Chapter 810
The call still wouldn’t go through.
That was unexpected.
Watts met Elodie’s eyes, then glanced at the phone in her hand. “No luck? Maybe most of the networks are down. Try again in a while.”
Something flickered across Elodie’s face-a feeling she couldn’t quite name, a tiny sting that left her unsettled.
She didn’t say a word.
Watts checked his watch. “Are you hungry? I’ll have them bring you something to eat.”
He stood up. “Just stay calm for now. You’re a long way from home, and not everyone here is trustworthy. But while you’re with me, you’re safe. I promise.”
The words had the effect of a sedative, meant to settle her nerves.
Elodie remained silent.
She turned toward the window.
Armed men still patrolled outside.
Clearly, this wasn’t the sort of place you could come and go as you pleased.
She knew Watts had a point, but as far as she was concerned, his promise of safety didn’t carry much weight.
The food was ready quickly-Watts had seen to it himself.
Elodie glanced at the spread: dishes from her own country.
Without revealing anything, she asked quietly, “What about the people who came here with me?”
Watts ladled soup into a bowl for her, his manner calm and unhurried. “They’re all resting elsewhere. Later, they’ll be escorted out.”
Though Watts had shown no overt malice from the very start, Elodie couldn’t ignore the subtle tension in the air.
She didn’t confront him; she knew she had to play this carefully.
Watts didn’t eat. He just watched her, his gaze steady. Elodie was as composed as ever, showing no change, no sign of discomfort. That calm was precisely what frustrated him. He’d tried to win her over for so long, and she’d never once wavered.
He wondered-
Why didn’t Elodie like him?
He wasn’t any less than Jarrod, not in family, not in ability.
“If you’re bored, just say the word. Whatever you want to do, I’ll keep you company.” He leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable even to himself.
Elodie met his gaze, her voice mild. “Don’t trouble yourself. I just want to leave as soon as possible.”
The faintest shadow crossed Watts’ face, but he kept his composure.
He poured her a glass of juice. “Eat something first.”
Then he stood and walked out.
The moment the door closed behind him, Elodie set down her spoon and silently studied the layout of the house around her.
Outside, Watts’ phone rang.
He glanced at the caller ID, then stepped into the courtyard to answer.
“Mr. Aldridge, it’s not looking good. Jarrod’s people have already authorities back home. They’re
officially involved now
pull
out all the stops to find their people.”
Watts’ lips twisted in a humorless smile.
Of course. That was Jarrod for you.
Even in a crisis, he’d immediately think of the most powerful backup.
With the authorities on the case,
there
detavas
no way to keep
for long.
If they started putting on the pressure, they’d turn the whole area upside down.
Instead of responding, Watts asked, “What about Jarrod’s situation?”
“Last I heard, he’s already there. Chances are, it’s life or death.”
Watts tilted his head back and stared at the blazing sky.
Things were chaotic over there anything could happen.
But what mattered most now…
Someone wanted Jarrod dead. How could he possibly escape?
“I understand,” Watts said.
He turned back to look at the front door of the villa.
He thought of Elodie’s wariness.
Even though she’d been careful not to show it, he could sense it easily enough.
Elodie didn’t trust him. That distance made him deeply uneasy.
A trace of anger, sharp and unspoken.
He stood there for a while before striding back inside.
In the end… Jarrod probably didn’t stand a chance.
Sooner or later, Elodie would have to accept that.
Night had fallen completely.
The car sped through the darkness.
They barely dodged bullets along the way.
The people in this area suffered
terribly, No one cared aboumet
lives, and escaping was next
impossible.
Jarrod never stopped trying to reach Elodie.