All Chapters of Fading Embers: The Search For Lost Love: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

“I’m extremely sorry, Chairman Hamilton,” Mr. Lewiston pleaded, watching the situation spiral out of control just minutes before the swearing-in ceremony.He had been informed that Ranya had left with Calista. Her name sounded familiar, but her face didn’t strike him as someone he knew—perhaps it was the MacQuoid in her name that rang a bell.Chairman Hamilton had been planning to distance himself from Lewiston until Ranya did the right thing. It was unbearable that Ranya had disrespected him and his granddaughter like this.“I’m sorry too, Ethan. Your son made it very clear that the engagement is off. What do you expect me to do? You know I could do more harm than good to you right now,” the older man said, struggling to keep his composure.Chairman Hamilton could indeed cause a lot of damage, regardless of Lewiston’s current position. The wedding between the two families carried more significance than just tradition and responsibility.He knew it wouldn’t take long before the compan

“Cal!” Willia called out, rushing toward Calista the moment she spotted her. Calista quickened her steps, meeting her sister halfway and clasping Willia’s trembling hands.“Tell me everything, Willia. Where did they take Father?” Calista’s voice wavered as the tears she’d been holding back during her journey back to California finally spilled over. Seeing her sister so distraught shattered what little composure she had left.“I have no idea, Cal.” Willia’s voice shook as she struggled to hold back her own tears. Her hair was disheveled, a clear sign she had fought hard before they managed to take their father. “Dad was beaten and mishandled. I thought we paid them off already.”Calista’s heart clenched at the revelation. Her father had been harmed. If this situation unraveled, she knew she would never forgive those responsible—not even Signoral.“They didn’t touch you, did they?” Calista asked, her eyes scanning her sister.“No,” Willia replied, gripping her sister’s hands tightly as

Minutes after Signoral ended the call, a message beeped on Ranya’s phone.Valerie opened it and turned to her boss.“It’s a video, sir.”“A video?” Ranya echoed, baffled. Had Finn found something significant and decided to send a clip of whatever he discovered?“Who’s the sender?” he asked, his eyes lingering on Calista.There was an invisible barrier between them, one he couldn’t seem to cross. Calista appeared reluctant, and he understood perfectly well why.Calista had her head buried in her arms, navigating through the storm of betrayal by someone she had once trusted. She had never expected Signoral to use such cruel tactics just to get Ranya away from her.“How could I have been so blind all along?” Calista murmured, unable to shake the heavy weight of betrayal. She had always considered Signoral a sister, never imagining that she would go to such extremes.Emily had been everything she wanted in a friend. Now, she wasn’t sure if their meeting years ago was a coincidence or a ca

“Can you just sit?” Her voice was strained as she watched him pace relentlessly around the room. “You’re making me uneasy.”He glared at her, his eyes burning with defiance and anger. How could she say that when she was the reason for his restlessness? If he dared step outside the confines of this room, his secret would be exposed, ripe for the prying ears of the media to feast on for weeks. That would jeopardize his chances with the only person who had ever truly warmed his heart.What tormented him even more was the thought of Ranya possibly positioning himself as Calista’s partner and earning her family’s trust. Maybe right now, they were on the verge of having dinner, and he could picture Ranya sitting where he always sat, right next to Calista.His fists clenched in fury. He hadn’t even been able to attend his father’s ceremony because of Athena’s threats.Anthony couldn’t be sure if Athena’s threats were true. What if he got rid of her, only for everything she warned about to co

5:42 AM.“We’ve arrived in Sicily. Please prepare for disembarkation!”Calista winced, stretching under the blanket. She blinked a few times, disoriented by the sudden announcement and the early hour.As she sat up to buckle her seatbelt, she realized it was already fastened.“Sorry your sleep was interrupted,” Ranya’s gentle voice came from in front of her. She looked up to see him smiling softly. “Good morning.”“What time is it?” she asked, her voice still groggy. He glanced up briefly from the tablet in his hand, earplugs nestled in his ears.“5:50.”“Oh.” She turned to Valerie, who was engrossed in her laptop, barely acknowledging her with a nod.“You both seem busy,” Calista observed, noticing the focused intensity on their faces.“Yes,” Ranya replied curtly, not looking up.Calista had seen him like this countless times—the seriousness, the way he immersed himself in work. It was one of the traits she had helplessly fallen in love with. Watching him so deeply focused made her w