The Billionaire’s Secret Guardian

Chapter Four: The Hunt Begins

Damian Steele had always been a man of action. Waiting, hesitating—those were weaknesses he couldn’t afford. And now that he knew someone had been there the night of his accident, there was no turning back.

He was going to find her.

The woman in the security footage, the one who had been by his side when no one else had.

He didn’t believe in coincidences.

She was connected to him somehow. And he wasn’t going to stop until he knew why.

The hospital room felt suffocating, the sterile walls pressing in on him. He had spent weeks in this bed, hooked up to machines, his body fighting to recover from the damage of the crash.

But now, he needed to get out.

His fingers hovered over the phone on the nightstand before he finally picked it up and dialed.

The call barely rang before it was answered.

"Mr. Steele." The voice on the other end was sharp, professional.

"Caleb, I need you to track someone for me," Damian said.

"Already?" Caleb Walker, his most trusted investigator, chuckled. "You just woke up from a coma, and you're already hunting someone down? I should have expected nothing less."

"This isn’t a joke," Damian said, his voice tight. "I have a security clip from the night of my accident. A woman left the hospital in a hurry, avoiding cameras. I need to know who she is."

There was a pause. "You think she was involved in the crash?"

"I don’t know," Damian admitted. "But she was there when no one else was. That means something."

Caleb sighed. "Send me the footage. I’ll see what I can do."

"I want results fast," Damian said. "And Caleb—keep this quiet."

"You got it," Caleb said before the line went dead.

Damian exhaled, leaning back against the pillows.

He had just set things into motion.

Now, all he had to do was wait.

But waiting had never been his strong suit.

Elena’s Dilemma

Elena paced her small apartment, her thoughts racing.

She knew this was coming. She had felt it the moment she heard Damian was awake.

The clock was ticking.

Damian was ruthless when he wanted something, and now, he wanted the truth. He would put all his resources into finding her, tearing through the careful life she had built over the last two years.

And when he did—

She swallowed hard, pushing the thought away.

She had been so careful. She had changed everything—her job, her name on official records, her appearance. She had made sure there were no loose ends.

But something told her it wouldn’t be enough.

She sat down on the worn-out couch, gripping the armrest.

If Damian found her, what would she even say?

Sorry, I had to disappear?

Sorry, I let you think I was gone forever?

No. That wouldn’t be enough.

Because the truth was so much worse.

Her phone buzzed again, making her stomach clench. She already knew who it was before she even looked at the screen.

Unknown Number: You should have left the city when you had the chance.

A shiver ran down her spine.

They were watching.

Whoever had sent that message, they knew where she was.

And that meant she was running out of time.

The First Lead

Caleb Walker had worked with Damian Steele for years. He had tracked down runaway business partners, exposed fraud schemes, and even uncovered blackmail plots.

But this was different.

Damian wasn’t asking for an enemy to be found.

He was looking for someone who had saved him.

And that intrigued Caleb more than he cared to admit.

Sitting in his office, he pulled up the hospital footage Damian had sent. He replayed the clip over and over, analyzing every detail.

The woman was careful. Too careful. She had kept her face hidden, moved like she knew exactly where the cameras were.

Which meant one thing—she didn’t want to be found.

That only made Caleb more curious.

He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin.

"Who are you?" he muttered to himself.

After a few minutes of digging, he managed to isolate her build, her height, and even a few frames where a glimpse of her hair was visible under the hood.

Dark brown. Shoulder-length.

It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

Caleb picked up his phone and dialed Damian.

"I have something," he said the moment the line connected.

Damian’s voice was sharp. "What did you find?"

"She’s smart," Caleb admitted. "Whoever she is, she knew how to avoid security. But I managed to isolate a few frames. Dark brown hair, about 5’7. And based on the way she moves… she’s trained."

Silence.

Then, Damian’s voice, cold and certain.

"Find her."

A Mistake Too Costly

Elena had spent the last two years being careful. Never leaving a trace. Never drawing attention.

But now, she had made a mistake.

She had lingered outside the hospital too long.

And someone had seen her.

As she walked through the dimly lit streets, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. Every shadow felt too deep. Every footstep behind her felt too close.

She forced herself to breathe evenly, to keep walking like nothing was wrong.

But she knew better.

Turning a corner, she picked up the pace, slipping into a side alley. She knew the city better than most. If someone was following her, she had to lose them—fast.

She took a deep breath, counting to three, before turning sharply into another alley and pressing herself against the brick wall.

Silence.

Then—

A figure stepped into view.

Elena’s heart pounded.

The man was tall, dressed in dark clothes, his face partially hidden under a cap. He stood at the entrance of the alley, scanning the area.

She held her breath.

Seconds stretched.

Then, slowly, the man turned and walked away.

Elena exhaled shakily, pressing a hand to her chest.

This wasn’t paranoia anymore.

They were coming for her.

And if she wasn’t careful, they’d reach her before Damian did.

Damian’s Determination

Damian paced his hospital room, frustration bubbling under the surface.

He hated waiting. He hated feeling like he was missing something.

His mind kept going back to the accident, to the flashes of memory that still didn’t make sense.

And to the voice.

"Hold on, Damian. You have to live."

She had been there.

She had saved him.

And she had vanished.

A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. Caleb stepped inside, his expression unreadable.

"You have a name," Damian guessed.

Caleb hesitated. "Not yet. But I have a location."

Damian’s eyes narrowed. "Where?"

Caleb slid a piece of paper onto the table.

"A small apartment on the east side of the city," he said. "It’s not much, but it’s where she’s been staying."

Damian grabbed the paper, his grip tightening.

This was it.

The first real step toward answers.

And nothing—nothing—was going to stop him now.