Rebirth Of The Heiress And The Tycoon's Lover (Alina) novel Chapter 297

**Collapsed 297**

Damien took a deep breath, forcing himself to sound composed, though inside he felt anything but. “We’re… in the manor. At least, I think we are somewhere within its walls.”

A silence stretched across the line before Darius responded, his voice sharp and cutting. “Somewhere? What do you mean by that?”

Damien felt a lump rise in his throat, words spilling out awkwardly as he struggled to articulate their predicament. “We’re… giving Talia a tour of the place.”

Alina, her eyes sparkling with mischief, tilted her head and chimed in, “And I think our dear Mr. Tour Guide has managed to get us lost. This place is a labyrinth! We’re trying to retrace our steps through the hallway we came from.”

Talia, overwhelmed by the situation, buried her face in her hands for a moment, her voice muffled as she muttered, “You are so doomed…”

Darius’ tone sharpened, tinged with irritation and an undercurrent of worry. “Tour guide? You’ve got some nerve, Damien. Guards were sent to find you, and they came up empty. Where exactly are you in the manor?”

Damien exchanged a glance with Alina and Talia, his lips pressing into a tight line as he struggled to keep his composure. “I… I think we’re in the east wing. The door we came through… I just located it again, so you should see us soon.”

Darius exhaled sharply through the speaker, frustration evident in his voice. “You better. Hurry up. Your mother is in the tea room with the event planner, finalizing the details for the events. You’re not going to keep her waiting, are you?”

Damien felt a mix of relief and dread wash over him, his shoulders sagging slightly. “Alright, Dad. We’re on our way. Oh yes… okay. I just found the door. You’ll see us very soon.”

Darius’ tone softened ever so slightly, but the steeliness remained. “You better. Don’t keep us waiting.” With that, the call ended, leaving an unsettling silence in the car.

Talia let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Speed up! Hurry up, come on!”

Damien shot her a side-eye that could have sliced through steel. “What do you think I’m doing?!”

Alina remained focused on the road ahead, her expression serious as she scanned for the familiar contours of the secret passage. “Just keep driving. And both of you, keep your mouths shut.”

Talia huffed indignantly, her voice rising. “Why are you yelling at me? You’re supposed to yell at Damien alone!”

Alina raised her hand sharply, her patience wearing thin. “Both of you, shut up.”

Finally, Damien steered the car toward the back of Evergreen Manor, slowing down as they approached the unassuming doorway. “Here,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “There it is…. The secret passageway. Keep up.”

Alina took a small step forward, attempting to meet his piercing gaze, her voice steady but laced with defiance. “Father… we were just… uh… exploring the east wing. We got… lost, that’s all. We—”

Darius’ glare intensified, his frustration palpable. “Lost? Do you all think I’m stupid? That door you just walked out from is a secret passageway that leads outside the manor. Now my question is, why on earth did you go out when I specifically told you not to?”

Talia bit her lip, fidgeting nervously, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Sir, we… we didn’t mean any trouble. I just wanted to… see… the town.”

Darius’ eyes flicked between the three of them, tension radiating from every line of his body. “Do you realize how reckless that was? How utterly dangerous?”

Damien raised his hands in a placating gesture, trying to diffuse the anger that hung like a storm cloud. “Father, we were careful. We stayed in the car the whole time.”

“You both go to the tea room to see your mother,” Darius instructed Alina and Talia, his gaze turning sharply toward Damien. “You come with me.” His voice was stern, leaving no room for argument as he turned and walked away.

Damien hurried to keep pace behind him, catching Alina’s eyes for a fleeting moment as she shot him an apologetic look.

“Oh boy,” Talia muttered under her breath, casting a sympathetic glance at the retreating figure of Damien.