Chapter 278: New Evidence, Old Feelings

Chapter 278: New Evidence, Old Feelings
Elena's POV

I couldn't help but laugh as I watched Reginald practically flee from the room, his footsteps betraying a rare moment of uncertainty.

The great Vanderbilt heir, master of boardrooms and billion-dollar deals, running from a kiss like a teenager. Who would have thought?

I shook my head, still feeling the ghost of his lips on mine. My fingers unconsciously touched my mouth before I caught myself and quickly dropped my hand, reaching for my phone.

The moment I turned it on, it exploded with notifications – missed calls, texts, emails, all demanding my immediate attention. I scrolled through them quickly, prioritizing family calls first.

I dialed Auntie Miley, bracing myself for the storm.

"Elena!" Her voice cracked with emotion. "Thank God! Where have you been? Are you hurt? I've been losing my mind!"

"I'm fine, Miley. Just a minor injury, nothing serious."

"Ryan that bastard! Elbert that son of a bitch!" she exploded, her voice rising to a shriek. "If the police hadn't already taken them into custody, I swear I'd tear them apart with my bare hands!"

I held the phone away from my ear as she continued her tirade, detailing exactly what she'd like to do to my traitorous relatives.

"I understand your anger," I said when she finally paused for breath. "But I'm safe now."

After calming Miley, I called Grandpa next. His reaction was equally volatile.

"Those ungrateful wretches!" he thundered.

Despite the gravity of the situation, I found myself smiling – it felt good to be so valued.

After reassuring Grandpa that I was safe and would visit soon, I hung up and exhaled deeply. The weight of everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours was finally hitting me.

My phone rang again. Donovan's name flashed on the screen.

"Elena?" His voice was tight with anxiety. "Are you okay? Where are you?"

"I'm fine," I reassured him. "The bulletproof vest did its job. But what about you? You should be in the hospital with those injuries!"

Teresa's voice suddenly cut in from the background. "Exactly! After Reginald rescued us and carried you away, this idiot was determined to find you. If I hadn't physically restrained him, he would've gone after you instead of getting medical attention. How stupid is that?"

I froze. "Wait—Reginald rescued us?"

Reginald appeared when I was almost unconscious, so I didn't see the pivotal moment.

Teresa recounted every detail of Reginald's rescue: "If it hadn't been for Mr. Vanderbilt this time, we might have..."

I didn't catch the rest of her words. My mind was flooded with memories of the last time I saw Reginald—how we had parted on such bitter terms. Never would I have imagined that he would appear at the scene and save us.

Donovan's voice returned, interrupting my thoughts. "I was just worried about you, considering the circumstances..."

"I appreciate that, but you need medical attention. I'm at Reginald's apartment, and I'm perfectly safe. Please go to the hospital right now."

After hanging up, I leaned back against the couch, processing this new information. Reginald had personally come to my rescue, despite our strained relationship. The thought stirred something inside me that I wasn't ready to examine.

"I made my way to the kitchen, where Reginald was setting the table with bowls and spoons."

"I just found out it was you who rescued us," I said, hovering in the doorway. "Thank you."

Reginald's expression remained neutral as he replied, "If you hadn't said that, I would have been happier."

I laughed awkwardly. "Right. Consider it unsaid, then."

We then sat down at the dining table. "Let's eat before it gets cold."

I took a spoonful and couldn't hide my surprise at the explosion of flavors. "Your cooking has improved significantly since we were apart," I commented.

Reginald's eyes met mine, intense and unwavering. "I could cook for you forever if that's what you needed."

The weight of his words hung between us. I dropped my gaze, focusing intently on my porridge.

"Ryan and Elbert have been arrested by the police," he said, mercifully changing the subject. "But they're claiming Demetrius coerced them, and they've prepared evidence to support their story. If we're not careful, they might walk free."

I sighed. "I'm not surprised. They've always been slippery."

---

The next morning, a commotion outside the apartment drew my attention. I heard murmurs from neighboring units and peeked through the peephole to see Donovan standing in the hallway, his body wrapped in bandages, his face sporting several bruises.

Reginald opened the door, his expression darkening. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for Elena, obviously," Donovan replied with a dismissive glance. "Why else would I be at your doorstep?"

The tension between them was palpable.

"Come in," Reginald finally said, glancing at the gathering neighbors.

Once inside, Reginald casually remarked, "Elena's still sleeping. Your timing is unfortunate."

Before he'd even finished speaking, I emerged from the room. "I'm already up."

Reginald turned to me, his tone deliberately suggestive. "Did you sleep well last night?"

Donovan snorted. "If Wall Street could see the great Vanderbilt president acting like this, Vanderbilt Group stocks would probably tank."

"Shouldn't you be in the hospital?" I asked Donovan, ignoring their posturing. "What are you doing here?"

"If I hadn't come, you'd never be able to convict Ryan and Elbert," he replied, reaching into his briefcase.

He pulled out a thick envelope containing an encrypted hard drive and several paper documents. "This contains evidence of Ryan and Elbert transferring Huntington family assets through fraudulent contracts, records of them helping an underground criminal organization launder money, and even video footage of them assaulting and killing people."

I flipped through the files, the implications immediately clear. "Demetrius must have been using these to blackmail them."

"With these and the kidnapping charges, they're looking at life imprisonment," I said thoughtfully. "But I need to prepare Grandpa first."

Donovan took my hand in his. "Whatever decision you make, I'll support you."

Reginald interrupted by loudly placing two cups of coffee on the table between us. "Have some coffee."

"I should take you back to the hospital," I told Donovan. "Your injuries shouldn't be neglected."

"I'll take him," Reginald immediately offered, his tone brooking no argument. "You're injured too."

I looked between them nervously. "You two..."

"Do you really think I'm that kind of person?" Reginald asked, narrowing his eyes.

I tried to signal Donovan to decline, but to my surprise, he readily agreed. "Sure, I'd appreciate Mr. Vanderbilt's assistance."

What are these two up to? Whatever. Let them sort it out themselves.

"Fine," I conceded.

Shortly after they left, the apartment's intercom buzzed. I checked the video display and felt my stomach drop.

Eleanor stood at the door, her perfect smile visible through the camera.

How did she find this address? Is she here specifically for me?