Filed To Story: Finding the Secret Daddy for My Baby Novel
It was only after hearing the reply that she released him and reluctantly followed Winston up the island, with Johanna trailing behind them, in charge of providing close protection by Willow’s side.
As they were familiar with the paths on the island, their journey up the mountain was swift. However, with every step she took, Willow glanced behind her, gradually losing sight of the direction Jasper was in. She pressed forward with a tightly wound nerve.
Just then, an explosion sounded from the bottom of the mountain where the shore was, followed by an exchange of gunfire that reverberated in the air.
“They’re fighting!” a few of their team members yelped uncontrollably.
“Everyone, hurry up!” Winston roared, determined to ensure the safety of his team members.
Basked in darkness, they stealthily made their way to the mountaintop and arrived at the cave entrance under Winston’s lead. It was a perfect hideout, and the pirates would not be able to find them easily even if they entered the island.
Meanwhile, out at sea, two ships engaged in a fierce battle. The bodyguards that Willow had brought along this time were well-versed in naval combat, and they were trained sailors as well. With their skills, they quickly led the pirate ship toward the outer seas. Little did they know, five silhouettes floated in the dark ocean—a part of the pirates’ plan.
They speculated that the crew had already taken refuge on the island, and if they managed to capture them, they could force the ship to lower their defenses. Moreover, kidnapping was their specialty. And yet, they had no idea that someone else was awaiting them on the island.
In the darkness, the pirates finally arrived at the shore. At the sight of the tents, they laughed wickedly, their eyes filled with greed as they prepared to ransack the tents. Just then, the leading pirate, still oblivious to the danger, was struck in the forehead by an unseen force, causing him to collapse lifelessly to the ground in a split second.
Immediately, the remaining pirates huddled together, firing their weapons in every direction possible. They had not expected such a skilled warrior amongst a team of archeologists and were taken aback by the military-issued equipment on their ship. Now that an assassin was lying in an ambush on the island, they were caught off guard.
“Disperse and find that man!” the leading pirate ordered.
The four pirates immediately spread out at his words, not knowing that this would be their doom. If they attempted to flee at that moment, they might have stood a chance at survival, but their dispersion only led to nothing but their death. After all, the man in hiding excelled at taking out his targets individually.
“Ahh!” With a sharp gasp, a pirate who had walked into the distance noticed another shadow next to his. He whipped around in fear, and the next moment, the gun in his hand was pressed viciously against his chest by the looming figure that reached out toward him. In a fit of panic, he pulled on the trigger, not realizing it was pointed at his chin.
The sound of the gunshot quickly attracted the other three, but their comrade had long departed from the world of living by the time they rushed over, and his gun had vanished in thin air.
That frightened the three pirates, and only a single thought crossed their minds—head back to the sea immediately and return to the ship.
However, as they fled wildly toward the ocean, the man at the group’s tail took a shot to the back of his head while the other two turned around in fear as they fired frantically. Yet, the man in the darkness was devilishly skilled, and he was able to aim accurately even with the moon as his only source of light.
Bang!
Another gunshot later, a wild pirate collapsed into the sea, the water around him turning crimson with his blood.
The sole remaining pirate trembled with fear, and just as he thought he had finally made it back to the ocean, he heard a voice call out to him. “Hey!”
Uncontrollably, he turned toward the source of the voice, only to see a cold figure standing by the shore, the gun in his hand pointed toward him. In a blink of an eye, his head became the man’s target as soon as he emerged from the water, and he was unable to react at all. Just like that, the five pirates were wiped out without even knowing the face of the man who took their lives.
Meanwhile, the two ships were still engaged in the crossfire, separated by the ocean. As the pirate ship was afraid to come into the range of their opponents, neither of the vessels was damaged. At that moment, Jasper disappeared from the beach and leaped into the sea.
An hour later, with the pirate ship’s departure, the bodyguards steered back to the shore and returned to the dock. Halfway up the mountain, Winston noticed that the pirate ship had disappeared, followed by a message from the bodyguards, reporting that they were now on the island.
Immediately, Willow suggested, “Let’s go down!”
“Miss Presgrave, we have to wait for a little longer. We can only head down once Ricky confirms the safety on the island.”
“No, I have to head down now.” Willow could not wait for another second, leaving Johanna with no choice but to trail after her. “Miss Presgrave, I’ll escort you.” On the island, the bodyguards were just as dumbfounded. At the sight of five new corpses that belonged to the pirates, Ricky immediately ordered his men to take the bodies away and clean the surroundings before Willow caught sight of such a blood-curdling scene. “Wait, did you see Mr. Wyatt?” he asked one of the subordinates next to him. “No, I didn’t. Did he leave to look for Miss Presgrave?” “He must’ve gone up to see if Miss Presgrave is safe!” However, Ricky found it impossible that Jasper would ascend the mountain unless the pirates had escaped and made their way up, but the discovery of the last two corpses near the coast showed that they had been shot down in their attempts to flee toward the sea. In other words, none of the pirates had gone up the mountain. As his gaze shifted to the barely visible pirate ship on the horizon, a bad premonition arose in his heart. He knew this was something that Jasper was capable of.
After Willow hurriedly rushed down from the mountain half an hour later, her gaze skimmed past the crowd gathered at the bottom, but all she could see were her bodyguards, and Jasper was nowhere to be found. “Ricky, where’s Jasper?” She immediately demanded his presence. “Miss Presgrave, we didn’t see him anywhere when we came on shore,” Ricky replied, afraid to tell her his assumptions. After hearing that, Willow felt as if a knife was digging into her chest, leaving her unable to breathe. Where is Jasper? Didn’t he say he’d stay here to protect me? Why did he disappear? “Miss Presgrave, don’t worry! Mr. Wyatt will be fine. He’s more capable than all of us combined.” Ricky comforted. However, with Jasper nowhere in sight, she was plunged into worry and could barely settle her anxious heart. “Search him. I order all of you to locate him now.” Tears gushed out of her eyes, but her gaze was surprisingly stern. “Miss Presgrave.” Johanna had never seen Willow in this state and was at a loss for what to do. “You go with them too, all of you. He’s definitely hurt; he has to be nearby.” “Blood! There’s blood here!” A female team member keenly spotted the blood stains on the ground and cried out in horror. At that, Willow immediately picked up a flashlight and approached the woman, examining the crimson splatters on the ground. In an instant, her body began to sway weakly. Why is there blood here? Ricky approached her and explained, “Miss Presgrave, when we stepped foot on the island, we found five corpses belonging to the pirates. These blood stains don’t belong to Jasper; they were left behind when we were cleaning up the pirates’ bodies.” “Really? Are you sure?” Willow pressed hurriedly.
“I’m certain.” “But, where is he? Does anyone know where he went?” She looked around frantically, praying with all her heart that Jasper would appear by her side. However, no matter how long she waited, he was nowhere to be seen. Nearby, Johanna whispered to Ricky, “Do you really have no idea where Mr. Wyatt is? Miss Presgrave is nearly losing her mind.” His gaze turned toward the ocean. “I suspect he’s already embarked on that pirate ship.” Johanna was immediately taken aback. “What?”
“That’s why I’m keeping this a secret from Miss Presgrave. I’m afraid that her emotions would escalate even further. Though, I believe Mr. Wyatt won’t take a risk so blindly. Since those pirates have their eyes on us, they will continue attacking us and might even call for reinforcements.” Ricky’s speculations were accurate. On the pirate ship, a fierce exchange of gunfire was taking place. Their target was only one man, but he had already caused the death of over a dozen people among the crew. Even the captain was now in a panic, desperate to flee. He stood on the deck with his hands raised, surrendering to this strange man who had appeared out of thin air. The man before him was completely soaked, but his eyes emanated a terrifying chill as if he were a beast that had crawled out of the depths of the underworld. Just ten minutes ago, he suddenly appeared on the ship with a bloodthirsty aura before he began to wreak complete havoc.
“W-What do you want? I-I can give you a-anything. Just don’t kill me,” the captain spoke somewhat inarticulately. Assuming Jasper could not understand, he repeated his sentence. Jasper’s lips curled faintly while revealing a murderous intent, and with a gunshot, the last member of the pirate ship fell to the ground. Then, his gaze turned toward the island. The fierce killing intent in his eyes suddenly dissipated and was replaced by a hint of anxiety and panic because he had been delayed here for too long, and a certain someone might be worried about him. He had to return to her side as soon as possible. Thus, he jumped onto a small speedboat nearby, started it, and headed toward the island. On the island, Willow could not relax or focus on anything without news about Jasper. She had been pacing back and forth for quite a while, and Ricky had ordered his men to search the surroundings to comfort her. However, his gaze kept scanning the dark sea in hopes that Jasper would return soon. Their miss was getting anxious because of him. “Miss Presgrave, have some water.” Johanna handed her a bottle of water. Willow shook her head. “I’m not thirsty.”
“Don’t worry, Miss Presgrave. We all know how capable Mr. Wyatt is. Whatever he does, he will come back safely.” Johanna tried to reassure her. Willow’s palms were clenched so tightly that they turned pallid. She looked at Johanna and asked for reassurance. “Will he be okay?” Her eyes reddened as if she was on the verge of tears. “Yes, he’ll be fine.” Johanna hurriedly assured her. It was the first time she had seen Willow on the verge of crying, and she felt distressed. She had protected Willow for nearly ten years and shared a deep bond with her. Willow sighed. “Only if he stands safely before me will I rest assured.” At that moment, Ricky heard the sound of a yacht approaching from the sea and immediately took the binoculars to search the ocean. Finally, he locked onto a figure that made him breathe a sigh of relief. He strode quickly to Willow and reported, “Miss Presgrave, Mr. Wyatt is back.” “Where? Where is he?” She looked behind him, and Ricky handed her the binoculars while pointing toward the sea. “Over there.” Willow was taken aback and quickly took the binoculars to look at the sea. Under the moonlight, she saw a yacht approaching, and the man sitting on it could only be Jasper.
A smile of joy finally appeared in her eyes as she looked at the approaching figure and questioned, “Why is he returning from the ocean? Where did he go?” Ricky dared not voice it. If he told Willow that Jasper had gone to the pirate ship alone, she would certainly be furious. I’ll leave that to Mr. Wyatt! Of course, she was not in a hurry to hear the answer. She put the binoculars back into Ricky’s hands and ran toward the beach, with Johanna quickly following behind.
Jasper also saw her standing there. His speedboat rushed ashore, and he was drenched all over after stepping off it. Water droplets from his wet black hair ran down his narrow eyebrows and eyes. Despite looking somewhat bedraggled, he exuded an untamed wildness and dominance. Willow wanted to hug him, but he pushed her away with his wet arms. “I’m drenched. Don’t get your clothes wet.”
She was shoved away just like that, so she could not help but question him, “Where did you go? Why did you disappear without a word? Do you know how worried I was?” That interrogation made the others around them leave tactfully. It was best to stay away from the scene where this couple quarreled. “I… Uhm…” He found it difficult to explain and looked somewhat helpless, like a child who had done something wrong. “Why did you come back from the sea? Did you fall?” She made a guess. “Yes. I was chasing a pirate and accidentally fell into the sea,” he immediately replied while going along with her guess. He wondered if telling her his hands had just been stained with more than a dozen lives would terrify her.
Although those pirates were criminals from various countries, irredeemable and deserving of death, he still dared not tell the truth. “Really? Are you injured? Let me see.” Willow approached him again. “No!” Jasper took a step back as he was afraid of getting her dirty. “What are you doing? Don’t hide from me. Come with me to the ship and take a shower,” she commanded as she grabbed his arm and pulled him to the ship. He had no choice but to let her lead him, and the people standing nearby sighed with admiration. Even the formidable Jasper could not withstand Willow’s anger. In the room, he went to shower while she sat on the couch and finally calmed down; her worry earlier was genuine. After he finished showering, he opened the bathroom door. He had forgotten to bring clean clothes with him as he was influenced by her emotions, so he had to come out wrapped in a bath towel. With his body still emitting heat, he tied the towel around his waist, and his well-defined abs and perfect physique were fully outlined under the light. It exuded a charming allure.
Willow blinked while directly admiring the scene before her. She suddenly felt a bit dry in her mouth and tongue-tied. However, there was one thing she needed to do, and that was to examine if he had any new injuries. So, she stood up and walked toward him. His breathing became slightly rapid, and he told her, “Why don’t you wait outside?” She raised her eyebrows. “Why? Can’t I take a look?” “There’s nothing worth seeing.” His gaze swept around the room as he looked for his clothes. No matter how good his physique was, he felt a lack of confidence after being stared at by this girl, growing insecure. “I’m just checking to see if you’re injured,” Willow said while her eyes focused on the upper half of his body. She found no injuries but noticed a water droplet falling from his hair. It rolled down his chest and reached his waist before disappearing into his sexy Adonis belt and being absorbed by the towel. That scene was incredibly impactful. His muscles seemed to be sculpted and looked exceptionally attractive. She even sensed the hormone-laden air, and her face finally turned red as a wave of shyness rushed over her. “You… Put on some clothes!” Willow turned around as her heartbeat accelerated and quickly left the room. She went to the refrigerator in the hall and took out a bottle of cold water before drinking it. I’m so thirsty. Why am I thirsty? After a while, Jasper emerged from the room upon dressing himself. He wore a casual black T-shirt with black pants, radiating a clean and refreshing young man vibe. She handed the water to him. “Are you thirsty? Drink some.” Under the light, he noticed her eyes were red as though she had cried. Did she cry? He wondered while drinking the water.
“Let me know where you’re going next time, or leave a message. Don’t make me worry, okay?” Willow requested earnestly. Jasper nodded and promised. “Okay!” She smiled, and her pink cheeks appeared rosy and charming while her clear, watery eyes filled with joy under the light.
He felt a tightness in his abdomen as a strong electric current surged in his chest. Flustered, he lowered his gaze, not daring to reveal this burning sentiment. Truth be told, he was overwhelmed facing the girl’s bright and unwavering affection. Perhaps he had never borne such a radiant light in his heart since childhood. At that moment, an uninvited team member came up the ship, informing, “We’re out of water downstairs, and I’m here to get some more.” “I’ll help,” Jasper said as he turned to Willow. “Let’s go.” He and the team member each carried a box of water bottles and went downstairs, where she followed them to the camping site. The night had been dreadful, with so many incidents unfolding, and the whole team had experienced different shocks. Therefore, everyone had gone into their tents to call it a day.
Willow was still chatting with Winston about the next direction of their research, and her gaze glanced in Jasper’s way several times. He was talking with Ricky and occasionally caught glimpses of her. In just a glance, their hearts were filled with each other on this slightly chilly night. Winston was also planning to nap for a while, and a sly look flashed in Willow’s eyes. She deliberately stood there to feel the cold breeze and did not return to the tent. As expected, after a while, she saw Jasper finish his conversation with Ricky and walk toward her. “Why aren’t you sleeping?” His caring voice came. “I’m scared and can’t sleep alone.” She hugged her arms and looked up at the deep night sky. “You can have Johanna accompany you for a while,” he suggested. She turned to look at him. “But I want you.” He sighed slightly. “All right. Sure. Let’s go!”
Her lips could not help but curl up in satisfaction. It seemed she could coax him to sleep after all. I’m energized, but let’s do this! In reality, she felt sorry for him, as he had not slept well for several days. So, she deliberately invited him to get some rest. After entering the tent, Willow obediently lay down and told him, “Close your eyes. Don’t think about anything, and just sleep.” Jasper obediently shut his eyes, and so did she. They waited as seconds ticked… Half an hour passed, and even though she was about to fall asleep, she resisted the drowsiness and opened her eyes to sneak a peek at him. She could not help but get closer to him to check if he was asleep while propping herself up on her elbow as she looked at him under the faint moonlight. I think he’s down. She smiled and felt satisfied. She then lay back down and rested her head on her arm while admiring the handsome profile of the man. Her eyelids grew heavier, and finally, she fell asleep. Moments after that, the man’s thick long lashes lifted, and he turned his head. His bright and charming eyes locked onto the peaceful sleeping face of the girl, and he let out a faint sigh of relief. In the end, who was coaxing whom to sleep? As it turned out, it was Jasper who was coaxing her to sleep. The way Willow slept, like a child without any defense, captivated him. His gaze could not help but fall on her slightly parted lips as if some magical force was pulling his nerves. When he finally came to his senses, he realized he had somehow gotten closer to her face. He forcibly suppressed all thoughts, gently pulled back the curtain, and left. That night, Willow slept soundly and sweetly, as her heart was free from worries and distractions. She slept until the sun was up, and when she opened her eyes, she found that Jasper was no longer by her side. Still drowsy, she came out and found that Winston and his group had already gone to the ship for a meeting. “Miss Presgrave, come and have breakfast.” Johanna had prepared breakfast for her.
Willow sat under the large tent and had her meal. Full of curiosity, she asked, “Where’s Jasper?” “He went over there.” Willow ate half a piece of bread and got up to head there, after which Johanna could not help but sigh. Tyler would surely be heartbroken; Willow, carefully raised by him, was slipping away from him.
The girl walked quickly toward Jasper, squatting next to a rock, and did not know what he was looking at. She immediately slowed down her pace and sauntered quietly toward him. Jasper noticed but did not expose her. Even when she reached out to cover his eyes, he still played along and asked, “Who is it?” “Guess!” A smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he played along with her childish game. After she spoke, she released her hand and jumped in front of him. “It’s me.” Suddenly, his gaze turned to a pirate corpse floating on the sea several feet away, and his pupils contracted sharply. Willow also noticed his stern gaze behind her and asked, “What are you looking at?” She was about to turn around to look, but the next moment, the man wrapped his arm around her waist while his other hand pressed the back of her head. He gently pulled her face toward his chest and assured her, “It’s nothing.”
However, Willow found him peculiar, as his actions forbade her from turning back. Her curiosity was piqued even more, and she struggled in his embrace. The more he tried to prevent her from peeking, the more she wanted to see.
Jasper firmly pressed down her head and said sternly, “Don’t look.”
She felt a bit aggrieved being held down like this with her face pressed against his chest. Subsequently, he carried her for more than three hundred feet before finally releasing her, and she had no choice but to stop looking.
When she returned to the campsite, she overheard a few team members talking about several corpses dressed in pirate costumes floating among the ocean. They had all been dragged ashore and disposed of by the bodyguards.
A few male team members looked uncomfortable, and they prevented the female team members from peeking. Now, Willow understood why Jasper had taken her away forcefully.
In the evening, she sat among several female team members and listened to their gossip. Time passed unnoticed, and it was already late, so everyone huddled into the tent to sleep. Earlier on, Willow had listened to a few scary ghost stories, and her heart became chilly. She was unafraid when listening to the tales, but now, she was scared.
She genuinely wished Jasper would come over and accompany her, but he did not after she waited for a long time. She lifted the curtain and saw Johanna, who was guarding her. Then, she requested, “Johanna, can you get Jasper for me?”
Johanna understood and smiled. “Sure, Miss Presgrave. I’ll get him right away.”
Jasper was in a meeting with Winston and the other leaders when Johanna went to get him. “Mr. Wyatt, Miss Presgrave is looking for you.”
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.