Chapter 194 CHAPTER 194
Can’t go
The tension in the mansion lingered long after Ares and Richard were finally pried apart. Richard stood at the center of the living room, chest rising and falling sharply, his lip split and bleeding. Ares was breathing just as heavily, hands still trembling from fury, while Tessa and Julian hovered between them in a tight, restless circle as though expecting one of them to lunge again.
But Richard didn’t. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and said in a hoarse voice, “If you want your kids back alive, we have to move now.”
The words sucked all the air out of the room. Tessa froze. Ares closed his eyes and forced himself to steady his breath. Julian ran a hand through his hair and exhaled shakily. None of them liked Richard but right now, he was the only lead they had.
Ares finally spoke. “Fine. Lead the way. Mr. Know it all.”
They left the mansion together. The drive to the police station was tense and silent. Tessa stared out the window, hands pressed together in her lap, trying to keep herself from shaking.
More than anything, she wanted to scream. She wanted to run. She wanted to tear the world apart until she found her children. Ayisha, too, Ayisha who had always been there for her, always defending her, always speaking boldly even when Tessa couldn’t.
Julian drove. He gripped the steering wheel hard, jaw tight, as if he were containing a volcano inside himself. Ares sat beside him, rigid as stone, eyes burning with a cold, deadly focus. Richard sat at the back with Tessa, giving her occasional glances she refused to meet.
The moment they arrived at the station, Ares strode inside without waiting for the others. He slammed his palm on the counter and demanded immediate action. The officers who recognized him scrambled, organizing themselves quickly. Richard stepped forward and began giving details, what Ethan looked like, his patterns, the people he associated with, the threats he had made.
“Ethan has been desperate and reckless lately,” Richard said. “The moment Marcus died, he assumed everything would scatter. But when nothing worked in his favor, he snapped. If he took the kids and Ayisha, it’s because he wants leverage. He’ll use them to get to Tessa… and me.”
The head of investigations nodded grimly. “We’ll put an alert across all airports and borders. If he tries to move them, we’ll pick him up.”
But five minutes later, a young officer rushed in carrying a tablet, face pale. He held it out for everyone to see.
“Sir, we checked the international passenger lists… Ethan isn’t hiding. He took a flight out last night. A private charter.”
Ares stiffened. “Where?”
“London,” the officer replied. “He is somewhere in the UK.”
Tessa’s breath caught. “My children… Ayisha…” Her voice cracked on the last word. Julian rubbed her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her, but even he was shaking with anger.
The police pulled up CCTV captures from the airport, grainy but clear enough to show Ethan dragging two large suitcases behind him. Their hearts collapsed at the sight. There were no children visible. No Ayisha. Nothing to soothe their minds.
Ares paced in a tight circle. His fists clenched and unclenched, his entire body taut with the need to act, to move, to hunt someone down. He felt like a caged animal, burning alive with helpless fury.
Then Julian touched his arm lightly. “Ares, we need to talk.”
Ares looked at him sharply, but Julian gestured for privacy. They stepped aside into a quieter corridor. Tessa watched them anxiously, her fingers twisting together. Richard stood near her but didn’t speak.
Julian swallowed before he spoke. “Ares… I want to go with you. God knows I want to tear Ethan apart with my bare hands.” His voice trembled with the effort of holding himself together. “But Dorcas is pregnant. She’s in her last trimester. She needs me there. I can’t fly out now. I’d be a terrible man if I left her alone at a time like this.”
Ares stared at him, his best friend, his brother in everything but blood. For a moment, he looked as if he wanted to refuse, to drag Julian along no matter what. But slowly Ares’ shoulders dropped. He understood. Dorcas had always been gentle. She had always been fragile in ways she tried to hide. And Julian loved her fiercely.
Ares nodded once. “Go home to her.”
“Ares…”
“No.” Ares’ voice was firm. “This isn’t a choice. Go home. Make sure she’s safe. If anything happens to her while you’re chasing me across countries, you’ll never forgive yourself.”
Julian closed his eyes in relief, then pulled Ares into a tight, hard hug. “Bring the kids home. Bring Ayisha home. Don’t let that bastard win.”
Ares hugged him back, voice low and dark. “I’ll burn the world if I have to.”
When they stepped back into the main room, Julian walked to Tessa and touched her arm gently. “Don’t panic. Ares will get them back. Stick with him.”
Tessa nodded, though her eyes were red and full of fear.
Then Julian gave Richard a long, cold stare. “If you’re lying about anything… anything at all… I’ll come for you myself.”
Richard lifted both hands in surrender. “I’m trying to fix things. That’s all.”
Julian didn’t respond. He simply turned and left the station, disappearing into the sunlight.
Now only the three of them remained—Ares, Tessa, and Richard.
Ares turned to the head of investigations. “Prepare travel clearance for us. We’re going to London tonight.”
Richard stepped forward without hesitation. “I know some of Ethan’s hideouts. Places he’s run to in the past. I’ll help you track him.”
Tessa swallowed hard and nodded. “I’m coming too. I’m not staying behind. Those are my children.”
Ares looked at her, and for the first time since the ordeal began, there was something softer painful but gentle in his eyes. He didn’t argue. He didn’t ask her to stay back. He simply said, “Pack your things. We leave in an hour.”
Together, they walked out of the station, united by desperation, fear, and a burning determination to bring the children home. The last fight had begun and none of them were turning back.