Chapter 209: "Is he alive?"
As the green line rounded up at the left side of the video, it finally reached the end and the footage began to play.
Azazel’s eyes stayed fixed on the screen, his expression dark and tense. Worry sat heavily on his face, but beneath it was the cold seriousness that always appeared whenever it involved Roman.
The video showed the massive bridge in X Country.
Night had already settled over the city, and the bright lights from the vehicles reflected against the dark water below as cars moved steadily across the bridge.
Azazel leaned slightly forward in his chair, his fingers tightening unconsciously against the edge of the desk.
Then he saw it.
A black car speeding across the road.
His eyes narrowed instantly.
"That’s Roman’s car," he breathed out, relief flashing across his face for the first time in hours.
His shoulders loosened slightly as he continued watching the footage, but the relief barely lasted a second.
The bridge suddenly cracked.
A deafening sound burst from the speakers as the road split apart in sections, concrete breaking violently while sparks flew into the air.
Vehicles screeched loudly, tires dragging against the road as drivers tried desperately to stop.
Azazel’s face changed immediately.
His heartbeat slammed hard against his chest.
On the screen, Roman’s car swerved sharply while another vehicle behind him the guards’ car nearly flipped sideways from the impact.
The footage shook violently.
Then—
The bridge gave way completely beneath them.
Azazel’s breath caught.
Both cars plunged downward toward the dark ocean below.
The hackers around him instantly turned silent, all eyes moving toward the large monitor as the crashing sound of water echoed through the underground room.
But before the vehicles disappeared completely beneath the waves, two figures burst out.
Roman.
And his driver.
They grabbed onto a broken part of the collapsed bridge, their bodies hanging dangerously above the raging water below.
"Thank God..." Azazel whispered, a shaky breath escaping him as relief flooded his chest. A faint smile even appeared on his lips.
At least Roman was alive.
At least they survived.
But then his brows slowly furrowed again.
"Then where is he?" he muttered under his breath, his eyes never leaving the screen even though the other hackers were now staring at him cautiously.
The video continued playing.
The broken section of the bridge trembled violently beneath Roman and the driver. Cracks spread rapidly across the thin slab of concrete they were holding onto.
Azazel’s expression froze.
"No..."
Before his eyes, the already damaged structure snapped apart completely.
Roman and the driver lost their hold instantly.
Their bodies disappeared into the violent ocean below.
Azazel’s mouth fell open.
His eyes widened with horror as the screen filled with dark water swallowing everything whole.
For a second, he couldn’t breathe.
The room suddenly felt too small.
He pushed himself up from the chair abruptly, but the moment he stood, weakness rushed through his legs. His knees buckled beneath him, forcing him back into the chair heavily.
His breathing turned uneven.
His hand moved blindly across the desk until his fingers touched his phone.
Quickly grabbing it, he unlocked the screen with trembling fingers and pressed Denovan’s contact.
The phone barely reached his ear before the call connected.
"Grandpa..." Azazel called, his voice low and shaken in a way nobody in the room had ever heard before.
Stone rose out of the night like it had always belonged there, as though the hill itself had given birth to it centuries ago and never dared reclaim it.
The estate stretched across the dark hillside in silent dominance. Massive walls carved from aged stone surrounded the property, tall and unmoving beneath the cold night sky.
Black iron gates stood firmly at the entrance, their sharp bars catching faint traces of light from distant lamps. Nothing moved beyond them.
Nothing escaped.
Even the wind seemed quieter there, brushing past the walls in hushed whispers.
Beyond the gates, the long driveway curved inward like a path leading into another world.
Trimmed hedges lined both sides with unnatural perfection, their shadows stretching across the ground beneath dim lantern lights.
Marble statues stood several feet apart, pale and lifeless in the darkness, their empty eyes facing forward as if silently guarding the estate.
Somewhere deeper within the grounds, water trickled softly.
The faint sound of a hidden fountain disappeared almost immediately beneath the heavy silence surrounding the castle.
Then the mansion finally revealed itself.
Tall towers pierced into the night sky, their sharp edges outlined by scattered golden lights glowing from above.
Massive windows stretched upward along the stone walls, polished so clean they reflected the faint moonlight.
Heavy curtains rested behind the glass untouched, concealing whatever existed inside.
The kind that settled heavily against the skin.
The kind that made the entire place feel alive... and watching.
Inside, the silence deepened even further.
Long corridors stretched endlessly beneath high ceilings decorated with ancient carvings and crystal chandeliers.
Their dim golden light reflected softly against the polished marble floors, creating blurred shadows along the walls.
The air carried the faint scent of expensive wood and something colder beneath it.
Power and Controlled.
Hidden carefully behind luxury and silence.
At the far end of one corridor, a large door stood slightly open.
A thin line of light escaped through the gap, cutting across the dark marble floor.
Inside the room-
Dark wooden panels lined the walls, polished smooth beneath the dim lighting.
A massive window covered nearly one entire side of the room, heavy curtains hanging halfway open as the night breeze slipped gently through the narrow opening.
The air felt cool and untouched, the silence inside almost unnaturally calm.
At the center of the room stood a massive bed.
White sheets spread neatly across the mattress, smooth and barely disturbed except for one place.
The rise and fall of his chest was slow.
Each breath seemed weak, shallow, like it struggled to return each time silence tried to swallow it completely.
A faint crease rested between his brows, his face pale against the white sheets beneath him. Damp strands of dark hair rested carelessly over his forehead, unmoving.
One arm lay beside him while the other rested loosely across his stomach, his entire body still and unresponsive against the large bed.
The room held him like a carefully buried secret.
There were no machines surrounding him. No voices. No signs of struggle.
Only the fragile sound of breathing quietly filling the room.
The curtains stirred gently as another breeze slipped through the window, brushing lightly against his face, yet he gave no reaction.
For one brief moment it fell fully across his face, illuminating every sharp feature clearly beneath the dim room.
Unmistakable.
Roman.
"Come in, doctor."
A woman’s voice suddenly broke the silence from near the doorway.
The sound of heels clicking softly against the marble floor followed immediately after as two figures entered the room.
The woman stepped aside gracefully, allowing the older man in a white coat to walk forward first.
His expression remained calm and professional, though his eyes briefly lingered on Roman’s unmoving figure.
"Is he the one?" the doctor asked quietly.
The woman nodded once.
"Yes."
The doctor walked toward the bed slowly before removing the stethoscope hanging around his neck. The faint metallic sound echoed lightly inside the silent room.
Leaning forward slightly, he pressed the cold metal disk carefully against Roman’s chest.
The woman stood nearby watching patiently, her fingers resting calmly against each other though her eyes remained fixed on the unconscious man.
The doctor stayed silent for several seconds.
Listening.
The room became so quiet that even the soft rustling of the curtains could be heard clearly.
"Hm."
A low hum escaped him as he straightened slightly before reaching down to take Roman’s wrist carefully into his hand. His fingers pressed gently against the pulse point.
The woman’s gaze sharpened immediately.
Her voice came lower this time.
Controlled.
But carrying something hidden beneath it.
"Is he alive?"
Author note 🌹
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