The Heiress's Comeback
Chapter 52: [Volume 1] - 52 - Savior.

Chapter 52: [Volume 1] Chapter 52 - Savior.

Esme’s fingers resumed their tapping, the rhythm slower this time. After a long pause, she exhaled softly and lifted her gaze to meet Diana’s once more. "Fine," she said at last, her voice as calm and composed as ever. "It’s not a big deal. I’ll come." She allowed a faint smirk to creep onto her face. "But... I’ll need to ask my husband first. After all," she added with a teasing edge, "I’m a daughter-in-law you see."

Relief flooded Diana’s face, her shoulders relaxing as she exhaled deeply. "Thank you, Miss Rose. Thank you."

Esme gave a curt nod, her mind already wandering to other matters as her fingers resumed their quiet tapping on the armrest, the conversation already slipping from her thoughts.

As soon as Diana left the office, the door softly clicking shut behind her, Esme’s composed expression shifted into a sly, satisfied smile. Her fingers grazed the armrests as she swung playfully on her chair, letting it twirl with her weight. There was something almost childlike in the way she let herself revel in the moment, her earlier cool demeanor slipping away.

But then, abruptly, Esme gripped the edge of the table to stop the chair’s motion. Her playful smirk faded, replaced by an intense, focused look as her eyes shimmered a bright, molten gold. She liked that shift—the feeling of power surging through her. Her movements became more deliberate, precise. She stood up, eyes scanning the room, every step calculated, as if she were hunting for something.

And just as she suspected, she found what she was looking for. Esme approached the chair where Diana had been sitting earlier, her eyes narrowing. Slowly, she crouched down, her fingers trailing lightly over the surface of the seat. Then, her eyes landed on the small transmitter, barely visible, tucked against the underside of the table.

A knowing smile curled on Esme’s lips. "You never change, do you?" she thought to herself, a mixture of amusement and disdain flickering across her face. Diana, or rather, the Valhalla family, always had their tricks. But Esme was never one to be outplayed.

Straightening up, she brushed her hands off and strode back to her desk, her fingers immediately reaching for her phone. She dialed a number, her golden eyes glowing faintly as she pressed the phone to her ear.

"Hello, baby," she purred into the receiver, her voice low and teasing.

On the other side of the line, there was a brief silence, as though Ray was caught off guard. Then, with a warm, affectionate tone, he responded, "Yes, darling. So now you remember us, huh?"

His voice was playful, but laced with that familiar tenderness. Esme’s smile deepened, the corners of her lips pulling up as she reclined back in her chair.

"How could I ever forget you?" she replied softly, her tone dipping into something both sincere and mischievous. Her fingers lightly drummed against the desk, her eyes flickering towards the transmitter again, knowing full well that this little game with the Valhallas was far from over.

Esme’s voice was a mix of frustration and affection as she spoke into the phone. "I miss you guys so much that I want to just leave this damn office and rush to you."

On the other end, there was a brief silence before Ray’s amused voice replied, " shut up And tell me, why did you call, huh?"

Esme’s tone was teasing but edged with urgency. "What, now can I not even call my husband?"

Ray’s laughter was brief but genuine. "Okay, okay. Tell me what happened."

"You see, baby," Esme began, her gaze momentarily flicking back to the small transmitter on her desk, its faint red light casting an eerie glow. "Today Miss Valhalla came by. And as she was talking, her eyes kept darting towards that transmitter. It was almost like she was trying to make a point."

Ray’s tone shifted to seriousness. "Why did those people come for you? What do they want?"

Esme shrugged, even though Ray couldn’t see it. "I don’t know much. They just want me to attend their engagement party."

Ray’s response was a mixture of disbelief and laughter. "An engagement party? But wasn’t that destroyed by their foolishness?"

Esme chuckled, her amusement evident. "I know, right? They’re trying again. But this time, I’ll be going with you."

The conversation continued for a while, with Esme filling Ray in on the mundane details of her day, including what she had eaten and other trivial matters. The tone remained light and playful until she decided it was time to end the call.

"I’ll talk to you later," Esme said, her voice filled with warmth. "Love you."

Ray’s voice softened. "Love you too. Be careful."

As Esme ended the call and set her phone down, Ray’s expression shifted dramatically. He was seated in his office, eyes fixed on his laptop, but his focus had abruptly turned to the small screen before him. The realization hit him hard. Whenever Esme used the term "baby" during their conversations, it was a coded signal—one indicating that their conversation might be monitored or recorded.

Ray’s gaze hardened, his features growing ruthless. "So, they’re plotting in my office, are they?" he muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he processed the situation. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, but instead of typing, he clenched his fists, his mind racing with strategies and contingencies.

The presence of the transmitter, combined with Esme’s covert signals, had unveiled a deeper layer of manipulation and surveillance. Ray’s mind was already working through potential actions and countermeasures. He wouldn’t let anyone think they could use his office as a stage for their schemes.

Inside the sleek, black car, Diana slumped in the back seat, her eyes dark with frustration. The interior was bathed in shadows, accentuating her fierce, brooding demeanor. As the car navigated an unfamiliar route, she pulled out one of her earpods and tossed it onto the floor with a decisive snap.

"What the hell is going on?" Diana hissed, her voice low and laced with anger.