Chapter 111 CHAPTER 111

Chapter 111 CHAPTER 111
The Warning
“Tessa, wait—what are you saying?”
Ares’ voice was low, tense, cutting through the dim light of the room. He stood near the window, one hand gripping the edge of the curtain, eyes narrowing at her.
Tessa stepped closer, her expression pale and urgent. “I’m saying Ethan is planning something, Ares. He’s not done. I don’t know how far he’s gone, but I know he wants to bomb this house tonight. He’s been watching, waiting for the right time and he has concluded tonight is the right time.”
Ares turned fully, his jaw tightening. “That’s impossible. He doesn’t have that kind of power, this is Japan.”
“You don’t believe me?” Her voice cracked slightly. “He kidnapped our kids in the past! Do you not understand?”
Silence stretched between them, heavy and slow.
Ares exhaled deeply, rubbing his hand across his face. “Ethan—” He paused, his eyes flickering as if trying to piece together a memory that refused to settle. “We used to work together. A business deal in London, years ago. He wanted a partnership in one of my real Estate companies, luxury design. He couldn’t meet deadlines, made terrible financial calls, so I pulled out. He said it ruined him.”
Tessa’s eyes widened. “And what happened after?”
Ares stared into the distance, remembering. “He came to my office two months later, screaming that I stole his ideas, that I’d destroyed him on purpose. I told him business wasn’t charity. He said he’d make me lose everything I ever loved.”
There was a long silence.
Tessa’s heartbeat quickened. “So you remember what he said.”
“Yes.” Ares’ voice dropped to a whisper. “Now I know he’s serious.”
She nodded quickly. “We have to leave this place ASAP.”
Ares didn’t hesitate. He reached for his phone, dialing quickly. “Julian,” he said the moment his brother picked up, “listen carefully. I need you to take the kids somewhere safe. Now.”
“Whoa, whoa—what’s going on?” Julian’s voice came through, confused.
“There’s a threat,” Ares said, glancing at Tessa who stood clutching her robe tightly. “I’ll explain later. Just take them and Dorcas. Don’t ask questions. Find a hotel and stay there until I give you a call.”
Julian’s tone changed instantly, serious and alert. “Copy that.”
The line clicked off.
Ares turned to Tessa. “We’ll move my mother and Chloe too.”
“Your mother?” Tessa said softly. “I hate I have to deal with her.”
“She doesn’t make it easy,” Ares replied flatly. “Let’s go.”

Dorcas looked confused but didn’t ask questions, just followed his lead, buckling the kids into their seats as Julian started the engine.
As the car pulled away from the driveway, Julian sent a quick message:
Hotel Arion — Suite 403. We’re safe.
Ares read the text and nodded. “Good. They’re in.”
“Where are we going?” Tessa asked quietly.
“Somewhere Ethan can’t reach easily.” He glanced toward the hallway, where Lady Bianca was already demanding answers, standing in her dress, her expression irritated.
“Ares, what is happening?” Bianca demanded. “Why are people packing? Why are the guards outside?”
“Mother,” Ares said calmly, “we’re leaving for a few days. No questions. Just move.”
Bianca’s eyes narrowed, but something in his tone stopped her from arguing. She turned and went upstairs, ordering her maid to pack.
Chloe appeared next, her eyes flashing between them. “What’s going on?”
“Safety protocol,” Ares said without looking at her. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
Within the hour, two armored cars waited outside. Ares ushered the three women—Lady Bianca, Tessa, and Chloe into one vehicle. He climbed into the passenger seat beside the driver and gave the order. “Go. Hotel Zephyr. No stops.”
The convoy rolled out of the mansion gates under the cover of night.
Tokyo’s city lights blurred past the tinted windows, glowing like a trail of gold dust. Inside the car, tension hummed low. No one spoke for several minutes.
Tessa sat beside Ares, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She watched him glance out the window every few seconds, his jaw clenched. He had that look again—the quiet, focused anger that came whenever he was cornered.
“Do you really think Ethan could come after you here?” she asked finally.
Ares didn’t look at her. “He’s not after me. He’s after what I love. That’s how men like him operate.”
Lady Bianca sighed dramatically beside them. “This is absurd. You think some businessman from your past is going to show up here with a gun? Ares, really.”
Ares turned slightly, his voice cold. “You’re here because I said so, not because I asked for your opinion.”
Bianca stiffened, offended but silent. Chloe smirked faintly beside her, earning a glare from the older woman.
They reached the hotel just before midnight. The building rose tall and sleek, its glass exterior catching every shimmer of light from the street.
Ares got out first, speaking to the security team stationed outside. Two black vans marked “Tokyo Fire Response Unit” were already parked discreetly nearby.
He nodded approvingly. “Good. Keep them ready.”
Tessa followed behind, glancing around nervously. “You called the fire department?”
“Precaution,” Ares said simply. “If Ethan’s plan involves the mansion, I don’t want to risk anything.”
Inside the hotel, he checked them in under false names. The staff moved quickly, discreetly, unaware that one of the world’s richest men was standing in front of them under a pseudonym.
They rode the elevator in silence. The faint hum of machinery was the only sound between them.
When the doors opened to the top floor, Ares led them into a suite that looked more like a penthouse: glass walls, soft lighting, a long balcony overlooking the skyline.
Bianca immediately began arranging her things, muttering to herself. Chloe threw her bag on one of the couches, while Tessa stood by the window, arms folded.
Ares made a few quick calls to his security detail, pacing near the bar. “I want guards at every exit. And tell the rest of the team to patrol the perimeter every hour. No one in or out without my permission.”
He hung up, exhaling sharply.
Tessa watched him. “You really think Ethan’s watching?”
“The mansion,” Ares said quietly. “Yes.”
Bianca turned from her suitcase. “Ares, you’re being paranoid.. I am tired…my boutique…you are paranoid because of my boutique.”
“Paranoia,” he said evenly, “is good sometimes.”
No one answered.
Outside, rain began to fall, tapping lightly against the windows. The sound filled the silence between them—steady, rhythmic, almost soothing, though it did nothing to calm the tension in the room.
Tessa sat down slowly, pulling the shawl tighter around her shoulders. “Julian and the kids are safe?”
Ares nodded. “He sent the address. They’ll stay there until I say otherwise.”
Chloe spoke up suddenly, her tone softer than usual. “You think Ethan knows where we are right now?”
Ares’ gaze lifted to her, unreadable. “If he doesn’t yet, he will soon.”
Tessa swallowed hard. “So what do we do now?”
Ares looked around the room, at his mother, his ex wife, and the woman he really loved and then turned toward the window again.
“I will handle it,” he said finally. “Trust me…” He smiled faintly, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I will keep us safe.”
The room fell quiet again.
Bianca sank into one of the armchairs, still fuming but unwilling to argue. Chloe looked pale, lost in her own thoughts. Tessa leaned against the balcony railing, watching the city lights blur beneath the rain.