Chapter 285Sasha walked up to the corridor of the floor where Liam's ward was located. It was written as a VIP ward.Not random people can come here and you must come with permission. Luckily for her, she was wearing a nurse uniform.There were lots of rooms in the corridor and as she walked down she saw the different numbers written on each other. ‘23, 24, 25, 26…’ She was counting as she passed each door.She was looking for room 45, and that's where Liam was at. At the end of theHer heart raced as she approached room 45, her pulse pounding in her ears. The corridor seemed unnaturally long, the fluorescent lights casting an almost sterile glow on everything.She continued to count the numbers on each door, her anxiety spiking when the row ended at room 38. She cursed inwardly, frustrated that she would have to walk even further to reach her target.As she turned the corner into the next row of rooms, she suddenly saw two people walking towards her. An older man, possibly in his la
Chapter 286Liam looked at her with a mixture of curiosity and mild confusion. "I wasn't expecting any nurse tonight," he said, his tone friendly but guarded. "Is there something wrong?"Sasha forced a smile, the expression feeling foreign on her face. "I was just doing my rounds," she said, trying to keep her voice light and professional. "I wanted to check on you, make sure everything is okay."Liam nodded, still studying her. "That’s kind of you," he said, though there was a hint of suspicion in his eyes. "But I feel fine, just a bit tired. You can let the other nurses know they don’t need to worry."Sasha nodded, taking a few steps closer to his bed. "I’m glad to hear that," she said softly, her eyes scanning the room for anything that could complicate her plan. "But I do need to take your vitals, just as a precaution."Liam sighed, leaning back against his pillows. "I suppose it’s protocol," he said with a small smile. "Go ahead."Sasha’s mind was racing as she approached him, he
Chapter 287Meanwhile, As Alisha and her dad reached the hospital reception, she suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Oh my God!" she screamed out loud.Her dad, startled, asked, "What is it?""I forgot my purse in Liam's room," she replied, clearly frustrated. "It has my car keys in it. Wait here, I'll go grab it quickly." Without waiting for his response, Alisha turned and sprinted back up the stairs, her thoughts racing.When she reached Liam's door, she noticed something strange—a faint sound of a scuffle coming from inside. Her heart began to race. What could be happening in there? Without hesitation, she pushed the door open.The sight that greeted her was shocking: Liam was pinned against the wall by a nurse, his face contorted in fear and pain.The nurse's arm was pressed against Liam's throat, restricting his movement. In her other hand, she held a syringe, its needle poised and ready to strike."What’s going on here?" Alisha demanded, her voice laced with panic as she took in
Chapter 288The truth of the matter is that Kai Nakamura knew, deep down, that Liam Carter would be attacked at the hospital sooner or later by the same people who had tried to assassinate him before.And so, he had been waiting patiently for that day.This was precisely why he had objected to the 24-hour security outside Liam's ward when it was advised. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about Liam’s safety, but rather that Kai was a strategist, always thinking several moves ahead.He knew that such tight security would only tip off the attackers, making them change their plans or become even more elusive.Every night since Liam’s hospitalization, Kai had made it a point to come to the hospital around midnight and stay until the early morning hours, keeping a watchful eye.He knew that was when the assassins would likely strike—under the cover of darkness when the hospital was at its quietest.Kai Nakamura was incredibly sharp. Even Gregor, the private investigator he had supposedly hired
Chapter 289Sasha and Kai faced each other, the tension thick in the air. The hospital room was dimly lit, and their shadows danced as they prepared to fight.Sasha’s eyes narrowed, every muscle in her body ready to strike. Kai, calm and composed, stood still, waiting for her to make the first move.Sasha charged at Kai, throwing a series of fast punches aimed at his head and chest. But Kai blocked every hit with ease.The room echoed with the sound of their blows—flesh hitting flesh, the dull thud of fists against arms, and the sharp crack of bone against bone.Kai deflected a strong right hook from Sasha and quickly kicked her in the stomach. She grunted as the air was knocked out of her, but she didn’t stop.Instead, she spun around, trying to kick Kai in the head. He ducked just in time, and as she landed, he swept his leg out, knocking her off balance.Sasha stumbled but quickly got back on her feet. She jumped into the air, aiming a knee at Kai’s chest. He blocked it with his ar
Chapter 290Kai crouched beside Sasha's lifeless body, his mind focused but tinged with the faintest sense of regret.As he began to search her, Liam stood a few steps back, his eyes darting between Sasha and Kai. He was clearly still shaken, fear gnawing at him.“Is she dead?” Liam asked, his voice trembling.Kai nodded, his expression unreadable. “Yes, she’s dead.”Liam exhaled sharply. “Good. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t shown up.Kai looked up from Sasha’s body and asked, “Where is she?”He was referring to Alisha.Liam pointed weakly towards the hallway. “She’s over there... still breathing, but she was knocked out by that... that bitch.” He gestured towards Sasha, his voice thick with anger and fear.Kai didn’t respond. Instead, he turned his attention back to Sasha’s body, his face set in a grim expression as he methodically began to search her.His hands moved with precision, first removing the face mask to reveal her true identity. Her face, now exposed, sur
Chapter 291Meanwhile, Richard sat in the reception area, his thoughts swirling as he waited for Alisha to return.The reception was quiet, the dim lighting casting long shadows across the polished floors.A few chairs were scattered around, most of them empty except for two other people—an elderly man reading a newspaper and a young woman engrossed in her phone.The night staff at the desk looked half-asleep, their faces illuminated by the soft glow of their computer screens.He glanced at the clock on the wall for what felt like the hundredth time.Alisha had been gone for too long. She had rushed back upstairs to retrieve her keys from Liam’s ward, but it shouldn't have taken this long.Richard frowned, a sense of unease settling in his chest. Several times, he considered going after her, but each time he dismissed the thought.Perhaps she was simply catching up with Liam, and he didn’t want to intrude on their moment.But as the minutes ticked by, the unease grew stronger. Finally
Chapter 292Williams was still in the car, his eyes fixed on the entrance of the hospital.The second he saw Nathaniel Grey enter the building, a cold dread settled in his gut.He clenched the steering wheel, his mind racing. It was over. He knew it deep down. Sasha didn’t stand a chance against someone like Nathaniel.He reached for the earpiece, trying one last time to contact her. “Sasha, abort the mission. Get out of there,” he whispered urgently.But there was no response, only the faint crackle of static. His heart pounded in his chest. She was either too focused on the mission to respond or something had gone terribly wrong.For a brief moment, he considered going in after her, but then he hesitated. This wasn’t part of the plan. Sasha was a professional; she knew the risks, and she had taken full responsibility for the job.Williams told himself he wasn’t going to risk his own neck for her, especially not with Nathaniel in the picture. She was paid handsomely for this, after a
Chapter 397Morning broke with a dull glow, illuminating the quiet safe house nestled deep in the woods. Inside, tension hung thick in the air. Williams was standing near the window with a phone pressed to his ear, speaking in a calm but calculated tone.“We’ve got your son, Charles,” he said, his voice steady. “But we haven’t located Jaxon.”On the other end of the line, Mr. Sterling’s voice cracked with emotion. “Charles? Is he safe? Are you sure?” Relief flooded his tone, but it was quickly shadowed by anxiety. “What about Jaxon? Did you find him? Is there anything—anything—leading up to him?”Williams let out a quiet sigh, one that sounded more like practiced patience than genuine concern. “That’s all we could manage,” he replied. “The men who took Jaxon still have him, and from what we’ve gathered, they plan to kill him if there’s any interference.”Mr. Sterling was silent for a beat, processing the grim news. Then, his voice rose, tinged with panic. “What do I do now? How do I
Chapter 396James and Gregor stepped out of their concealed position in the underbrush as the taillights of the SUV disappeared into the darkness. The cool night air was eerily silent now, broken only by the faint rustling of leaves and the muffled sounds of wildlife in the distance. The ground beneath their boots crunched softly as they moved toward the aftermath of the chaos they had just witnessed.Gregor’s eyes scanned the scene, his face expressionless as he took in the lifeless bodies sprawled across the area. Three of them, including Ben they once held, lay motionless, their weapons discarded and their blood staining the dirt beneath them.Gregor crouched beside one of the bodies, briefly checking for a pulse, though he already knew there was none. Standing, he shook his head and muttered, “Well, that’s the life they’ve chosen for themselves.”James, standing a few steps behind him, remained silent for a moment, his sharp eyes darting around the scene. The faint glow of the moo
Chapter 395The shadows of the dilapidated bunker stretched long under the moonlight as Williams and his team lay in wait. They had taken up position hours earlier, tucked inside Jaxon’s sleek sports car, the dark, polished metal blending seamlessly into the night. The air inside the vehicle was stifling, thick with tension and the faint metallic tang of gun oil. Every man was armed and ready, their nerves wound tight, waiting for the right moment to strike. Williams sat in the driver’s seat, his hands resting casually on the steering wheel, though his eyes never left the rearview mirror. Beside him, Kane sat rigid, one hand gripping Jaxon’s arm firmly while the other rested on the stock of a shotgun lying across his lap. In the cramped sports car, Tom and Dorian crouched uncomfortably in the trunk, their weapons at the ready, waiting for Williams’ signal.The silence inside the car was shattered when headlights cut through the darkness. A single car approached, its rumbling engine e
Chapter 394The dense canopy of the forest loomed overhead, casting long shadows over the makeshift campsite where James and Gregor had been holed up for days. The air was damp, thick with the earthy scent of moss and pine, and the distant call of nocturnal creatures echoed through the stillness.Gregor sat cross-legged on the damp ground, his eyes glued to the small tablet in his lap. A blinking red dot pulsed steadily on the screen—the nano tracker they’d planted on Ben’s phone.For three grueling days, they’d followed that dot from one hideout to another, staying just far enough away not to be detected. They’d spent their nights in the car or in the bush, catching only brief moments of sleep between shifts of surveillance.Tonight was no different, and Gregor’s tired eyes burned as he watched the screen, hoping for any sign of movement.James lay stretched out on the ground beside him, his jacket pulled over his face to block out the faint moonlight filtering through the trees. Hi
Chapter 393Jack paced back and forth in the dimly lit room, his gun laid out on the table as he meticulously assembled and armored it. Each metallic click echoed in the stale air, punctuating the tense atmosphere.They had to switch hideouts when Ben rejoined them, in case he was being tailed. Jack carefully considered the situation and concluded that bringing him back into the operation as an additional resource would be a wise decision, just in case they encountered any unexpected challenges but he made sure they switch hideout from time to time. But their main exchange point was still the old bunker because it has a lot of escape routes and underground tunnels.Ken was nearby, double-checking their supply of ammunition, while Denver and Ben lounged on an old, battered couch, their excitement barely contained.“Finally, we’re getting out of this shithole with a bundle of millions,” Denver said to Ben, leaning back with a smug grin. He flicked a discarded cigarette butt into the cor
Chapter 392The evening sky was a dusky orange, streaked with long trails of purple as the sun dipped below the horizon. Williams parked the sleek, black car that Mr. Sterling had secured for him—a high-profile Lamborghini that was both remarkable and practical for what was about to go down.The tinted windows gleamed faintly in the fading light as he stepped out, dressed in a dark hoodie and jeans. He adjusted the baseball cap on his head and pulled it lower to obscure his face further.Kane was already waiting near the edge of the gravel lot, leaning casually against a rusted lamp post that barely flickered to life. His stance was relaxed, but his eyes darted around, sharp and alert. A few paces away, Tom and Dorian lingered by the entrance to the abandoned warehouse, their conversation low but punctuated with short laughs.Williams approached Kane with purposeful strides. Without a word, he gestured for Kane to follow him a short distance away from the others.“They ready?” William
Chapter 391Andrew’s pen hovered over the page. “Eric Wood? The CEO of EMC?”“Yes,” Sterling said, his voice steady now, laced with conviction. “He’s had a vendetta against my family for months. He’s jealous of our success, our influence. And now, with everything happening at EMC, I wouldn’t put it past him to stoop this low. My two sons were kidnapped in a sparse of a few weeks. Is it not strange?”Andrew tilted his head, his expression skeptical. “That’s a serious accusation, Mr. Sterling. Do you have any evidence to support this?”Mr. Sterling sighed heavily, as though burdened by the weight of his own claim. “Not concrete evidence, no. But think about it. He has the resources, the motive. And I heard through some… private channels that he’s been meeting with unsavory characters lately. People who could easily pull off something like this.”Andrew jotted a few notes, his pen moving quickly. “I see. I’ll look into it. But you understand we can’t act on hearsay alone.”“Of course, of
Chapter 390As soon as Mr. Sterling ended the call with Williams, he hurried to his closet, throwing on a sleek navy suit and matching tie. His hands trembled slightly as he adjusted the knot, but he steeled himself, taking a deep breath.This wasn’t just a favor for Williams; it was a calculated move to get his two sons back. Grabbing his keys, he rushed out of his mansion, the elevator ride to the ground floor feeling agonizingly slow.When he finally stepped outside, the cool morning air bit at his face, but he paid it no mind. His black sedan waited at the curb, and he climbed in, starting the engine with a growl. As he sped toward Sky Suite, he rehearsed the lies he might need to tell to retrieve Jaxon’s car.The towering Sky Suite hotel loomed ahead, its modern glass facade gleaming brightly under the early morning sun. As Mr. Sterling approached the entrance, his stomach tightened. The sight of two patrol cars parked near the lobby entrance made his pulse quicken. Uniformed off
Chapter 389As soon as Kane received the message from Tom that Jaxon had finally broken under the pressure and confessed, he immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Williams. His tone was sharp, clipped, and direct as he relayed the crucial information.“He finally talked,” Kane said without any preamble. “He’s given up Jack’s location—some bunker near the old docks.”Williams, on the other end of the line, didn’t respond right away. The faint sound of tapping, likely his pen against his desk, filled the silence. “Good,” Williams finally said, his voice steady but tinged with calculation. “Did he say anything about how many men Jack has with him?”“Yeah,” Kane replied. “Three, including Jack himself. He said one of them ran away. It’s a small crew.”Williams let out a low hum of approval. “That’s manageable. We’ve got the numbers, four to three. Here’s the plan,” he said, leaning forward in his chair. “You’re going to prep Jaxon to lead you straight to the bunker. He’s our key. Ma