Reborn Heiress: Taking Back What Is Rightfully Hers!
Chapter 392: He Had an Accident

Chapter 392: He Had an Accident

Ella furrowed her brows slightly. Eric was right—her proximity to Lucas was enough to keep the Miller family at bay. They wouldn’t dare make a move against her.

Yet the inexplicable sense of dread that gnawed at her made her desperate to leave.

"I just want to leave right now!" Ella said, pouting slightly. "Eric, please, book us a flight right away! I don’t want to stay here anymore!"

Seeing the urgency in Ella’s eyes, Eric sighed in resignation. "Alright, I’ll have someone book our tickets immediately. Let’s see if we can get on a flight in the next two hours."

Eric stepped aside to make the call, and as Ella watched him, the tension in her chest eased slightly.

It wasn’t long before Eric returned with good news. He’d managed to secure two canceled tickets for a flight leaving in an hour.

Ella wasted no time packing, her movements hurried and frantic, as if she could sprout wings and fly away herself. Eric, watching her rush around, couldn’t help but fall into deep thought.

Something about Ella’s behavior seemed off. Was it just her desire to avoid Lucas?

Or could it have something to do with... Luke?

Eric’s understanding of Luke was limited to the information he’d read in reports. Luke, raised as Lucas’s adopted son, had grown up under the strict guidance of the Anderson family. His upbringing had been one of rigor, discipline, and strategic grooming, resulting in a man with a commanding presence and an air of ruthlessness.

Luke’s reputation had preceded him, long known in certain circles as a figure to be reckoned with.

Still, Eric recalled that while Luke had looked at Ella a few times during their brief encounter, his gaze had been neutral—nothing inappropriate or overly interested.

When Ella finished packing, there were still forty minutes left before their departure. Her face brightened with a faint smile, relief evident in her demeanor. "Eric, we’re ready. Let’s go!"

Eric nodded, grabbed the suitcase, and led the way out.

Outside, Mia was already waiting, her bags packed and ready. Ella was surprised. "Mia, how did you pack so fast?"

Mia grinned smugly. "We bodyguards are trained for this kind of thing. You normal people can’t keep up with us!"

Ella rolled her eyes.

Before Mia could boast further, Eric silenced her with a cold glance. Sheepishly, Mia toned down her pride and fell in step behind Ella.

Inwardly, though, Mia was fuming. "You tyrannical boss! If it weren’t for the paycheck, I’d have walked away ages ago. Hmph!"

While her irritation toward Eric was genuine, it wasn’t deep enough to matter. Mia simply liked Ella’s energy, which was why she had eagerly returned to work by her side.

...

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the airport.

Standing in the bright, spacious terminal, Ella found herself reflecting on the events of the past ten days. A flood of emotions welled up inside her, mixing relief with lingering unease.

"There’s still time to change your mind. Are you sure you want to leave?" Eric asked, turning to her, his eyes glinting with an unreadable intensity.

Ella nodded firmly. She had no regrets.

"Alright then. We’ll be boarding soon. Get ready," Eric said, his tone warm and indulgent. He sent Mia off to buy some of Ella’s favorite snacks and souvenirs for the trip back.

Mia pouted but complied, grumbling inwardly about the indignity of a bodyguard being sent on snack duty.

Ella, meanwhile, remained uneasy.

With ten minutes left until boarding, Mia returned, her arms laden with bags of snacks and local treats.

It was then that Ella’s phone rang.

She glanced at the screen: an unknown number. Hesitant, she didn’t answer.

But the calls kept coming, one after another.

A sense of foreboding crept over her. When the phone rang for the fifth time, she finally answered.

"Hello?" Ella said cautiously.

"Ella? This is Luke. My father’s been in a car accident and is in the emergency room at B Hospital. You should come and see him," Luke said urgently.

"I hope you can put aside your personal feelings for now. After all, he’s your father. His condition is serious, and I really hope you’ll come."

Ella stood frozen, her lips slightly parted as a dull pain began to spread in her chest.

"I understand," she said softly, ending the call. She leaned weakly against Eric’s chest, her strength seemingly drained.

"He... he’s been in a car accident," she murmured.

A cold glint flickered in Eric’s eyes. How convenient. Lucas must be willing to stake everything—even his life—to keep Ella here.

"Do you want to go see him?" Eric asked gently, brushing back her loose hair with a tender hand.

Ella closed her eyes, her thoughts tangled and her heart in turmoil. She had vowed to never acknowledge Lucas as her father, yet hearing about his accident left her shaken.

After all, he was the man her mother had loved most in the world.

Because of that love, Isabella had brought her into the world.

Eric studied her furrowed face and felt a pang of sympathy. Stroking her arm, he said softly, "If you don’t want to go, then don’t. At the end of the day, your connection to him is only by blood. If you choose to ignore it, it’s as if it doesn’t exist."

Ella felt her chest tighten even more, her hand clutching Eric’s sleeve in desperation.

Eric leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Whatever you decide, I’ll support you."

Ella’s red-tinged eyes lifted to meet his. "My heart... it hurts so much. I don’t want to see him, but..."

But he’s the only person in the world who shares her blood.

Eric nuzzled her face lightly with his. "Take two minutes to calm down. Listen to your heart, then make your decision. Don’t torment yourself any longer."

Ella nodded, inhaling deeply as she closed her eyes to focus.

Seconds ticked by, turning into minutes.

The bustling noise of the airport and the rhythmic ebb and flow of travelers faded from her awareness. Her mind was filled only with images of Lucas’s weathered face, a visage shaped by decades of hardship and experience.

In his youth, he had been dashing and refined, exuding a noble air so strong that it could intimidate others into feeling inferior with just a glance.

Two minutes passed before Eric’s gentle voice broke the silence. "Do you want to see him now?"

Ella opened her eyes, her expression conflicted but resolute as she slowly nodded. Her heart had been through an emotional wringer, but her answer was clear.

"Good. It’s just a visit, after all. Even if you don’t want to acknowledge the connection, there’s nothing he can do to force you," Eric said reassuringly.

He scooped her up into his arms without hesitation, ignoring the stares of passersby, and carried her toward the exit.

Mia, her arms full of snacks and trinkets, let out an exasperated sigh and hurried after them.

By the time they reached the car, Ella had no energy left to argue. Eric placed her in the passenger seat, his movements gentle and precise, as if they had done this a thousand times before.

Once inside, Eric held her cold hand tightly in his warm grasp, silently offering comfort as they drove to the hospital.