Chapter 190 Xavier - still in his wedding suit - rushed into my office building like a man possessed . The thud of his footsteps turned heads ; staff fell silent as he cut through the lobby . " Isn't that Mia's husband ? What's he doing here ? " someone whispered . " " After everything he did to her - he still has the nerve to show his face ," another muttered . " They remembered the way Mia used to arrive at work early , cooking for the small team and sometimes skipping her own lunch . Someone else recalled how excited she'd been when she told the office about her pregnancy ; and how calmly she'd later said she'd miscarried . " Xavier pushed to the reception desk , breathless and demanding . " Where is Mia ? I'm her husband . I need to see her now . " [ The receptionist hesitated . " Mr. Xavier - she's not here . " " What do you mean she's not here ? She was discharged . Give me her address . " } " I'm sorry , sir . Mia asked to be transferred to the capital branch before she left . She's resigned - no one knows exactly where she went . " A coworker who'd known Mia's schedule offered the explanation in a low voice . " The color drained from Xavier's face . " I want to speak to her supervisor . " He sounded small for the first time . " Sarah arrived - Mia's manager . She took Xavier into a small conference room and closed the door . " Please help me , Miss Sarah ," he said , pride and desperation tangled in his voice . Sarah didn't soften . " Alpha- " she caught herself and corrected , " Mr. Blackthorn , with respect , Mia put up with a lot . She worked long hours , often without support . When she was pregnant she couldn't rely on anyone to pick her up , so colleagues helped out . The night of the accident , the person supposed to take her home was sick . We called you - remember ? You told us not to make a fuss . You told Mia she was being dramatic ." Xavier's shoulders sagged . this ? " Sarah folded her hands . " There who'd destroyed her life . " " Xavier left without another word . ero felt suddenly very small . " I was a fool , " he whispered . " All those years . I repaid her like was no way I would have told you where she was even if I'd known . She didn't need a man The next day , Vanessa faced a hearing . " This wasn't a public courtroom ; it was an internal proceeding called by the major family stakeholders and legal counsel- both households and business ties . Xavier sat in the front row , his expression a hard reserved for matters that could of him that wanted to lash out . " line as he tried to rein in the par Vanessa sat at the defendants ' table , pale and trembling . The room filled with the family elders , their lawyers , and a handful of select witnesses . When Elder Matthew - an elder who usually avoided public business - entered , a hush fell over the room . " You betrayed the family , " Matthew said without preamble . " By harming Mia , you've inflicted damage on every household tied to us . There can be no redemption for that . " " Vanessa begged , pleaded , tried to catch Xavier's eye for mercy . He pulled his arm away with a snarl when she reached for hirn . " If it were up to me , I'd have you prosecuted to the fullest , " he said , voice low and dangerous . "You tried to ruin Mia's life . Letting you live is my last mercy . " As witnesses testified , it became harder for Vanessa to keep up her story . One account àfter another described suspicious purchases , forged records , and a chilling recording in which Vanessa appeared to orchestrate harm against Mia . Her claims- that she'd been framed , that she'd only been trying to protect herself - crumbled under testimony and documentary evidence . When the hearing concluded , the family council announced a severe civil penalty : Vanessa would be stripped of her ties to the families ' social circles and barred from any role in the alliances they managed . In addition , the council referred the matter to the public prosecutor for criminal investigation . Guards escorted her out , her protests echoing until the doors closed . As Vanessa was led away , Xavier sank to his knees in the empty hearing room , the weight of what he had done pressing down on him . " I left Mia , " he whispered into his hands . " I betrayed the one person who loved me most . I have to find her . I must beg for her forgiveness . " \