Chapter 126: Finally Home
The moment Harry Finn uttered his final words, the strength that had been keeping Liliana standing finally disappeared.
She had endured ten days of captivity. And in those days she was consumed with fear. She pretended to like Harry.
And for ten days she wondered whether she would ever see the people she loved again.
Her body had survived. Her heart had endured. But now that she was finally safe, everything she had been suppressing overwhelmed her at once.
"Lily..."
Chris barely caught her before she collapsed into his arms.
Her eyes had already closed.
"Lily!"
His voice trembled.
Alexander Pierce immediately turned toward the medical team.
"Check her."
The paramedics rushed over.
One carefully examined her pupils while another checked her pulse.
"Pulse is present."
"Blood pressure is low."
"She’s severely dehydrated."
"No obvious life-threatening injuries."
The senior medic looked at Chris reassuringly.
"She’s unconscious from exhaustion, dehydration, and extreme psychological stress."
Chris exhaled shakily. His knees nearly gave out from relief.
"She’s alive..."
The medic nodded.
"She’s alive."
....
Within minutes, a private medical helicopter landed on the open field beside the Sterling ancestral house.
The loud rotors echoed throughout the quiet village.
Just then, the villagers realized something had happened.
Police vehicles surrounded the Finn house. Emergency responders moved quickly. Unmarked government cars were parked nearby.
Everyone watched from a respectful distance as Liliana was carefully transferred onto a stretcher.
Chris never released her hand. Not once. Even while the medical team secured her inside the helicopter.
"I’m coming with her."
No one argued.
Alexander simply nodded.
"Go."
Matthew placed a reassuring hand on Chris’s shoulder.
"We’ll follow."
Chris looked at his father only briefly before climbing aboard.
As the helicopter lifted into the morning sky, he continued holding Liliana’s hand as though letting go might make her disappear again.
......
The flight to Aurelia Medical Center lasted less than an hour.
Inside the helicopter, doctors continued monitoring Liliana. An oxygen mask rested gently over her face. An intravenous line supplied fluids.
Chris sat beside her in complete silence. Every now and then, he gently brushed loose strands of hair away from her face.
"I’m here."
He whispered the same words over and over.
"I’m here."
"You don’t have to be afraid anymore."
She never opened her eyes. But her fingers unconsciously tightened around his.
Chris smiled through tears. Even asleep, she had reached for him.
....
Before the helicopter even landed, news had already spread across the country. Then across the world.
Missing international model Liliana St. Claire rescued after ten days.
Suspect Harry Finn dies during the rescue operation.
Former St. Claire trainee Albert McAdams arrested as alleged accomplice.
The news channels interrupted regular programming. Every major network carried the story live.
It was all about the rescue operation and how they found Liliana during the search mission.
The news revealed that another man had allegedly acted as the decoy who left the house that morning, allowing Harry to remain hidden underground.
Albert McAdams had been arrested only minutes after the operation. Authorities believed he had assisted Harry in planning the deception.
He was now in police custody.
And the investigation had only begun.
...
Outside Aurelia Medical Center, thousands had already gathered.
Fans stood quietly behind police barricades. Some carried flowers. Others held banners. Many simply stood with folded hands, praying.
The moment the helicopter landed, camera shutters echoed nonstop. Reporters spoke urgently into microphones.
"After ten days..."
"Liliana St. Claire has finally been rescued."
"The world has been waiting for this moment."
Security personnel quickly formed a protective corridor. Doctors transferred Liliana directly into the hospital. Chris never walked more than one step behind her.
...
The internet exploded once again. But unlike previous controversies., today’s reactions shared one emotion.
Relief.
Millions posted messages welcoming Liliana home. Fans uploaded edits of Chris carrying her. Others replayed the confession in Paris.
The contrast was heartbreaking.
Just weeks ago, the world had witnessed Chris’ love confession and some stolen photos during their late night date.
Now, everyone celebrated simply because they were together again.
Messages poured in from every country they had visited. People who had never met them somehow felt connected to their story. Many admitted they had cried watching the rescue updates.
........
Late that evening, Liliana was finally transferred into a private recovery suite.
The doctors confirmed she was physically stable. There were bruises on her wrists and ankles. She had lost weight and was dehydrated. She was exhausted.
But overall, she would recover.
The senior physician looked at Chris.
"Her emotional recovery will take much longer."
Chris nodded quietly.
"I understand."
"She’ll need patience."
"I have all the time she needs."
......
When the room finally became quiet, Chris pulled a chair beside the hospital bed.
He looked at Liliana’s sleeping face. She looked peaceful. Yet traces of fear still lingered even in sleep. Her eyebrows occasionally tightened. Her fingers twitched as though she were still trapped in the nightmare.
Chris reached for her hand. The same hand that had once carefully fed him medicine when he had collapsed in Italy.
He remembered watching her prepared ginger tea. She checked his temperature after every concert. And how she managed to stay awake beside his hospital bed.
He remembered waking up to find her watching over him. He remembered her exhausted smile whenever he told her to rest.
Back then, she had quietly told him,
"Taking care of you isn’t tiring."
Chris lowered his head. A small smile appeared despite the tears in his eyes.
"You took such good care of me."
His thumb gently brushed across the fading rope marks on her wrist.
"Now, it’s my turn."
He carefully adjusted her blanket. Checked that the IV tube wasn’t tangled. Moved the chair even closer.
He had no intention of leaving. Not for food or sleep. Not for anything. If Liliana woke in the middle of the night frightened, he wanted the first thing she saw to be him. He wanted her to feel that she’s already safe.
Chris intertwined their fingers before resting his forehead gently against the back of her hand.
"You waited for me."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"So now..."
"I’ll stay."
"For as long as you need."
Outside the hospital window, the city lights stretched across Aurelia like countless stars.
After ten endless days, Liliana was finally home.
And this time, Chris intended to make sure she never had to face the darkness alone again.