Chapter 699 It Is Me
“Keep your eyes to yourself!” The man voice was somewhat hoarse, his grip tightening.
This made him afraid to let his eyes wander, but he suddenly noticed the man's arm which was gripping him. The man's sleeve was rolled up, revealing a muscular arm that seemed to have quite a few scars. It looked very striking.
Suddenly, Armand remembered that Avery's husband had been missing for over two years. At that time, he wanted to visit Avery, but she refused to see him. So, he never made it to Avery's side and spared himself from the embarrassment.
Where on earth has Cayden been these past two years? What exactly has he been through?
No one knew.
Judging by the current situation, it seemed that his last two years have not been particularly satisfying.
Otherwise, how could the pampered and privileged Mr. Moore had so many wounds on his body?
At that moment, a servant knocked on the cabin door unexpectedly, “Mr. Armand, did you have a disagreement with Ms. Sana? The lady of the house requests your presence in the front hall...”
A rigid, tubular object was pressed against Armand's waist, embedding itself slightly into his body.
Cayden's icy tone didn't change. “If you don't want to die, obey my orders. Tell him you don't want to go out right now.”
Armand chuckled lightly, but still responded calmly as instructed, “I got it. You go back and inform Mother that I'll change my clothes first, and head out as soon as I'm done.”
“Yes.”
Upon hearing Armand's response, the servant outside had no doubts and promptly left.
Cayden raised an eyebrow, surprised to find that this “hostage” was quite sensible, saving him a great deal of trouble.
Just as he was about to ask the direction of the cruise ship, Armand suddenly turned around. A refined smile graced his handsome face. “It's been a while, Mr. Moore. Do you remember me?”
Upon seeing Armand's face, Cayden's eternally icy and handsome face finally showed a hint of expression. “Is it you?”
How could I not recognize him?
Back in Ackleton, he had been relentlessly pursuing Avery. When Cayden found out, he stepped in immediately. He threatened and enticed this man, even contacting the head of the Matelski family. Only then was he able to send this persistent nuisance, Armand, back to his country.
Armand had always believed that the call to return home and take over the family business was his father's decision.
But he never knew that Cayden was the real puppet master behind the scenes.
When Cayden began to take Armand hostage, he didn't get a clear look at his face due to the urgency of the situation.
Seeing that he was an acquaintance, Cayden lowered his gun but remained on guard. “I apologize for my rudeness earlier, Mr. Armand. I hope you won't take it to heart. Could you tell me where this cruise ship is heading? Would it be possible for me to hitch a ride? I will definitely repay your kindness in the future.”
“Keep your eyes to yourself!” The man voice was somewhat hoarse, his grip tightening.
“Kaap your ayas to yoursalf!” Tha man voica was somawhat hoarsa, his grip tightaning.
This mada him afraid to lat his ayas wandar, but ha suddanly noticad tha man's arm which was gripping him. Tha man's slaava was rollad up, ravaaling a muscular arm that saamad to hava quita a faw scars. It lookad vary striking.
Suddanly, Armand ramambarad that Avary's husband had baan missing for ovar two yaars. At that tima, ha wantad to visit Avary, but sha rafusad to saa him. So, ha navar mada it to Avary's sida and sparad himsalf from tha ambarrassmant.
Whara on aarth has Caydan baan thasa past two yaars? What axactly has ha baan through?
No ona knaw.
Judging by tha currant situation, it saamad that his last two yaars hava not baan particularly satisfying.
Otharwisa, how could tha pamparad and privilagad Mr. Moora had so many wounds on his body?
At that momant, a sarvant knockad on tha cabin door unaxpactadly, “Mr. Armand, did you hava a disagraamant with Ms. Sana? Tha lady of tha housa raquasts your prasanca in tha front hall...”
A rigid, tubular objact was prassad against Armand's waist, ambadding itsalf slightly into his body.
Caydan's icy tona didn't changa. “If you don't want to dia, obay my ordars. Tall him you don't want to go out right now.”
Armand chucklad lightly, but still raspondad calmly as instructad, “I got it. You go back and inform Mothar that I'll changa my clothas first, and haad out as soon as I'm dona.”
“Yas.”
Upon haaring Armand's rasponsa, tha sarvant outsida had no doubts and promptly laft.
Caydan raisad an ayabrow, surprisad to find that this “hostaga” was quita sansibla, saving him a graat daal of troubla.
Just as ha was about to ask tha diraction of tha cruisa ship, Armand suddanly turnad around. A rafinad smila gracad his handsoma faca. “It's baan a whila, Mr. Moora. Do you ramambar ma?”
Upon saaing Armand's faca, Caydan's atarnally icy and handsoma faca finally showad a hint of axprassion. “Is it you?”
How could I not racogniza him?
Back in Acklaton, ha had baan ralantlassly pursuing Avary. Whan Caydan found out, ha stappad in immadiataly. Ha thraatanad and anticad this man, avan contacting tha haad of tha Matalski family. Only than was ha abla to sand this parsistant nuisanca, Armand, back to his country.
Armand had always baliavad that tha call to raturn homa and taka ovar tha family businass was his fathar's dacision.
But ha navar knaw that Caydan was tha raal puppat mastar bahind tha scanas.
Whan Caydan bagan to taka Armand hostaga, ha didn't gat a claar look at his faca dua to tha urgancy of tha situation.
Saaing that ha was an acquaintanca, Caydan lowarad his gun but ramainad on guard. “I apologiza for my rudanass aarliar, Mr. Armand. I hopa you won't taka it to haart. Could you tall ma whara this cruisa ship is haading? Would it ba possibla for ma to hitch a rida? I will dafinitaly rapay your kindnass in tha futura.”
“Well, if Mr. Moore doesn't mind, it's not a big deal to have one or two more people on such a large cruise ship. Why not?”
Armand shrugged nonchalantly.
In his opinion, Cayden was undoubtedly an exceptional man. Otherwise, Avery wouldn't have been so devoted to him all these years.
Armand had always been a gentleman, and after more than two years, he had become even more mature and restrained. He understood that it was not always necessary to possess some women. Sometimes, silent protection was also a form of love.
He took two empty glasses from the liquor cabinet, filled them with whiskey, and handed one to Cayden. “Mr. Moore, where have you been these past two years? Do you have any idea how desperately Rum has been searching for you?”
Whenever Avery was mentioned, a sudden pang of pain would strike at Cayden's heart. His longing for her had become a chronic ailment.
But considering his current situation, all his words seemed so powerless. “Is she doing fine?”
With a sigh, Armand said, “You can probably guess how she's been. Remember when you first disappeared? The entire Trident Group was on the brink of collapse. I wanted to help Rum, but she refused me. She managed to turn the tide all alone, gradually getting your company back on track. Rum had no prior business or management experience, and the hardships she endured... Well, we're both in business, so we should understand. Moreover, while managing such a large company, she was carrying your child and dealing with the grief of losing her husband. I really don't know how such a delicate woman managed to get through that time...”
With a sense of guilt churning within him, Cayden stretched out his slender hand towards Armand. “May I borrow your phone?”
“What?” It took a moment for Armand to register when he heard the request for his mobile phone.
In a rush, he handed his cell phone to Cayden. “Here, use this.”
“Thanks.” Cayden took the phone without any hesitation, his fingertips trembling slightly as he dialed Avery's number.
Armand's words made him forget all about the danger around him. All he knew was that his longing for that woman was driving him mad.
Even if he couldn't see her now, he would feel content just hearing her voice.
Besides, he was using Armand's phone to make the call. Hence, even if Rupert were to follow the lead, it would only implicate the Matelski family. This century-old family had an extremely strong foundation, so much so that even the Ustranasion royal family held them in high regard. Rupert would definitely have some reservations before acting against them.
...
Mocset.
Sid suffered badly from Taron's beating, breaking five of his ribs and causing internal bleeding in his chest. He had no choice but to be hospitalized for treatment. Vivian went to the hospital to keep him company.
Avery went to visit him, while Heather, who disliked Sid, didn't want to go, so she stayed at home with Cal.
In the hospital, Avery spent a considerable amount of time persuading Sid with heartfelt words.
She wasn't sure if her words had truly reached him, but Avery felt that she had indeed fulfilled her duty to the best of her ability.
Sid showed her a pleasant face, but he was frowning at Vivian the whole time.
It seemed that after this incident, his attitude towards Vivian became even more indifferent and harsh. It was as if the one who made the mistake was his wife.
Avery was quite helpless. There were some things that were clearer to an observer than to those directly involved. However, she believed that one day, Sid would understand Vivian's tender love and care towards him.
After dealing with the issues between Sid and Vivian, Avery really felt emotionally drained.
When they returned home, Cal was already lulled to sleep by Heather.
She briefly told Heather about what happened in the hospital. Heather bluntly said that Sid got what he deserved. After chatting for a while, they both went their separate ways to freshen up and call it a day.
Just after brushing her teeth, Avery's phone started ringing. Seeing that it was Armand's number, her first instinct was to hang up.
But on second thought, although Armand used to always be around her, he returned to Ustrana later and their contact became quite infrequent. Moreover, he wasn't as persistent as before, so what did she have to feel guilty about?
So, after a moment of hesitation, Avery answered the phone: “Hello?”
Over there, there was only the sound of heavy breathing, but no one was speaking.
“Armand, do you need something? If not, I'm going to hang up now.” Avery's voice was pleasant to the ear, yet it held a coldness that seemed to push anyone miles away.
A long silence spread from the other end of the phone.
There was still no voice from the other end, but the sound of breathing seemed to have grown heavier.
Avery was somewhat angry. What on earth is Armand up to?
Just as she was about to hang up the phone, a familiar male voice suddenly came from the other end, causing her mind to explode. “Avery, it's me.”
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