just a moment before narrowing again. His frown deepened. The usually composed expression he always wore wavered slightly, revealing a flash of anger.

“My… child,” I repeated, my voice trembling. My breath hitched as I tried to explain, but the words tumbled out in pieces. “Please… take me home.”

The fear of losing my child wrapped itself around my throat like a noose. My legs felt weak. I could barely stand straight.

“Please,” I whispered again, my voice breaking completely.

Dominic took a deep breath, his chest rising slowly. He exhaled through his nose, his face returning to that calm mask he always wore. “Alright,” he said finally, the word sharp but steady.

He turned to his granddad, who had just finished giving instructions to the servants carrying Michael upstairs.

“Granddad,” he called, his tone formal. “Something came up. I’ll be leaving with Mannie.”

The old man looked over his shoulder at us, his eyes softening the instant he saw my pale face. He offered a kind smile — warm and patient, like he understood something he wouldn’t ask about.

“That’s alright,” he said, waving one hand lazily. “Though your mother might get pissed… go on, settle your issue.”

He sank back onto the couch and reached for the remote again, the flashing light from the TV painting faint gold shadows across his wrinkled face.

I wanted to thank him, but the words wouldn’t leave my lips. My mind was already far away, racing through endless dark thoughts. Where is Lilly now? What’s happening to her? The questions stabbed at my chest one after the other.

Dominic turned back to me. “Let’s go.”

He walked over to where my phone had fallen and picked it up. His fingers brushed over mine slightly when he handed it back. His face was unreadable, but the air around him felt heavier and colder.

I couldn’t look at him. My heart thudded painfully, and I clutched the phone like it was the only thing keeping me from falling apart.

The tension between us was silent but thick enough to feel.

Without another word, Dominic led the way out of the mansion. The click of our footsteps echoed across the polished marble floor and out into the crisp evening air.

The moment we stepped outside, the cold breeze brushed against my skin. My hair flew across my face, sticking to the tears I hadn’t realized were already falling.

Dominic opened the car door for me, his movements brisk and precise. His expression hadn’t softened, but the way he waited for me to get in before closing the door said enough.

The car started, the sound of the engine breaking the silence that had settled between us. The lights from the mansion grew smaller in the rear mirror as we pulled away, swallowed by the shadows of the night.

I clasped my hands tightly in my lap, trying to keep them from trembling. My chest rose and fell too fast. Every second that passed without news of Lilly felt like a lifetime.

Then my phone rang again.

I snatched it up before the second ring. “Mom?”

Her sobs came through the line, sharp and uneven. “Yes… yes, I called the police.”

“Have they started searching?” I asked quickly, my voice almost a shout.

“They said… they said they’ll only start after twenty-four hours,” she cried.

The words struck like a slap. My heart dropped straight to my stomach. “What? Twenty-four hours? Do they not understand this is a kidnapping case?” I yelled, unable to contain myself. My breath hitched, my vision blurred.

Dominic’s eyes flicked toward me for a moment but stayed silent.

On the other end, my mom’s voice cracked. “If we had some connections, it wouldn’t be like this! If you had married someone rich like Zarah, you wouldn’t have to worry about all this. Maybe this wouldn’t have happened!”

Her words sliced through me. I shut my eyes tightly, pressing a hand over my mouth as if that could stop the ache spreading through my chest.

“Mom,” I said weakly, “I don’t have the strength for this right now. Please. I’m on my way there. Try to gather people… anyone who can help search for Lily.”

I hung up before she could say anything else.

The phone slipped from my grasp onto my lap. My pulse was racing, my breathing shallow. The world outside the window blurred into a swirl of streetlights and shadows.

I thought about asking Dominic for help. His name carried weight — influence. Maybe one word from him would make the police act faster.

But another part of me screamed against it. He’s already done so much. You’re walking a dangerous line. Don’t owe him more.

Still, the thought lingered. Maybe just this once—

My phone buzzed again. I jerked, startled, and answered quickly.

“Mannie,” my mom’s voice came, this time calmer, still thick with tears but steadier. “You know that policeman that had Nate do that thing before?”

I blinked, confused. “Yes?”

“He helped,” she said quickly, excitement cutting through the exhaustion in her tone. “He found Lilly! He found her! She’s safe now!”

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

The tension that had wrapped around my chest loosened. My shoulders sagged with relief. “She’s… found?” I asked, barely above a whisper.

“Yes! Yes, she’s fine. Come home straight. Don’t go to the station anymore,” she said.

Tears blurred my vision again, but this time, they were warm — lighter. “Thank God,” I whispered, pressing a trembling hand against my chest.

The call ended. I let out a shaky laugh, half-cry, half-relief. My body finally relaxed.

Then I noticed the silence beside me.

When I glanced at Dominic, the air felt different, it was heavier and sharper. His eyes were fixed ahead, but there was a new tension in the set of his jaw. The car suddenly accelerated, the engine growling deeper.

“Dominic,” I called softly, “you’re driving too fast.”

He didn’t answer. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, the veins in his hand visible even in the dim light.

I turned to face him fully, confused. His profile looked calm, but there was something underneath it — something cold and unreadable.

When his voice came, it was low and sharp enough to slice through the quiet. “Do you not trust me enough to ask for my help?”

The words hit me harder than I expected. I froze, caught between guilt and surprise.

“I—” My throat went dry. I didn’t know what to say. I hadn’t meant to shut him out. I just didn’t want to drag him deeper into my mess.

“I just didn’t want to burden you more than I already did,” I said finally, my voice soft, barely steady. “After all, we’re only in a business relationship. You’re already doing more than I expected.”

Dominic’s expression didn’t change at first, but I saw the flicker of something in his eyes — a crack in that cool composure. The tension in the car eased slightly, though he didn’t look satisfied.

He said nothing. The silence that followed was heavy, almost suffocating, but not cold anymore. Just… full.

I turned back to the window, watching the city blur past. The glow from the streetlights painted his face in gold and shadow, highlighting the strong lines of his jaw. He looked deep in thought, though his eyes stayed on the road.

Minutes passed in that uneasy quiet before he finally spoke again.

“Where is your house?”

The question caught me off guard. “This…” I hesitated.

His eyes flicked to me briefly. “You don’t trust me enough to take you home either?” His voice turned cold again, quieter but sharper.

“No, it’s not that,” I rushed to say. “It’s just… my house is very shabby. Not something worthy of your presence. But if you insist, just go forward, then turn right.”

He said nothing, just pressed harder on the accelerator. I bit my lip and sank deeper into my seat.

The car rolled onto my street — narrow, dusty, and uneven. Potholes littered the ground, and stray dogs barked somewhere in the distance. The smell of smoke and damp earth hung heavy in the air.

Dominic’s expression darkened instantly. His brows knitted together, and his jaw tightened.

The car jolted slightly as one tire hit a shallow pit. “Why are you staying here?” he asked, his voice tight, almost restrained.

“Because it’s the only place I can afford,” I said quietly.

Screech!

The car bottom scraped against a stone, and Dominic cursed under his breath. “Damn it.”

He didn’t speak again until we reached my gate — an old metal one, rusted and creaking when I opened it.

I turned back to him, clutching my bag to my chest. “Thank you,” I said softly.

He looked at me for a long moment, his face unreadable, eyes dark and steady. Then, without a word, he rolled the window down.

“Before you go,” he said quietly, his gaze holding mine.

The night air brushed against my face as I met his eyes. For a heartbeat, neither of us moved or spoke. His stare was intense — not cold, not exactly warm either, just deep enough to make my pulse skip.?