The engine of the black SUV roared to life, a low growl that echoed in the silent underground garage. Alexander didn't turn on the headlights until we were well past the main gates of the estate. I sat in the passenger seat, my fingers still white-knuckled around the leather strap of the bag containing my father's journals.
"We have exactly two hours before Catherine realizes the GPS on this car has been deactivated," Alexander said, his eyes fixed on the dark road ahead.
"And then what?" I asked, looking at the passing trees of the Anambra countryside. "She's a billionaire, Alexander. She has resources everywhere. We can't hide forever."
"We aren't hiding," he replied, shifting gears with a sharp, practiced motion. "We're repositioning. In the city, the 'Ancient Pulse' records aren't just data—they're leverage. There are people in Onitsha who remember your father. People who owe him their lives."
I looked at him, surprised. "You knew about his reputation in the city?"
"I knew he was the only doctor who didn't charge the poor," Alexander said quietly. "And I knew my father was jealous of that kind of power. The power of being loved, not just feared."
The drive was tense. Every set of headlights behind us felt like a threat. But as we crossed the bridge and saw the lights of the city flickering like a sea of stars, I felt a strange sense of relief. We were leaving the 'Golden Cage' behind.
We pulled into a quiet, gated compound tucked away from the main noise of the market. The house was modest compared to the mansion, but it felt solid. Safe.
"This was my mother's place," Alexander said as he killed the engine. "Even the Board doesn't know I kept the deed."
We stepped inside, the air smelling of dust and old memories. I set the journals on a wooden table and turned to him. The moonlight through the window caught the sharp lines of his face.
"Alexander... if the contract is broken, why are you still doing this? You could have just given them the journals and saved your position on the Board."
He walked toward me, stopping only when he could look directly into my eyes. "The Board thinks they can own everything. They think they can own the cure, the company, and even you. But I'm done being their puppet."
He reached out, his hand resting on the table next to mine. "Tomorrow, we start decoding the final chapter of the 'Ancient Pulse.' But tonight... tonight we just survive."
I nodded, feeling a spark of hope. Chapter 58 was the first night of our new life. The Billionaire and the Divine Medic, against the world.