Chapter 154 Across Borders 2
Damien caught Maya’s eye and gave a small nod. “Put her on speaker.”
Clam
Maya inhaled, steadying herself. She forced her shoulders to relax, masking the worry still etched on her face. With a flick, she pressed the phone to speaker and held it on the table. The soft hum
of the device filled the dining hall.
“Hey, you!!” Harper’s voice came bright through the speaker, threaded with a faint rasp of exhaustion. “Ugh, I just got off the plane. My legs feel like jelly, but I’m alive!”
The room’s attention shifted instantly. Ashcroft froze mid-sip, his eyes narrowing slightly as the voice registered. The corner of his mouth twitched – he tried to mask it with casual interest, but his gaze lingered on the phone a beat too long.
“How’s everything?” Maya asked softly.
“Oh, I just landed,” Harper said, slightly breathless. Then her tone lightened as her eyes roamed around the screen. “Are you… at dinner? Oh no, did I interrupt? Good evening, everyone!”
Jaime perked up. “Hi, Harper!”
Harper laughed warmly, voice carrying easily over the speaker. “Heyyy, Jaime, my man! Looking good, bud!”
Charles’s booming laugh followed. “Ahh! So this is Takahashi’s daughter now, huh? Last time I saw you, you were still in diapers!”
Harper’s cheeks turned pink. “Ahh-hello, old Mr. Blackwood, old Mrs. Blackwood, Aunt Dahlia,
Uncle Charles!”
The elders nodded and smiled warmly.
Maya shook her head, lips curving faintly. “No, it’s fine. How’s everything there?”
“I don’t know yet,” Harper admitted lightly, then glanced at the phone again. “What’s going on? You
sound tense.”
Maya’s eyes flicked across the table, then back to the speaker. “It’s…. about Jaime’s surgery. It’s not
safe here, we thought about Switzerland, but we just learned that it isn’t an option either.”
Harper’s tone shifted immediately, firm and sharp. “Well, yeah! That’s Lockwood territory. The moment you step foot there, they’ll know who you are.”
The room went silent.
“Harper… how did you-” Maya began.
“Know?” Harper interrupted with a small laugh. “Let’s just say… I may or may not have been
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Chapter 154 Across Borders 2
eavesdropping.” Her tone shifted briskly. “Doesn’t matter. What’s the plan?”
Claim
Maya exhaled, shoulders sinking slightly. “We don’t know yet. Aunt Dahlia just told us right before
you called.”
A pause, then Harper’s tone cut through, sharp and commanding.
“Then bring him here.”
Every head turned toward the phone. Damien’s brows lifted. “Japan?”
“Yes,” Harper said firmly. “Japan has world-class cardiologists-minimally invasive procedures,
advanced facilities, everything Jaime will need. And most importantly,” her voice dropped slightly,
steel beneath calm, “Volkov has no reach here. Neither do the Lockwoods. This is Takahashi
territory-they wouldn’t dare cross that line.”
She added lightly, though her tone carried quiet command. “Once Hiro’s recovered, I’ll have him personally arrange everything-security, hospital, accommodations. Jaime will be safe.”
Across the table, Ashcroft’s jaw tightened. His fingers curled around his wine glass, knuckles blanching as his eyes flicked toward Maya’s phone-the source of that too-familiar voice. A low, humorless laugh escaped him. “Of course he will,” he muttered, each word edged just enough to slice through the soft warmth lingering in the air.
He swirled his wine with deliberate calm, the motion too steady, too measured to be casual. The
mention of Hiro had lit something raw behind his eyes-jealousy, irritation, maybe something
darker-but he hid it behind that crooked smirk, the kind that dared anyone to call him out.
Maya glanced at him briefly, her eyes softening with quiet understanding. She didn’t call him out,
didn’t tease-just saw him.
Across the table, Damien leaned back, a smirk flickering. He didn’t say a word, but the glint in his eyes said enough. He hid a grin behind his glass, the motion lazy, amused. He knew that look in Ashcroft’s eyes too well-territorial, reluctant, hopelessly human.
Harper’s voice crackled lightly through the speaker again, oblivious to the subtle tension on the other end. “So, what do you say? Can you make it here by the end of the week?”
The words hung in the air. Maya’s eyes widened, a flicker of worry tightening her chest-but beneath it, a spark of hope glimmered. Could they really make it in time? Jaime’s gaze met hers, wide and uncertain, yet tinged with quiet determination.
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.