The Heiress's Comeback

Chapter 204: [ Volume 1] Chaper 204- Protect yourself

"What’s wrong?" Helga asked, worry creeping into her voice.

Esme fixed her gaze on her. "Did you hire anyone named Joe for a secretary position?"

Helga shook her head, her brows furrowed in frustration. "No, I haven’t hired anyone named Joe or anyone new recently."

Esme’s eyes darkened, narrowing dangerously as she spun to face her. "Then what the hell are you doing? Taking a nap?" Her voice rose, sharp and cutting. "Do you think I gave you an office and a salary to sleep on the job?" Each word hit like a hammer, her patience clearly unraveling. "Helga, I entrusted you with one critical task—to ensure the security of those four brothers. Just one job. But look at what’s happened."

Esme stepped closer, her gaze burning with anger. "In our own building, where our control should be absolute, someone kidnapped Ray right under our noses. We didn’t even notice! And to top it off, some stranger is walking around, pretending to be a secretary, fooling everyone—including the vice president of this company. The future heir of this empire. And what were you doing? Sitting back, letting it all happen?"

Helga’s throat tightened as she felt the weight of Esme’s words crash down on her. She couldn’t argue. Esme was right—this wasn’t just a mistake; it was a disaster. Lowering her head, she clenched her fists at her sides. It felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room, and she knew there was no excuse strong enough to shield her from Esme’s wrath.

Esme let out a long, shaky breath, the fire in her voice dimming. "I’m sorry," she muttered, rubbing her temples in frustration. "I didn’t mean to snap like that, but this... this is serious."

Helga shook her head, her voice small but firm. "No, you’re right. We made a mistake. A big one. But what do we do now? There’s no clue, no tether to track them. We have nothing."

Esme’s eyes shifted, her expression sharpening as a thought clicked into place. "No, Helga. We do have a tether."

Helga blinked, confusion etched across her face. "What? What do you mean?"

A faint, almost devious smile tugged at Esme’s lips. "A few days ago, I gave the brothers necklaces. They thought they were just gifts, but there’s more to them than that."

Helga’s brows knitted. "Necklaces? What does that have to do with—"

"They’re trackers," Esme interrupted, her voice calm yet filled with an eerie precision. "I embedded tracking devices in each of them."

Helga’s mouth fell open in shock. "You... you did what?" Her voice was a mix of disbelief and astonishment. "You gave them a gift with a tracker inside, without even telling them?"

Esme shrugged as if it were the most practical thing in the world. "Yes. And it’s about to save Ray’s life. Would you rather I hadn’t?"

Helga stared at her for a moment, speechless. Then, with a deep breath, she muttered, "Wow. You’ve officially crossed into supervillain territory."

Esme shook her head slowly, her eyes hardened with resolve. "Listen, I’m going to find Ray. But you—" she pointed at Helga with the weight of finality in her voice, "you have two things to do."

Helga, feeling the gravity of the moment, straightened, her body tense as she waited for orders. "Yes," she replied, her voice unwavering with determination. "What do you need?"

Esme’s smirk wasn’t one of amusement, but a mask hiding the turmoil beneath. Her tone, though, was anything but light. "First, you’re going home. Second, you’re going to protect Aron and your child. No matter what. At any cost."

The words hit Helga like a slap. Her instinct to protect Esme, to stand by her in moments like this, rebelled immediately. "What?" She took a step forward, eyes wide with disbelief. "No, I’m not going home! Esme, how can you expect me to leave you alone right now, in this situation? Ray’s missing, and someone’s infiltrated our ranks!" Her voice rose, every fiber of her being fighting against the order.

Esme’s eyes locked onto hers, colder and sharper than Helga had ever seen. "Helga," her voice was a warning, "you’re not just my secretary anymore. You’re a wife, and you’re a mother. Do you get what that means? If they’re coming for me, they’ll come for the people close to me too. Kai, Ryan, and Jay are at home with Aron, and if someone targets the house—"

Helga’s breath caught in her throat as Esme’s words sank in. She knew exactly what Esme meant. Aron wasn’t just any man—he was reckless, intense. He lived by his own rule: stay out of his way, and he’ll stay out of yours. But the moment someone crossed the line, especially when it came to his family, Aron was a storm no one could contain.

"But..." Helga began, her voice faltering, "Aron—he’s strong. You know how he is. He wouldn’t let anyone get to them."

Esme stepped closer, her tone deadly serious. "And that’s exactly why you need to be there. Aron will protect them, yes—but if someone comes, he’ll fight to the death. You know how reckless he gets when he’s protecting what’s his. I can’t lose him, Helga. I need you to make sure he stays alive. You have to be there, no matter what."

Helga felt her resolve waver, but she wasn’t ready to give up. "But Esme, how are you going to handle this alone?" Her voice trembled, frustration building. "It’s too dangerous! Whoever did this—they’ve planned it well. It’s not something you should face by yourself."

Esme’s smirk returned, this time darker, more calculated. "Who said I’m going alone?" She crossed her arms, the hint of a plan forming in her eyes.

"I’ve already contacted Team B. They’ll handle the heavy lifting. You need to understand something, Helga—right now, the most important thing for you is your own life. You can’t protect anyone if you’re dead."

Helga stared at her, unable to find the words. Esme was always like this—prepared, three steps ahead, even in the midst of chaos. But this felt different, like there was more at stake than just Ray’s disappearance. There was something Esme wasn’t saying.