LOGINRyder had barely stepped out of the elevator when the doors opened on the next floor, revealing two people standing directly in front of his bodyguards.The men had positioned themselves across the corridor, leaving little room for anyone to pass. Their instructions had been clear. Nobody was to move freely through the hotel until Victoria had been found, and anyone who attempted to interfere with the search was to be stopped.However, the moment Ryder noticed the familiar faces beyond his men, he raised his hand to prevent the situation from escalating.Julius stood in front of Julie, his shoulders squared as he assessed the men blocking their path. Julie was beside him, looking equally prepared to argue her way through if necessary. Neither of them appeared willing to leave without reaching whoever was being kept in the hotel.One of the bodyguards glanced at Ryder, waiting for his instruction. Ryder motioned for them to move aside, and the men immediately cleared the elevator e
“Julie! Julius!” Victoria screamed.She watched as they registered her shouts, then turned around.For a moment, Julie’s eyes were wide and frantic. She searched the area before looking up and spotting Victoria through the small window.“Victoria!” Julie shouted, rushing toward the building. “Oh my God, Victoria, we’re here!”Victoria pressed both hands against the window, desperate to make sure her friend understood that she was inside. She wanted to explain everything that had happened, to tell Julie about Serena and the men who had dragged her into the room, but there was no time for that. She needed to get out before something else went wrong.Julie was already looking for a way inside when Julius caught sight of Sam disappearing around the corner.He glanced between the direction Sam had gone and the window where Victoria was calling for help. They had spent the last several minutes following him, hoping to discover what he was doing at the hotel. Now, they had finally foun
“What’s it going to be, Ryder? Divorce Victoria, or I kill her?” Serena asked, her voice barely above a whisper.Ryder went rigid. And for a moment, Serena truly believed he was going to cave in and accept all her demands.Rather, he unhooked her arm wrapped around the back of his neck.“Are you listening to yourself, Serena?” he asked, moving away from her. “You're being ridiculous.”Serena's smile disappeared, and her face fell into a frown. She had expected resistance, of course, but she had also expected him to understand that she wasn't making an empty threat. Victoria was in her hands, and Ryder had no way of knowing what might happen to her if he refused to cooperate.Yet here he was, acting as though she were making an unreasonable request instead of giving him a choice between his wife and her life.“Ridiculous?” she repeated, her voice rising as she straightened. “You think I'm being ridiculous?”Ryder adjusted his jacket, clearly uninterested in entertaining her outb
Julie was beginning to regret agreeing to follow Julius into the alleyway.The place looked even more unpleasant the farther they went. The narrow passage was poorly lit, and the buildings on either side blocked most of the light from the street. She kept glancing at the tracker on Julius's phone, hoping they would find Sam quickly and get out of there before something went wrong.Sam was still ahead of them, walking as though he had no particular reason to be concerned about his surroundings. He carried the can in one hand and showed no sign of knowing that anyone was following him.Julius had been careful to maintain some distance between them, occasionally slowing down whenever Sam turned his head. He had also contacted his bodyguards, informing them of their location and instructing them to remain close.Julie glanced at him as they walked. "Are you sure we're doing the right thing by following him without calling the police?"Julius kept his attention on Sam. "We need to know whe
Although she had been hauled like a sack of potatoes and slapped on the face, Victoria was at least sure she wasn’t hallucinating.Through the tiny window of the room she had been caged in, she could see him. She could tell that the window was facing the back of the hotel, particularly a dark and narrow alleyway.She had spent the last few minutes watching the area, hoping to find something that could help her escape. The window was too small for her to climb through, and the door remained locked. She had tried calling out earlier, but nobody had responded. Whoever had been assigned to guard her was either ignoring her deliberately or had been instructed not to entertain any of her complaints.Victoria had no idea how much time had passed since she had been brought there. Her wrists were sore from the ropes, her ankles still ached, and the side of her face where Serena had slapped her was beginning to hurt more than she wanted to admit.Yet she refused to give up.Ryder would com
Sam had always been good at his job.For years, he had been the person Ryder Lake could depend on whenever something needed to be handled. He knew the CEO’s schedule better than most people knew their own, understood his preferences, and could anticipate what he needed before he asked for it. Whether it was arranging meetings, handling confidential documents, or dealing with people who wanted access to Ryder, Sam had always made himself useful.It was what a good assistant was supposed to do.At least, that was what Ryder believed.Sam stood beside the reception desk on the hotel’s ground floor, holding a folder against his chest as he waited for one of the employees to finish speaking to a guest. He had been in and out of the building enough times over the years to know its layout, including the entrances most people rarely used. The hotel was one of Tecna’s properties, and Ryder occasionally visited when he needed somewhere private to meet important clients.Sam had accompa







