The Billionaire's Mistake (Anya and Daniel)
MISTAKE 126

Chapter 126: THE LEADER WAKES

The warning in Daniel's voice was clear. Vincent held his tongue, knowing he'd already pushed

too far.

"Do you even know what this is about? Or are you blindly following orders?" Daniel asked him

"I came out of concern.

"So, you mean to say you do not know what this is about, but you came to show concem? How brave," Daniel chuckled as he cut a piece of steak for Anya

"You should go back. In this matter, the government is the most dangerous place for me," Anya said.

This made Vincent frowIL.

"I will protect you," Vincent promised. His words seemed to anger Daniel.

"Will you protect her or follow orders? Your agency wants my wife dead; which way will you be turning?" Daniel asked.

"What does that mean?" Vincent asked with a frown.

"You followed orders that asked you to take her from a hospital while in a coma, and you still think you can protect her? Why would the government order that? They don't want me, my father or my grandfather; they just want to capture my wife, and you did not question this?"

still. Daniel asked. This made Vincent go

"Go back. In this story, the government is the enemy," Anya said.

Vincent too thought it odd that they wanted Anya. True, he could not guarantee that the agency wants her for a good reason. Why did he come?

He looked away from Anya to meet Daniel's cold eyes.

"Agent Vincent should learn boundaries. Looking where you should not can have a person's eyes taken out," Daniel warned.

Vincent understood that Daniel knew he was still in love with Anya.

He couldn't afford to offend Daniel Shaw, not when he needed to stay close to gather more information.

Sensing the conversation was over, Vincent stood. He looked at Anya, his eyes pleading. Think about what I said," he urged softly before turning to leave.

The sterile smell of disinfectant permeated the air as the president slowly regained consciousness. The rhythmic beeping of medical equipment filled the room, a constant reminder of his precarious condition. As his eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the harsh fluorescent lights, he became acutely aware of the dull pain coursing through his body.

Blinking away the haziness, the president took in his surroundings. The private hospital room was spacious, yet it felt confining. Security personnel stood at attention near the door, their expressions stoic and professional. The weight of recent events pressed down on him, memories of flames and chaos flickering at the edges of his mind.

With a grimace, he attempted to sit up, prompting a lot of activity from the medical staff hovering nearby. A nurse quickly adjusted his bed, raising it to a more comfortable position while admonishing him to take it easy.

"Water," the president rasped, his throat dry and scratchy from the smoke he had inhaled. As a nurse brought him a glass with a straw, he took a few sips, the cool liquid gibing him a little relief.

Once the initial commotion caused because he had woken up subsided, the president's mind cleared, focusing on the pressing matters at hand. He needed information, and he needed it now.

"Get me the head of Italian intelligence," he ordered, his voice stronger now that he had calmed down. The security detail exchanged glances before one of them nodded and stepped out of the room to make the call.

Minutes ticked by, feeling like hours to the president as he waited. His fingers twitched. He was itching to take action, to regain control of the situation that had so completely gotten out of his control. Finally, the door opened, letting in a tall, distinguished man in a crisp suit. "Mr. President," the head of Italian intelligence greeted, his tone respectful yet guarded. "It's good to see you awake. How are you feeling?"

The president waved off the pleasantries. "How much does the press know about the fire?" he asked, cutting straight to the chase.

The intelligence chief straightened, his demeanor becoming more formal. "We've managed to keep the details under wraps, sir. As far as the public is concerned, you were caught in a fire after a meeting. No specifics about the location or circumstances have been released."

The president nodded, a hint of relief crossing his features. "Good. Keep it that way." He paused, studying the man before him. They both knew the truth: that the president was not just the leader of the country but also the head of the notorious criminal organization known as the Dark Hand. It was a delicate dance of power and secrets, one that had served them both

well over the years.

"Who else escaped the fire?" the president asked, his eyes narrowing.

The intelligence chief reached into his briefcase, pulling out a tablet. "We found security footage of two individuals leaving the building just before the fire broke out," he explained,

Chapté 126. THE LEADER WAKEL

handing the device to the president.

On the screen was a grainy image of two people hurriedly getting into a car. Despite the quality, the president instantly recognized them Mercy and Justin. His jaw tightened. imperceptibly. "Thank you," the president said, his tone dismissive. "That will be all for now."

poor

The head of intelligence nodded, understanding the unspoken command. He needs to track down those two people in the security footage.

He retreated from the room, leaving the president alone with his thoughts and the ever-present security detail.

For a long moment, the president stared at the image on the tablet, his mind racing with implications and potential consequences. Mercy and Justin's escape complicated matters significantly. Justin knew who he was. If he left just before the fire, there is a chance that he knew about it. That means he was still loyal to the Shaw family. This means that the Shaw family knew who he was.

This was bad. He needed to act fast to regain control before the situation got worse any

further.

"I need my phone," he announced to the room at large.

There was a moment of hesitation from the Secret Service agents, but they knew better than to deny the President. One of them produced a secure phone, handing it over with a reminder about protocol and the need for discretion.

The president waved off the warning, his fingers already dialing a familiar number. As the line

Chap 126 THE LEADER WAKES

connected, he spoke without any introduction, his voice low and urgent.

"Give me an update," he demanded.

The voice on the other end responded immediately, recognizing the gravity of the situation. Sir, we have a situation. Mathias has been captured by Daniel Shaw."

The president's grip on the phone tightened. Mathias, the public face of the Dark Hand, the decoy leader they had so carefully put in place to shield the President's involvement, was now in the hands of one of their most enemies. It was a blow. He could be used as a witness. The president a headache. "And the safe?" the president asked, dreading the answer.

"The bank is refusing to cooperate, sir," the voice reported. "They insist that only the owner of the safe can access it. We.... we don't know if it's been opened yet."

The president closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to suppress the anger rising within him.

The safe contained evidence that could destroy everything he had built, both in his public life and his criminal empire. Its contents in the wrong hands would be catastrophic.

"We can't afford to waste any more time," the president said, his voice cold and determined." The Shaw family now knows who the real head of the Dark Hand is. We need to act fast.

He could almost hear the nervous swallow on the