Chapter 824
Wind whipped at Elodie’s face, blurring the world around her.
Yet through the chaos, she saw a figure leap from the plane-a silhouette dressed
in jet black, so vivid it seared into her vision. That face had haunted her dreams
for days now. Even though she tried to dismiss what Watts had said, a part of her soul recoiled in fear, waking her over and over from nightmares where she watched him vanish before her eyes.
Now, he was no longer a dream. He grew clearer, closer with every heartbeat.
In that moment, Elodie’s mind hadn’t even caught up with her racing emotions. She steadied herself, then ran straight toward him.
At last.
Beneath the slowing propellers, Elodie crashed into a pair of warm, strong arms. Jarrod moved fast.
From a distance, he’d seen her being chased. He was so desperate to reach her that he jumped from the plane before it had even come to a stop.
And finally, in that instant, he caught her-his entire world.
He could feel Elodie’s heart pounding as if it might burst.
She clung to him desperately, holding him tight as if to make sure he was real.
“It’s alright. I’m here to take you home.” He bent low, gently patting her back, trying to ease the terror that still lingered in her.
All the composure Elodie had forced upon herself these past days finally cracked.
The thought of Jarrod’s death had gnawed at her heart, eating away at her whenever she was alone.
She’d been forced to comfort herself, searching for reason after reason, telling herself that someone like Jarrod would always find a way through.
But none of those reassurances could compare to seeing him now, alive before her eyes.
She broke down completely.
It felt like getting back something she’d lost forever.
“You’re okay…you’re okay, that’s all that matters…” she whispered into his chest, squeezing her eyes shut, her voice trembling.
Jarrod had never seen Elodie like this before. Her fear for him made him smile, but her confusion and panic twisted something inside his heart. He said nothing, only held her tighter.
Meanwhile―
Someone had managed to stem the bleeding on Watts’ back, stopping it for the time being.
He watched the scene unfold, wide-eyed.
How could he not be shocked? How could he not be furious?
Jarrod shouldn’t have known their exact location.
And yet, just as he was about to leave, he’d been tracked down.
It was, in every way, a declaration of defeat.
Even so, Watts’ gaze locked onto Elodie in Jarrod’s arms. Her outline was almost blurred, but to him it was the most blinding sight he’d ever witnessed.
Fleming had landed the plane smoothly.
Armed local security scrambled down the steps.
Suddenly, a tense standoff had formed between the two groups.
The men who had been chasing Elodie froze, thrown off by the unexpected turn.
They recognized the insignia on the plane.
This was something they couldn’t meddle with.
Watts knew it too.
The moment of reckoning had come.
Jarrod kept his arm protectively around Elodie and turned a cold, steely gaze on Watts.
His eyes glinted with icy mockery. “Mr. Aldridge. Having fun yet?”
Watts ignored the blood staining his shirt and the shards of glass still embedded in his back. He straightened and stepped forward, giving Jarrod a twisted smile.” must admit, I’m nowhere near as resourceful as you, Mr. Silverstein. Somehow you found us even with all the signals jammed. Quite the strategist, pretending to be terrified I’d take the girl, dragging me along for the ride.”
And now, Jarrod had seized the perfect opportunity to find both him and Elodie.
Jarrod’s lips curled in a thin, cold
smile. “You are ruthless and decisive, give you that. But you’re always in such a hurry, Mr. Aldridge. As her father, if I can’t watch over my daughter every second to keep her safe, then I’ll do everything else in my power to protect her. I plan for every possibility, so people with dirty hands and dirty minds will never get close to her. Isn’t that right?”