Chapter 31: Chapter 31

"How is it, Mr. Ronald? Is the news true?" Sebastian demanded impatiently as soon as Ronald entered his room. He immediately set aside the task that had occupied his attention. Vino could wait.

"Unfortunately... it's true."

Sebastian roughly covered his face with his hands. His frustrated sigh couldn't be held back any longer. "Oh God! What should I do, Mr. Ronald?"

Ronald was equally frustrated as Sebastian. The news that one of the critically injured victims under intensive care was indeed Fathia. His trusted people had confirmed it clearly and accurately.

"We need to go there now." Sebastian began to prepare, but Ronald stopped him.

"Remember, you have a meeting with the shareholders today. I'll go to the hospital. I'll keep you informed of any further developments."

Sebastian wanted to protest, but he couldn't.

"Make sure none of them know and make sure they're convinced that we really know Fathia's whereabouts."

Sebastian nodded, still uncertain.

"Don't let them question you about not being able to protect Fathia, Sebastian. Understand?"

Sebastian's tongue suddenly became tied. Especially in the aspect where he indeed couldn't protect Fathia properly. He had lost her trail up to this moment. Everything... within the Azure Group, they doubted his explanations. Especially Alef Walker. Even his accusations weren't taken lightly and were thrown in the large meeting room concerning the events at Fathia's campus two weeks ago.

When Sebastian returned to the office a week after the incident, despite still needing treatment – the wound on his back was quite sensitive – he didn't care about the doctor's orders. What he cared about was the urgent need to hold a major meeting about everyone who had heard rumors about Fathia's whereabouts. Following Ronald's instructions, he indeed needed to control the situation. He couldn't let this incident weaken the Azure Group's position and make it susceptible to infiltration.

However, his emotions were constantly tested, especially during the course of that meeting.

"Or... could this be one of the covert conspiracies for power, Sebastian?" Alef asked, his tone flat but his gaze sharpened. Sebastian clenched his fists tightly, holding back the roar building up inside his chest. His hands tightened firmly. His knuckles turned white as prominent veins bulged on his arms.

He was angry. Very angry. "Never make baseless accusations here, Mr. Alef. I respect you just as I respect Mr. Alvin."

He actually chuckled. His old eyes gleamed with hatred. "Who knows? Whose heart knows, Sebastian. You're comfortable here. Who wouldn't want power? Everyone here desires it."

"Including you then?" Sebastian interjected mercilessly, disregarding the gaze of the other board members. Those who couldn't believe such words could come from Sebastian, who was known for not being easily provoked.

Alef blinked slowly, still maintaining his smirk. "No," he said firmly. "If I did, I would have taken over the substitute role my late brother entrusted you with from the very beginning, I would have gone all out."

Sebastian closed his eyes briefly. Alef wasn't a fool who would show his cunning so recklessly. His eyes continued to fixate on Sebastian without pause. A clear grin formed at the corner of his lips, which seemed to darken.

"So... it's reasonable for me to question you in this top position now. Especially considering Fathia's current situation. My poor niece. Right, Sebastian?"

Whenever he remembered how annoying Alef Walker's speech was during that impromptu meeting, his blood would suddenly boil. It required a lot of coffee, suggestions, and a few tricks, including Fathia's presence, which he had absolutely no information about.

"You can see this, Sebastian." Ronald handed over a folder he had brought. Sebastian immediately opened it impatiently. All kinds of questions surged in his mind. Meanwhile, his eyes scanned and examined each photo inside.

Who.

What.

Why.

And many other questions were now running through Sebastian's mind. What actually happened after the explosion? Even though Vino had secured the area, there was still a gap. And the consequences were grave. No joking around, resulting in two casualties. Five other students were severely injured and maybe... just maybe, one of them was Fathia. One of the victims didn't have a clear name in the report.

Doesn't it raise suspicions on its own?

Antony had only found Fathia's torn bag, her broken phone, and her intact wallet hidden among the scattered books. There were no other clues at the crime scene according to his report. Even after further investigation by Ronald's people, the same conclusion was reached. There was no trace related to Fathia. The police were already searching, including showing photos of victims who were suspected to be Fathia, but Sebastian wasn't sure.

The victim's face was covered in bandages, but Ronald was convinced it was Fathia. The silver dolphin pendant that Fathia cherished was a marker. Also, the soft pink watch on the bedside table was another indicator. The police showed other photos as well.

Who was the mastermind behind this incident? The police were still investigating because they found no loopholes except for random fragments of the makeshift bomb. Sebastian wasn't expecting much. What he cared about was Fathia's whereabouts.

"After the meeting, I'll catch up with you, then."

Ronald nodded. "Good luck with the meeting, then."

Sebastian, although full of doubt about the results of the photos earlier, nodded. He welcomed Alvin's trusted person who had supported him unconditionally up until now. The folder containing the photos still lay on his desk. It ignited Sebastian's curiosity once again – was it really Fathia? His intuition told him it wasn't Fathia. Somehow, that feeling gripped his heart strongly. He scanned the photos back and forth but couldn't change his conviction. The intercom buzzed, enough to make Sebastian let out a quiet sigh.

"Yes?"

"The meeting is in fifteen minutes, Sir. Mr. Alef is on his way from Manhattan, his secretary informed us to wait."

Sebastian furrowed his brow. Manhattan?

"Oh, okay. We'll wait for Mr. Alef."

****

Sebastian stared at the room where Fathia was supposedly being treated with a mournful gaze. After the meeting, he left all his tasks behind. In fact, one could argue that he hadn't entirely been present during the meeting. His mind was focused on Fathia's condition.

And now, he could only watch her from behind the half-frosted glass window. Numerous devices were attached to her. The monitor beside her served as an indicator of the life that still lingered within the body of the girl who had been haunting Sebastian recently.

A heap of guilt and neglect was only fitting for him to feel now.

If only...

Argh!

The man in his Armani suit ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. The accumulation of all the burdens he had been carrying lately burst out mercilessly. He fell to his knees, his shoulders trembling slightly. He regretted why he, who was supposed to protect Fathia, ended up being distant from her during that event.

It should have been Fathia in his embrace at that moment, not Clara.

He should have dragged Fathia to sit within his reach, not in the back seat.

He should have also prevented the coldness between them from growing. Despite his efforts, he wanted to mend the gap that had formed and return to the closeness of five years ago.

"Let's just pray that Fathia can get through this critical period."

His shoulder was gently tapped. When he looked up, Ronald was standing in front of him. He didn't have time to hide his teary eyes. But there was no judgment that Sebastian received from Ronald. Instead, the old man's gaze showed an equal measure of sympathy.

"I'm also saddened by Fathia's condition, Sebastian. Feeling inadequate in protecting her."

Sebastian quickly stood up. "Please don't say that, Mr. Ronald." He looked at the window again. "I'm the most at fault here."

They chose to remain silent while continuing to observe the person lying there. Hoping that she would open her eyes. Reuniting with them after she had struggled through her critical period. The doctor said the burns around her face were quite severe. The bleeding in her abdomen was also a concern due to the explosion.

"Is it the same person possibly?" Sebastian asked softly, immediately catching Ronald's attention.

"It seems so."

Sebastian nodded. "In that case, the security here needs to be tightened. Mr. Ronald, can you help with that? Antony is guarding outside the hospital."

Ronald paused, looking at Sebastian before nodding in response.

“Vino say─”

"Don't speak about this here. Let's head to the office."

Ah, Ronald was right. Discussing this here was risky. Sebastian didn't want to take any chances. After ensuring that there were guards around the hospital area and hearing directly that Ronald's people were also providing security, the two of them left the hospital.

Sebastian left a personal message for the doctor taking care of Fathia, asking for the best care for her recovery. He hoped that soon Fathia would regain consciousness and he could see her. He wanted to talk to her again, promising to bridge the gap that had formed between them over the past two years. Because a mere apology wasn't enough for Sebastian to express his own regret.

He also had his own apologies to convey to the late Alvin and Felice. He felt foolish for not being able to protect Fathia as he had promised to them in the past.

"Alright, Sir. I will keep you informed about the patient's progress."

Sebastian nodded slightly and thanked the doctor taking care of Fathia. At least, there was a new glimmer of hope now that Fathia had been found. Even though her condition was like this, it didn't mean he would lose hope, right? He believed – even though he didn't fully trust that the person lying there was Fathia – that Fathia would soon open her eyes.

Throughout the journey to Ronald's office, the two of them speculated about whether this incident was related to the events of that night. The night when, for the first time, Fathia was threatened. That's why all the security measures for Fathia were in place. Despite her strong protests, the incident turned out to be even worse than what had crossed Sebastian's mind.

"I've asked Vino to investigate, Mr. Ronald. With the assistance of the police since the case has come under their jurisdiction."

Ronald nodded slightly. "How's Saylendra's movement?"

Sebastian turned to look at the man who was gazing straight ahead, surprised by the question. He hadn't expected this type of question to come from Ronald. It had been a while since the name Saylendra had come up in their conversations. The traffic congestion caused the car they were in to slow down.

"They're still pressuring Group Azure with numerous tenders, but I've managed to handle it. In yesterday's marketing meeting, we discussed a significant increase in Group Azure's revenue quota."

Ronald's nod was a response to this.

"Vino's observations about Saylendra and Group Azure? Is there really a connection?"

Sebastian fell silent for a moment. He remembered his suspicions about the rivalry between Saylendra and Group Azure. Since the first time Clara worked under Alvin Dinandirja's command, Saylendra had often obstructed their efforts. However, Alvin once said when Sebastian expressed his reservations about the larger group, "They may be our competitors, Sachdev. But that doesn't mean they resort to such dirty tactics. Their methods are still tolerable in the business world."

Sebastian never thought Alvin could have such a perspective.

"What you need to know is that the enemy is very close to us. Unconsciously undermining us."

That old piece of advice echoed in Sebastian's mind, making him reevaluate his suspicions, but...

"Sebastian? Are you daydreaming?"

The man blinked slowly. "Ah... What did you ask earlier?"