Chapter 316As they drove through the city toward Carter Comb, the morning sun cast a warm glow over the bustling streets. Cars rushed past, and the sounds of the city created a lively backdrop. “There’s a meeting scheduled for 10 a.m. with Mr. Collen and the board members, I guess I should remind you that since you’re back,” Kai reminded him. He glanced at Liam as he navigated through the traffic.“Yeah, I remember,” Liam replied, his tone casual.“You know, Collen disrespected me while you were in the hospital. He had the audacity to undermine my decisions as acting CEO. The staff weren’t any better, either. They looked at me like I was some kind of intruder.”Liam chuckled softly, keeping his eyes on the road. “Is that right? I guess they didn’t get the memo that you were running things in my absence. What did Collen say?”“He just kept belittling my authority,” Kai replied, shaking his head. “I could tell he was annoyed that I was in charge. He kept asking for you, acting like I
Chapter 317Kai Nakamura sat at his desk, quietly flipping through a stack of documents. He had just resumed his role as Liam Carter’s personal advisor, and Liam had joined the board for the meeting. The air in the office felt still, almost too quiet, especially after everything that had happened recently.His phone rang, cutting through the silence. It was Gregor, the private investigator he had hired. Kai answered the call, his voice steady.“Sir, it’s Gregor. I’m ready to start the investigation on the attacks on Liam’s life. But I’m going to need access to some of the security footage from the company,” Gregor said, his tone calm but firm.Kai leaned back in his chair, considering. “You can come by the office to pick it up. I’ll make sure you get what you need,” he replied, glancing at his watch. "See you in a bit."“Alright, sir.”Ten minutes later, there was a knock at Kai’s office door. Kai looked up, straightening his posture. “Come in,” he called out.The door opened, and in
Chapter 318Mr. Sterling paced the room anxiously, waiting for the kidnappers to pick up. His fingers drummed against the mahogany table, his thoughts racing. When the call finally came, he snatched his phone, almost smashing it against his ear. "Hello?" His voice trembled, not with fear, but with pent-up rage. For days, he'd tried to reach the kidnappers, desperate to end this nightmare. But they only contacted him when they pleased, leaving him in the dark. "I've got your money ready," he said quickly. "Where am I sending it?"There was a long pause on the other end of the line, a muffled sound of whispering between the kidnappers. Mr. Sterling’s heart raced as he listened to the brief, hushed conversation. His grip on the phone tightened, and he could almost feel the sweat building on his brow. Finally, the kidnapper’s voice came back, cold and dismissive. “How much have you got?”“The amount we agreed on. Ten million dollars.” Mr. Sterling’s tone was firm, though the desperation
Chapter 319Outside the warehouse cabin, Jaxon stood still, staring into the wild landscape that stretched beyond the dirt road. It had been days since he’d last set foot in the city, ever since this kidnapping operation started.The wind carried a faint chill, ruffling his shirt as he stood with his arms crossed, deep in thought. His mind was restless, filled with the growing tension of their risky scheme. He had a gut feeling that things could spiral out of control, and it was eating away at him.A sound from behind pulled him out of his thoughts. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Ken approaching from inside the cabin. Ken’s face was drawn, his eyes slightly dark from lack of sleep, but there was a calmness to his demeanor. "Why’s that man acting up?" Jaxon asked in a low voice, the frustration clear in his tone. He was referring to Jackson. "Instead of him just doing his job, he’s trying to mess everything up."Ken shrugged, stepping closer to stand beside him. He looked out in
Chapter 320“Where are you, Gregor?” James asked impatiently over the phone. His voice had an edge, a frustration brewing from the series of unanswered calls he'd made earlier.Gregor’s voice finally came through, calm but a bit distracted. “I’m at Carter Comb, working on the case regarding Liam Carter’s life,” he replied, clearly focused on his investigation.James took a deep breath, but his mind was racing. Gwen, Mr. Sterling’s baby mama, had just dropped a bombshell on him and Eric. She revealed that the kidnapped child was none other than Mr. Sterling’s son. It suddenly made sense why Mr. Sterling had been so elusive, not showing any real concern since the kidnapping. James could feel something shady brewing beneath the surface.“What’s your progress on the case?” James asked, steering the conversation back to Gregor’s investigation.Gregor’s voice dropped slightly, a sign he was onto something. “I’m close to something,” he said. “There were two men who disguised themselves as co
Chapter 321The drive was long and quiet, the only sound coming from the engine and the occasional crunch of gravel beneath the tires. Eric stole glances at Gwen, who sat stiffly in the passenger seat, her arms crossed tightly against her chest. Her eyes were fixed on the road ahead, her jaw clenched as if she were holding back an ocean of emotions. After what felt like an eternity, Eric finally broke the silence."Gwen… are you sure about this?" His voice was gentle, almost pleading. "Going home right now won’t change anything."Gwen didn't turn to him. Her voice, when it finally came, was low and hard. "I need to feel like I'm doing something. I can't just sit around waiting for news, not knowing if my son is even alive out there."Eric tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "I get that, I do. But we need to be smart about this. You know James is going to confront Mr. Sterling, it appears he knows what's going on and now you’re planning to run around on your own. It’s risky. To
Chapter 322Mr. Sterling’s phone had jolted him awake, the harsh ring cutting through the stillness of the night. It was 3 AM. As he groggily answered, Morris’s voice came through. “She’s been taken, boss. Gwen’s at your house, outside of town,” Morris said.Mr. Sterling sat bolt upright in bed, his heart racing. “Are you sure?” he whispered, not wanting to wake his wife, although it was too late for that.Beside him, his wife stirred, the sudden movement and his whispering pulling her out of sleep. "Thomas, what’s happening?" she murmured, rubbing her eyes.Without answering, Mr. Sterling swung his legs out of bed and hurriedly pulled on a casual jacket. His movements were frantic but practiced—he had been in high-pressure situations before, though this one felt different, more personal. He could feel the anxiety gnawing at his insides.“Where are you going at this hour?” his wife asked, now sitting up, concern clear in her voice."Work," Sterling muttered tersely, not making eye co
Chapter 323“No, let her talk,” Mr. Sterling replied.Gwen wiped at her eyes, trying to calm herself, but the weight of everything that was happening—the threats, the uncertainty about her son—was too much. She glanced at Mr. Sterling, whose cold, unblinking stare made her feel even smaller. Finally, her voice cracked, "I haven’t told Eric anything about you. I swear, I—"Mr. Sterling cut her off sharply, "Don’t lie to me, Gwen. I can see it in your face." He leaned forward, his voice lowering dangerously. "I told you to keep the identity of my son a secret and keep him away from the public eye as I have a lot of enemies. Do you not know Eric is my enemy? You think you can betray me? After all I've done?"Her lip trembled again, and she shook her head, her voice trembling. "No... I wouldn’t. I... I just want my son back. I didn’t say anything—Eric only knows that Charles is in danger, that’s all. He doesn’t know who the father is."Mr. Sterling’s eyes narrowed, studying her for any si