Chapter 174
Chapter 174:
Alden lowered his glass without looking up, his voice steeped in scorn. “Chadwick only looks out for himself. He couldn’t care less about his own kids. Rylan is nothing more than a tool to him. Once that guy becomes more of a burden than a benefit, Chadwick won’t think twice about cutting him off.” Nobody had seen through Chadwick like Alden had.
Despite his ambition, Chadwick was heartless and lacked the talent to match his hunger. When it came to leadership, he couldn’t hold a candle to Rylan. That was exactly why he’d leaned so heavily on Rylan in recent years.
But things had started to change.
Chadwick believed he’d secured Serena—smart, stunning, and capable. He probably thought he might have another son. So what use would Rylan be then? It felt like Rylan and Maisie were standing at the edge of the same tragedy Alden and his mother had once endured.
Dorian took it all in, then let out a sigh and gave a slight shake of his head.
Alden checked the time on his watch and quietly rose from his seat.
“You’re going home already? It’s not even six yet,” Dorian inquired, unable to hide his curiosity.
Alden’s answer was brief. “Helena’s almost done with work. I want to be there when she gets off p>
The last time in Valeria’s office, after hearing the conversation between Valeria and Alden, Helena simply lay back down and closed her eyes again, acting like she hadn’t woken up at all. Even when Alden brought her home, she stayed composed, her expression giving nothing away.
Still, Alden never let his concern for her waver. Whenever she was home, he stayed close, doing whatever he could for her.
Dorian had an idea of how serious things were with Helena, so he kept his tone gentle. “Is Helena getting any better? Do you think her memories are coming back p>
Alden gave a slow nod, saying nothing.
Signs were beginning to show. Helena’s memories were coming back bit by bit. The day she pieced everything together might not be far off. But if that moment arrived and Alden hadn’t yet taken care of Chadwick and his family, what kind of world would she be waking up to? She’d be left surrounded by threats, forced to live with constant unease.
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Was that something she could handle? Could she accept living in fear?
Alden wouldn’t let it come to that. The very thought of her being cornered and powerless was enough to push him. He had to act now—whatever needed to be done, it had to be done before Helena’s memories returned in full.
“Hey, what’s got you staring so hard at the screen p>
At the Nexus TV office, Dario leaned in toward Helena, curious about her intense focus.
She’d been digging through online records, trying to find reports of any crimes from the year she lost her memory—particularly those involving girls her age in Cheson. But there was nothing that matched.
Not knowing the full story left her restless. Still, one article stood out. It mentioned that Alden had left the country that year, though no reason was given. A quiet suspicion formed in her mind. Could there be a link between Alden’s sudden departure and the incident that had changed her life?
Dario’s voice broke her train of thought. She quickly exited the page and gave a casual smile. “Oh, just reading the news. Nothing important p>
“You had that look, like you’d hit a wall or something.” Dario had already noticed something but kept his tone light. Then he added, “If you’ve searched everywhere and still can’t find what you need, maybe someone made sure you wouldn’t. These days, information’s everywhere, so if something’s missing, chances are it’s been kept hidden on purpose p>
The pieces finally started to click into place. Maybe the person who had buried the truth was none other than Alden himself. There had always been a part of her that understood Alden was hiding things, and she’d made peace with that—for a while. Still, what if those buried truths had everything to do with her?
The question alone tore apart the fragile sense of calm she’d been clinging to. Over the weekend, Alden casually suggested a road trip to help her clear her mind.
Instead of feeling comforted, Helena grew more uneasy. Being alone with him only sharpened her doubts, and it became harder to ignore how often she found herself watching him, searching for unspoken answers.
Not wanting to reveal her suspicions, she politely declined and said she was planning to visit her father instead.
She wasn’t lying. She really had missed him.
At the nursing home, she took a seat beside Albert’s bed, carefully tucking the blanket around his frail shoulders. His face looked so worn, so pale, and seeing him like that nearly broke her.
Holding onto his hand, she leaned in and whispered, “Dad… do you think Alden is the boy in my lost memories? Was he the one who left me behind and disappeared without a trace p>
Her voice wavered. After those questions, she managed a small, pained smile as she looked at Albert. “Every memory I have seems to lead back to an orphanage. Maybe I really was just a forgotten child. Dad, was it after that incident that you adopted me from the orphanage? Because of me, you were misunderstood by Gemma, and you’ve put so much effort into raising me p>
Tears came fast and heavy. Her grip on Albert’s hand tightened as she let it all out. “You’ve done so much for me, Dad. I… I can’t thank you enough p>
“Helena p>
A soft voice suddenly broke through Helena’s sorrow.
Wiping her tears quickly, she turned to look—and there he was. Alden.