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
Chapter 326The air outside Gwen’s home was heavy with tension as Eric stood with the police, feeling a deep sense of dread.He had called them and reported that Gwen was missing immediately after he called James.The officers had spread out, talking to the neighbors, gathering what little information they could. But so far, everything pointed to one grim conclusion—Gwen was missing, and no one seemed to have seen her for days.James and Gregor arrived, their faces grim with urgency. They had been working on something big since the previous night, following Mr. Sterling's every move, and now they were convinced they had stumbled upon a vital lead.As soon as they spotted Eric, James gestured for him to step away from the crowd of officers. Eric, confused but trusting James, walked over to the edge of the street where the two men stood."Eric," James began, his voice low and urgent, "We need to talk. This isn’t just about Gwen. I think we’re onto something huge. We believe we’ve found
Chapter 327One of the officers, a tall man with broad shoulders, strode towards them with a purposeful gait. He had a chiseled jawline, peppered with stubble, and his deep-set brown eyes were sharp, constantly scanning the surroundings. His police uniform was neatly pressed, and his polished boots clicked with each step on the pavement. His badge glistened under the evening sun as he adjusted the belt around his waist, which held his radio and holstered firearm. His expression was neutral, but there was a trace of suspicion in his gaze as he approached the group.When he reached them, he nodded, offering a brief but polite smile. “Evening, gentlemen,” he said in a low, professional tone. “I couldn’t help but notice the gathering over here. Is everything alright? Is something going on?”Eric, feeling the pressure of the situation and not wanting to raise any alarms, quickly forced a smile and waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, no. Everything’s fine, officer. Just talking things over wi
Chapter 328That same evening, Williams slipped into his car just as the sun began to set, casting a warm orange glow over the city. He adjusted his navy-blue blazer, brushed a speck of lint off his dark jeans, and glanced at his reflection in the rearview mirror.His hair was slicked back, his face clean-shaven, and his expression serious. There was a quiet urgency about him tonight. He didn’t want to waste any time getting to Red Waters and sorting out thing before they escalated.As he drove through the city traffic, he mentally rehearsed what he’d say if anyone from Sasha’s gang cornered him and asked about their boss. The thought of them made him tighten his grip on the wheel. If they know, they’d really be angry about Sasha’s death, especially since he had been the one who convinced her to leave Red Waters. He’d have to tread carefully.By the time he pulled into the airport parking lot, twilight had settled in. Williams exited his car, buttoned his blazer, and strode into the a
Chapter 329It was Mr. Sterling who was calling Williams. He sat in his dimly lit office, his hands clenched into tight fists as he stared at his phone lying on the polished mahogany desk. The screen was dark, unresponsive—just like Williams, who had ignored his calls all evening.He’d tried Williams again and again, hoping he would pick up. But nothing. Mr. Sterling’s jaw tightened as frustration clawed at him.With an irritated sigh, he picked up the phone again, scrolling through his call log, where Williams’ name sat, unanswered, like a taunt.Mr. Sterling closed his eyes briefly, his mind racing back to the call with the kidnappers earlier that day. The kidnappers’ cold, steady voices still echoed in his ears, making his stomach chum with anger. He could almost picture them on the other end, calm, menacing, outlining their demands as though it were just business as usual: twenty million dollars, packed in cash, and to be delivered at an undisclosed location that they’d provide s
Chapter 330Jack’s phone buzzed with an incoming call. He glanced at the screen, smirking as he saw the name “Sterling” flash up. This was it—the moment they’d been anticipating. Letting the phone ring a few times, he took a steadying breath before answering, masking his impatience.“Hello, Mr. Sterling,” he answered smoothly, the slightest edge of menace in his tone.Mr. Sterling’s voice, tense and almost frantic, shot through the line. “I’m here. At the bridge. I’ve got the money. Now bring my son—bring him here now, and take your cash.”Jack chuckled lightly, his voice steady, mocking. “Calm down, Mr. Sterling. We’ll get to that. Just…wait a little longer,” he said, then, without waiting for a response, he ended the call abruptly.Jack turned, slipping his phone back into his pocket. The dark warehouse around him felt cold and quiet, the shadows seeming to grow as he processed the next steps.The kidnappers had carefully orchestrated a test to ensure Mr. Sterling was truly alone, a
Chapter 331Ben received the message from Jack confirming the plan to move Charles to a second warehouse, and with the reminder to stay alert and watch out in case Mr. Sterling had backup lurking nearby.He quickly tucked his phone away, squinting as he focused on Sterling, who was visibly frustrated, his shoulders tense, and his brow furrowed with worry and irritation.Mr. Sterling’s movements were stiff and agitated. He grabbed the suitcase with both hands, muttering something under his breath as he tossed it onto the passenger seat with an annoyed huff.The sound of the suitcase hitting the seat was sharp, and Mr. Sterling didn’t seem to care about handling it gently. He moved around to the driver’s side with a look of grim determination, his fingers rapping the car roof once as if to calm his nerves.Ben watched intently as Mr. Sterling got into the car, slamming the door shut with enough force to make the vehicle rock slightly. For a moment, Nr. Sterling just sat there, staring s
Chapter 332The morning light filtered in through a small, dust-covered window, casting a pale glow across the room. The air was cold, carrying the faint scent of damp concrete and wood. Shadows stretched and danced as a thin beam of sun fought its way through the grime on the glass, landing on Ben’s face, nudging him further out of sleep.Across from him, James and Gregor sat rigidly in wooden chairs, their expressions stern and unyielding as they watched him.With a rough shove, Gregor reached over and nudged Ben’s shoulder, snapping him awake. “Wake up. You’ve got a lot of talking to do.”Ben groaned, stretching as the last dregs of sleep faded. He blinked, his eyes opening and closing slowly, struggling to adjust to the morning light.At first, he felt a hazy confusion, but within moments, memory flooded back—the ambush, the blindfold, the handcuffs. The night had been endless, locked in this room after being brought here by the two men now watching him intently. After hours of res