Chapter 345
Chapter 345:
Natalie and Kareem both turned to Albert, exchanging a glance as they silently acknowledged he had made a valid point.
Just as the three of them continued mulling over Helena’s possible relationship with Dario, Natalie’s phone suddenly rang. The name flashing on the screen made her eyes widen. It was Dario.
She answered immediately, not giving the phone a chance to ring twice. Kareem and Albert leaned in on either side of her, their attention instantly sharpening.
None of them wanted to miss a single word.
“Dario, are you still with Helena? She p>
Natalie’s voice was taut with worry, but she didn’t get to finish her sentence. On the other end, Dario’s tone was sharp and confused. “Wait—what? Helena’s not back p>
“Yet? I’ve been home for a while—I was actually calling to check in and let her know I made it back p>
His response sent a jolt through the room, and Helena’s three parents exchanged tense, uneasy glances.
Kareem was the first to snap out of the shock. Without hesitation, he took the phone from Natalie, his tone low and commanding as he addressed Dario. “Head straight back to where you last saw Helena. Search every corner. We’ll mobilize our people too—just don’t waste any time p>
“Got it!” Dario answered without missing a beat, his voice brimming with urgency.
The call ended, but the tension didn’t. They tried calling Helena again and again, each failed attempt only tightening the knot in their chests.
Even after sending out search parties, the three of them couldn’t sit still. They kept pacing back and forth, their nerves stretched thin with every passing second.
Then, just as the anxiety threatened to boil over, the house phone rang, cutting through the silence like a siren.
Albert snapped his head toward it, his eyes narrowing at the blinking number. He knew in an instant it belonged to Alden.
“Should we answer it?” Albert hesitated, his gaze darting between Natalie and Kareem.
𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘁 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺: g⍶𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀﹐ⅽ𝗼𝗺
“Every time Helena got mixed up with that man, disaster followed. Don’t pick up!” Natalie’s voice cut through the air, her face hardening into stone. But the persistent ringing gnawed at their nerves, each chime more unbearable than the last.
Finally, Kareem broke the tension. “What if he has news about Helena?” He placed a gentle hand on his wife’s arm before nodding at Albert.
Understanding the silent permission, Albert accepted the call. Before he could utter a word, Alden’s voice drifted through, laced with unmistakable worry. “Has she… returned home yet p>
Since arriving home, Alden had been tormented by images of Helena and Dario’s intertwined hands, the vision consuming his thoughts.
He’d fought against his impulses before surrendering to them and calling Helena.
But she never answered.
Assuming she was merely upset with him, he’d reached out to her family, desperate for confirmation.