Chapter 343: Raphael’s suspicion

Raphael’s POV.

“I wanted to invite you out for drinks. Your life is falling apart some drinks would be a good idea.”

Ronan’s suggestion sat wrong with me the moment he said it. Before I could question him further, he was already on his feet like he had said everything he needed to say.

“New Horizon is moving again,” he added casually, adjusting his sleeve. “Do not get so consumed with finding her that you forget what actually matters.”.

My gaze narrowed slightly. That caught my attention more than the drink invitation. “They have been quiet for weeks,” I said, watching him carefully.

Ronan paused by the door and glanced back at me. “Who knows maybe Killian was giving us a break.”

Something about the way he said it made my chest tighten.

“Make sure you show up on time,” he added, his tone lighter now. “I am looking forward to this drink.”

Then he left. The door clicked shut behind him, and I just sat there staring at it. A strange feeling settled in my gut.

It was not just suspicion. It felt heavier than that. Like something was about to go wrong and I could not see it yet.

********

I still could not shake the feeling.

No matter how much I tried to ignore it, it stayed there, quiet but persistent, like a warning I was not meant to overlook. In the end, I gave in and decided to show up after a long day of work I headed to the location.

He did not ask me to meet him at a bar, and I knew better than to expect something that simple. He wanted to talk somewhere far from the ears. Instead, I drove to the villa registered under his name.

Not many people knew about this place. It was one of those properties registered under his name. I was not even sure my mother knew about it, or maybe she did and chose to ignore it like so many other things in their marriage.

When I arrived, I stepped out of the car and paused for a moment, my eyes lifting to the villa.

The air was cold, sharp against my skin. Winter had settled in fully, and snow had already begun to cover the ground in a thin layer of white.

The villa stood there in silence on the property, its glass reflecting nothing but the dim light around it. The ground floor was lit, especially around the bar area, and I knew immediately that he was already inside, waiting.

I let out a slow breath before walking toward the entrance..The door clicked open after I entered the pin, and I stepped inside.

The place felt just as empty as I remembered. Spacious, carefully maintained, but lifeless in a way that always made it feel more like a retreat than a home. There were barely any full-time staff, just enough to keep the place running.

As soon as I entered, an old housekeeper approached me. She had that familiar smile I knew, from what I knew she was an old maid from Grandpa’s place m

“Welcome, young master,” she said politely as she reached for my coat. “Your father is waiting,” she informed me promptly

I handed it over without hesitation. “I know where he is.” she nodded and stepped aside, and I continued further inside.

I did not need directions. I knew the layout too well.

As I walked down the hallway, my thoughts drifted back to the first time I found this place. I had been younger, angrier, convinced I would catch him with a mistress.

It would have made sense. In our circle, men like him always had someone on the side. I had stormed in that day, ready for a confrontation.

But there was no one just my father enjoying a glass of whiskey in silence.

That had unsettled me more than anything else. Growing up, I always knew my parents were not in love. They were polite and distant in the public eye, the model couple. Behind closed doors, they fought more than they spoke, and whenever things got worse, he would disappear for days.

I hated my dad then and assumed it was another woman because why else would a man disappear from his home for days? But there wasn’t another woman just a silent house where a man who struggled to keep things in control found refuge

That was what made it strange.

I had even investigated later on, just to be certain. I found nothing. Ronan had never had a mistress, not once since he married Natalia. Yet they lived like strangers bound by obligation.

This villa was his escape.

A place he came to breathe when the weight of that marriage became too much..That alone had been enough to shape my view on relationships. It was the reason I avoided arranged marriages for as long as I could.

Until I met Lynn in uni. At one point, I hated ever meeting my fiancé. I didn’t want to live like my parents. But my case was different

Everything had been different with her pr at least, I believed it was.

I pushed the thought aside as I reached the bar.

The room was dim, lit by a soft glow that reflected off rows of expensive bottles. The scent of alcohol and polished wood lingered in the air, and the entire space carried a quiet stillness that felt almost heavy.

My eyes caught sight of him immediately. He was seated at the counter, a glass in his hand, staring into it like he was lost in his own thoughts.

For a moment, I just watched him. I had always wondered what went through his mind when he got like that.

He finally sensed me and his gaze drifted over. “You came,” he said, a faint smile forming on his lips.

“I said I would,” I replied as I walked closer. “You made it sound important.”

He gestured to the seat beside him. “Come. Sit.”

I took the seat, my eyes still on him as he reached for another glass. He poured some vodka and slid it toward me without a word.

I glanced at it but did not touch it. “Why did you call me here?” I asked, my voice calm but edged with suspicion.

He leaned back slightly, studying me for a moment before answering. “That is how you greet your father?” he said, almost amused.

My expression did not change. “You did not bring me here for small talk,” I replied..A faint chuckle left him, but it did not reach his eyes.

“No, I didn’t. ” he chuckled then added. “At times it is funny how much you are alike..” he mentioned making me frown.

“Who?” I blurted out.

Dad kept his glass down.. “Lucien..” he replied throwing me off before I could press further an envelope was slid to me..

I froze at it. “You should check that, it will answer your questions.”

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