I Married My Ex's Billionaire Father-Chapter 327: The Kids Are Safe

The sounds from the shelter changed. The children’s excited shouts were replaced by confused whispers. The gentle hum of activity was replaced by a tense, watchful silence. Levi’s guards moved with silent efficiency, their presence now an undeniable, suffocating blanket.

Levi pulled Lyse further into the garden, behind a large rosemary bush, screening them from any windows.

"Stay here," he commanded, his voice a low growl.

His eyes still darted around nervously. He did not trust anyone but himself to keep her safe.

"Don’t move. I’m going to help with the sweep."

"You’re leaving me?" The accusation was sharp, a flash of her fear colouring her voice.

He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs stroking her cheekbones tenderly. "I’m never leaving you. I’m just going to the edge of the garden. I can still see you from there. I can still hear you. I will be right here. But I need to direct this."

Her gaze held his for a long moment before she gave a short, jerky nod. He backed away, never taking his eyes off her until he reached the gate, blending into the shadows.

Lyse sank onto a small stone bench, the scent of rosemary thick in the air. She felt trapped, a bird in a beautiful cage. She had been so hopeful that the day would go well but now everything was ruined.

She could hear snippets of muffled conversations from the building, the calm, procedural questions of Levi’s men. The nervous answers of the children and their mums.

Then, her own internal world started to spin. The walls of the garden seemed to press in on her, the vibrant green of the leaves turning sickly. The cheerful chirping of a sparrow sounded like a warning shriek that made her jerk.

Her breath hitched, catching in her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to will the panic away, but it was a rising tide, cold and relentless, dragging her underneath.

She was alone. No, not alone. Watched by someone who wanted to harm her. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

She stood up abruptly, pacing the small perimeter of the garden like a caged animal. Her hands were clammy, her heart a frantic drum against her ribs.

She glanced toward the gate, towards Levi’s shadowed form, but he was focused on a guard who was reporting to him. He hadn’t seen her.

"Levi,"she thought, the word a desperate, silent prayer. "I can’t breathe in here."

It wasn’t a projection, not a real message. Just a raw, mental scream into the void. But at the gate, Levi stiffened somehow.

He turned his head slowly, his gaze cutting through the distance and finding her instantly. He saw her trembling hands, the frantic pace of her steps. He saw the panic attack taking hold.

In three long strides, he was back at her side, pulling her against warm his chest that ground her. His body was a solid, immovable wall against the chaos inside her.

"Look at me," he ordered, his voice firm but gentle. "Breathe with me. In. Out. That’s it. Feel my heartbeat? Match it. In. Out."

He held her, one hand splayed across her back, the other cupping the back of her head, guiding her to tuck her face into the crook of his neck. He smelled of eucalyptus oil, clean linen, and something that was purely, uniquely Levi. It was an anchor in the storm.

Gradually, the frantic drumming in her chest slowed, aligning with the steady, powerful rhythm of his. The garden walls stopped pressing in and she no longer felt cross eyed with fear.

"Better?" he murmured against her hair.

She could only nod, her face still buried in his shirt.

"I won’t ever let anything happen to you." He whispered into her hair. "I promise."

From the corner of his eye, he watched as his head of security approached him reluctantly. He nodded, urging him forward.

He did not want Lyse to listen to this but he also did not want to let her go so he just risked it.

"There is no one unaccounted for here sir."

"Are you sure?" Levi’s voice was hard like steel.

"Absolutely sir."

Levi’s eyes narrowed and Lyse raised her head and glanced at the head of security before looking at Levi.

"Wh.. what does that mean?" She asked in confusion

"It means she was bluffing," Levi said, but he did not sound convinced.

"Or she’s in a disguise or she has some people who are on the list." He added, but this was highly unlikely.

The team he had brought with him was the best and there was no way they would not have accounted for everyone, still, he had to be sure.

"Keep sweeping the area, I want a report on any car that has been parked near the shelter since yesterday night. Let me know what you find."

"Yes, sir." The security guard said and walked away.

"Let’s go home." Levi said.

"But the kids," Lyse protested weakly. She looked at the shelter, her expression torn.

"The kids are safe," Levi said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You are not. We have to leave."

He started to guide her towards the gate, but a sudden commotion from the building made them both freeze.

"Let me through! I need to see my daughter!"

It was a woman’s voice, shrill with panic. Levi’s men were holding her back at the entrance of the main hall.

"What is going on?" Lyse asked, trying to peer past Levi. "Is that Jane?"

"Stay here," he commanded, before striding towards the entrance, a silent predator moving to intercept a threat.

Lyse watched as he spoke with Jane, whose shoulders were shaking with sobs. She was pointing a trembling finger towards the garden, towards Lyse.

Levi’s face was a stony mask, but Lyse could see the tension in the set of his jaw. He listened for a moment, then turned and gestured for one of his guards.

"Find the girl named Lily. Yellow dress. Pigtails. Bring her to her mother. Now."