Falling For My Accidental CEO Husband-Chapter 296: Rising From Ashes

"What am I supposed to do with them?" Ella asked slowly, her voice barely above a whisper as she cradled the urn in her trembling hands.

Edwin paused mid-step as he turned to look back at her. At first he thought that she was asking him but then he realized, she wasn’t speaking to him—her words were directed at the empty space around her, as if hoping for an answer that would never come.

"All I wanted was my father’s love," she continued, her tone laced with quiet devastation. "And in yearning for something I could never have, I lost something I did." Her fingers tightened around the urn and while it might look that she was holding it tightly, Edwin realized that she was on the verge of smashing it. But he said nothing and continued, "My brother’s love. I think I might have taken it for granted..."

She exhaled sharply, as if saying it out loud made the pain all the more real. Her voice took on an edge of bitterness as she added, "Even now, he has sent you here. Knowing that Serena is alive, he still hasn’t considered forgiving me. Isn’t it because he does not wish to see me?"

Edwin remained silent, his expression unreadable. He had assumed she had forgotten of his presence, and for a moment, considered slipping away unnoticed. But just as he turned to leave again, her voice cut through the air once more, catching him off guard.

"Did you kill my father? I know Aiden would never do it even though Charles Hawk deserved it."

Edwin stilled. For the first time in his life, he hesitated. The question wasn’t unexpected, yet he found himself uncharacteristically reluctant to answer. He had never shied away from admitting to his actions before—if anything, he had embraced them. If he were to diagnose himself as a criminal psychologist, he might even call it a perverse sense of pride, an unwavering acceptance of his own darkness that made him never regret his action.

Yes, he had killed Charles Hawk. And if given another chance to avoid it, he would do it again. Without remorse. Without hesitation. The man was scum.

And yet...

And yet, looking at the frail Ella, he found the words refused to come. There was something about her—something that reminded him of himself but also something vulnerable that made him want to protect her..

He thought of the boy he had once been. The boy who had once done unspeakable things, all for the fleeting hope of his father’s approval.

In a way, she was better than him. At least she still had a conscience. At least she hadn’t drowned herself so deeply in the abyss that she could no longer see the light and not feel any guilt.

So instead of answering her question, he exhaled a slow breath and spoke carefully, offering her something she might be able to hold onto.

"You did not lose your brother’s love," he said, watching as she lifted her gaze to meet his. "What you lost is his trust. Because if it hadn’t been for his love, you wouldn’t be standing here now, holding that urn—you would be in one just like it. He was the one who begged for your life."

Her eyes widened, shock flashing across her features. She stared at him as if seeing him for the first time, as if trying to process the weight of his words. Aiden argued for her. The tears continued to fall all over again and Ella could barely accept it.

Edwin took that moment to turn away, prepared to finally leave. But once again, she stopped him.

"Why did you come here today?"

Her voice was softer this time, no longer laced with anger or accusation—just quiet curiosity even as tears continued to slip from the corner of her eyes. He smiled...

And for reasons he couldn’t yet explain, Edwin found himself pausing once more. He knew why he had saved her. It had nothing to do with Aiden explaining the situation and everything to do with his next mission. For his next mission, he needed an heiress who had fallen out with her family.

He almost felt sorry for what he was about to do next. Almost. But, just because she was loved by her brother, was he supposed to give forgive her for almost having his sister killed? Nope. He’d saved her for the greater good.

Turning back to her, he slipped his hands into his pockets and tilted his head slightly, observing her as one might observe a subject under analysis.

"I didn’t come here out of kindness, if that’s what you’re wondering and to only bring you your father’s ashes. I had a reason—one that has nothing to do with your father, or even your brother."

Ella blinked, still wiping at her tears as she processed his words. "Then why?"

He took a step closer and observed her slowly. "Because I need you. So, I came to see if you were worthy of being saved...

"There’s something happening. A pattern I’ve been following for some time now. Young women—heiresses, specifically—are being approached by the wrong kind of people. They’re being groomed, manipulated, and turned into assets for organizations that deal in things far worse than what you could imagine."

Ella’s grip on the urn loosened slightly as she stared at him with wide eyes. "Groomed? To do what?"

"To be used," Edwin said simply. "For fraud, for smuggling, for spying and even human trafficking. And those are just the ones I can name off the top of my head which are not too bad." He let that sink in before adding, "The people behind this don’t just pick anyone. They look for those who have nowhere to go, no one to trust. And above all, they want girls who have the means and family background to threaten when they are not useful anymore. And they already have you on their radar thanks to your dear father.

Ella stiffened. "So that’s why you saved me?" Her voice was barely above a whisper now. "Not because Aiden begged you to, but because you saw an opportunity?"

Edwin didn’t bother lying. "Yes."

Her breath hitched, and for a moment, she looked as though he had struck her. "You’re no better than them.

He smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "That is indeed true. But unlike them, I’m giving you a choice and a chance. You said so yourself. What are you going to do in the guture. With Aiden, he may be willing to take care of you but you will not have his protection or trust again. So, why not use this time to make something of yourself. So that, you will at least have an aim in life.."

Ella looked away and her eyes widened at what this man said. He was giving her a chance to do something with her life and find her self worth. She blinked and asked him slowly," What if I refuse? Or am not useful to you?

Edwin shrugged. "Then you’ll be free to go. But let’s be honest, Ella—where exactly would you go?"

She had no answer to that.

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You want to earn your brother’s trust back? You want to prove that you’re not just some reckless, selfish girl who made the wrong choices? Then take this one chance I’m offering you. Help me stop this."

Ella’s throat worked as she swallowed hard. "And what exactly would I have to do?"

Edwin smirked. "Simple. You become bait."

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