Delete My Love for You novel Chapter 225

Darren stepped out of the hospital and slid into the back seat of his waiting car. He instructed the driver to head straight for Ryan’s preschool.

But as they pulled up to the curb, he noticed something different: last night’s events must have put Bradley on high alert. Four or five bodyguards were now stationed discreetly around the playground, their eyes scanning every face.

One of Darren’s own men leaned forward, eager. “Mr. Harrington, want us to take those guys out? We can grab the kid and get out of here!”

Darren’s expression darkened. “Absolutely not.” The last thing he wanted was to terrify a bunch of preschoolers with a brawl at the gates. And if word of this ever reached Charlotte, he could forget about asking her for anything. With the mood she’d been in lately, she might just march down to the police station herself and report him.

He let out a weary sigh—the first time in his life a woman had ever backed him into such a corner. “Get me a gardener’s uniform. And send for the best makeup artist you can find.”

The bodyguard hesitated, then hurried off to arrange it.

Half an hour later, Darren sat before a mirror while a makeup artist expertly concealed the fatigue etched onto his face after a sleepless night. Wisps of gray were glued to his temples, and he changed into a faded blue jumpsuit. With pruning shears in one hand and a watering can in the other, the transformation was complete.

The ruthless tycoon of the business world had vanished. In the mirror, an elderly gardener with gentle eyes smiled back at him.

“Mr. Harrington, we’ve cleared it with the head gardener. Just use this ID pass and you’ll get right in.”

Darren took the badge and made his way to the entrance, keeping his posture hunched, moving with slow, careful steps. Bradley’s men watched from the shadows, but he gave them no reason to be suspicious.

Inside, he circled around the edge of the grounds, snipping at the hedges, but his gaze was fixed on the play area not far away. Ryan was there, building with blocks alongside a few friends.

Darren edged closer, only to be stopped short by a sharp voice from behind. “Hey! What are you doing? That patch was trimmed just yesterday—why are you cutting it again?”

Once he’d finished, and with no one watching, Darren slipped quietly to the edge of the play area. He knelt down, trying to make his posture as unthreatening as possible, and called out gently, “Hey, kiddo. You’re Ryan, right?”

Ryan looked up, wary. He edged backwards, voice small but firm. “My mom says I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.”

Worried the boy might bolt, Darren softened his gaze, doing his best to look kindly and safe. “I’m not here to hurt you, I promise. I just have a message for you. Do you remember your friend Noah? He’s in the hospital right now—he hasn’t woken up, and only your mom can help him.”

Ryan blinked, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. “My mom?”

“Yes…” Darren’s voice caught, thick with emotion. “Ryan, will you do something for me? Please ask your mom to go see Noah at the hospital today. Just this once. I’m begging you.”

Ryan stared at Darren’s reddened eyes, an odd sense of familiarity stirring within him. He hesitated, a troubled look crossing his small face.