All Chapters of THE RETURN OF THE HIDDEN HEIR : Chapter 21
- Chapter 30
149 chapters
Chapter 021: A Fight of Fifteen Minutes
Ivy stared at Derrick. "What?" "Make a circle," he continued in a calm voice. "I need you to be back in twenty minutes." "Is this some sort of joke?" she countered, her eyes fixed on him with incredulity. "I'm not leaving you here, even though it's now certain that you've completely gone crazy." Derrick chuckled, then leaned down and rested a hand briefly on the roof of the car. His voice softened even more. "You really do care about me, Ivy Lorenzo, don't you?" She quickly looked away from his eyes. "What? I–" "And don't you think it is high time you changed your name to Ivy Morgan?" he cut in, smiling teasingly at her.She slowly turned her face back at him, squinting her eyes in obvious disgust. "You've really gone nuts, Derrick. And don't ever think I care so much about you." With that, she brought the engine back to life, roughly pulling the car away. She accelerated smoothly as she disappeared down the street without looking back. Derrick watched until she was gone, wonde
Chapter 022: Threatening Data
The MP7's rounds chewed through the air where Derrick's head had been just a moment before. He dove, rolled twice, then came up behind the shooter, driving a knee into his spine. Metal clattered as the deadly weapon skidded away. Then, he seized the man's collar and smashed his face into the side of the car twice, until resistance vanished. "Game over, bastard!" The Glock carrier roared as he charged. But he too was no match, as Derrick caught him mid-step, redirecting his momentum and using it. A hard twist followed by a sharp crack, and the man collapsed unconscious before he hit the ground. One of the SIG carriers fired once, and Derrick felt the heat as the bullet grazed past. He turned, grabbing the nearest body and shoving it forward just as another shot rang out. The round punched into flesh that wasn't his. "Damn it!" The gunman cried as Derrick closed the distance between them. One powerful punch was enough to bring the man down to unconsciousness. Derrick swiftly turne
Chapter 023: Loose Ends
Derrick let out a slow breath and slipped his phone from his pocket. His thumb hovered over Dominic's contact. "Cameras," he muttered. "Damned cameras everywhere in this city." He brought the phone to his ear and dialed. It rang just once. "Sir," Dominic answered.Derrick sighed. "Look. I need you to clear some–" The sound of an engine cut him off, and he turned his head instinctively. Ivy's car rolled into view, headlights sweeping across the wall before easing to a stop beside him. The engine idled once, then went quiet. For a brief second, Derrick simply stood still, the phone pressed to his ear as he watched her door open. "Sir?" Dominic repeated, but Derrick gave no response as he cut the call. His eyes were on Ivy, and he watched as she stepped out and shut the door behind her with more force than required. Then she smoothed her jacket and looked up at him." You're late," Derrick said with a crooked smile. "I knew you weren't as good as you claimed." She stopped short,
Chapter 024: What Time Demands I
Soft lights bloomed across the vast Lorenzo gardens, strung between trees and along stone pillars. They cast a warm glow over trimmed hedges and marble paths. Music drifted from discreet speakers just as servers moved with quiet efficiency. What began as a quiet family celebration had loosened into a party filled with late minute invited guests. Derrick stood near an edge of the garden, a glass of untouched drink in his hand. Watching the night party as it unfolded, he arrived at a conclusion that the Lorenzo family loved celebrating milestones in business. And Ivy, whose life was still in some sort of danger, was no different. She moved through the space, laughing freely and greeting invited friends. Derrick watched as she was showered with praises from every corner. "Come on," she said as she spotted him. She ate up the distance between them and looped an arm through his. "You've been hiding for too long." "I'm observing," Derrick replied mildly. In truth, he had been trying t
Chapter 025: What Time Demands II
Ma Lorenzo was already moving, handing her husband a glass of water. He drank slowly, steadied himself, then gently waved her concern aside. "Thank you," he said to her, just as his eyes fell back on Derrick. He chuckled softly. "I can see it in your eyes. You're surprised that I have become this way. Of course I wasn't like this when you first stood at my gates. And, oh, that was just a few days ago." He shook his head, a small smile forming on his face. "But time is an enemy now. And I fear... it may be against my wife as well." "Grandpa–" Ivy began. "Shhh," Ma Lorenzo hushed, raising a hand as she silenced her granddaughter gently. "You are too young to understand this." Pa Lorenzo nodded and turned back to Derrick. "So I'll go straight to the point," he said. "You'd return to your celebration afterwards." He paused, then shared a glance with Ma Lorenzo before turning back to Derrick and clearing his throat."Your master–Mr. Rowan, used to say that some debts are paid with m
Chapter 026: Worse Than Cell
Moses' special cell was quiet in the way only reinforced concrete could be–thick, airless, and totally stripped of dignity. He lay sprawled on the narrow bed, one hand tucked behind his head as he stared at the stained wall. He did it as though it owed him answers. One knee was bent upward, his leg angled sharply. He had been whistling all day–off-key, taunting the deadly silence he was sentenced to.But it was night now, and he was tired of it. So, he broke his whistling streak with a string of curses that echoed faintly off the quiet walls. "I need to speak to my damn lawyers!" he barked. He waited for ten minutes, then spoke again. "You all dumb asses think this is funny? You have no idea who you're holding!" From a neighbouring cell came one of the dryest laughs Moses had ever heard. "Lawyer?" a voice called out. "And with what money, pretty boy? Nerds like you don't even get voicemail!" Moses' lips curled as he turned sideways. "Laugh while you can, you all. But once I'm o
Chapter 027: What was Taken
"The Lorenzo family is now exposed," Dominic replied. "Their company, assets–everything they own would be targets for–" A loud scream tore through the estate just then. It was sharp, sudden, and unmistakably human. It cut through the air with such force that Derrick felt it before it was even processed in his head.And, almost instantly, another scream followed. This one was from outside, rising from the party grounds below like an echo answering the first.Derrick went still for half a second."What was that sound?" Dominic asked.But Derick had already pulled away from the window and was moving fast inside. "I'll call you back," he said quickly.The call ended before Dominic could respond, and Derrick stepped into the hallway.He could hear overlapping voices already. Some were raised in alarm, others lowered in frantic whispers. He spotted a server near a column. She stood frozen, clutching a tray with whitened knuckles as if she hadn't yet realized she was meant to drop it.Derr
Chapter 028: A Vulnerable Hour
Derrick looked back at him sharply. "Frederick?" "She ran," Frederick blurted out, his breaths uneven. "Damnit. I'm in pain right now." "She ran?" "Yeah. After them." "After who?" Derrick asked, already knowing he wouldn't like the answer. "The men," Fredrick replied. "She received a fucking call. Then... then she turned to me and said she'd be back, that Ma Lorenzo had been kidnapped." Derrick froze.His hand tightened slightly against the makeshift bandage. "You're saying she received a call and took off after them?" Frederick nodded, shutting his eyes tightly as he let out a painful sound. "As soon as she crossed the gates, I received this freaking gunshot on my shoulder. Figured they were hanging around, and didn't want me to come with her. Bloody orchestrated piece of shit!" He let out another cry of pain. "I'm hurt. Where's the ambulance already?!" "Hold on to the pressure," Derrick told him as he got up to his feet. "I'll be back with a stretcher." With that, he start
Chapter 029: A Quiet Between the Cracks
Derrick left them and walked into the mansion. Inside, the house felt a bit too exposed. Policemen stood in small clusters along the corridors, their low voices overlapping in clipped exchanges. Radios murmured, and boots scuffed against the marble floors that probably had seen generations pass without ever knowing the kind of violation that occurred tonight.Nodding once to a pair of officers near the staircase, he continued on without slowing. The staircase curved upward, its banister cool beneath the skin of his palm as he walked. The corridor was quieter at the top floor, and he stopped just in front of his door, reaching for the handle. It was locked. He exhaled slowly through his nose. "Ivy," he called softly, leaning closer to the door. "Open up." No answer. He waited a second, then called again. "Ivy." Still nothing. He rested his forehead briefly against the wood, then straightened. "Open up Ivy, it's me. Derrick." The silence stretched for a little while more, one t
Chapter 030: Where Silence Breaks
Ivy tried to wrench herself free from Derrick's grip. "Let me go!" she cried, her voice breaking as tears streamed down her face. "The cops have to know, Derrick. Vincent threatened us. He threatened my family! The police must know that!" She struck her first weakly against his chest, more in despair than force. Derrick tightened his hold just enough to steady her, but not to restrain her. "Ivy, just listen to me," he said firmly in a low and unwavering voice. "I know what Vincent said, and we all know exactly what kind of men he and his father are." He paused, taking a deep breath in. "If we go to the cops and tell them about this, the Maguires would surely meddle with the case, and that doesn't protect your grandmother in any way. We'd only provoke the people who took her."God, Ivy, he thought. Just be a bit logical tonight. She shook her head violently. "I don't care. And I won't just sit here and watch–""You won't be sitting," Derrick cut in, softer now. "And you won't be i