56

Chapter 56
Andrianne’s father sat in his big study, surrounded by expensive furniture and artwork. He was a powerful man, a wealthy businessman who had made a fortune through his connections and ruthlessness. He had built an empire through his criminal activities, and he was feared and respected by many.
Suddenly, his phone rang. It was one of his most trusted men, Steve’s right-hand man.
“What is it?” he barked into the phone.
“Boss, it’s Steve,” the man said, his voice trembling. “He’s been shot.”
Andrianne’s father felt a jolt of shock run through him. Steve was his most trusted enforcer, the man he relied on to handle the dirty work.
“Where is he?” he demanded.
“He’s at the old warehouse on the edge of town. We found him there this morning.”
Andrianne’s father hung up the phone and stood up, his mind racing. He knew he had to go to the scene and find out what had happened. He quickly grabbed his coat and headed out the door.
When he arrived at the warehouse, he saw a group of his men gathered outside. He pushed his way through them and saw Steve’s body lying on the ground, covered in blood.
“What the hell happened here?” he growled.
“Boss, we don’t know,” one of his men said. “We found him like this.”
Andrianne’s father paced back and forth, trying to make sense of the situation. He had no idea who could have done this to Steve. He was his most trusted man, and he had always been loyal to him.
Suddenly, he saw something glinting on the ground. He bent down and picked it up, realizing it was a bracelet. It was a piece of jewelry he had given his daughter, Andrianne, on her birthday.
His heart sank as he realized that his daughter was involved in Steve’s death.
He turned to his men and barked out orders. “Find out who did this. And bring me my daughter.”
As he walked back to his car, he felt a mix of anger and disappointment. He had forced Andrianne to marry Lucas, a man she clearly didn’t love. He had hoped that the marriage would give her stability and keep her away from the criminal world he operated in.
But now it seemed that Andrianne had gotten involved in the very thing he had tried to shield her from. And he knew that there would be consequences.
Andrianne had just arrived at the hospital to check on Lucas when her phone rang. She hesitated before picking up, recognizing her father’s number. She took a deep breath before answering, bracing herself for what was to come.
“Andrianne, I need you to come to the house immediately,” her father said in a stern tone.
“Can’t it wait, Dad? I’m at the hospital with Lucas,” Andrianne replied, her voice shaking slightly.
“It can’t wait, Andrianne. This is important,” her father replied, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Andrianne knew her father well enough to know that he wouldn’t take no for an answer. She looked at Lucas, who was still sleeping soundly, and knew that she had to leave him behind for now.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Andrianne said before hanging up.
As she made her way to her car, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread. She had a feeling that her father knew about Steve’s death and that she was somehow involved. She drove to her father’s mansion, the same one where she grew up, and parked in the driveway. As she approached the front door, she took a deep breath to steady herself.
When she entered her father’s study, she saw him sitting behind his desk, his face grim. He looked up at her as she entered and gestured for her to take a seat.
“Andrianne, I just received a call from one of my men that Steve is dead,” her father said, his voice cold and controlled.
Andrianne’s heart skipped a beat. She had hoped that her father wouldn’t find out about Steve’s death, at least not so soon.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Andrianne said, trying to keep her voice steady.
“Don’t play dumb with me, Andrianne. I know you had something to do with it,” her father said, his eyes narrowing.
Andrianne knew there was no point in denying it. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself.
“I had to do it, Dad. Steve had kidnapped Lucas, and I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing,” Andrianne said, her voice breaking slightly.
“And what about your loyalty to me, Andrianne? You know that Steve was one of my most trusted men,” her father said, his voice rising in anger.
“I’m sorry, Dad. I didn’t want to go against you, but I had no choice,” Andrianne replied, tears streaming down her face.
Her father’s face softened slightly, and he sighed heavily.
“I understand that you were trying to protect your husband, but you have to understand that your actions have consequences,” her father said, his voice softening slightly.
Andrianne nodded, knowing that her father was right. She had always known that her actions would have consequences, but she had never thought that it would come to this.
“I’ll accept whatever punishment you see fit, Dad,” Andrianne said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Her father nodded, and for a moment, there was silence in the room. Andrianne couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread wash over her. She didn’t know what her father had in store for her, but she knew that it wasn’t going to be pleasant.
Andrianne left her father’s study feeling uneasy and distraught. The memories of her mother’s death resurfaced, and she couldn’t bear to be around her father any longer. She quickly made her way out of the house and got into her car.
When she arrived at the hospital, she went straight to Lucas’s room. He was still asleep, but she didn’t want to leave his side. She pulled up a chair and sat down next to his bed. She watched him sleep, his chest rising and falling with each breath. She took his hand in hers and held it tightly, praying that he would wake up soon.
As she sat there, she couldn’t help but think about her father and what he had done. She wondered if he would ever be brought to justice for what he had done to her mother. She knew that she couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. She had to do something to make sure that her father paid for his crimes.
But for now, her priority was Lucas. She couldn’t let her personal issues affect her ability to be there for her husband. She would deal with her father when the time was right, but for now, she had to focus on Lucas’s recovery.
And so, Andrianne sat by Lucas’s side, watching over him as he slept. She didn’t leave his room for the rest of the day, only getting up to use the restroom or grab a bite to eat. She was determined to be there for him, no matter what.