Chapter 79

"Leyla, are you annoyed?" Hector's voice cut through the tension as he finally registered the storm brewing in Leyla's eyes.

Leyla had barely managed to rein in her emotions,but his delayed concern struck like a match to dry kindling,igniting her fury once more.

Once upon a time, Hector could read the slightest shift in her emotions like pages in an open book. Now,he remained oblivious to her distress until it practically screamed at him.

The bitter realization twisted her features into a mask of cold resolve. "If you saw me flirting with another man,wouldn't you be mad?"

Hector's brow furrowed into deep lines of confusion."When was I ever flirting with Eliana? You're spinning fantasies out of thin air. Didn't I just walk you through everything? I was simply seeking her assistance with my grandpa's friend's medical condition."

"So you're painting me as the unreasonable one?"Leyla's words dripped with ice,each syllable carefully measured. Hector's expression darkened further, irritation beginning to simmer beneath his controlled facade.

"Regardless, you've completely misread the situation.If you have nothing productive to occupy your time,perhaps you should grab some food. A clea head might serve you better than wild accusations,"he declared with dismissive authority.

Leyla's eyes flew wide open, disbelief crashing over her like a cold wave as she realized he wasn't even attempting to comfort her wounded heart. The sensation of their connection dissolving like sand through her fingers filled her with a panic so profound it defied words.

"L.." The words caught in her throat, desperate to escape but trapped by her overwhelming emotions.

However, Hector severed her attempt at communication with ruthless efficiency. "Enough of this drama.- My dad is making his rounds with the guests, and I need to join him. Stay here and get some food into your system."

With those cutting words, he strode away toward Jeffry, abandoning Leyla to stand alone, her heart drowning in a sea of bitter resentment.

Yet she remained rooted to the spot, too afraid that pursuing him would only stoke the flames of his growing irritation.

Frustration consumed her as she bit down hard on her lower lip, her rage and bitterness demanding an outlet.Her eyes began scanning the crowd for Eliana.

Meanwhile,Eliana had retreated to a quiet corner of the main exhibition hall when Seth's call buzzed through her phone.

"We've hit a roadblock and desperately need your expertise," Seth's voice carried urgent concern.

"What's the situation?" Eliana's response came swift and focused.

"We've been commissioned to penetrate a firewall,but it's proving to be a fortress that our current team can't crack," Seth explained, frustration bleeding through his professional tone.

Eliana swept her gaze across the elegant venue,quickly realizing that no suitable workstation existed for her to unleash her digital prowess.

"How time-sensitive is this operation?" she inquired,already calculating alternatives.

"Extremely urgent. We need to penetrate that firewall within the hour," Seth confirmed,his voice tight with pressure. "I'm currently tied up at this event and can't slip away...However, I know someone whose skills rival my own.Let me connect you with him-I'll forward his details shortly," Eliana offered, her mind already working through the solution.

"Perfect!" Seth's relief was audible through the phone.

The moment she disconnected from Seth, Eliana's fingers moved across her phone screen, calling Damon. He was exactly the ally this situation demanded.

When Damon had demonstrated his digital mastery by tracking down Sean, Eliana recognized a talent that matched her own formidable abilities.

With her current obligations keeping her anchored to the venue, recruiting Damon seemed like the ideal solution.

The phone barely completed its first ring before Damon's warm voice flowed through the speaker. "Hi,Lia,what's happening?"

His voice carried the same tender quality that defined his entire being-soft, caring, and infinitely patient.

Eliana wasted no time on pleasantries. "Damon,I need your particular expertise for something urgent.Would you be able to-" "Yes." His answer came before she could complete her request,swift and unwavering."What do you need?Whatever lies within my power, I'll make it happen."

Warmth bloomed in Eliana's chest at his immediate trust and support. "I have a friend who needs a skilled hacker to break through a particularly stubborn firewall. Could you lend him your talents?"

At her words, Damon's hands tightened involuntarily where they rested upon his motionless legs, a subtle betrayal of his inner turmoil.

Every encounter with a computer awakened the demons of his past, flooding him with agonizing memories.

Yet his recent experience using his digital skills to locate Sean had taught him a crucial lesson-running from pain only gave it more power, while facing it directly offered the path to healing.

Drawing strength from that hard-won wisdom, he inhaled deeply and steadied his resolve. "Absolutely.Have your friend reach out to me."

"Thank you so much!" Joy colored Eliana's voice as relief washed over her.

"Helping you brings me purpose. I only fear that l might disappoint you and prove inadequate..." His voice trailed off with a weary sigh.

Eliana's expression grew fierce with protective determination. "Damon, you are anything but inadequate. Trust in my judgment if you can't trust your. own worth yet, but know that your value is immeasurable."

The White family had poisoned Damon's mind with their toxic manipulation, but Eliana had sworn to herself that she would shatter those mental chains and help him reclaim his sense of self-worth.

"Thank you, Lia." The words emerged as barely more than a whisper, heavy with emotion.

"I'll have my friend reach out to you immediately."Eliana assured him, already moving to make the connection.

"Understood," Damon confirmed with quiet resolve.

The call disconnected with a soft click, and Eliana immediately forwarded Damon's information to Seth.

Once the message was sent, she lifted her gaze toward the expansive sky beyond the windows.

The sunset painted the horizon in brilliant strokes of gold and crimson, creating a masterpiece that rivaled any artist's greatest work. Eliana's heart ached with the knowledge that without Brenda's toxic influence, Damon's life could have blazed with the same magnificent brilliance as the sunset before her.

Sadly, the universe didn't deal in hypothetical scenarios or second chances.

The memory of Damon's haunted expressions-those moments when his pain broke through his gentle facade-drew a heavy sigh from her lips.

At least time remained on their side, offering hope for healing and redemption.

Her hands formed determined fists as she renewed her vow to help Damon reclaim the radiant future that should have always been his.

As Eliana pivoted to check whether Carl had emerged,she caught sight of Leyla charging toward her like a woman possessed.

Eliana's features hardened into an mask of ice-cold disdain. "I strongly recommend you save yourself from further humiliation."

"Further humiliation?" Leyla's laughter rang hollow and bitter with rage. "Who exactly is the embarrassment here? You've already stolen my family away, and now you're setting your sights on my boyfriend as well?" The accusation struck Eliana as so absurd that she almost laughed.Leyla clearly inhabited a fantasy realm where logic and conscience held no meaning.

A cruel smile twisted Eliana's lips as she delivered her cutting response. "Have you lost your mind, or simply your memory? Allow me to refresh your selective recollection. You were the one who demanded the Murray family sever all ties. You forced them to sign that agreement, cutting yourself off completely.Meanwhile, I was born with Murray blood flowing through my veins. So tell me, who exactly is stealing from whom? And here's a final reality check-while you worship Hector like some precious treasure,I see him as nothing more than worthless garbage,undeserving of even a moment's consideration."

With every syllable, Leyla's expression grew darker,as if storm clouds were gathering across her features.

The Murray family accusations left her speechless-she had indeed committed those very acts. However,when it came to Hector, she refused to back down without a fight.

Rage propelled her words forward like bullets. "If Hector means nothing to you, why waste time conversing with him? Don't you fear Tristan discovering your double-dealing? Or perhaps you recognize that you're just a backwoods nobody who'll never gain acceptance from the Pearson family, so you're keeping Hector as your backup plan?"

"A backup plan?" Eliana's laughter dripped with contempt. "Hector lacks the basic qualifications to serve as anyone's second choice, let alone mine."

Leyla's composure shattered completely. "How dare you speak about him with such disrespect!"

"And what if I continue? What action will you take to stop me? If you're so enamored with that particular piece of trash, then maintain better control over him and prevent him from polluting my presence ever again." Eliana's voice carried the chill of arctic wind.

Hector's shifting behavior toward her hadn't escaped her notice, and his obvious interest only deepened her revulsion.

The fact that he maintained his relationship with Leyla while simultaneously pursuing her marked him as the lowest form of scum in her estimation.

Irritation flared within Eliana as she delivered her final warning. "Before my remaining patience evaporates entirely, I suggest you remove yourself from my field of vision."

Having delivered her ultimatum, she spun on her heel and prepared to walk away. But Leyla's arm shot out like a barrier, blocking her escape route. "Promise me you won't steal Hector away before you leav/e!"

Eliana swatted Leyla's arm aside with sharp, impatient force.

A twisted inspiration struck Leyla, and she raised her own hand high before delivering a vicious slap across her own cheek.