Imprisoned While Pregnant, She's Back for Payback novel Chapter 542

**Keepsake 542**
**Chapter 542: A Huge Factory**

“I’m heading upstairs to find Lyra and Raven first,” Tess announced, her voice barely above a whisper, as if the very air around her was thick with tension.

Her heart raced like a wild drum, each beat echoing the turmoil within. The sharp sensation of her own fingertips pressing into her palm was a desperate attempt to anchor herself, a feeble remedy against the storm of emotions swirling inside her.

With a swift motion, Tess turned away, almost as if she were trying to flee from the weight of the moment.

Abel, however, did not pursue her this time. He remained rooted to the spot, a mixture of confusion and uncertainty etched on his face.

His gaze fell to his hand, where her warmth still lingered, a fleeting memory of connection. Yet, when he curled his fingers, he found only emptiness.

Raising his eyes, he glanced toward Tess’s office, the glass window gleaming with an almost deceptive clarity. She wasn’t there.

A wave of regret washed over him; he realized he had acted too hastily. The impulse to chase after her had dissipated, leaving him with a sense of resignation. With a heavy heart, he turned and made his way back to his car.

Inside, the faint scent of her lingered in the air, a ghost of her presence. Abel closed his eyes, leaning back against the seat, inhaling deeply as if trying to preserve the essence of her fragrance, wishing it would never fade.

Meanwhile, Tess ascended to the second floor, where Raven and Lyra awaited her arrival, their expressions playful and teasing.

As she approached, her body tensed once more, the calm she had just grasped slipping away like grains of sand through her fingers.

“What’s wrong? Mr. Shaw didn’t come with you?” Raven inquired, tilting her head in a mock-serious manner, her eyes darting behind Tess as if expecting Abel to emerge from the shadows.

Lyra stifled a giggle beside her, but Tess’s expression darkened, her cheeks heating with embarrassment.

She suspected they had witnessed the entire encounter between her and Abel downstairs, and the thought made her skin crawl.

“Alright, that’s enough,” she said, rubbing her forehead with a sigh, attempting to mask the flush creeping across her face. “How’s the map analysis coming along?”

As they shifted gears into seriousness, the lighthearted banter evaporated.

Lyra nodded, her demeanor transforming. “Follow me,” she instructed, leading Tess and Raven into the office. On the desk, a large printed map sprawled out, waiting for their scrutiny.

Finally, Tess could take a proper look at the area. Back at the Ember Residence, her anxiety had clouded her judgment, preventing her from truly absorbing the details.

“According to the data our drone transmitted, and what our team observed outside, that factory spans approximately 100,000 square feet,” Lyra elaborated, her tone steady and informative.

“One hundred thousand square feet…” Tess echoed softly, her brows knitting together in concern.

Such a vast expanse was the domain of only the largest corporations. The Ember Group in Aetheris had always struggled, lingering in the mid-tier of industry rankings. So, how had Henry managed to construct such a colossal factory without raising any alarms?

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