Chapter 58 Forgive And Become
Cole Ryder's POV
Celene has refused to have any interaction with me after my confession of been the same person who saved her twice and I have to make efforts to win her love and make her forgive me.
Right now, I was focused on finding the mastermind behind the kidnapping because if not for them, Celene would not have known the violent part of me or angry at me now. I walked out of the guestroom where I was now staying since Celene us staying at mine. Jeffery was waiting for me in the hallway, tablet in hand, looking grim.
"Found anything?" I asked.
"We traced the shell company that owned the aircraft. It leads back to someone, Boss. Someone close."
My blood went cold. "How close?"
"Within the family. Or the organization. We're still digging, but the connection is there. This wasn't just some random enemy. Someone on the inside helped orchestrate the kidnapping."
I stopped walking. "You're telling me someone I know did this?"
"It's looking that way, Boss. We're running down every lead, checking financial records, communication logs, everything. Whoever it is, they covered their tracks well. But they're not perfect. We'll find them."
I ran a hand through my hair in frustration and rage warring inside me. It wasn't enough that Celene had been taken, tortured, traumatized. Now I had to deal with the fact that someone close to me had made it possible.
"Keep digging," I said. "I don't care how long it takes or what it costs. Find out who it is."
"Yes, Boss."
I started to walk away, then stopped. "And Jeffery? When we find them, they're mine. No one else touches them."
He nodded once. "Understood."
I went to my office and tried to focus on work. Tried to lose myself in the familiar rhythm of running my empire, making decisions and solving problems. But my mind kept drifting back to Celene. To the hurt in her eyes and the way she'd flinched when I tried to touch her.
She hated me now or close to it and I couldn't blame her.
I'd lied to her and dragged her into a world of violence she never asked for. And now she was suffering because of me.
I needed to fix this. Needed to make her understand that despite everything, despite my obsession and my methods, what I felt for her was real.
But how?
I wasn't good at apologies. Wasn't good at emotions or explanations. I was good at violence and control. At getting what I wanted through force.
None of that would work with Celene.
I stood up abruptly and walked to the kitchen. The mansion was large enough that it had a full commercial kitchen, staffed with professional chefs who could prepare anything I wanted at any time.
But I didn't want them to cook for her.
I wanted to do it myself.
It was stupid. I knew it was stupid. I hadn't cooked anything in years. Didn't even know if I remembered how. But Celene needed to eat and regain her strength, maybe if I made the effort, she'd see that I was trying.
The kitchen staff looked surprised when I walked in and started opening cabinets.
"Mr. Ryder?" one of them asked tentatively. "Can we help you with something?"
"No. I'm cooking."
They exchanged glances but didn't argue. Smart.
I found ingredients for pasta. That seemed simple enough. Boil water, cook pasta, add sauce. How hard could it be?
Very hard, apparently.
The pasta stuck together in clumps. The sauce burned on the bottom of the pan because I wasn't stirring it enough. And when I tasted it, I realized I'd added way too much salt.
I tried to fix it. Added more sauce to dilute the salt. Added herbs to cover the taste but nothing worked.
Thirty minutes later, I had a plate of barely edible pasta that looked nothing like what the chefs usually prepared.
I stared at it, debating whether to just throw it out and have the staff make something proper.
But no. I'd made it for her so she'd eat it.
I carried the plate upstairs myself, balancing it carefully. When I reached her door, I knocked once, then entered without waiting for permission.
Celene was sitting in the chair by the window, looking out at the grounds. She turned when I entered, and her eyes immediately went to the plate in my hands.
"I brought you food," I said.
"I'm not hungry."
"The doctor said you need to eat to recover faster. The sooner you recover, the sooner you can go home."
That made her pause. She looked at me, then at the plate, then back at me.
"Fine," she said finally.
I brought the plate over and set it on the small table beside her. She picked up the fork and took a small bite.
Her countenance immediately changed. She grabbed a napkin and spit the food out.
"Why is this so salty?" she demanded, looking at the plate like it had personally offended her.
"I cooked it myself," I said, feeling defensive.
Her eyes widened. For a second, I saw something soften in her expression. Her lips twitched, and a small chuckle escaped before she quickly masked it.
"Are you trying to make me sick so I have to stay here longer?" she asked, but there was less venom in her voice than before.
I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. I just stood there, speechless.
Finally, I cleared my throat. "I'll get the staff to make you something proper."
I turned and left quickly, taking the plate with me.
When I got back to the kitchen, I set the plate down and stared at it. Curiosity got the better of me, and I picked up the fork and took a bite.
She was right. It was terrible and way too salty. I thought I was able to mask the saltiness but I was wrong.
One of my bodyguards who'd been standing near the kitchen entrance let out a small chuckle.
I turned to look at him, my expression deadly. "What are you laughing at?"
He immediately straightened, his face going blank. "Nothing, Boss. Nothing at all."
I turned to the head chef. "Make something for Celene. Something good and make sure it's not poisonous."
"Yes, Mr. Ryder. Right away."
I left the kitchen and went back to my office, trying to focus on finding the traitor. But part of my mind was still on that small chuckle Celene had let slip. That brief moment where she'd softened.
It wasn't much but it was something.
I was reviewing financial records when the alarms went off.
Loud, blaring sirens that echoed through the entire mansion. Red lights flashed in the hallways.
There has been a breach.
My blood turned to ice.
I grabbed my gun from the desk drawer and ran. Bone and three other guards were already in the hallway, weapons drawn.
"Location?" I barked.
"Second floor, east wing," Bone said. "Near Miss Luther's room."
My heart stopped.
I ran faster than I'd ever run in my life. Up the stairs, down the hallway, my gun raised and ready to kill anyone who'd gotten close to her.
I burst through her door, prepared for a fight.
But the room was empty.
"Celene!" I shouted.
I heard movement from the balcony. I rushed over and found her standing outside, the balcony door wide open, looking startled and confused.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "What's with all the noise?"
The security panel by the door was flashing. She'd opened the balcony door, which triggered the perimeter alarm because I'd had it set to maximum security after her kidnapping.
There was no breach.