The Billionaire's Temptation: Love, Family and Revenge-Chapter 70: A Solid promise

"I’m sorry, Elena. I’ll see you later, Ford. I have to get to work," Kelvin said as he left the room, giving them space.

Ford gave Kelvin a firm nod of understanding, signaling that he trusted him. Lily, noticing Elena’s fragile state, walked quietly over to her. With gentle care, she rubbed Elena’s back and bent down to kiss the top of her head.

"It’s going to be alright, okay?" Lily whispered softly, her voice full of warmth. "I need to get back to my job before the girls ruin everything in my absence," she added with a small smile, trying to lighten the mood. "I’ll come and check on you when I’m done."

Ford gave a small gesture of approval, appreciating Lily’s support. He then leaned closer to Elena. Whispering in her ear, he said softly, "Baby, I’ll be right back." He kissed her neck gently, trying to comfort her before following Kelvin and Lily out of the room. As he stepped out, he carefully closed the door behind him, not wanting to disturb her rest.

Once outside and out of Elena’s hearing, Ford’s expression changed. His soft, caring look was now replaced by a cold determination. He turned sharply to Kelvin.

"Kelvin," he said with intensity, "I want you to find that woman — that bitch. I don’t care what it takes. Even if it means dragging her entire family into jail, do it. No one hurts Elena and walks free."

His tone was sharp and serious, filled with protective rage. He wasn’t going to let this go.

"And the man," Ford continued. "Start with the gloves. Look into every dealer, shop, or vendor who sells gloves like the ones we saw in the footage. Get me every name linked to those kinds of gloves. I’ll also reach out to my contacts and try to find a good detective to help us dig deeper."

He paused, calming himself for a moment, then added more softly, "But for now, we keep everything away from Elena. She’s still struggling with the trauma. It’s not good for her health to be exposed to all this stress."

His eyes darkened with anger. "They don’t know what they’ve done. I’ll make them understand what it means to touch what belongs to me."

He narrowed his eyes. "And may God help Frederick and his mother if either of them is involved in this. If they are even slightly connected, I won’t hold back."

Ford gave Kelvin a firm look of gratitude. "Thank you for everything. I’ll come see you later. Right now, I need to be with Elena."

He turned around and slowly walked back to the room, his shoulders heavy with emotion.

Kelvin watched him leave, then turned to Lily, holding her hand tightly.

"This case is bigger than we thought," he said thoughtfully. "But I’ll follow Ford’s instructions. We have to get to the bottom of this. Still..." he trailed off for a moment, then said, "I don’t understand why someone would hate Elena enough to want to kill her."

He shook his head slowly. "Let’s go, baby. We’ll find them. I promise you that."

Ford quietly opened the door to the room where Elena was. She was already sitted up on bed taking her medication. She picked up a glass of water from the side table and carefully drank it, tilting her head back slightly. After finishing, she placed the cup back on the table with a soft clink and slowly lay back down, adjusting the covers as she closed her eyes to rest.

Ford stepped into the room more fully, his face filled with concern. He noticed the tiredness in her posture and the way her body moved—slow, heavy, as though weighed down by more than just physical pain.

"Baby, are you in pain?" he asked gently, his voice low and full of worry. But Elena didn’t respond. Her eyes remained closed, her face turned slightly away from him.

Walking quietly toward the bed, Ford lowered himself onto the edge and leaned a little closer. "Baby... can I lay with you?" he asked, trying to offer her comfort and closeness without forcing it. After a moment of silence, Elena gave a small nod, barely noticeable, but it was enough. He gently lay down beside her, leaving a respectful space but close enough to reach her.

He noticed her face was turned away from him, hidden in the pillow. It hurt him to see her like this—so quiet, so distant. With a soft voice, he pleaded, "Elena, please don’t hide your face from me." As he spoke, he slowly rubbed her back in gentle circles, trying to soothe her. His touch was careful, filled with love and patience.

For a few minutes, neither of them spoke. The silence was heavy, full of unspoken emotions. Then, slowly, Elena turned to face him. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. Her cheeks were slightly damp, and her expression was filled with sadness.

"You’ve been crying," Ford said softly, his heart sinking at the sight of her pain. "I’m so sorry for playing that video. I didn’t know it would hurt you that much... I just needed to see if you remembered anything—anything that could help us find the people who did this to you."

His eyes searched hers, hoping she had remembered that could help. But Elena’s gaze was steady, and the words she spoke next weren’t what he expected.

"Can you forget about this case forever and take me home with you?" she asked quietly, her eyes locked on his. There was no hesitation in her voice—only deep emotion and seriousness. Her expression was a mixture of pain and fear.

Ford stared at Elena, completely speechless. For a few seconds, he didn’t know what to say. Her words hit him like a heavy stone. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. His brows furrowed, and a deep line appeared between them. His voice was filled with concern and disbelief as he finally asked, "Are you serious about what you just said?"

Elena looked at him, her eyes filled with fear and sadness. Tears began to well up and rolled down her cheeks as she spoke. Her voice trembled. "Yes, I’m very serious, Ford. I just want everything to stop. I’m scared. I’m really, really scared. What if they come back? What if they try to hurt you again? Or Lily? Or even Kelvin?" Her lips quivered as she continued, her voice getting weaker. "Can you please just stop everything? Please..."

Ford’s heart clenched at her words. He had never seen her this afraid before. His tone softened, but the worry didn’t leave his face. "What exactly are you so afraid of?" he asked gently, moving a little closer. "Baby, is there something you remember? Something you’re not telling me?"

She shook her head quickly, her long hair falling over her face as fresh tears ran down her cheeks. "No, I don’t remember anything!" she cried, her voice full of frustration and pain. "Can’t you just stop digging into this? Please, just leave it alone!" She covered her face with her hands, sobbing hard.

Ford looked at her closely, watching every small movement. Her shoulders shook as she cried. Her body language told him what her words wouldn’t—she had remembered something, something painful. And it terrified her.

He didn’t press her any further. The sight of her crying broke his heart. He hated seeing her like this—so weak, so afraid. It was a painful contrast to the strong, cheerful woman he had fallen in love with. This was not the Elena he knew. This was someone broken by fear and haunted by memories she couldn’t—or wouldn’t—speak about.

"Baby, it’s okay," he said softly, pulling her gently into his arms. "Please stop crying. I don’t want you to get even more sick. You need to rest. Just sleep now, alright? Everything’s going to be fine. I promise."

He held her close, wrapping his arms around her protectively. His hand moved up and down her back in a comforting rhythm. He could feel her trembling slightly in his embrace, and it made his chest tighten with emotion. He rested his chin lightly on top of her head and closed his eyes for a moment.

Inside, Ford was a storm of emotions. He was worried, confused, and angry. Angry at the people who had done this to her. Angry at the fear that had taken over the woman he loved. He missed the old Elena—her smile, her laughter, her strength. He wanted to bring her back, to heal whatever was hurting her so deeply. But for now, all he could do was hold her and hope that his love would be enough to make her feel safe again

Ford sat still, lost in his thoughts, as the weight of everything that had happened settled heavily in his heart. His mind kept going back to Elena—her tears, her fear, her trembling. He held her close, not wanting to let go. Just then, he heard the softest sound. It was barely there, almost like a whisper, but it brought a warmth to his chest. Elena had fallen asleep, and her gentle, almost noiseless snores reached his ears.

He smiled, a soft, tender expression spreading across his face. That sound, so quiet yet so comforting, made his heart feel lighter. He leaned in slightly and whispered, almost like a promise, "Sleep well, baby... and watch me bring down hell on those that did this to you."