Chapter 331 Finally Coming To An End

Chapter 331 Finally Coming To An End
Emma's POV

I stared at the ceiling of the guest room, my heart heavy with guilt yet resolute. There was only one way to get Gavin here without raising Ryan's suspicions.

I had to pretend to be heartbroken and upset. Nora wouldn't know what to do with a crying woman, and she would call Gavin for help. It was the only way.

With my plan set, I headed upstairs, deliberately making my footsteps heavy enough for Nora to hear. As I reached the landing, I paused, hearing Nora's voice from the study.

"Gavin, I put your task but messed it up completely. Emma is angry, well not angry exactly, more like upset and crying..." Nora's voice sounded genuinely concerned.

I leaned against the wall, straining to hear more.

"Good, good, just come quickly," Nora said before hanging up.

I exhaled silently in relief. The first part of my plan had worked. Now I needed to make sure Nora didn't change her mind. I returned to my room and sent her a text message: "Sorry about earlier. I wasn't upset with you. I just miss my parents."

A few minutes later, Nora knocked on my door. When I opened it, she studied my face carefully.

"I was about to call Gavin back and tell him not to come. I've got you calmed down now."

"No!" I said, too quickly. I cleared my throat. "I mean, let him come. It's boring here anyway. We can chat."

Nora's eyes narrowed, a playful smirk forming on her lips. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you? Using those tears as bait to lure Gavin here. What are you planning?"

I hesitated, wondering how much Blake trusted Nora. Not enough to tell her everything, I decided.

"I'm worried about Rachel," I improvised. "I thought Gavin might help get her back."

Nora tilted her head, not entirely convinced. "You know, if Blake doesn't come back soon, I'm concerned Gavin might steal you away again."

I instinctively touched my stomach, thinking of the baby growing inside me. "I hope Blake comes back soon. I want him to be here for... everything."

Just thirty minutes after Nora's call, I heard the doorbell ring downstairs. From my bedroom, I could hear the front door opening, followed by Nora's teasing voice.

"Did you grow wings?" Her voice drifted up the stairs. "That was impressively fast."

"Where's Emma?" Gavin's urgent voice replied, ignoring her comment. "Is she still crying?"

I could hear Nora's dramatic tone even from upstairs. "Crying? She hasn't stopped. She's sobbing so hard she's practically hiccupping. You'd better go check on her before she passes out from oxygen deprivation."

Heavy footsteps pounded up the stairs, approaching rapidly. Without even a knock, my bedroom door suddenly swung open.

"Emma..." Gavin stood in the doorway, holding a small bag that I recognized immediately—French sesame candies, my favorite.

His expression shifted from concern to understanding as he saw me sitting calmly on the bed. "Nora exaggerated your condition."

"She did," I agreed, watching him carefully.

Gavin had changed. The most noticeable difference was his pace. He moved more deliberately now, spoke more slowly, even his reactions seemed measured. It was as if life had forced him to slow down and think.

After closing the door, Gavin handed me the bag. "Sesame candies. They're still warm, fresh from the bakery."

I took one, the sweet smell bringing back childhood memories. "Remember when we were kids? We were better people then. We've both lost the best parts of ourselves growing up."

As I spoke, I carefully slipped the ring with the data collector into the bag with the remaining candies, then handed it back to him. "You should have one too."

Gavin took the bag, candies and ring together, and slipped it into his pocket. Mission accomplished.

"Any news about Rachel?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Alaric says they're no longer at the location. They abandoned the helicopter on a small island and moved Rachel again. Aiden is tracking them."

Gavin frowned at my posture and grabbed a pillow. "Here, use this for your back." As he leaned in to position the pillow, he whispered, "What's the ring for?"

I leaned close to his ear. "For the FBI. It contains all the evidence Blake collected."

The days that followed were excruciating. Every minute felt like an hour as I waited for news. Ryan had completely blocked all signals to and from the villa. I tried to leave multiple times but was stopped by the security system.

Nora kept me company, pretending everything was normal. "We should make sesame candies," she suggested one afternoon. "I know a great recipe."

"Maybe we should open a dessert shop," I replied, playing along.

"You'd be my lifetime VVIP member," Nora said with a smile. "Free desserts forever."

A month passed with no word. "I call Gavin every day," I told Nora, frustration evident in my voice. "The calls never go through."

One morning, I had a sudden realization. "Nora, try going to the front door. You're a Blackwell. Maybe the security system will recognize you."

Nora approached the door hesitantly. To my shock, it opened immediately.

"You knew!" I accused, anger flaring. "You knew all along you could leave and didn't tell me? I thought we could be friends, but clearly not."

"Don't blame me," Nora defended herself. "I'm just the key. You never tried putting me in the lock. Besides, what would you do if you got out?"

I ignored her, already calling an Uber on my phone. I wasn't wasting another minute in this prison.

In the Uber, I frantically dialed Rachel's number. To my surprise, Alaric answered.

"Emma, it's me, Alaric."

"Where's Rachel?" I demanded, my heart pounding.

"Not yet," he said cryptically, "but you'll see her soon."

"And Blake? When is he coming back?"

"Blake will be returning soon too," Alaric assured me.

"Are you just saying that to make me feel better, Mr. Lewis?"

"It's the truth," he said firmly.

"If you see Rachel, please ask her to call me," I requested.

After hanging up, I directed the driver to Obsidian Palace. When we arrived, I was stunned to see FBI tape sealing the entrance. I called Gavin.

"The FBI raided it a week ago," he explained when he arrived. "They took Sophia in for questioning too."

"Does that mean they found all the evidence?" I asked, hope rising in my chest. "Will Blake and the others come back soon?"

Gavin nodded, his expression softening. "Yes, very soon. Alaric is just tying up a few loose ends."

For the first time in weeks, I felt genuine hope. The nightmare was finally coming to an end.