The Billionaire's Temptation: Love, Family and Revenge-Chapter 85: A Hug

Ford sat at his desk, frozen for a moment as his eyes lingered on the paper in his hand. His grip tightened, his knuckles whitening as the weight of what he had just read sank in. With a harsh breath, he crushed the paper into a tight ball and hurled it into the waste bin. He didn’t even wait to see if it landed correctly. He had no time to waste.

Without hesitation, Ford grabbed his briefcase and rushed out of his office. The ticking clock on the wall reminded him that he had a board meeting scheduled, one he was expected to lead and couldn’t miss, But right then, he didn’t care.

Not about the company, not about the board of directors, not about anything except Elena. He couldn’t afford to lose her. Not again.

As he pushed through the door, two security officers approached, prepared to escort him through the crowd gathered outside the building. Reporters were already waiting, cameras flashing and microphones ready. The chaos outside was deafening, but Ford had no patience for it.

"Let’s move!" he snapped, his voice sharp and commanding. The guards didn’t hesitate. They instantly formed a protective barrier around him, shielding him from the press and ushering him quickly to the waiting car.

James, his driver, immediately started the engine and drove off, weaving through the traffic as fast as he safely could. He glanced at Ford through the rearview mirror, concerned. Ford looked unusually tense, his jaw clenched, and his eyes glued to his phone. He kept unlocking it, checking for a message or a missed call, anything from Morgan. But there was nothing. Just the empty screen mocking his impatience.

James could tell something serious had happened. Ford was always composed, always in control. But not today.

Ford considered calling Elena directly, but then he remembered, her phone had been destroyed during the recent attack. The memory of everything annoyed him the more.

"Damn it!" he cursed loudly, slamming his fist against the side of the seat. James flinched at the outburst but didn’t say a word. He simply pressed harder on the accelerator, hoping to get them to their destination faster and calm his boss down.

But luck was not on their side today.

Without warning, a loud popping sound shattered the tense silence. The car wobbled slightly before James skillfully regained control and started slowing down. A sick feeling settled in his stomach.

"Oh no," James muttered, pulling over to the side of the road. He stepped out quickly, already guessing what had happened. Kneeling beside the car, he examined the front right tire and sighed heavily. Just as he had feared, it had burst.

Closing his eyes for a moment in frustration, James stood and turned back to the car.

"Sir, it looks like one of the tires burst," he reported hesitantly.

Inside the car, Ford didn’t respond immediately. His face was stone cold, his expression unreadable, but the tension in his shoulders and the glare in his eyes were enough to make anyone around him uneasy. One look at him, and you’d know how frustrated he was.

Ford was boiling with anger. His voice thundered through the air as he yelled, "Where does the money go to!?"

James flinched at the sound, his heart pounding as he tried to explain. "I’m so sorry, Sir," he said quickly, trying to stay calm. "I think the tire got punctured by a nail. I didn’t see it in time."

Ford didn’t want to hear excuses. "Hurry up and change it!" he barked, his tone sharp and impatient.

He stepped out of the car and paced restlessly, running his fingers through his hair. Every second felt like an hour. He thought, just for a moment, about getting into a public transport vehicle, maybe a taxi or a bus. But he knew that wasn’t an option. His face was everywhere, on the news, in magazines, all over social media. He couldn’t go anywhere in public without attracting attention. If he stepped out, he’d be swarmed by reporters and fans within seconds. That kind of distraction was the last thing he needed right now.

He stopped pacing and sighed heavily. His hands were trembling slightly. He felt stuck. Helpless. And that wasn’t a feeling Ford was used to. He was always in control. But right now, everything felt like it was slipping through his fingers.

"Elena... just hold on, please," he whispered under his breath, his voice breaking slightly. He didn’t even realize he had said it out loud.

Then suddenly, a notification popped up on his phone. It was a message from Lily: "On my way to see Elena."

His eyes lit up with a flash of hope.

"Yes! Lily!" he exclaimed, immediately pressing her contact and calling her. She picked up after just one ring.

"Lily, listen, hurry! Go to my house right now. Elena is about to leave. Please, just hold her back," he said quickly, his voice filled with urgency and desperation.

"What? Why? Did something happen? Did you two fight?" Lily asked, her tone full of curiosity and concern.

"Lily, please, not now," Ford said, almost pleading. "I don’t have time to explain. Just don’t let her leave. Keep her there until I get back. I don’t care how you do it. Just stop her."

Though confused, Lily could hear the worry in her brother’s voice. "Okay, I will. Don’t worry," she promised before ending the call.

As soon as the call ended, Ford closed his eyes for a moment and rubbed his temples, trying to calm the storm of frustration and anxiety swirling inside him. The delay with the car was bad enough, but the fear of losing Elena was worse. He didn’t know what she was thinking, where she was planning to go, or why she was leaving, but he couldn’t let her walk out of his life again. Not like this.

He looked over at James, who was now struggling to get the spare tire in place. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"Please be quick," Ford muttered to himself. Every second counted now.

"Please, Miss Elena, just calm down," Morgan pleaded, his voice low and desperate as he stepped in front of her. "Sir Ford is on his way. Please... just hear him out. There must be a reason for all that’s happened."

But Elena wouldn’t even look at him. Her expression was distant, cold, and set. She moved around him like he wasn’t even there, her hands pulling clothes off hangers and tossing them into her suitcase without a second thought. Every movement she made was sharp and determined, yet deep down, even she wasn’t sure what she was doing. All she knew was that she needed to leave. She couldn’t stay here anymore, not in a house full of lies.

Morgan lingered by the door for a moment longer, watching her helplessly, then slowly walked away to lock the gates, realizing she wasn’t going to listen.

Left alone, the silence crept in. Elena paused, her hands resting on the edge of the half-packed suitcase. The room suddenly felt colder. She looked around and realized something, she had no idea where she was going. She had stormed into action without a plan, driven by emotion.

"What are you doing, Elena?" she whispered to herself, her voice trembling.

Her eyes wandered over the items in the bag. Almost everything she was packing, every dress, every necklace, every little thing down to her earrings and even her underwear, had been bought by Ford. The realization hit her like a punch to the chest. It wasn’t just the material things. It was everything. He had filled her life in ways she hadn’t even noticed until now.

"Damn it," she muttered, her knees buckling as she dropped to the floor beside her suitcase.

Tears began to fall silently, rolling down her cheeks and soaking into her shirt. She didn’t bother to wipe them away. The pain was too raw. She wasn’t just sad, she was hurt, confused, and betrayed. Not because she hated Ford, she didn’t. That was the hardest part. She didn’t hate him. She was angry, yes. Disappointed, deeply. But hatred had no place in her heart for him.

It hurt more that she was left in the dark. That no one had thought she deserved the truth. Ford had hidden things from her. People whispered around her but never to her. And now, after all the chaos and the attack, after everything she’d endured, her name was being dragged through the mud, and she still didn’t understand why.

She buried her face in her hands, her sobs quiet but filled with pain. Then, through the silence, she thought she heard something. A voice. Her name.

"Elena?"

She froze and looked up, blinking through her tears. Listening carefully, she heard it again, someone calling her. Her heart skipped.

Her eyes lifted to the doorway where Lily stood, her face full of concern. "Ely... are you alright?" Lily asked softly, stepping closer with cautious care, her eyes scanning Elena’s tear-streaked face and trembling hands.

Elena didn’t answer at first. She just looked at Lily, her expression fragile, her heart aching, silently pleading for someone—anyone—to finally tell her the truth.

Lily didn’t waste a second. As soon as she saw Elena, she rushed toward her and dropped to her knees, wrapping her arms tightly around her. Her heart ached seeing her friend in such pain. She didn’t say anything at first words weren’t needed. The hug said everything.

Elena, caught off guard, froze for a moment. But the familiar warmth and comfort of Lily’s embrace quickly broke through the emotional walls she had been trying to keep up. "Lily," she whispered, her voice shaking. She wanted to say more, but the words got stuck in her throat. Instead, tears welled up in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. Her body trembled slightly as she clung to her friend.