Chapter 20 She’s safe
Rhoda froze momentarily, feeling as though a sharp knife had pierced her guts. The alcohol in her blood seemed to freeze, bringing her back to a sober state of mind.
The man's cold gaze and words would have had no impact on her if she hadn't witnessed the aftermath of his heroic rescue of Karen from the room.
"I'm sorry, but I don't want to die," she said apologetically, standing up with a hint of fear in her eyes. Roger, taken aback, also rose to his feet.
"You don't have to be afraid. I can..." he started, but she shook her head, unwilling to listen further. Her family was her priority, and she couldn't risk their safety.
"My family. Everyone would be in danger if I mention him," she stated firmly, locking eyes with him. "You may be loaded, but you can't compete with Don." With that, she disappeared into the crowd of dancers before he could respond.
It was understandable that she didn't trust him since his identity hadn't been revealed, but the only person who was feared the way Rhoda spoke was his father. Could he be the one? If so, how did he get involved in all of this?
Roger knew that if his father was involved, there would be no way to find Karen.
However, Bentley was more of his father’s style but then, he could have purchased or even hired that Maybach, right?
His only comfort was knowing that Karen was safe, but he still needed to find her. He dialed Hank's number. The call went through, but there was no connection, so he dialed the number again and it was answered on the third ring.
"Uncle Hank, you lied to me," he said directly, shocked by the response.
"I knew you'd figure it out, but you won't find anything, even if your identity is revealed. Roger, please let her go. She's safe, but even I don't know her exact location."
Roger smiled bitterly. Hector had betrayed him, and that was the only reason someone had gotten ahead of him. "So, who is DK-1?" he asked, remembering the hacker who had deleted the footage.
"DK who? I honestly have no idea," Hank replied, but Roger couldn't trust him anymore. Their relationship was built on trust, and Hank was someone he had looked up to since childhood. He was a fatherly figure, one who had ignited his passion for hacking in the first place.
“I’m not sure I can trust you anymore, but I hope you understand that all my time now will be devoted to searching for my wife. Until I find her, I can’t assist with anything else, including Hector and Hendrix.”
“Roger…” Hank began, but Roger had already ended the call. What was the point of devoting his time to traitors? Family should stand by each other, not the other way around.
Roger's phone rang. It was Hank, but he ended the call. When it rang again, he temporarily blocked the number but received a text from an unknown number.
‘Roger, you have to understand that I am not all-powerful.’
The message was clear. Hank was acting on someone else’s orders, and that could only be one person. Roger unblocked the number and replied to the text.
‘Neither am I, Uncle Hank, but until you have information about how I can find my wife, please don’t contact me until I do so.’
He dialed his father’s number, and it was answered on the first ring. “Roger, I’m quite busy. Can we talk later?” He sounded tired, as if he had been sleeping.
“No, Dad, you took Karen. Where is she?” The question left no room for his father to deny it, and the silence stretched at the end of the line before Giovanni responded,
“I never spoon-fed you even as a child, so what makes you think I’ll do so now? Love isn’t a company you can run by putting measures in place. It requires your spirit, soul, and body, so you are on your own.”
In other words, he wasn’t going to give any information about Karen, but the fact that he didn’t deny it stung, and Roger felt as if the world was against him.
His stomach tightened in a way it never had before, and his throat was dry. Out of all the people he could have gone against, it had to be his father, rendering him helpless.
There was something called respect, and that was the only reason Roger would not dare to go against his father. As long as his identity remained hidden, everyone would only take orders from his father. But was he ready to reveal his identity?
“Dad, please tell me she’s okay.”
Another wave of silence descended, leaving Roger with the feeling that his question might go unanswered. However, he was soon reassured with a comforting response. "She is, but that's all I can tell you."
After the call ended, Roger was consumed by a sense of emptiness that seemed to stretch infinitely. He had Karen right where he wanted her, only for her to slip away right under his nose.
In other words, she had outsmarted him, catching him off guard. What he saw as payback for her interference in his relationship with Tonia had now become an obsession he couldn't shake. "Kitten, I will find you."
A week later, Roger made his first appearance at the family gathering at Jacobs' mansion, where Lexi's mother's funeral was taking place. He was the last to arrive but his presence carried weight because he no longer dressed like one in disguise.
The well-tailored black suit and shirt exuded the intimidating aura of his father, capturing everyone's attention. The media was present to report everything because Lexi’s family was equally prominent.
The melancholic atmosphere suited his mood greatly because he hated to see anyone happy when he knew Karen was hurting.
If he hadn’t prioritized Tonia over her and continuously blamed her, she wouldn’t have left.
“Roger, thanks for coming,” Lexi walked to his side, her expression sorrowful. Their pain blended, but when Lexi’s hand touched his, he quickly pulled his away.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Lexi, but you have to comfort your father,” he said politely, his face emotionless.
Lexi swallowed tightly. Roger had changed a lot since that girl left. Delanie had given up supporting her and giving her tips on winning Roger’s heart as well.
This pain was too much for her because Roger was always there for her, especially when her mother was admitted to the hospital.
He comforted her and was so sweet, so where was this cold, unfeeling, handsome creature coming from?
Roger did not hear a thing until the ceremony ended, and Molly asked him, “Are you coming over? I will make you…”
“No, Mom, I have very important things to take care of.”
“Do you need my help?”
He could have made use of her help, but knowing that she, like Uncle Hank, was keeping secrets from him, he refused. “No, I can handle it myself.”
Molly felt disheartened. Roger was distancing himself from her, and it hurt. Declan and Delanie embraced him, and though his expression wasn't as warm as before, he welcomed them.
For some reason, Hector, though present at the funeral, was avoiding him like Satan, but Roger didn't bother to confront him. There were more important matters that needed his attention.
Finally, he stood face to face with his father, their gray eyes locked in what could be described as a staring contest, but Roger backed down with a simple question. "Dad, what would you do if someone took mom away from you?"