His After The Heartbreak (BL)-Chapter 179: Where are you?

Chapter 179- Where are you?

"Are you sure? Because it sounded exactly like—"

He didn’t finish.

Someone pulled the phone from him.

"Can you hear me, Declan?" It was Lucian. His voice wasn’t angry. It wasn’t calm either.

"I can hear you," I replied, trying not to sound irritated. "I can hear you clearly."

"Good. Then can you repeat what you just told Tyler?" Lucian asked. "Because I’m confused, Declan. Deeply confused."

"Are you sure," he continued, "that you weren’t the one who called us to say Beatrice was dead? Are you sure you didn’t just forget because you were confused or scared?"

My jaw clenched so hard it hurt.

"Lucian..." I started, trying to stay calm, even though my chest was burning. "No matter where I am, no matter what’s going on, I would never forget something like that. Ever."

I took a breath.

"If I didn’t do something, I’d remember that I didn’t. And if I did, then I’d own up to it. I don’t play games like that. Especially not with something this serious."

He stayed silent for a moment. I could hear a faint echo of his breathing through the line.

"I’m only asking because..." he said finally, his voice quieter, "...the person who called us, Declan... he sounded exactly like you. I mean it. No difference. Same tone. Same way of talking. Same fear in his voice."

My heart skipped.

Lucian continued. "The person said something terrible had happened... to you and Beatrice. He was crying, or trying not to cry, and the call kept breaking up. Then the line went dead. We tried to call back, but..."

I pressed my fingers against my temples.

"I’m not saying something terrible didn’t happen to us," I muttered. "Because it did. But I can’t stand here and lie to your face—or lie to myself. I did not make that call."

I closed my eyes.

"I would never call until I had a handle on the situation. You know that. You, of all people, Lucian—you should know me better than this. We’ve been through too much together for you to think I’d just... panic like that."

There was a pause.

Then I whispered, "It wasn’t me, Lucian."

My voice cracked, just a little.

"It was the guards. The ones who betrayed me. They’re the ones who made that call. I didn’t even know they had done it until now."

I paused, letting that truth settle.

"I don’t know why they did it. I don’t know what they told you. But what I do know is—I never touched that phone."

"First of all, how were they able to get your voice?" Lucian asked, his voice tight with confusion. "Second of all... what guards? I’m lost here, Declan. Please... help me understand. Please find me."

I let out a breath.

"I’ll answer your first question," I said quietly. "How they got my voice? It’s technology, Lucian. That’s all it is. Technology."

I paused, biting the inside of my cheek.

"There’s nothing impossible in this world anymore," I continued. "There are machines that can copy your voice, your tone, your pauses... even your emotions. Someone probably fed my voice into a program or system, and boom—it came out sounding exactly like me."

Lucian didn’t say anything, but I could feel his silence. Heavy. Doubtful.

"And for the second question..."

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"It was my guards. Those bastards."

The anger in my chest boiled over, but I kept my voice steady.

"They betrayed me. The same men I trusted to protect me and Beatrice. The same ones I fed, clothed, paid well. They stabbed me in the back."

"It’s a long story, Lucian," I added. "A damn long one. I’ll tell you everything... if I survive this."

I meant it.

If I got out of this alive, I was going to expose everything. Everyone.

Lucian sighed. "Okay, Declan... I hope you’re safe."

"I am," I replied. "But listen to me, and listen well—do not go anywhere, Lucian. Don’t even think about stepping outside. Don’t open your door, not even for a second."

My voice rose without meaning to.

"I’m warning you. I don’t care if someone calls you saying I’m in trouble. I don’t care if the voice sounds exactly like mine. Do. Not. Move."

"Don’t believe anything, Lucian," I said. "No phone calls. No texts. Nothing. Don’t trust anyone. Don’t trust any voice. Just lock your damn doors and stay put."

Lucian cleared his throat before speaking again. His voice was calm, but his words stung.

"You telling us not to believe anything is like tying yourself with your own rope," he said. "Because here you are, on the phone, giving us instructions... and yet you just told us not to believe anyone on the phone."

I froze.

"You see the problem, right?" he continued. "If someone can fake your voice that well... how are we supposed to know you are the real Declan?"

His words echoed in my ears.

"Both voices sounded so similar," Lucian added. "So if we’re being honest... we don’t even know if you are the wrong Declan right now."

For a second, I wanted to laugh.

Not because it was funny—but because it was so ridiculous, I didn’t know what else to do.

Lucian.

Lucian, who had known me for over a decade.

Lucian, who had seen me fight, bleed.

Doubting me.

Again.

Ninety out of a hundred times, Lucian acts like he left his brain at home.

If I wanted to hurt them—if I was part of this mess—I wouldn’t be warning them to stay inside. I would’ve lured them out already. I would’ve told them to come meet me somewhere, maybe even cry and beg on the phone. I’d make them trust me.

And then I’d finish them off.

But I didn’t do that.

And here he was... still doubting me.

"Lucian," I said, trying to keep my voice calm, "I don’t have anything to prove to you."

"I don’t have some magic word or secret code that’ll make you believe I’m the real Declan. I’m not here to beg for your trust."

"All I have are these words: Do not leave your house. That’s it."

I paused.

"A word is enough for the wise... but you?" I scoffed. "I seriously doubt you’re wise enough to understand even this."

"Stop it, Declan. I’m with the kids. You don’t need to talk to me like this—not in front of them," Lucian said.

I rolled my eyes even though he couldn’t see me. I didn’t care how he felt. Not now.

"I don’t care, Lucian," I said flatly. "All I care about is one thing—do not leave your house. For anything."

"Stay inside for the night," I repeated firmly.

He hesitated for a second. Then he said something that made my chest tighten.

"But you called me earlier," Lucian said quietly. "You told me to come meet you... at our favorite spot."

My heart dropped.

"How did the fake Declan even know it was our favorite spot, Declan?" he asked, voice filled with doubt and sadness. "Only you and I ever talked about that place."

I pressed my fingers against my temples and breathed in deep. He still didn’t get it.

"Lucian," I said slowly, trying not to snap. "Those people... they planned this. They studied me. They must’ve been watching me for weeks, maybe months. If they knew about my secret place, then it’s nothing for them to know about our spot too."

"That was a very easy question to ask," I added.

He didn’t speak right away.

"But Declan..." he said after a while, "you told me to come save you. The voice on the phone was crying. You sounded like you were dying. I couldn’t ignore that."

"I would never forgive myself if you really needed help and I didn’t show up. I would hate myself forever."

I felt something sharp twist in my chest. Guilt, maybe. Or grief.

"I am the one talking to you now, Lucian," I said, softer this time. "Not a machine. Not a fake. Me. Declan."

"I’m the one telling you—don’t come. I’m giving you full permission to stay in your house. Even if something bad happens to me tonight... even if you hear the worst news tomorrow... I don’t want you to feel guilty."

"Because you coming to save me might mean you die before I do."

"Stay put, Lucian. Stay alive. That’s all I want from you."

He didn’t answer.

All I could hear was his breathing on the other end. Heavy. Uneasy.

Then suddenly... I heard a horn in the background.

A loud one.

Like a truck or a big car honking right near him.

I froze.

That sound was too close.

It was clear—too clear.

And then it hit me like a punch to the stomach.

Wait...

Was Lucian’s house even that close to the roadside?

Could a truck horn really sound that loud from inside?

No.

It couldn’t.

They weren’t inside.

They were outside.

"Sh*t," I heard Lucian whisper faintly to someone beside him. "He found out we’re not inside..."

I clenched my jaw.

"Lucian..." I said slowly, my voice rising. "Where are you?"

No answer.

"Where are you, Lucian?" I asked again, louder this time.

The silence told me everything I needed to know.

Then finally, he spoke, voice small and guilty.

"Okay... okay... we’re not inside. We’re outside."

I closed my eyes and shook my head. "I know you’re outside. That’s not what I asked."

"Where exactly are you?"

"We’re..." he started to say.

But he didn’t finish.

The call ended.

I tried calling back but it wasn’t going. It was ringing but they weren’t picking up.

I tried again.

"The number you are trying to reach is currently switch off, please try again later."