Rebirth Of The Heiress And The Tycoon's Lover (Alina) novel Chapter 300

**TITLE: Collapsed**

**Chapter 300**

**AUTHOR’S POV.**

The morning at Evergreen Manor was enveloped in an unsettling silence, a quiet that felt more like a weight pressing down on the air than a soothing balm. It was as if the very walls of the house were bracing themselves, holding their breath in anticipation of something inevitable.

Two days had slipped by since Alina, Damien, and Talia had ventured out, chasing a lead that flickered with promise. Two days since Darius had intercepted them, dragging Damien away with the force of an authority that felt more like a reprimand for a wayward child than the actions of a grown man.

And now, in the wake of those two days, Damien had all but vanished from her sight.

He had been completely absent the first day, and when Alina and Talia finally caught a glimpse of him yesterday morning, it was a fleeting moment. He barely had time to snatch a piece of toast, muttering something about being late for a meeting, and was gone before they could even manage a proper greeting.

Alina was far from naïve.

Her father’s influence was stamped all over Damien’s recent behavior.

He was deliberately keeping Damien occupied.

Occupied to the point where he had no opportunity to speak with her.

Occupied in a way that prevented them from revisiting their plans.

Occupied so that he could not assist her in pursuing the lead they were so desperately trying to follow.

And here they were again, the same pattern repeating itself.

The timing of it all was painfully evident.

As Alina stepped out of her room, adjusting the sleeve of her blouse, thoughts of the fitting she needed to attend flitted through her mind. But her stride faltered when she caught sight of Damien striding down the corridor, his brow furrowed, his gaze fixed intently on his phone screen.

A knot of anxiety twisted in her chest.

“Damien,” she called out, her voice firm as she stepped forward, determination lining her features. “We need to talk.”

At first, he didn’t even glance up. “Not now, Alina. I’m busy,” he replied, his tone clipped.

“You’ve been so busy,” Alina shot back, frustration seeping into her words. “We haven’t even had a moment to say hello.”

Finally, he lifted his gaze to meet hers, and what she saw in his eyes sent a jolt of concern through her.

Exhaustion was etched into his features, but alongside it lay a tension that felt foreign, a strain that didn’t stem from work but from the weight of obligations he was forced to bear.

Before she could press him further, a commanding presence loomed at the end of the corridor—Darius.

Of course.

“Damien,” Darius called out, his voice crisp and unyielding.

Damien sighed, a sound heavy with resignation. “Father, I’m coming.”

He shot Alina a glance, guilt flickering in his eyes, and gave her a helpless shake of his head before turning to follow Darius down the hall.

Just like that, he was gone.

Alina remained rooted in place, her eyes fixed on the spot where they had just stood, anger simmering beneath her skin. Something twisted painfully in her chest. She wasn’t imagining this; her father was intentionally keeping Damien from her.

She could feel it deep in her bones.

Her stomach churned with unease.

After a few moments of standing there, she let out a sharp breath and walked downstairs, her mind racing.

In the living room, Luna and Talia were already waiting. Luna sat gracefully on the couch, sipping her morning tea, while Talia paced back and forth, her energy barely contained, bubbling with the anticipation of trying on the gowns she had been eagerly awaiting for weeks.

They were supposed to leave for their outfit fittings today.

The event was looming tomorrow.

Every detail had to be flawless.

As Alina approached, Luna glanced up, her expression curious.

“Are you ready?” she asked, her voice laced with warmth.

Alina forced a small nod, a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Yeah. I am.”

Luna narrowed her gaze slightly, studying her daughter’s face with an intensity that made Alina’s heart race. “Why do you look like that? Did something happen?”

“No,” Alina replied too quickly, the denial spilling from her lips.

“Nothing happened.”

“Are you sure?” Luna pressed, her motherly instincts kicking into high gear.

“Yes, I’m sure,” Alina insisted, trying to shake off the tension that clung to her.

Luna’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before she sighed, relenting. “Alright. Let’s go.”

As they stepped out of the manor and made their way toward the waiting car, Talia reached back, her fingers curling around Alina’s wrist, pulling her a step behind Luna.

They fell slightly behind, moving at their own pace.

Talia leaned in closer, concern etched on her face. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah,” Alina muttered, though the word felt hollow.

“No, you’re not,” Talia countered gently, her tone coaxing. “Talk to me. What’s going on?”

Alina sighed, her shoulders sagging under the weight of her thoughts. “It’s Damien. Have you noticed he’s been avoiding me?”

Talia’s eyes softened with understanding. “Yeah, I did notice. But don’t blame him. I’m sure your father is the one pulling the strings behind his recent behavior.”

Alina scoffed under her breath, frustration bubbling to the surface. “I know. And it’s infuriating.”

Talia nodded slowly, her expression serious. “And because of it, we haven’t been able to move forward with the investigation.”

“Exactly,” Alina whispered, her jaw tightening with determination. “This whole situation is stalling everything. It’s like he’s deliberately obstructing my progress.”

They reached the car, and Talia held the door open for Alina, but she didn’t get in just yet.

“Listen,” Talia said softly, “why don’t you let your father handle this? You know he wouldn’t let the man who kidnapped you get away with it.”

Alina swallowed hard, leaning against the door frame, her heart heavy.

“That’s because I have this feeling in my gut,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. “Something feels off. Something terrible is about to happen, and I want to stop it before it’s too late.”

Talia studied her closely, concern etched in her features.

Alina wasn’t one to be dramatic.

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