Chapter 193 CHAPTER 193
Collision at the Gates
The morning had barely stretched into full daylight when the mansion’s calm shattered under the violent pounding of fists against the front gates. The sound echoed across the estate, sharp, frantic, relentless like someone striking metal with desperation rather than strength. Ares, Tessa, and Julian were still in the living room, caught in the long, torturous silence following the news of the kidnapping. None of them had slept. Their clothes were wrinkled, their eyes red, and their tempers stretched thin as wires.
Another crash hit the gate, louder this time.
Julian’s head jerked upward. “What the hell..:”
Tessa was already moving. Ares was right beside her, his jaw clenched, his face carved with sleepless rage. The three rushed outside, footsteps hammering on marble, dread rising in their throats like smoke. When they reached the veranda, they saw the gate rattling violently, the metal vibrating beneath the force of someone’s kicks.
“It’s Richard,” Tessa breathed, her heart dropping as she recognized the figure. “That good for nothing…he’s bad news.”
He wasn’t just banging, he was slamming his entire body into the gate, shouting words that came out broken and breathless.
“OPEN…OPEN THE DAMN GATE—LET ME IN…”
A guard sprinted to unlock it, the heavy bars screeching as they slid aside. Richard stumbled through before they were even fully open, his chest heaving, sweat plastering his shirt to his skin, eyes wide with raw panic.
Ares stiffened instantly.
Tessa stepped forward first. “Richard, what—”
“They took them!” Richard shouted, voice cracking under the weight of terror. “They took the kids. They took Ayisha. I know who did it—”
Ares’ expression turned to stone.
Julian moved forward quickly. “Who? Tell us.”
Richard dragged in a breath, his hands shaking. “Ethan. Ethan took them.”
The name hit the air like an explosion.
Tessa staggered backward, her hand flying to her mouth. Ares’ fists balled at his sides, and something dark and murderous flashed across his face.
Julian muttered a curse under his breath, running a hand through his hair. “Of course… of course it would be him.”
Richard raised his hands, trying to show he came with information, not trouble. “Listen to me. I overheard something…one of his guys talking. Ethan wanted leverage. He wanted to punish Tessa for not cooperating. He wanted the children for bargaining chips. He wanted Ayisha because she betrayed him and he simply hates Ares.”
“You.”
Ares’ voice was low, dangerous.
Richard blinked. “What?”
Ares took one step forward, then another, anger boiling through him unchecked. “You—” he hissed, “always around when something goes wrong. Always bringing chaos. Always showing up with stories.”
Richard frowned, confused and offended. “Ares, I came to HELP…”
“You RUINED my wedding,” Ares snapped. “You have lied, manipulated, shown up with secrets nobody asked for, and now you’re here? Conveniently, right after my children disappear?”
Tessa rushed forward, shaking her head. “Ares, not now…he might help.”
But Ares wasn’t listening. The depth of his fear for the quadruplets had cracked open every old wound he carried. His emotions had no direction, so they surged toward the loudest target.
“You expect me to believe you?” Ares growled, getting in Richard’s face. “That you just knew? That you somehow…”
“I’m telling the truth!” Richard snapped back, voice rising, nerves snapping. “Ethan did this! He threatened you, he threatened Tessa in the past, he threatened me! Why the hell would I lie about your children being kidnapped?”
Ares didn’t care. Fear had drowned out logic.
With a sudden, explosive movement, he grabbed Richard by the collar and slammed him against the hood of one of the cars parked near the steps.
“Ares, stop!” Tessa screamed, rushing forward. “I hate him too but I need my kids and alive!”
Richard grunted, but he pushed back just as violently. “You think I’d hurt them? You think I’d ever hurt those kids? Are you insane…Tessa is my sister!”
Ares punched him. The sound cracked through the courtyard like thunder. “Now Tessa is your sister?”
Julian cursed and ran forward. “Ares! Enough!”
Richard stumbled but came back swinging. His fist collided with Ares’ jaw, snapping Ares’ head to the side.
“You ungrateful bastard!” Richard roared. “I came to help! I came here because those kids are in danger…”
“You liar!” Ares lunged again.
The two men collided with a brutal force that knocked both of them to the ground, rolling over the stone pathway, each punch fueled by fear and fury. The sounds of fists against skin, the scrape of gravel, the guttural grunts of rage filled the air.
Tessa ran toward them, voice breaking. “STOP IT! STOP IT, BOTH OF YOU!”
They didn’t hear her.
Julian grabbed Ares from behind, hauling him backward with all his strength. “ARES! ENOUGH!”
Ares fought against him, chest heaving, eyes wild.
“Tessa’s children are missing!” Julian roared at him. “Focus on that. Not him!”
Richard wiped blood from his mouth, glaring back at Ares with equal intensity, his chest rising and falling as though he had run miles. “If anything happens to those kids, it’ll be on him if he wastes another second attacking me!”
“You think I won’t finish what I started?” Ares snarled, lunging again.
Tessa threw herself between them.
“Stop it!” she screamed, her voice cutting through the chaos with such force that both men froze. “If you hit him again, Ares, I swear I will walk out of this mansion and never come back!”
Ares froze. The courtyard went silent except for three people gasping for breath.
Tessa turned to Richard, tears in her eyes. “Tell us everything. Now, slowly and clearly.”
Richard nodded, swallowing hard, wiping the blood from his lip.
Ares stood rigid, every muscle trembling not from the fight, but from fear so consuming it made him shake.
Julian stood beside him, breathing heavily, watching both men carefully in case the fight sparked again.
Richard steadied himself. “Ethan planned this. He wanted revenge on Ares. He wanted Tessa… and he wanted the children for power. He took them last night. I heard the men. I followed a lead. I came here because you’re the only people who can stop him.”
Tessa’s knees weakened. Julian cursed under his breath.
Ares looked away, chest rising like he was drowning in air he couldn’t breathe.