chapter[46]

chapter[46]
CHAPTER 46

Noah.

I couldn't wait any longer—my heart was racing with urgency, pounding against my chest as if it were trying to escape. I had meticulously crafted my plan, and now I hurried to my limo, every second feeling like an eternity. My mind was a whirlwind of anxiety as I made my way to my jet, each thought more frantic than the last. The gnawing worry consumed me when I received a text from Selena's cellphone, only to discover, with a sinking feeling, that her phone had been shut down. Panic surged through me, and I called my men, my voice rising in desperation. "Where the fuck are you? Where's Selena?"

One of the guards, visibly trembling, stuttered, "S-sir, she's not here..."

"What the fuck do you mean?" I hollered, my frustration boiling over, the intensity of my emotions threatening to overflow.

"Sir, Mr. Ahmet came here, and she asked us to drive her to the nearest shopping mall. We—" he started to explain, but I cut him off, unwilling to hear any more excuses.

The violation of my orders was something I could not, would not, accept. It was unforgivable. They knew that I meant business—this wasn’t just about rules; it was about my life, my love, and the lives of our children. The stakes were too high, and I was not in a position to tolerate any kind of negligence.

"What the fuck? I told you to prevent her from going out! Why the hell didn't you call me to get my permission?" I yelled over and over, losing my ability to calm down. How could I remain composed while knowing she was in danger? The thought of her out there, unprotected, sent chills down my spine.

"Sir, everything was okay. They went shopping and laughed. They enjoyed their time until about an hour ago. Then, she suddenly disappeared, along with Ahmet. We turned the whole mall upside down, blocking the gates to search for them, but found nothing. When we checked the cameras, we discovered they left through the back gates. Nothing seemed wrong at that moment," he explained briefly, but my heart sank further with every word.

Why the hell would she do something like that? Selena would never make me worry like this. I didn’t believe she was playing games to make me come back early; that wasn’t her style. She was honest, and she knew all she had to do was call me and command me to come back immediately; I wouldn’t hesitate for a second. Something was off, and I could feel it in my bones, a primal instinct warning me that danger lurked just out of sight.

"Find them now. I'm on my way home," I commanded him, my tone grating like gravel. I hung up the phone, my mind racing with all the possibilities, each one darker than the last.

Next, I called Jacob, who was managing my business in my absence. "Jacob, Selena is missing, and Ahmet was with her. Something’s going on. Besides, Gareth's intention is to kill my wife. Do something to find her. I'm on my way home," I ordered, my voice firm and unyielding, not waiting for him to respond. I just hung up, my heart pounding like a war drum in my chest.

The waiting was excruciating as I sat helplessly on the plane for what felt like hours. Each tick of the clock was a cruel reminder of how little time I had to act, to save her. My heartbeats were off the charts, racing as if I were on the brink of a heart attack. She was my everything; I couldn’t live without her. The thought of losing her was unbearable, a void that threatened to consume me entirely.

Questions flooded my mind, each more tormenting than the last. Why did she do this? Why didn’t she just call me? Why was Ahmet involved? The uncertainty clawed at me, making it hard to breathe.

In a moment of desperation, I called Steven. I needed anyone to help, anyone who could find her or at least reassure me that she was okay. "Steven!" I groaned, my voice laden with anxiety, each syllable heavy with dread.

"Mr. Noah! What's wrong?" he replied, clearing his throat, his voice trembling with concern. I realized I hadn’t called him in a long time, and the sound of his voice brought a flicker of comfort amid the chaos.

"Selena is not at home. She’s missing, and Ahmet was with her. Could you call him and find them?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, but I knew he could hear the anger and worry seeping through, the urgency palpable.

"Yes, sure. I will call you later," Steven promised, and we hung up, leaving me in a state of helplessness.

Hours passed, each minute stretching into an eternity as I tried calling Selena again, my heart sinking every time her cellphone went straight to voicemail. My anxiety spiraled as I paced the cramped space of the jet, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios.

Then my phone rang. I grabbed it in a hurry, my heart racing to see Ahmet’s name on the screen. The sight made my stomach drop. 'Could something bad have happened to Selena?'

I could feel the ache inside my chest intensifying, a physical manifestation of my fear. I pressed answer, my voice edged with panic. "Ahmet, where the hell are you? Where's Selena?" I exclaimed, my heart pounding like a war drum.

I could hear him breathing heavily, the sound punctuated by sobs. "Please help her. She's bleeding. I don’t know what to do. Something happened," he cried, his voice breaking, and my world shattered into pieces at his words.

"What? What happened? Tell me where you are right now! I will send my men. I'm on my way," I demanded, my own breath hitching in my throat. The thought of her bleeding sent chills down my spine. Was she losing our children? Was she going to die and leave me all alone in this cruel world? The very idea was suffocating.

"It's... S_su shi B_ar N_ext to T_hi shopping mall that we went to earlier. Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase hurry," he screamed, his voice filled with desperation, and I felt a surge of adrenaline course through my veins.

"Call the fucking ambulance now!" I yelled, my anger boiling over. How could he not have called Steven or my men or anyone nearby for God’s sake? He knew I was out of the country! Why did he have to act so recklessly?

"I can't. I'm hiding her in the men's bathroom. There are a few men here with guns. Help, please. That's why I called you," he almost whispered, and I started to hear noises in the background, shouting that made my heart race—then the call dropped after a gunshot.

What? Selena? My heart raced with fear, a primal instinct urging me to act.

Without hesitation, I quickly called Jacob and my men, commanding them to go to the sushi bar and help. I was almost landing, adrenaline coursing through my veins, my thoughts racing with what could be happening to her. I stormed out of the jet, running to the limo that was waiting for me, my mind racing with thoughts of what could be happening to her. I called all of them, but no one answered. My anxiety morphed into anger, and I felt a tight knot in my stomach, the weight of the situation pressing down on me.

What the hell was happening? Why was no one responding to me?

Finally, Jacob managed to call me back, and I held my breath, waiting for the news that could change everything. "Mr. Noah, everything is done. Gareth and his men were after your wife, and we killed them, but—" he informed me, but then paused, and my heartbeat synchronized with the silence that followed.

He trailed off, and I felt my heart stop. "Actually, she is bleeding and in danger. She's in intensive care now. Ahmet took a bullet for her instead of her. He saved her. But he is in danger as well. Both of them are going into separate surgeries in a few minutes."

My world tilted on its axis, the gravity of the situation crashing down on me. I was furious, terrified, desperate—emotions coursed through me like a raging storm. I had to get to her; I had to make sure she was okay, to ensure she knew how much I loved her. I wouldn’t let anything happen to her, not if I had anything to say about it. I was determined to fight for her, to protect her, no matter the cost.