Chapter 340: I Will Always Be By Your Side
Wren Sutton snapped her head up to look at Adrian Lancaster.
’Chase after her?’
Of course, she wanted to race after Isla and tell her not to be afraid, that Sean Sterling wasn’t here.
But as she watched Granny Foster wiping away tears of self-reproach and pictured Isla fleeing in a panic, her heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, the pain so intense she could barely breathe.
’We terrified her.’
She had gone to such great lengths to cover her tracks and come to Avenia, all just to escape the shadow of the Sterling family and the relationship that had left her utterly broken, even if only for a brief respite.
But her and Adrian Lancaster’s sudden arrival had shattered what little sense of security Isla had left, forcing her to flee once more in a desperate panic, dragging her frail body along.
’Is it really the right thing to do, chasing after her now?’
Wren Sutton closed her eyes, an image flashing through her mind: Isla on a rough, unpaved country road, her hands trembling on the steering wheel. The moment she would glimpse pursuing headlights in her rearview mirror, her eyes would fill with absolute despair and terror.
Her nerves, already stretched to their breaking point, would snap completely in that instant.
How could her already fragile body possibly withstand such a terrifying chase?
The country roads were winding and treacherous. In her blind panic, what if she lost control of the car? What if she got into an accident...
She couldn’t bear to think about it. She didn’t dare let her mind go there.
"No. We can’t go after her." Wren Sutton shook her head, her voice choked but firm.
Adrian Lancaster froze, looking at her in confusion.
"Why not? Isn’t the whole reason we rushed to Avenia to find Isla and bring her back?"
"Yes, I do want to find Isla. I want to bring her back to Aston and take care of her." Wren’s voice was thick with emotion as she gazed down the road leading out of town, where the white car had long since vanished.
"But we scared her off. She’s not afraid of you and me; she’s afraid of Sean Sterling. She must have thought he was with us, and that’s why she bolted."
"If we chase her now, she’ll feel completely trapped and fall into an even deeper state of terror. She’ll drive recklessly to get away, and her body just can’t take that kind of stress."
"I can’t gamble with Isla’s life. I’m afraid that if we push her too hard, we’ll back her into a corner. If something irreversible happens... I’d regret it for the rest of my life."
As Wren spoke, her shoulders began to tremble, and she was overwhelmed by a crushing wave of regret and self-blame.
Listening from the side, Granny Foster began to understand. She wiped her tears and sighed.
"Sigh... that poor, unfortunate girl."
Watching his wife break down in self-blame, Adrian Lancaster pressed his lips together and remained silent for a long moment.
He had to admit, Wren was right.
Given Isla’s current state, chasing her down would only make things worse.
And if something did happen to her, he dreaded having to answer to Sean Sterling.
Adrian Lancaster reached out, pulling Wren into his arms. He gently patted her back and murmured soothingly.
"Honey, I understand. We’ll do it your way. We won’t chase her."
Adrian’s embrace was warm and firm, gradually soothing the panic and guilt in Wren’s heart.
But her eyes were still filled with sorrow.
Even though they had stopped the chase, she couldn’t stop worrying.
Isla was all alone, physically weak and consumed by fear. She was driving away on an unfamiliar country road into the unknown. There was no telling what dangers she might face, and she might not even be able to find a place to stay.
They weren’t chasing her because they didn’t want to pressure her, didn’t want to drive her into deeper despair.
But Wren couldn’t bring herself to just leave it at that.
She lifted her head from Adrian’s embrace and wiped her tears. A new, clear-headed resolve had replaced the panic in her eyes.
"We won’t chase her, and we won’t push her, but I can’t just let her go off on her own. She’s in such a terrible state, with no one to look after her, and she doesn’t know this area. What if she runs into trouble..."
Adrian saw the unconcealed worry in his wife’s eyes and raised a hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks.
In truth, he didn’t need Wren to say another word; he was already formulating a plan.
"I know what you mean," Adrian said, his tone resolute as he tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Just because we’re not chasing her doesn’t mean we’re abandoning her. And it certainly doesn’t mean we’re going to lose her."
Wren nodded. "Exactly."
Without delay, Adrian instructed his driver to follow the roads out of town and track Isla’s movements.
"The moment you have eyes on her, report to me. Then, keep following discreetly. Protect her from the shadows. Do not reveal yourself, and do not alarm her."
"Yes, sir," the driver replied respectfully.
"I’ll send reinforcements to assist you. Remember, don’t do anything to tip her off. Don’t let Isla know you’re there."
Adrian paused. "Report her movements to me and me alone. Don’t tell anyone else—especially not Sean Sterling."
The driver accepted the orders without question. "Understood."
With a wave of his hand, Adrian dismissed him. "Go."
Having dealt with the immediate task, he took out his phone to make further arrangements.
He specifically chose a few of his most skilled and discreet men, experts in covert surveillance and protection. They would be able to follow Isla without being detected, ensuring she wouldn’t feel the pressure of being pursued.
This way, they could ensure her safety while still giving her the space she needed to get away and calm down.
Wren listened to every word of Adrian’s thorough and meticulous plan. The tight furrow of her brow slowly eased, and the frantic anxiety in her eyes began to fade.
She had never once doubted Adrian’s capabilities.
He always knew how to take charge and handle everything perfectly whenever she needed him.
With him by her side, even the most difficult problems seemed to solve themselves.
Granny Foster, who had been watching from the side, beamed with a relieved smile, her wrinkled face crinkling with pleasure.
She nodded repeatedly and gave Adrian a thumbs-up.
"What a capable and reliable son-in-law! You’ve arranged things so perfectly. You won’t scare the poor girl, but you’ll still be able to keep her safe. That’s wonderful, just wonderful."
A gentle smile played on Adrian’s lips. He gave a slight nod. "Thank you for the compliment, Granny. It’s what I ought to do."
With that, he turned to Wren, his deep eyes filled with a tenderness reserved only for her, his gaze both lingering and sincere.
"Are you happy with this plan, honey?"
"It’s a perfect plan," Wren said, meeting his gaze. Her eyes were sincere, and her voice was filled with genuine admiration.
"You’ve thought of everything, far more than I did. I was only thinking about protecting Isla, but I wasn’t nearly as thorough as you."
"Adrian, thank you," she said. "Without you, I’d just be standing here, wringing my hands with no idea what to do."
Adrian reached out and took her cool hand in his, the warmth from his palm flowing steadily into hers.
"How could I not be here? I’ll always be by your side. Your problems are my problems. We’re husband and wife—we’re a team. We’re supposed to share these burdens."
Granny Foster’s smile grew even more kindly.
"That’s exactly right. A husband and wife should always be considerate of each other and help each other out. A lifetime of harmony and happiness—there’s nothing better than that."