Chapter 140: Roberto dead?

Words : 1221 Updated : Sep 27th, 2025

"Say something." Her silence made him restless. Zara opened her mouth, ready to speak, but the words refused to come. What was there to say? She couldn’t bring herself to deny the truth, yet she also couldn’t admit that his actions had left her hurt. "Don’t be upset with me." He pulled her into his arms. "I’ve already lost five years clinging to the past. Now, I want to move forward and walk this path with you. I know I’ll stumble and make mistakes, but don’t turn away from me. If I ever hurt you with my words or actions, just tell me—I’ll keep working to be better for you." Nathaniel’s voice had carried a rare softness, and for the first time in a long while, Zara felt the wall between them crumble. His arms around her were firm, almost desperate, and the sincerity in his words left her chest aching. The ache in her heart, the heaviness of the sorrow seemed to lift from her altogether. She wrapped her arms around him, leaning into his embrace. This was the moment. She wanted to let him know that she loved him, that she had never stopped loving him. Her heart fluttered. She tilted her head against his chest. "Nathaniel..." Before she could say the rest of the words, the sharp trill of his phone stopped her. "Wait a minute." He reached over to the nightstand as he picked up the phone and answered. "Hello?" The next minute, his expression changed. Zara watched the color drain from his face, his eyes widening in disbelief. She could tell something wasn’t right. But she couldn’t hear anything. "What did you say? Are you sure?" His voice was tense, clipped. "Yes... Unfortunately, it’s true," the secretary confirmed. "Roberto met with an accident this morning. His car went off the road and plunged into the river. Police have started searching, but the fall was too steep. The chances of survival are slim." "I’m coming. Stay there." After ending the call, Nathaniel snatched up his car keys and rushed out of the room, not sparing a moment to explain anything to Zara. "Nathaniel, what happened? Where are you going?" Zara chased after him, her feet barely keeping up with his long strides. But he didn’t slow down, didn’t even look back. "Don’t wait for me. I’ll tell you everything when I return." He was already halfway out the door. Zara froze by the staircase, her hand resting on the railing as she stared at the empty doorway. Watching him leave in such a hurry left her unsettled. He hadn’t even changed out of his pajamas—just grabbed the car keys and left, as though the world would fall apart if he delayed even a second. Worry tightened in her chest. She had not seen him this shaken in years. Whatever the phone call was about, it was serious. "I hope everything is fine," she whispered, though the uneasy knot twisting in her stomach told her otherwise. Nathaniel drove speedily, his mind racing with what he had just learned. What was Roberto doing out there, on the highway, before dawn? Where was he going? The timing gnawed at him. They were meant to be at an important client meeting that morning, finalizing the deal. Yet here he was, faced with this unexpected incident. Nathaniel couldn’t fathom why Roberto had been on that highway at all. Roberto had always been trustworthy, never once concealing anything from him—or so he believed. But this... this didn’t make sense. For the first time, he felt as though he had been left in the dark. He had no idea where his assistant had been heading or what he had been doing. An ache rose with the thought that maybe Roberto hadn’t been telling him everything after all. Still, a flicker of hope fought its way through his dread. ’I hope he will be alright.’ When he finally reached the accident site, his stomach dropped. The place was swarming with police officers. Some were combing the riverbank, while others oversaw the crane that heaved a mangled car out of the water. Nathaniel’s breath caught at the sight of the wreck. The vehicle was twisted beyond recognition. The sight alone crushed whatever fragile hope he had clung to. It was nearly impossible to imagine anyone crawling out of that alive. He stepped out of his car and watched the scene in horror. "Sir," a voice cut through his thoughts. His secretary approached, eyeing him with an odd expression before hesitating. "You... came like this." Nathaniel blinked, dragged back to reality. "What?" The secretary’s gaze flicked downward, then back up. "You are still in your pajamas." Only then did Nathaniel glance down at himself, momentarily stunned. In his rush, he hadn’t even noticed. For a fleeting second, heat pricked at his face. Standing there in rumpled pajamas among suited men and uniformed officers was indeed embarrassing. But that feeling passed as quickly as it came. Clothes didn’t matter. What mattered was Roberto. "Forget what I’m wearing," he snapped impatiently. "Tell me about Roberto." The secretary glanced toward the riverbank, where a group of men were hauling the twisted remains of a car out of the water. "They found the car," she explained. "But Roberto wasn’t inside. The current is strong... the rescue team thinks his body may have been swept away." Displeasure tightened his face. He hated how quickly the police had begun assuming Roberto was already gone. "They are already calling him dead?" Nathaniel’s brows drew together. "What if he jumped before the crash? What if he made it out? You don’t know. Don’t talk like it’s over until you have proof." He strode toward the officer in charge. The secretary hurried to keep up. "Officer," Nathaniel called. "I’m Nathaniel Grant." He extended his hand. "The man you are looking for is my assistant. I need you to find him." The officer’s expression was steady as he shook hands with Nathaniel. "We are doing everything we can. But the current is fast. It’s likely the body has already drifted." Nathaniel’s stare hardened. "How can you be so certain he is dead? His body hasn’t been found yet. You don’t know that. He could still be alive. He might have escaped." He refused to believe that his capable assistant was gone. The officer sighed and placed a hand on Nathaniel’s shoulder with sympathy in his gaze. "I know this is difficult. I wish there was a chance he survived, but from this height... and judging by the wreckage, it seems almost impossible. Do you really think he had time to escape?" Nathaniel’s eyes followed the officer’s gesture toward the cliff’s edge. The steep drop into the raging river below looked merciless. His chest tightened as his gaze shifted to the mangled remains of the car being hauled up. The sight pressed a harsh reality against his heart, confirming that Roberto might already be gone. Yet, his mind clung stubbornly to denial. ’No. Roberto couldn’t just vanish like this.’ "We have to be practical," the officer said gently. "Our team is searching. If we find anything, you’ll be the first to know." Nathaniel stood frozen, the officer’s words fading into the background as his eyes locked on the turbulent river. ’Where are you, Roberto?’

Chapter 140: Roberto dead?

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