Chapter 490
Chapter 490:
The usual ironclad restraint Xavier wore like armor had shattered. Fear had dug its claws in too deeply to ignore.
If it had been Helena in tears, Alden would have crossed the room without hesitation, wrapping her in his arms to offer comfort. But this was Xavier—a grown man, his second-in-command.
Something tugged at Alden’s chest. It was faint, but it was there. Still, watching a man break down like this left him at a loss, fumbling in the uncomfortable silence of a moment he hadn’t prepared for.
Alden opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a faint “Uh…” He shifted forward, half-reaching toward Xavier’s shoulder in a clumsy attempt to offer some sort of consolation. But before his hand could get close, Xavier threw himself into Alden’s rigid arms, his own arms locking tightly around him.
The sudden contact knocked the air right out of Alden’s lungs.
His entire body went still.
It wasn’t a hollow gesture. There was real weight in Xavier’s grip. By the time it hit him what he had done, Xavier was already spiraling internally, horrified by how his body had moved without his brain’s permission.
He stood there, arms locked around his boss, frozen like a guilty child caught red-handed.
Alden, unsure how to react, remained silent in the awkward pressure of the hug.
With a dry cough and a stiff tilt of his head, he muttered, “That’s enough. You can let go now p>
“R-Right! Got it!” Xavier sprang back as if shocked, blinking rapidly.
A few seconds passed as their eyes met, then Alden awkwardly spoke up. “Didn’t you say you needed my signature on some documents? Hand them over p>
Xavier immediately pulled out the documents, both of them silently agreeing never to mention the awkward hug again.
Once Alden finished scribbling his name across the final pages, the tension hanging in the air quietly dissolved.
With that brief moment of calm, Alden leaned back and said, “Since those people failed to snap a clear photo of me, they’ll probably send your photos to Zayden. Even if they’re blurry, he’ll know it’s not me.” He laid out the rest of his analysis with clinical precision. “Odds are, he’ll assume Helena’s moved on. Let him. You’ll need to plant a few well-placed lies to keep him convinced p>
fuels your imagination
Meanwhile, Helena had already made her way to the office.
A fresh wardrobe change set the tone for her arrival. Her hair spilled naturally down her back, and the airy white dress she chose floated around her like mist. Her makeup was light but artful, highlighting the unspoiled youth in her features.
Everything about her radiated soft elegance, her presence elevated by a calm poise that gave her an almost ethereal charm.
As she slipped through the bustling hallway, a faint floral scent lingered behind her, causing heads to turn—one of them belonging to Donn.
She had already captivated him yesterday with her alluring looks, but today was something else entirely. She brought a different kind of spell.