Mag-log inThe three in the living room had nearly finished their conversation. He had only been sitting there for a few minutes when a messenger sent by Denise arrived to hurry them along. Kyle and Mike rose and headed over.
It was just after ten o’clock. Candice arrived from Lennon’s side, but since she had to visit the Harrison family at noon, she couldn't stay long. Edward had promised to keep Gabrielle company; once Charlie and Candice departed, he wandered over that way with an
Edward looked at Gabrielle on the floor, his heart sinking even further.She had been unconscious ever since her finger was severed. Had they injected her with some strange sedative when they took her? Her wound had been bandaged, so it shouldn't be a case of excessive blood loss.Earlier, he had attempted to negotiate—offering himself as a replacement if they would stop hurting her—but these people were like robots. No matter what he said, they gave no response. From the moment Gabrielle was taken until now, not even a leader had shown their face.Edward shifted his gaze from the floor to Rex, who was sitting on the steps with a foul expression. *Hey, kid, any way to take them out?*Rex jerked his chin toward the front, back, left, and right.In three directions around the living area stood two masked gunmen each, six in total. Though their faces were hidden behind grotesque masks, the tension in their bodies was palpable. They were on
Dante opened his mouth to explain, but Charlie raised a hand to cut him off. "Show everyone the video.""This—" Dante hesitated, lowering his voice. "I think it’s better if we..."Charlie’s gaze turned sharp as a blade, instantly severing Dante’s protest. Left with no choice, Fletcher reluctantly took out his phone. By now, the surrounding guests had sensed from their expressions and hushed whispers that the situation was far more dire than initially thought.The crowd pressed in closer.Dante had his men project the video onto a large screen in the hall. Following Charlie’s lead, he said nothing and let the footage speak for itself. As the video played, gasps and sharp intakes of breath echoed through the room.Weren't they told only the two Lawrence sisters were in trouble? Why were so many people tied up? What on earth was going on?The guests were all people of significance; despite their shock, no one screa
Despite his internal resistance, Dante found himself with no choice but to concede. His voice was heavy as he spoke, "Mr. Clemens... you truly are thorough. Thank you for being so... considerate of my situation. We’ll do it your way."The words "thank you" sounded as if they were being ground between Dante’s teeth.Charlie remained impeccably mild and humble. "You're very welcome."Dante looked ready to suffer an internal hemorrhage on the spot.The others exchanged incredulous glances. *Wait, he surrendered just like that? Is Mr. Fletcher's resolve really that fragile?*In the world of power, a "strong dragon" usually struggles to suppress a "local snake" on its own turf. When Charlie made his demand, everyone had broken into a cold sweat. What if Dante flipped the table? Even if he didn't, why would he hand over his authority so easily?Only now, watching Charlie navigate the man with a mix of coaxing, misdirection, and veiled
Candice leaned in to get a closer look. Sophia, Bianca, and Jerry also stood up and crowded around.The video showed a lavishly decorated hall. Several people were sitting on the steps and sofas; upon closer inspection, it was indeed Edward and the others. Every person in the frame had their hands and feet bound.* **Edward** sat on a long sofa, with **Ollie** beside him.* **Mike** was positioned slightly behind them on an armchair.* **Rex** sat on the steps in front of them.* **The female bodyguard** was seated on the carpet.All of them were expressionless. It was normal for the others to look grim, but Edward was the type of man who would still crack a joke even if his car was totaled and he had a hole in his chest. Despite the dire circumstances, they were still alive—this stoic silence simply wasn't his style."Where is Gabrielle?" Candice muttered.They scanned the screen and finally spotted a figure tucked under
The sound of hurried footsteps snapped Candice’s attention away. She turned toward the door, and both Charlie and Kyle followed her gaze.Several familiar figures appeared at the entrance. Sophia was in the lead, looking deathly pale, followed by Bianca and Jerry."Something happened!" Sophia rushed in, her voice trembling. "Edward and Gabrielle have been kidnapped! Rex and Gabrielle’s bodyguard went after them!""...Kidnapped? To where?" Candice’s back straightened as she stood up and walked toward Sophia.They weren't on land; they were in the middle of the ocean. Where could anyone be taken? Furthermore, where were Mike and Ollie?Charlie looked at Jerry, signaling him with a sharp gaze to explain exactly what had transpired.Jerry looked just as shaken. "The four of us were searching along the path. We didn't find Mr. Lawrence, but his tie and shirt buttons were scattered along the way. At the time, we thought he left t
Dante’s eyelid twitched violently.The words had come from Kyle.His tone was a direct strike, his gaze a blatant interrogation. He might as well have asked point-blank: *Is this your doing?* On the surface, Kyle’s approach lacked finesse and he clearly didn't care for social niceties, but the effect was potent. It was designed to trigger the most honest, unguarded reaction from a person caught off-guard."Mr. Jackson!" Dante cried out, nearly bolting from his chair in shock."Mr. Fletcher, you seem rather agitated. Is it because you actually know something?" Charlie’s voice was gentle and polite, but the implication was enough to cause a heart attack.Sensing that Charlie was the more "reasonable" one, Dante immediately abandoned the difficult Kyle and turned to Charlie with a pained expression. "Mr. Clemens, I can see you’re a man of reason. You know why I organized this gathering and invited so many people. You are all th
“Who??”Rex and Candice were both stunned.Wasn’t Edward supposed to be at the banquet right now?But almost immediately, Candice thought of something—those who were kidnapped weren’t just her grandmother, but also Mrs. Lawrence. Maybe he’d
“Pick someone up?”“Pick who up?”Candice’s nerves instantly went taut.Tonight’s entire arrangement was already a gamble.She knew from the start it wasn’t a good idea, yet she still went through with it. All the way here, she
Denise let out a bitter laugh.“Oh, I’m the one talking nonsense, am I? Isn’t this whole scene just meant to humiliate me in public?”“I pretended not to know, trying so hard to protect your reputation. But you—knowing I had neither the standing n
She was turning over plans in her mind.With her grandmother’s stubborn temper, if she asked Charlie to call the bodyguards and send them back, the old lady would probably blurt out the real reason for their trip right there on the phone.No, no, no!What if she called







