All Chapters of His Forbidden Guard : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

147 Chapters

Chapter 31: The Investigation Deepens

Over the next week, they each moved forward with their assigned tasks.Victoria worked with her father to arrange the visit to Mercy Medical Group. The administrator, a Dr. Helen Cardwell, was initially resistant, but a combination of a generous donation and personal pressure from Charles Ashford eventually persuaded her to allow a brief, unofficial visit.Daveson met with Raymond three more times, gathering information about Lissa's security systems, her schedule, her movements. Raymond provided detailed floor plans of the Heyden estate, lists of security personnel and their shifts, and camera positions throughout the property.But it was Leonard's task that proved the most difficult.Documenting his mother's behavior meant spending more time with her, engaging with her, pretending that everything was fine while secretly recording their conversations. And each conversation revealed new depths to Lissa's manipulation and control."I'v

Chapter 32: The Impossible News

Friday morning arrived with deceptive normalcy. Leonard was preparing to leave for Mercy Medical Group, going through the motions of his usual routine, when his phone rang. It was Marcus, one of the senior security guards."Mr. Heyden," Marcus said, his voice tight with concern. "You need to come to the staff quarters. It's Daveson. We found him unconscious in his bathroom."Leonard's world tilted. "What? Is he…""He's breathing, but he won't wake up," Marcus interrupted. "We've called for an ambulance, but I thought you should know.""I'm on my way," Leonard said, already moving toward the door.He found Daveson's room crowded with security personnel and household staff, all looking worried. Daveson was on the floor, pale and unresponsive, his breathing shallow. Leonard had to force himself to maintain his composure, to not drop to his knees beside Daveson and reveal the depth of his concern."Everyone out," Leonard ord

Chapter 33: The Private Conversation

Six hours later, Daveson was cleared to leave the hospital. Leonard had arranged for a private car, not the usual company vehicle, to take them back to the estate. He couldn't risk any of the regular drivers overhearing what they needed to discuss.They rode in silence for the first fifteen minutes, both lost in their own thoughts. Finally, when they were far enough from the hospital and the driver was separated by a privacy screen, Daveson spoke."We need to talk about this," he said quietly."I know," Leonard agreed. "But not here. Not yet. When we get back to the estate, we'll find somewhere private. Somewhere we can actually talk without worrying about being overheard.""The greenhouse," Daveson suggested. "No one goes there.""Except Raymond, apparently," Leonard said bitterly."Then where?" Daveson asked.Leonard thought for a moment. "My father's old study. The one in the east wing that my mother had sealed off after he left. No one's been in there in eighteen years. There are

Chapter 34: The Mother's Intuition

Lissa Heyden had built an empire on her ability to read people. To sense weakness. To detect lies.And something about her son was different.She noticed it first at breakfast, three days after Daveson's hospital visit. Leonard had claimed Daveson was recovering from food poisoning, a convenient explanation that required no further investigation. But Leonard's behavior had shifted in ways that were almost imperceptible to anyone who didn't know him as well as she did.He was protective. Not of himself, which would have been normal, but of Daveson.When Marcus mentioned reassigning Daveson to lighter duties during his recovery, Leonard had objected with an intensity that seemed disproportionate. When the household manager suggested hiring temporary security coverage, Leonard insisted Daveson was essential and irreplaceable.It was the kind of attention one paid to something valuable.Something worth protecting.Lissa set down her coffee cup, watching Leonard across the breakfast table.

Chapter 35: The Default

Leonard turned to face her, weighing his options. Victoria had proven herself trustworthy time and again. She'd helped them, protected them, risked her own position for their sake. She deserved honesty.But the secret wasn't just his to tell."I need to talk to Daveson first," he said finally. "But Victoria, you're right. I just... I need a little more time before I can explain."Victoria looked like she wanted to press, but she nodded. "Okay. But Leonard, whatever it is, it needs to come out before Friday. We can't have any surprises when we go to see your father. We need to be aligned, all of us, or this falls apart.""I know," Leonard said. "I'll tell you. Soon. I promise."That evening, Leonard found Daveson in the estate's private gym, running on a treadmill. He looked better than he had three days ago, color back in his face, moving with his usual fluid grace.But Leonard noticed the way Daveson's hand occasionally drifted to his stomach, an unconscious gesture that spoke volume

Chapter 36: The Intercepted Threat

Leonard's phone buzzed at 2 AM with an alert he'd set up months ago, a digital tripwire he'd never expected to actually trigger.Someone was running a background check on Daveson Roarke.He sat up in bed, heart pounding, and opened the encrypted app that monitored such things. The search had been initiated from a private investigation firm in Manhattan, one that specialized in corporate espionage and high-net-worth client services.The kind of firm his mother used.Leonard's hands were shaking as he traced the digital footprint back to its source. The investigator's name was Marcus Wendell, a former FBI agent who now sold his skills to the highest bidder. And according to the metadata, he'd been hired exactly three hours ago.Seventy-two hours to produce results, the search parameters indicated. That meant Leonard had three days before his mother received a comprehensive report on Daveson's life.Three days before she potentially discovered the hospital visit.Three days before everyt

Chapter 37: The massive problem

Leonard made the first cryptocurrency transfer from his car, using a secure app on his phone. One hundred thousand dollars, converted to Bitcoin and sent to an anonymous wallet Wendell had provided.It was done within minutes. Irreversible.His personal account was now significantly lighter, and if his mother's financial people did a deep audit, they'd see the withdrawal. But that would take time, and time was what Leonard needed most right now.He drove back to the estate, his mind already working on the next problem: making sure Wendell actually followed through. Paying someone off was one thing. Trusting them to stay bought was another.When he arrived home, he found Daveson in the security office, reviewing camera feeds from the night before. He looked better this morning, more color in his face, moving with more energy."Morning," Daveson said, glancing up. "You're up early.""Couldn't sleep," Leonard said. It wasn't entirely a lie."Everything okay?" Daveson asked, his eyes shar

Chapter 38: The Secret Of Us

"I thought you were handling that," Leonard said."The family and board members, yes," Lissa agreed. "But Victoria wants to include some of your personal friends. I told her I'd ask you for names."It was a test. Leonard had no personal friends that his mother didn't know about. She was checking to see if he'd reveal anyone new, anyone unexpected."I don't really have personal friends," Leonard said. "You know that.""Mmm," Lissa said, studying him. "What about colleagues? Anyone from the company you'd want to include?"Another test. Checking if he'd mention Daveson."Just the usual department heads," Leonard said. "I'll send Victoria a list by tomorrow."Lissa nodded slowly. "You've been spending quite a bit of time in this office lately. Everything alright?""Just busy with work," Leonard said. "The quarterly reports are due soon.""Of course," Lissa said. She moved toward the window, her back to Leonard. "I've been thinking about your future at the company. After the wedding."Leon

Chapter 39: The weight of silence

The decision to tell Victoria should have been easy.Leonard sat in his car outside the estate at 6 AM Thursday morning, his phone in his hand, Victoria's number pulled up on the screen. His thumb hovered over the call button, but he couldn't make himself press it.How did you tell someone that you were in love with your security guard? That everything about your life, the engagement, the wedding, the carefully constructed facade, was built on a lie?More importantly, how did you tell her without revealing the pregnancy? Because that secret was too dangerous, too impossible to share with anyone else.Hi Victoria, I'm in love with Daveson, but don't worry, there's definitely nothing else going on that you need to know about...No. He needed a different approach.Leonard's phone buzzed with a text from Daveson: Where are you? Your mother is asking questions.He typed back: In the parking area. Needed air. Be up in 10.Another message came through immediately: Are you okay?Leonard stare

Chapter 40: The Pregnancy Secret

"We're figuring it out," Leonard said carefully."That's not exactly a ringing endorsement," Victoria observed. "Leonard, I'm not trying to talk you out of this. If you love him and he loves you, then you should be together. But you need to be realistic about what you're facing. This isn't some romantic movie where love conquers all. This is real life, with real consequences.""I know that," Leonard said. "But what's the alternative? Marry you? Spend the rest of my life pretending? Watch Daveson from a distance while I play the role of devoted husband?""Yes," Victoria said bluntly. "Because sometimes that's what survival looks like. Sometimes you have to choose practicality over passion.""Is that what you would do?" Leonard asked.Victoria was quiet for a long moment. "I don't know," she admitted finally. "I've never been in love, so I can't say what I'd sacrifice for it. But Leonard, I do know your mother. And I know she won't let you go without a fight. If you choose Daveson over

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