Chapter 24
Chapter 24:
For the first time, Helena heard Alden speak in a tone that almost sounded like he was pleading.
A sudden thought struck her. If she turned off the light while Alden couldn’t hear anything around him, he’d be trapped alone in complete darkness.
Helena hesitated, unsure. From what she knew, villas like this usually had backup generators. The lights would likely come back on soon, so she only needed to stay with Alden for now.
After a quick moment of thought, she typed a short message on her phone: “Alright, I’ll wait with you p>
Without speaking, Alden gestured toward the bed, silently indicating that they should sit there together while they waited.
With a gentle motion, Helena set her phone on the bed between them, its light casting a soft glow over them, before lying down to face Alden.
Breaking the silence, Alden asked, “When did you start learning sign language p>
Helena stifled a yawn as she typed her response: “When we got married, I promised I’d do my best to act like your wife p>
She had gone through countless articles, videos, and personal stories, each offering a deeper understanding of what life was like for those who lived in silence. The more she learned, the stronger her empathy for Alden grew.
But as Alden read the message, his heart sank.
To her, this was merely a role—a part she had chosen to play, not something that came from her heart.
If he reached across the invisible line between them now, Helena’s panic might flare up. And hurting her, even unintentionally, was the last thing he wanted.
Meanwhile, Helena’s phone battery was running low. Exhausted from the long day, she started to feel sleepy. As the screen dimmed, her eyes fluttered shut.
But the power still hadn’t been restored.
Alden knew it wouldn’t. The blackout hadn’t been an accident. It was clear it was just another one of Frida and Sheldon’s little games. But Helena hadn’t realized that yet.
The stairs leading down from the villa’s second floor were narrow and steep, and Alden didn’t trust them in the dark. So, when Helena made a move to get up and look for Sheldon again, Alden gently pushed her back onto the bed, silently urging her to stay. He pulled the blanket over her and, in a quiet but firm voice, said, “Let’s sleep p>
Stay tuned for more
The sudden closeness startled Helena, causing her to tense up, unsure of what might happen next. Seconds stretched into minutes, but Alden stayed still, not making any further move toward her.
Even though a blanket separated them, the warmth from his body reached her, and the calm rhythm of his breathing filled the quiet space. It was strangely comforting, like a lullaby shared between two hearts.
Little by little, the tension in Helena’s body eased. She kept repeating to herself that the lights would return any time soon. Once they did, she’d grab a blanket and sleep on the floor, anything to avoid sleeping side by side with Alden. The closeness was just too overwhelming…
The chirp of Helena’s morning alarm broke the silence hours later. As she fumbled toward the nightstand for her phone, her hand brushed against something warm unexpectedly.
A low voice, still rough with sleep, said beside her, “Time to get up and prepare for work. My grandma wants the whole family at dinner tonight. I’ll pick you up after work p>
Still half-asleep, Helena gave a muffled response.
Then it hit her—this wasn’t her bedroom. She was still in Frida’s villa. More importantly, she’d spent the entire night sharing a bed with Alden.
She shot upright in alarm, glancing to her side. There Alden was, his eyes open but tired, with shadows beneath them that told her he hadn’t slept well.
A wave of self-consciousness suddenly washed over Helena, making her feel awkward. Had she moved in her sleep? Was she the cause of the exhaustion in his eyes?
Alden didn’t complain, but the fatigue on his face was hard to miss. Trying to fill the awkward silence, she asked gently, “Did the electricity ever come back last night p>
Frustration seeped into Alden’s voice as he said, “I’ve got no clue. I fell asleep, too p>
Though his response left her a little puzzled, Helena chose not to dwell on it. She quietly gathered her clothes and headed into the bathroom.
Behind her, Alden exhaled sharply and collapsed back onto the bed, pulling the blanket over his head, completely covering himself.
The truth was, he hadn’t slept at all.
What was meant to be a harmless trick by Frida and Sheldon had turned into an all-night torment for him instead.
Later that morning, Xavier dropped Helena off in front of Nexus TV’s main entrance.
With one hand holding her bag and the other lifting a half-eaten sandwich Sheldon had packed, she made her way toward the building. From across the lot, several female coworkers caught sight of her just as she stepped out of the car.
Eleanor narrowed her eyes at the driver. There was something familiar about him, though she couldn’t quite place where she’d seen his face before.
Still, that wasn’t what truly caught her attention. What mattered more was that Helena didn’t arrive in the sleek, high-end Maybach. Instead, it was an old Chevrolet.
A thrill of satisfaction flickered through Eleanor’s chest.
It had to mean something. Maybe Dorian was finally done with Helena and planning to dump her.
Without wasting any time, Eleanor matched Helena’s pace and got into the elevator alongside her.
Just as Eleanor opened her mouth to deliver a smug remark, the elevator was filled with gasps from the women around them.
“Helena, that necklace is absolutely stunning p>
Eleanor was taken aback by the sudden outburst. As she turned toward Helena, her gaze was immediately drawn to the sight of a stunning pearl necklace.