Chapter 188
Chapter 188:
Albert had recently emerged from a coma, his body still fragile and not fully recovered. He wasn’t ready to be away from medical equipment for an extended period.
Helena, deeply concerned for Albert’s well-being, would never consent to any action that could jeopardize his recovery.
Thus, Alden assumed that Helena must be at a hospital within Cheson. Acting on Alden’s hunch, Xavier dispatched teams to search every local hospital, but they found no trace of Helena.
Exhausted from a sleepless night and the day’s demanding activities, Alden was visibly worn out. Concerned for his health, Xavier suggested several times that Alden should rest. Eventually, Alden conceded and headed home. Home felt like an empty shell without Helena.
It was dark when Alden arrived; the night had fully set in. He unlocked the door and stepped inside. The apartment lay in darkness and silence.
Groping for the light switch, Alden let the light illuminate the room. Helena’s coat, forgotten in her rush to reach Albert, hung near the door. Alden’s hand brushed the fabric of the coat, his thoughts drifting to the chilly wind from the previous evening, wondering if Helena had been cold.
He shut his eyes, overwhelmed by the chaos in his thoughts. Their bond had been strengthening—so what had gone wrong? At what point had their paths diverged to lead to this moment?
Alden’s head throbbed painfully as he sifted through his memories. He recalled the night when Helena had suggested he go to Evrachia with her, an invitation he hadn’t taken seriously at the time. It struck him now as her final attempt to coax honesty from him.
Keeping secrets had seemed clever then, but now it felt foolish.
A rueful smile crept across Alden’s face, marking his first true encounter with regret in a very long time.
In the days that followed, Helena took a break from work, staying by Albert’s side at the nursing home. Once Albert’s health began to improve three days later, Helena returned to her duties at Nexus TV.
She apologized to Lucas for her absence, feeling guilty. Lucas, however, reassured her with a smile, saying, “Your last interview with Alden was a smash hit. All the higher-ups are quite pleased with your work p>
The mention of Alden dampened Helena’s spirits. She attempted a weak smile, trying to change the subject, but Lucas was persistent. “Alden was quite open in the previous interview. Could you perhaps arrange a more detailed video interview with him p>
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Helena finally lost her composure. “Mr. Wright, I don’t see the merit in another interview with Alden. He’s been concealing his real situation, which was deceitful to the public. We must not continue to showcase or glorify such behavior p>
The room fell silent. Everyone, including Lucas, was taken aback by her blunt refusal.
Betsey immediately criticized Helena with sharp words. “Is this your attitude towards your work and Mr. Wright p>
Caught off guard, Helena took a moment to collect herself. With a hand on her forehead, she expressed her regret. “I apologize. I shouldn’t have let my personal issues influence my professional judgment.” After the incident, she quickly returned to her desk.
That day, Dominick was assigned to report on a whale rescue mission. Seeing Helena’s subdued mood, he suggested she come along to the beach, thinking it might brighten her spirits.
Helena gladly agreed and headed to the beach with Dominick, where the whale was.
The beach was severely contaminated. A large whale had become ensnared in the thick, muddy sediment, its fins beating the air futilely as it struggled to escape, only managing to flail against the sand.
This display of desperation resonated deeply with Helena. She identified with the whale’s plight, feeling equally ensnared within Alden’s intricate schemes.
Fueled by empathy, Helena poured her heart into the task like never before. She volunteered with the rescue team, and despite the ropes chafing her hands as they worked to liberate the whale, she hardly felt the sting.
Upon the whale’s release, Helena, overwhelmed with emotion, grabbed the microphone. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she addressed the camera, saying, “Our collective efforts have returned this magnificent creature to its natural habitat, allowing it to roam the seas freely. We aspire to a future where such rescues are no longer necessary p>
As the whale majestically flipped its tail, water droplets caught the light, shimmering like diamonds against the sun.
Off-camera, the audience, touched by Helena’s heartfelt speech, erupted into sincere applause.