Falling For My Accidental CEO Husband
Chapter 213: Checking

Chapter 213: Checking

Serena leaned back in her seat, letting out a frustrated groan as her head thumped against the backrest. "Why? Why did I give him the money?" she muttered, her voice heavy with regret. "If I hadn’t, he would have been caught by now. I practically handed him the chance to escape!"

Aiden reached over and took her hand, his grip firm yet reassuring, even as he pressed down harder on the gas pedal. The car sped towards the airport, the urgency clear in every movement. "Serena," he said softly, his voice calm but determined. "No one suspected him all these years. He’s had everyone fooled, not just you. There was no way you could have seen this coming. Stop blaming yourself. We’ll get to the airport soon, and we’ll catch him. I promise."

Serena turned to him, doubt clouding her eyes. "But how?" she asked, her voice cracking slightly under the weight of her worry. Even now, it all felt unreal. The one person whom she’d finally trusted to help her find the culprits was the culprit. She felt betrayed... not just by him, but by her own beliefs. How was she supposed to trust her instincts the next time?

"How will we catch him? We don’t have any proof that he murdered them. Without proof, there’s no way to stop him if he’s determined to leave the country. For all we know, he might have already left. And even if he hasn’t, we don’t know where he’s headed. We’re just chasing shadows at this point with no way to catch him."

Aiden shook his head, a hint of frustration flashing across his face, though his voice remained steady. "Do you really think I’d sit back and do nothing?" he said, glancing at her briefly before focusing back on the road. "I’ve already contacted the authorities. They’re checking passenger lists for all outgoing flights and flights that have left since last night, cross-referencing his name and description. By the time we reach the airport, we’ll hopefully have something to work with."

For a moment, Serena was silent, her mind racing with the weight of the situation. The tension in her chest felt suffocating, but she forced herself to breathe, to hold on to the sliver of hope Aiden offered. Finally, despite everything, she let out a faint chuckle. "You’re like the perfect assistant, you know that?" she said, her voice tinged with a hint of forced humor. "Always anticipating what I’m going to need before I even ask."

Aiden smirked, though his eyes remained fixed on the road ahead. "Assistant, huh?" he quipped as he squeezed her hand in reassurance. "Offer me a job then honey and I might take it- if it means you’re feeling even a little better."

Serena stared out the window, her thoughts spiraling into chaos. What was going to happen, she had no idea. If Matthew managed to escape, then they would bever be safe, having to live her life always looking over her shoulder in case Matthew returned.

The shrill ring of Aiden’s phone interrupted her spiraling thoughts. He answered hurriedly, putting the call on speaker.

"Talk to me," Aiden said.

"Matthew Dawn hasn’t left the country yet," a voice said, and Serena instinctively leaned closer. "But he’s already boarded his flight. They’re set to leave in another ten minutes."

Aiden’s jaw tightened, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. "Then stop him," he snapped. "Do something—anything—to make sure he doesn’t leave."

The man hesitated before replying, his tone laced with reluctance. "Without evidence or a valid reason, I can’t. He’s already passed security, and unless there’s something concrete, we have no grounds to hold him."

Aiden and Serena exchanged a worried glance, their expressions mirroring the rising tension. Just as Aiden opened his mouth to respond, the man continued, his voice carrying a note of reassurance. "I’ll manage to delay the flight for now. But listen, I can’t hold it indefinitely. If you have anything—anything at all—get it to the airport police. That’s the only way they can detain him legally."

Aiden exhaled sharply, dragging a hand over his face.

Just keep that plane grounded as long as you can," he said firmly. "We’ll be there in ten."

"Understood," the man replied before the call disconnected.

Serena bit her lip, her fingers twisting in her lap. "Ten minutes," she murmured, her voice low but weighted with urgency. "That’s cutting it close, Aiden."

"I know," Aiden muttered, his voice thick with tension. "We’re running out of time, but we’re not out yet."

His foot pressed harder on the gas, the car weaving through traffic with precision. The airport loomed in the distance, and for a brief moment, Serena felt a flicker of hope. But the clock was ticking, and every second felt like an eternity.

"Do we have anything?" Serena asked suddenly, her voice breaking the heavy silence. "Anything that could give the police a reason to stop him?"

Aiden shook his head, his expression grim but resolute. "Not yet," he admitted, his voice low. "But I think I might have an idea."

Serena turned to him, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "What idea?" she asked, her voice edged with urgency.

He hesitated for a moment, his eyes flicking between the road and her. "We can’t hold him on criminal charges," he began slowly, as if choosing his words carefully. "Not without solid evidence to back it up. But there might be another way to keep him grounded—though I’m not sure it’ll work."

Serena’s frustration bubbled over. "Aiden, stop talking in circles and just tell me already!" she snapped, her tone sharper than she intended.

Aiden sighed,"Fine," he said, his voice a little more measured. "The idea is simple: we don’t try to stop him for what he’s done."

As Aiden explained his idea, Serena sighed. "I don’t know, Aiden," she said, doubt clouding her voice. "This sounds risky, and I don’t like it. It could lead to complications we can’t control."

"I know," Aiden admitted, "But it’s the only option we’ve got right now. If we do nothing, he’s gone, and so is our chance to prove anything. This gives us a shot, even if it’s not perfect."

Serena frowned, crossing her arms as her mind churned over his plan. "You’re assuming it’ll actually work," she said, her voice quieter but still skeptical. "What if it doesn’t? What if it just makes things worse?"

"It might," Aiden replied honestly, sparing her a brief glance. "But it’s a calculated risk. Just like our move with Corrick now. Even if Corrick decides to move against Matthew and tries to move the evidence, it’ll take time for him to act. And time is exactly what we need right now because once Matthew is out of here, he will be out of reach of Corrick as well. And so we do not have much choice for now. When Corrick tries to retrieve or move the evidence that he has hidden, we’ll get to it and then we can figure things out."

Serena nodded," Okay. I’ll make the call.I just hope you’re right, or it would be such a waste."

Serena and Aiden pulled into the airport parking lot, the car skidding to a stop as Aiden barely spared a second before jumping out. Serena followed close behind, and soon they were met by a man dressed in the airport uniform who immediately reported, "The flight has been delayed by a few hours, but the passengers are still onboard. The airline has informed them of a technical issue."

Aiden exhaled, some tension easing from his shoulders in relief. At least he was still here. "That’s good," he said, though the relief was fleeting as the attendant continued.

"There is one issue, however," he said lowering her voice slightly. "The passengers are already growing impatient. They’re starting to make a fuss, and if it escalates, the airline might not remain so cooperative about holding the flight."

"How long do we have before the airline decides to resume the flight?"

The attendant shook his head. "It’s hard to say. They’ve promised a delay for now, but the decision could change quickly if the situation inside the plane worsens."

"What about the deal I offered them?"

"It is that deal which has made them stop, but I think they might want to check how much further they can push you, hence they’re talking about the passengers making a fuss."

Aiden’s eyes hardened and he threatened," Then warn them that if this man leaves this country on their airline, I will personally make sure that they will never be able to fly another plane again! Heck, they won’t be able to run a taxi service! Warn them that."

The man nodded and hurriedly moved to handle the situation while Serena and Aiden walked towards the boarding gates. For now, they could do nothing but wait for either Corrick to move or the person they’d contacted to make their move. And if they received another betrayal, then all would be lost.