It was only hours later that Ryan received news of her departure.
Bang!
"D*mn It!", Ryan's cursed out loud in rage as he stood up and slammed his fist down on the office desk in front of him, but soon, panic and anxiety overtook his anger.
He had never thought that after doing everything to send her away from this mess even at the expense of breaking her heart, she would return abruptly without notice, especially in this dangerous period!
He didn't want her to be exposed to any form of danger, so he had ignored her desire to get married even though he wanted nothing more than that as well in his heart. But without her knowledge, he had been trying to switch to a legal business and gradually erase all traces of his existence in the underworld because only in this way could he feel completely at ease to be with her confidently in the eyes of the world.
Unfortunately, plans sometimes couldn't keep up with changes as Mr. Anderson who had somehow received news of his movements had called him with thoughts of using marriage to a 'suitable' candidate to control him and dispel his thoughts of abolishing the gang.
His call had however made Ryan who had no prior thoughts of clashing with the Anderson's understand that the only thing stopping him from being with Selena openly wasn't just his line of work but most importantly, the Anderson's!
This was because that man would not allow an existence like Selena who made him have thoughts of 'betraying' him and slip out of his 'control' exist beside him!
But would he allow that to happen?
Of. Course. Not!
For a family he had no affection of to think of controlling his life, weren't they dreaming!
So he had started investigating deeply hoping to find something to threaten that man with since then, while protecting Selena from their sight.
In the end, the investigation had uncovered brutal truths about his grandfather, uncle and... even mother's death!
And after knowing the truth of that year, he had known that he and the Anderson's were absolutely irreconcilable! Yet he also knew that when the Anderson's are unable to find a way to deal with him, they would look for a leverage to force him to compromise.
And the only weakness he had had always been Selena though he had never begrudged it, in fact, this made him cherish and love her more since her presence in his wife was akin to his light.
So he deliberately agreed to her decision to break up which he knew stemmed from the fact that he had kept her waiting too long without explanation. He did this because according to her normal behavioural pattern, she would want to travel out of the country. First, to blow off some steam and think of her next move and secondly and most importantly, to avoid him.
This trip for her had however proved to be quite fateful as she had been able to coincidentally reunite with the family she had been separated from for years.
And a little investigation showing that the family had indeed been searching for her whereabouts for years, together with the fact that they were a noble and powerful family capable of ensuring her safety had put his mind at ease.
This led to him gradually calling back Flynn and the other men he had sent to protect her in the dark, due to the fact that his side and the Anderson's had finally torn all pretences. However, he had still instructed his forces in F Nation to pay attention to any unusual movements around her and report to him through Flynn...
Forcing himself to calm down but still looking like an enraged beast, Ryan's turned to question Flynn who was standing in front of him with bloodshot eyes.
"Why.. did it take this long for me to receive this news?!"
Flynn who had no intention of arguing or making excuses trembled as he admitted his mistake straightforwardly, knowing it would only make Ryan even more irritable.
And he indeed guessed right as his action finally made Ryan calm himself down and gain some semblance of sanity as he and Flynn both knew it in their hearts that if there was someone at fault, it would be him since he had been the one to order their return.
But the thoughts that the Anderson's might catch news of her arrival back in Nova City soon made him unable to calm himself down any longer as he haphazardly grabbed his coat and ran out the door anxiously, not wanting to waste any more time.
On seeing his action, Flynn also followed right behind him without needing him to say anything.
However, they say that what you are afraid of the most usually come true and Ryan who arrived at the airport only to receive news that Selena was missing found out just how true that saying was...
....
Anderson's Home
Inside the study, Luke currently had a self-satisfied and sinister-looking smirk on his face as he received a call, obviously the person on the other end of the phone had said something very appealing to him.
Moments later, he gestured to hang up the call but before doing so, he gave the person on the other end of phone some instructions and still with that smirk on his face, he turned to face his father, Mr. Anderson who was also looking at him.
Knowing what exactly his father wanted to know, Luke didn't keep him in suspense, "Dad, that woman has been captured and brought to the safe location!"
There was pride with a hint of viciousness on his face as he said, "Now I don't believe that with his woman in our hands, he would still dare not compromise with us!"
Although Mr. Anderson had already guessed that they had succeeded when he saw Luke's smile on receiving, it was only when he heard it with his own ears that his hanging heart finally calmed down. No one could blame him for feeling this was as this was their last resort - If they still didn't succeed this time, it meant that they could only wait for their family's destruction!
He also had never dreamt that a day like this would arrive for him and that the son he had abandoned back then would be able to force him into a corner!
One could only lament that it was true that what goes around surely comes back around!