Chapter 307"Are both of you alright?" Eric asked, breathless, as he clung to his wife, Mary, and daughter, Claire. His heart pounded in his chest as he held them close, scanning them for any signs of harm.Claire, still trembling, buried her face into his chest, while Mary, her face pale and tear-streaked, nodded, though her hands shook as they gripped his arm tightly."We're okay," Mary whispered, her voice fragile, "but Cynthia… they took her, Eric. Right in front of us." Her voice cracked as she pointed in the direction where the kidnappers had vanishedThe moment Eric received the frantic call from his wife, Mary, explaining what had happened, he didn’t waste a second. His heart pounding in his chest, he had rushed out his office door, barely taking the time to catch his breath as he hurried toward the park.On his way to the park, he had immediately dialed the police. With urgency in his voice, and had reported the situation, detailing everything Mary had told him about the kidna
Chapter 308Mr. Sterling sat in his dimly lit office, staring at the phone in disbelief after the conversation with Gwen, his baby mama. He had kept her hidden for years—nobody, not even his closest associates, knew she existed, let alone that they had a child together. So when she had first called him earlier, frantic and crying, telling him about what happened at the park, he had refused to believe it.He thought it was another one of her schemes to squeeze more money out of him.“Gwen, stop with the nonsense,” he had snarled into the phone, his voice cold and threatening. “What are you trying to pull this time? You know I won’t tolerate you using Charles for your little tricks.”Gwen’s sobs on the other end of the line only intensified, but Mr. Sterling had been too caught up in his own anger to care. He had threatened her, warned her that she was playing a dangerous game.But now, as he sat there, after turning on his TV and news of the kidnapping in the park flashing across his
Chapter 309Morris Huggo had worked with Mr. Sterling for many years, long enough to know the man better than most. He’d been by his side through countless business deals, shady ventures, and risky decisions. He’d witnessed Sterling’s ruthless rise to power and learned to navigate his temper and unpredictable moods.But in all that time, despite knowing the ins and outs of Mr. Sterling's public life, Morris had never imagined there was another side to the man—a side that included a secret family.The revelation that Mr. Sterling had a baby mama and a child completely blindsided him. It was something Morris would’ve never guessed in a million years.Mr. Sterling had always kept his personal life tightly sealed, presenting himself as an untouchable figure with no strings attached. But now, this kidnapping had unveiled a part of his life Morris never knew existed.He stood there, still reeling from the bombshell, trying to process it all. The idea that his boss, Mr. Sterling, the man kno
Chapter 310After what felt like an eternity of lurking in his car, Morris finally saw the police vehicle roar to life, its lights flashing as it began to drive out of the park.Morris sat up straighter in his car, his mind racing as he prepared to execute his plans. In the distance, he could still see Eric Wood, his wife and daughter, and Gwen—Mr. Sterling’s baby mama—standing together.He could see Eric helping his wife and daughter into their car, a normal family scene that felt painfully mundane given the chaos brewing beneath the surface.Eric got into the front seat, and started the car.Morris had been waiting for this moment but as the car back doors opened, his stomach twisted with anxiety.Just as he was about to make his move, Gwen unexpectedly joined them, slipping into the backseat.A surge of frustration washed over Morris. He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Mr. Sterling’s number, his heart pounding as he waited for the connection.“Mr. Sterling, it’s Morris,” h
Chapter 311The phone was on loudspeaker, and Jaxon, who was seated nearby, had heard every word his father had exchanged with the kidnappers.Ken was beside him and they're both smoking. The smoke from their cigarettes curled into the air, mingling with the tense atmosphere of the room.Jaxon’s eyes flicked up briefly from his phone but returned to it as though the whole conversation didn’t concern him. Finally, his father will pay dearly, he thought.Across the room, Jackson, the kidnapper with the prominent scar across his cheek, ended the call and tossed the phone onto the table with a careless thud.He turned around, his expression cold and calculating, and he ordered the two other kidnappers who were holding the boy, “Take the kid away.”The two men nodded without hesitation, each grabbing one of the boy’s arms and dragging him into the back room. The child’s muffled cries faded as the door shut behind them.Jackson watched them go, his eyes narrowing slightly, before walking ov
Chapter 312“I think you might want to hear this,” Eric said as soon as the call connected, his voice tense. James groaned, rubbing his eyes as he rolled over in bed. “What is it?” he asked groggily, his voice thick with sleep. He had barely slept the night before, his mind racing over everything that was happening. The stress of work, the drama surrounding EMC, and now this sudden call from Eric—it was all too much to handle.Eric didn’t waste time. “It’s about a kidnapping case,” he said quickly, his words rushing out like water breaking through a dam. “It happened yesterday. Mary called me—”“What?” James interrupted, sitting up suddenly in bed, his heart pounding. “Mary? Claire? Are they okay? What happened?”Eric sighed, hearing the panic in James' voice. “They’re fine. They weren’t harmed, but…” He paused, and James could hear the hesitation, the weight of what was coming next.“But what?” James demanded, anxiety creeping into his voice as he kicked off the sheets and swung his
Chapter 313When James arrived at Diamond Ville, the guards at the entrance immediately recognized him. Though they knew him as a close VIP associate of Eric’s, they had no idea that James was the actual owner of the entire estate.As he approached in his sleek Bugatti La Noire, the security detail waved him down with their usual respectful demeanor. They straightened up, their movements sharp and precise. One of the guards stepped forward and greeted him with a polite nod."Good morning , Mr. Clarkson," the guard said, his voice formal yet familiar. "It’s been a while since we’ve seen you around here."James forced a tired smile, his mind still preoccupied with the kidnapping. “Yeah, it’s been a long night,” he replied, his voice betraying a hint of exhaustion. He handed over his access card, the one that would allow him into the inner sections of the estate. The guard took the card, but as he scanned it, he glanced up, noticing the weariness in James’s face. “Everything okay, sir?
Chapter 314"Hello, Gwen. There’s someone here to see you," Eric said as he stepped in. "He once helped me save my family when they were kidnapped."At the mention of that, Gwen looked up immediately.James entered fully into the room, his footsteps quiet as he moved toward the woman sitting on the bed, her shoulders shaking with soft sobs. She didn’t notice him at first. He approached slowly, not wanting to startle her. "Excuse me," he said gently, "I’m James Clarkson. Eric’s friend."She lifted her head, her face streaked with tears. She wiped her eyes quickly, trying to compose herself. Eric stood beside James, offering her a kind, reassuring smile.“I’m so sorry for what you’re going through,” James said, his voice soft but filled with concern. “Eric told me what happened, and I wanted to see if there’s anything I can do to help.”The woman sniffed, nodding slightly. "Thank you... I just... I don’t know what to do. My baby is out there, and I haven’t heard anything."James took a