Let Me Go, Mr. Howard Chapter 185

A white Alphard SUV idled at the curb outside the hotel, drawing curious glances from passersby. Not surprising, considering the luxury vehicle's hefty price tag.

Chris rounded the corner, spotted the car, and felt his brain short-circuit. He smacked his forehead dramatically before pointing accusingly at the conspicuous white SUV.

"This is your idea of being discreet?" His voice cracked slightly from sheer disbelief.

Of the two handlers who'd been sent, one walked behind Scarlett, shielding her with his body. He'd thoughtfully wrapped a silk scarf around her neck with enough fabric left over to drape across her head like a hood.

"Relax, Mr. Wright. We haven't been made," the man in front assured him, his tone casual as he opened the car door.

Chris didn't immediately get in. He waited until Scarlett was safely inside before following.

Only the two of them plus Shane's foreign handlers occupied the SUV. Chris's original entourage had been redirected by these handlers to another vehicle—also an Alphard, but with black paint, parked discreetly behind the hotel.

Scarlett peered through the curtained window, watching as Chris's staff followed directions into an alleyway. She raised an eyebrow. "Is Shane pulling the old 'divert the tiger from the mountain' trick?"

Her departure had been well-concealed—her figure almost completely obscured by her handler, plus the makeshift hood. No one should have spotted her.

Chris, busy eating a cup of jello he'd found in the car, shrugged carelessly. "Who cares, as long as we shake them off."

Scarlett nodded, her hand unconsciously moving to her stomach as her mind drifted to that medical form.

Despite the heartache it caused her, Scarlett had decided that once they reached Vesperia, she would terminate the pregnancy. 

She couldn't bear the thought of her child being raised by strangers. If she couldn't keep her baby, she'd rather it never entered this cruel world at all.

The black Alphard pulled away first.

About two minutes later, Scarlett's SUV finally started moving.

The distance between Vinterra and Montelisse was remarkably short—only about ten minutes away. However, Montelisse wasn't their actual destination.

They were headed for Calvessa in Vesperia.

Calvessa didn't border Montelisse; several cities including Vionne lay between them. The sixty-plus mile journey would take over an hour by car.

"Want something to eat?" The car had been stocked with pregnancy-friendly low-sugar snacks. Chris, having sampled a few, now offered them to Scarlett.

She waved him off, curled up in her reclined seat and fighting to stay awake.

"Where are we going now?" she asked drowsily, trying to keep track of their itinerary.

"To Calvessa to see my second brother. Once he's finished with his business, you'll go with him to Thalassia to recover," Chris explained, his voice gentle as he watched her with a smile.

Scarlett kept her eyes closed but chuckled at his words. "Recover from what?"

"You'll definitely need surgery. Thalassia will be perfect for recuperation afterward." Chris raised an eyebrow, sounding utterly confident.

Scarlett opened her eyes to look at him, her eyes crinkling with amusement, but she said nothing.

---

The people hunting through Vinterra finally caught a break—or so they thought. When they intercepted the black Alphard, they discovered their target wasn't inside.

As Lumaria natives, they immediately recognized the diversion tactic.

But what could they do? They had no choice but to call Teddy with the bad news.

Teddy was currently in Zeravine, a northeastern border city in Seraphim. 

Since Sorenvale and Seraphim shared multiple border crossings, and he wasn't sure which route Chris would take, he'd stationed people at every possible exit point.

When his phone rang, Teddy initially thought it was his team near Sorenvale reporting a lead. But the mention of Montelisse made his brow furrow instantly.

He barely listened to the details—this call meant only one thing: Scarlett had successfully left Seraphim and entered Vesperia.

Teddy took a deep breath, asked a few critical questions, then hung up and dialed Sebastian's number.

At the Howard Group Building.

The conference room door opened from within. Someone stepped aside with a respectful bow, making way for Sebastian, who led the procession out. 

Dressed in an impeccably tailored dark gray suit, the cold gleam of his watch peeked from beneath his cuff as it caught the overhead lighting.

His intimidating presence caused employees to lower their heads or turn away as he passed.

His steps were measured and deliberate, his polished leather shoes making crisp, controlled sounds against the floor. Each step seemed to press on everyone's nerves, creating an invisible wave of tension.

Only after he entered his office did the atmosphere finally relax.

"What's up with Mr. Howard these past couple days? This constant low pressure... it's terrifying."

"Who knows? Yesterday he was fine until the afternoon, then something changed."

"Could it be because of Ms. Morgan? Did you see that news story claiming she was just using Mr. Howard? Maybe he's heartbroken?"

"Come on, that story only broke at noon today. It can't be that."

"Then what could it be..."

The secretarial staff's whispers continued unabated until Mark walked by with documents in hand, at which point they fell silent.

Mark ignored them and went straight to Sebastian's office.

He had barely entered when Sebastian's phone rang, forcing him to swallow his report and wait.

Sebastian answered, his already dark expression growing stormier, though he didn't lose his temper. He just clenched his jaw, exhaled deeply, and spoke in an even lower voice.

"Understood."

His mood was clearly sour.

Mark lowered his head, considering what he'd just heard.

The call ended quickly. After a moment of silence, Sebastian looked up at Mark. "Go ahead. What is it?"

Though hesitant at first, Mark quickly composed himself. "Ms. Morgan just left to meet with a male visitor from Eldoria."

Sebastian leaned back in his chair, which tilted slightly to support his weight. "Is it the contact Graham arranged?"

Mark nodded. "The build matches. Our people couldn't get close enough to hear their conversation."

"No matter. Keep watching her."

Sebastian dismissed it casually, his thoughts still preoccupied with the phone call.

That had been Teddy reporting that Scarlett had successfully entered Vesperia. Sebastian had underestimated Chris.

This thought vanished almost instantly. Sebastian knew Chris's capabilities. Arranging protection while simultaneously setting up a decoy wasn't beyond the Wright family's abilities, but it exceeded what Chris could orchestrate alone.

The Wright family had three children.

The eldest, Shawn, was in politics back home—willing to help, perhaps, but limited in what he could actually do.

As for the middle son... he was a different story.

Sebastian called to Mark before he could leave. "Find out what Shane has been up to recently."