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
Chapter 324That morning, Eric sat at his desk, the weight of the ongoing crisis pressing heavily on him. His office, typically a sanctuary of order and calm, now felt like a cage. Papers were scattered everywhere, but none of it mattered. His mind was too preoccupied with the kidnapping. **Why hasn’t the police made more progress?** he thought, running a hand through his hair in frustration. His fingers drummed against the desk as he wrestled with what to do next.Unable to take the suspense any longer, he picked up his phone and dialed the police for an update. His voice, usually measured and polite, carried an edge this time. "Look," he began the moment the officer on the other end answered. "It’s been days now, and my patience is running thin. What exactly is being done to find the boy?"The officer, whose calm voice only served to irritate Eric further, replied, "Sir, I understand your concern, but we’ve just picked up a lead.""A lead?" Eric repeated, eyebrows furrowing in disbe
Chapter 325Eric grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair, his mind racing, and rushed out of his office without bothering to wait for his driver. His hand shook slightly as he pulled the keys from his pocket and made his way to the underground garage. He headed straight to one of the company’s official cars, a sleek black Audi A8, parked near the exit. The car was polished, its tinted windows gleaming under the fluorescent lights of the garage. He swung the door open, threw his jacket onto the passenger seat, and slid behind the wheel. The leather seats were cold, and the interior smelled faintly of a new car scent. He fired up the engine, the hum of the motor a small comfort amidst the chaos in his head. Without wasting time, Eric drove the car out of the garage and onto the street, the sleek vehicle gliding effortlessly through traffic. His hands gripped the steering wheel a little too tightly, and his foot pressed the gas pedal harder than usual. As he sped through the city