CHAPTER 312: WHERE IS GUSTAVE?

After some time, Sam finally appeared.

"Madam," he greeted solemnly, stopping in front of her. "I’m truly sorry," he apologized regretfully. "That crash was horrific. How is Sir?"

"He is in surgery. But that wasn’t just an accident." Her expression darkened with concern. "Someone wanted us dead. It was a direct attempt to murder."

A flicker of tension tightened Sam’s jaw. "We have got footage from the surveillance camera outside the office building," he informed her. "It caught the moment of impact. We’ll track down the driver soon. And when we do, we’ll know who is behind it. I promise you we’ll solve this case quickly."

He looked down for a second, guilt shadowing his features. "Sir called and told me he’d pick you up himself. He asked me to leave. But now I regret it." His hands curled slightly into fists as he spoke again. "I shouldn’t have left you. If I had stayed—"

"Don’t blame yourself." Anne cut him off gently but firmly. "No one knew something like this would happen."

A shiver passed through her as the memories returned. Augustine had shielded her with his body. He had saved her again. But in that process, he got hurt.

This time, they had managed to injure him. What about next time?

Fear and fury clouded her features. Whoever was behind this attack wasn’t done yet. They would come after them yet again.

"Where is Gustave?" she demanded. "His boss is lying on an operating table, and he hasn’t shown up once." The frustration in her voice was unmistakable. "His phone is off. Not a single call, not a message. What the hell is he doing?"

Sam shifted uneasily, his weight rocking from one leg to the other, betraying his hesitation. He had already received Gustave’s call. His words still echoed in his mind. He had instructed to double the security for Anne and Augustine, but he had also informed him that he would be going underground to investigate the attack and uncover the true mastermind behind it.

It hadn’t been an accident at all. Someone had staged it—a deliberate attempt to kill them both. Whether it was the work of old rivals, a faction within the Beaumonts, or Hugo’s gang, the threat was real. Gustave wouldn’t resurface until he uncovered the truth. He had also ordered Sam to ensure no one reached out to him. This was a covert mission, and no one should know about it, including Anne.

"There are... some problems at the overseas branch," Sam said at last. "He has already called me with instructions. He won’t return until those issues are resolved."

Anne’s brows drew together. She wasn’t happy with the update. She had expected Gustave to be here, leading the investigation, hunting down whoever had tried to end their lives. Instead, he had conveniently vanished on "business matters." To her, it sounded like an excuse, like he was sidestepping his duty.

"What is more important to him?" she demanded, frustration evident in her voice. "His boss’s life, or business?"

Sam’s face crumbled. He wanted to defend Gustave, to tell her that there was no one Augustine trusted more, that Gustave would walk into fire if it meant protecting him. But he couldn’t break his promise of silence—and truth be told, he didn’t know exactly where Gustave was.

Perhaps he was close by, watching from the shadows. Perhaps he had already found something and was moving to strike. All Sam knew for certain was that the man was out there, somewhere, and that he wouldn’t stop at anything until he found and punished the perpetrator.

"He is just carrying out the boss’s orders," Sam assured her. "He’ll be back soon. Until then, I’m here, and I won’t let anything happen to you. We are already investigating. Whoever is responsible will be found and punished severely."

Anne’s eyes narrowed slightly, her unease slipping into her voice. "I don’t know..." She shrugged dejectedly. "I have this feeling it wasn’t an accident. There is something darker behind it. Someone is trying to kill us."

The certainty in her tone caught Sam off guard. So she had reached the same conclusion. Intrigued, he asked, "Do you suspect anyone?"

Her lips parted, but no words came. Her thoughts drifted back to the attack on the island. Could those same people have returned to target them again? But they had been Lucien’s enemies. Those men had been after him, misled by false information that he was there with his girlfriend.

Could it be the same people again, acting on another wrong tip? It felt unlikely.

Her mind then turned to the Beaumonts. Gabriel and Denis’s animosity toward Augustine was no secret. Could they be behind this?

It was within the realm of possibility. Yet, the questions lingered in her mind.

They had already accepted her and Augustine. If they had intended to kill them, they had had the opportunity long before. So why strike now?

Anne’s thoughts knotted together. The confusion felt like a weight pressing down on her chest. She let out a long breath, her shoulders sinking.

"I don’t know," she whispered. "I don’t know anything. I just want him safe."

Tears welled in her eyes as memories of Augustine filled her mind. The way he had sprinted to her side, flung the car door open, and pulled her out just in time still replayed in the back of her eyes. A minute late, and they both could have been dead. He hadn’t thought of running. He hadn’t hesitated. He had put himself in danger to save her.

The emotion swelled, threatening to spill over, but she forced the tears back, hardening her resolve. When she lifted her gaze to Sam, her expression had changed, the uncertainty replaced by a fierce determination.

"I want every single person involved in this accident punished," she said fiercely. "No one walks away from this."

Sam straightened, his tone matching her intensity. "You have my word, ma’am. They will all pay for it."

Just then, Nathan returned. "Punished? What punishment are you talking about?"

Anne’s posture stiffened. "It’s nothing," she said quickly, her voice almost too casual. "I just told him to find the truck driver and hand him over to the police."

"Yes," Sam backed her up smoothly. "Madam wishes to take strict legal action against the driver."

Nathan’s frown eased as he stepped closer to Anne. "Don’t worry about it. You should be thinking about yourself and the baby. Leave the rest to me. I spoke with Dad. Once the driver is caught, we’ll press an attempted murder charge. He’ll never see the outside of a prison cell again."

Anne’s lips curved into a small smile. "Thank you, Nathan."

He returned the smile warmly. "I’ve booked a room for you. Come, I’ll take you there."

Anne rose to her feet, casting Sam a brief, meaningful glance before following Nathan.

~~~~~~~~~

The news of Augustine’s accident washed over Gabriel like a wave of satisfaction. He curled his lips into an unshakable smile as he listened intently to the voice on the other end of the line, every word fueling his quiet pleasure.

"The report says he is in critical condition," the informant relayed. "He is still in surgery. The doctors look tense. I’ll keep you updated."

"Good," Gabriel replied smoothly. "Stay alert."

A pair of slender, delicate arms slipped around his waist from behind. He tensed, then glanced down at the soft arms encircling him. Ending the call, he turned slightly.

"You seem in a good mood," Tania’s voice teased. "Care to share the reason?"

He placed his phone aside and faced her fully. "Nothing important—just business." His hand slid to her chin, tilting her face up. His gaze dropped to her lips. "What matters is you. Give me a son quickly." He leaned in and captured her mouth in a deep kiss.

Tania responded by drawing him toward the bed, her fingers pushing the silk robe off his shoulder to reveal his chest. She traced her fingers up to his heart, a faint smile on her lips.

"I’ll gladly give you a son," she murmured. "But tell me—what do I get in return?"

Her hand rose to the gold chain around his neck, tugging him closer until their faces nearly touched. "You’ve been with me these days, but you refuse to give me a name. You keep our relationship a secret. Sometimes, I wonder if you’ll cast me aside once I’ve served my purpose."

Gabriel’s mouth curved into a slow, knowing smirk. His fingers gripped her chin firmly. "You are becoming more and more demanding."

"Yes," she admitted, looking straight into his eyes. "Because I’m afraid—afraid you’ll leave me. I want to protect my future. I want to stand beside the father of my children. Tell me, is that really too much to ask?"

A faint smile tugged at his lips. "I like your honesty," he murmured, his eyes fixed on her mouth. "Be loyal to me. The moment you give me a son, I’ll make you the queen of my heart. You have my word—I won’t walk away."

He closed the distance, capturing her lips in a deep kiss. One hand slid down, his fingers curving possessively over her breast.