The Billionaire Who Saved Me

Running his hands through his hair in escalating panic, Ariel prayed that he could get there in time. But the looming shadow of his own potential lateness drove him almost mad with fear.

I have to stop Mama. I’ll do anything to make sure Mama can’t hurt Elice anymore.

Ariel blinked. He realized something and immediately contacted two different people.

The first was Garrett. Reluctantly, Ariel once again ignored all the arguments between them. None of it mattered when Elice’s safety was at stake with every decision he made.

However, contacting Garrett didn’t immediately ease Ariel’s mind. For Ariel knew exactly what Farrah was like. The middle-aged woman who was his biological mother would not hesitate to act again. To do anything to ensure that all her desires were fulfilled.

Farrah wouldn’t stop. No. Not until she had everything she wanted.

Ariel wouldn’t take that chance. So, he contacted the second person. And that was Ruben, his husband.

“Ruben, listen to me.”

Ariel took a deep breath. Fighting the bitterness that was there. Trying to be strong when he knew he couldn’t back down now.

“The disk is in the drawer of my desk. The disk you gave me,” Ariel said with a swallow. “If anything happens to me, take it and give it to Elice.”

There was silence. And when Ruben’s voice was heard, there was trembling and concern. “W-what do you mean, sir?”

Ariel held his breath for a moment. A bitter smile appeared on his handsome face. Sweat was already dripping. Beads of it ran down his firm jaw. “Give the disk to Elice. It’s the only thing that can protect Elice from Mama.”

“Sir.”

Exhaling, Ariel ended the call without further ado. He rubbed his face with one hand. Roughly, and he growled.

He didn’t want to, but Ariel knew the risks he was taking. And if all those worst-case scenarios came to pass, he didn’t want to take any more risks. He had to make sure that Elice’s safety was guaranteed. Even if that meant putting Farrah behind bars.

But deep in Ariel’s heart he didn’t want that scenario to happen. He hoped he could convince Farrah. He really did. He didn’t want to choose between the two women. Farrah and Elice were the two most important parts of Ariel’s life.

“Argh!”

Ariel felt like going crazy. Being stuck in this situation made him push even harder on the gas pedal. He gripped the wheel with all his might. Trying to find a way out when panic almost blinded him.

I beg you, God. I am begging you.

Ariel grabbed his hair, his face flushed. Darkened with anger and fear blending into one.

Don’t let Mama hurt Elice. Please, I beg you.

But Ariel knew for sure that it was just an empty hope. Farrah, who really wanted to get rid of Elice, would certainly not waste this opportunity.

The steering wheel turned in Ariel’s hands. They were heading towards an area of old factories, long abandoned by Lostic. The factory was to be reactivated in the coming years. And Ariel had never imagined that Farrah would use this place to harm Elice.

Several men in black suits stood guard there. They quickly blocked Ariel’s way. But the man who had lost his mind, Ariel, didn’t care.

Ariel pressed harder on the accelerator. Without the slightest fear, she crashed into those who blocked Ariel’s path.

A sight caught Ariel’s attention. A black car was parked in a building. Ariel headed straight for it. Ignoring Farrah’s people who ran quickly towards him.

Ariel got out. He ran. The door of the old building opened roughly, and Ariel’s eyes widened in shock at what he saw in front of him.

Elice appeared, lying on the ground. Not moving at all.

“Ariel?”

Across the room was Farrah. Talking to Teddy. But their conversation stopped immediately when they noticed Ariel’s unexpected presence.

Ariel turned to face his mother. His expression was one of shock. And when Farrah’s people, who had been guarding outside, came in to restrain him, he resisted.

“Let me go!”

Farrah raised her hand. Signaling them to release Ariel. Reluctantly, but she said anyway.

“He’s my son. Y-you guard outside. Make sure no one comes in.”

They nodded in unison. Then they left. On Farrah’s orders, who still seemed shocked by Ariel’s presence.

“Why did you come here, Ariel?”

Farrah turned to Teddy. But the man only shook his head briefly. A sign that he also didn’t know why Ariel could know their plans.

Hadn’t Teddy already installed a bug in Farrah’s office? But if Ariel knew about this plan, it meant that it wasn’t just a bug that Ariel had installed.

Teddy understood. It wasn’t hard for him to guess that Ariel had also placed the bug in Farrah’s room. Teddy’s jaw tightened. He cursed his carelessness. But who would have thought that Ariel would go so far?

Exactly what Ariel was thinking. She knew for sure how much Farrah disliked Elice, but Ariel hadn’t thought that Farrah would go that far.

Ariel stepped forward. With hesitant steps, he looked at his mother with a wounded expression.

“How could you do this, Ma?” Ariel asked with a shaking voice. “How could you, Ma?!”

Farrah spat. Shocked by Ariel’s unexpected arrival, Farrah felt slapped in the face by reality. That Ariel loved Elice so much.

So, when Ariel looked at his mother with a disappointed look, Farrah looked at her son with anger. Obviously not accepting when confronted with a fact. That Ariel had chosen Elice over his own mother.

“Of course, I can do that, Ariel!” Farrah shouted. “I will do anything to achieve my goals. Anything. Even if I have to get rid of Elice!”

Ariel shook her head. He tried as hard as he could to keep his composure when he realized something. That for the first time in his life he was standing up to his own birth mother.

But there was no doubt in Ariel’s heart. Strengthening himself, he shook his head again. Until a bead of sweat fell from his forehead.

“No, Mama,” Ariel said firmly. “I won’t let you hurt Elice.”

For Ariel would never forget. That he had once let Farrah hurt Elice. He once let Farrah hurt Elice. He let Farrah make Elice suffer.

Elice’s tears and suffering were still deeply embedded in Ariel’s mind as memories that would never go away. It was terrible. Horrible. Like a nightmare that Ariel wanted to banish. Because he realized that he played a part in every pain Elice felt.

But not this time. Ariel was determined to keep Elice safe. He would do anything to keep her safe. Even if it meant risking his own life.

“I won’t let you touch Elice. I won’t.”

*