novelraw Chapter 107: They Know You Are His Father
Chapter 107: They Know You Are His Father
Chapter 107: They Know You Are His Father
Her heart pounded as she looked up to see a mob of people charging towards her. Fear, cold and primal, seized her. She stood rooted to the spot, a deer caught in headlights and unable to move from the danger fast approaching.
As the crowd surged forward, a flying object whizzed towards her face. She flinched and closed her eyes, bracing for the impact, but it never came. A figure, swift and decisive, intercepted the missile, taking the blow in her stead. Lyse’s eyes widened in shock as she recognized Levi, his form shielding her from the angry mob.
A group of menacing looking men in dark suits, arrived on the scene, creating a barrier between them and the crowd. As the men pushed the rowdy crowd back, Levi, with a protective arm around Lyse, guided her towards a waiting car. As they settled into the backseat, Lyse could not contain her gratitude. She reached out and hugged him, her fingers tracing the outline of his back.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice trembling as she clung to him like a lifeline.
Levi winced, his expression a mix of pain and nonchalance.
Lyse drew back and examined his face which had returned to normal. "What is it?" She asked, concern in her eyes.
"It was nothing," Levi murmured, trying to shrug it off.
But Lyse was not fooled. She could see the tension in his jaw, the way he flinched when she had thrown herself in his arms and hugged him. "Don’t lie to me, Levi," she insisted, her voice firm. "You were hurt, weren’t you? Where?"
"It’s probably just a small bruise and it does not even hurt," he dismissed, but his eyes betrayed his discomfort.
Lyse was not satisfied with his answer. She turned to the front seat where Ethan sat, and issued a direct order. "Ethan, call the doctor. Tell her to come to the house immediately. Levi is going to need medical attention."
Ethan nodded, his face etched with concern as he glanced at his boss who was staring at Lyse like a puppy. "Yes, Mrs Van Doren."
As they arrived at Levi’s house, Lyse guided him to the couch, her touch gentle but firm. After asking him where hurt, she gently took off his jacket and shirt, then she examined the large bruise on his back. Her heart aching at the sight of the angry red mark that looked like the map of some country.
"You should have been more careful," she scolded, her voice laced with worry.
"It’s just a scratch, Lyse. Really." Levi chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "And what was I supposed to do? Let them hurt you? Not a chance."
As he said that, he reached a hand out and grazed Lyse’s cheek gently with the back of his hand, then he watched as her eyelashes fluttered shut. He had been afraid that he would not get to the hospital on time, and when Joel had called to say that he could not find Lyse, he had thought of the worst.
Seeing her come out of the hospital and nearly get mobbed, he had felt like his heart had stopped. He was only glad that he had gotten hit, not her. And he would readily accept more blows on her behalf.
Despite his claims that he was not that hurt, Lyse was not convinced. She insisted on tending to his wound, applying a cold compress and gently cleaning the area. As the doctor arrived, Lyse watched with a mixture of relief and guilt. She had put Levi in danger, and she could not shake the feeling of responsibility.
Once the doctor had examined Levi and assured them that the injury was minor and left, Lyse turned her attention back to Levi who teased her.
"See, I told you that it was not that serious."
Lyse shrugged and pouted stubbornly. "I would rather have heard it from her mouth than yours."
Levi smiled at her stubbornness. He could see the concern in her eyes and that made him feel really good. He noticed that Lyse seemed to be warming up to him, he hoped that with time he would be able to make her fall in love with him.
He watched as she made him a cup of tea, her movements graceful and deliberate. As she handed him the steaming mug, he could not help but feel a sense of peace.
In the quiet moments that followed, they sat together, the warmth of the fireplace casting a soft glow on their faces. Lyse stared at Levi covertly, she could not help but admire his strength, his unwavering courage and his dedication to protecting her. He had shielded her from harm, without a second thought.
"Thank you again," she said, her voice barely a whisper.
Levi smiled, his eyes warm and understanding. "You don’t have to thank me, Lyse. It’s what I am here for."
"I wonder though, why were those people camped out there and waiting for me?" Lyse shivered as she remembered the angry mob of people who had almost gotten her.
She had no doubt that if Levi had not come in time to save her, she would have ended up seriously injured in the hospital.
Levi’s face turned serious. "Someone incited the mob against you." He explained and she frowned.
"Why would anyone do that? Who would do that?"
"It looks like a bot social media account. But what I suspect is that it is someone who wanted to harm you." He explained. "It could be someone who was harmed by your father’s actions and wanted revenge or someone who wants to harm you specifically."
"What?" Lyse squeaked. She was exhausted from the constant plots against her. It was beginning to feel like the only people on her side were James and Levi. Even her own mother felt like an enemy.
"But i don’t want you to worry about it." Levi assured her. "I have people working on it, they will get the person’s IP address and find out who is behind it. I’ve also gotten those people who were waiting outside, they are being interrogated by the police."
’Hopefully, this time they don’t just mysteriously end up dead in jail.’
When he found who ever was responsible for rousing those people against Lyse, he would ensure that they suffered the full extent of the law. He was sure that at least some of them were paid, the mob had gathered too quickly for it to be organic.
"I don’t think that i should let you sleep alone tonight, so I will sleep in your bed." Lyse said without batting an eyelash.
Levi maintained a neutral look as he asked her, "You think so? Why?"
"Because you might need something in the middle of the night and if I am in my room I won’t be able to help." She answered.
Levi pretended to think for a moment and nodded solemnly. "I do think you are right. My back does not ache too bad but who knows how I will feel in some hours."
On the surface he was calm but deep inside he was running around ecstatically and punching the air victoriously.
He had wanted so bad to share the room with Lyse but could not ask her since the Anya fiasco. He hoped that she would spend more than one night with him, he was not above lying about his back hurting if it would make her stay more nights, maybe he would be able to convince her never to move out of his room ever again.
*
Levi’s eyes fluttered open, met by the soft glow of the morning sun filtering through the curtains. A warmth spread across his chest as he realized he was not alone. Lyse was curled up beside him, her face serene in sleep. Her long, dark hair cascaded over the pillow, framing her delicate features. A soft smile played on her lips, and her breath was gentle and rhythmic.
He watched her for a moment, a sense of peace washing over him. He had never felt this way about anyone before. It was a strange, new feeling, one that filled him with a sense of wonder and anticipation.
As if sensing his gaze, Lyse stirred and opened her eyes. She blushed when she saw him staring at her, her eyes wide with surprise. Levi could not resist. He leaned in and kissed her softly, his lips brushing against hers. Lyse didn’t pull away. In fact, she seemed to melt into the kiss, her arms wrapping around his neck.
When they finally broke apart, Lyse was breathless. "I should... I should go and see what the cook is up to," she stammered, her voice barely a shy whisper. She jumped out of bed and rushed out of the room, leaving Levi with a lingering smile.
As he lay there, savoring the memory of their intimate moment, his phone rang. It was Chris.
"Levi, we have a problem," his voice was urgent. "It’s about Brandon."
"What about Brandon?" Levi asked, a sense of unease creeping into his voice.
"It’s out. Everyone knows. The news is everywhere. They know you are his father."
Levi’s heart pounded in his chest. "What do you mean everyone knows that Brandon is my son? How did this happen?"
A loud crash echoed through the room.