Stella struggled to keep her eyes open, hoping to glimpse her surroundings. The muffled sound of voices reached her ears, and she recognized one of them immediately.
“You don’t need me to teach you what to do after this, right?”
“I understand! We’ve already contacted Mr. Ford to bring the ransom money. Then, we’ll let him choose between you two. The remaining one will be taken as our hostage!”
Stella’s heart froze. Was that… Guinevere’s voice? She thought she had heard wrong.
“Mr. Ford will surely choose you. As for this woman, we’ll take her to a secluded place, as per our original agreement, and remove the child inside her…”
The man suddenly paused, then asked hesitantly, “Ms. Cohen, what if Mr. Ford doesn’t choose you?”
“Do you think that’s possible?” Guinevere’s voice dripped with cold certainty. Then, a chuckle followed as she approached.
“I have at least that much confidence… but I’ve changed my mind.”
Stella felt the hairs on her neck stand up. Guinevere’s footsteps drew closer. She gripped Stella’s chin with sharp nails, her voice dripping with venom.
“I hadn’t planned to go to such extremes, but how dare she get pregnant with Weston’s child?!”
Stella’s heart pounded as Guinevere’s grip tightened, her jealousy palpable.
“Did you think you could regain your status by being pregnant with his child?” Guinevere spat, her voice shaking with rage.
Stella willed herself to stay calm. She dug her nails into her palms, the pain grounding her as she struggled to control her breathing. She had to survive.
Guinevere shoved Stella’s face away with disgust before instructing the kidnappers, “Once this is over, you can do whatever you please with her. I don’t want to see her in Ahn City ever again.”
The leader of the kidnappers hesitated.
“Do you mean to kill her, Ms. Cohen? That’s not what we agreed. She’s somehow connected to Mr. Ford, and what if he takes revenge?”
Guinevere’s eyes narrowed.
“What are you scared of when you have me around? Don’t worry, I’ll keep Weston in check. You just clean up your tracks and don’t leave any evidence!”
The men reluctantly agreed, and the air grew still. Stella’s heart pounded harder as the cold sweat drenched her. She was alone in her terror, unable to speak. She had to stay silent, play along, and survive this.
Time passed in agonizing silence before a pair of rough hands grabbed her and dragged her to her feet. Stella winced, opening her eyes slightly, her body trembling.
“Walk on your own if you’re awake,” the man growled as he forced her forward.
Taking a deep breath, Stella nodded shakily. She had to stay calm. She must survive.
They reached a large building, and Stella realized they were on a rooftop. The glaring sun made it hard for her to see. The roar of helicopters overhead rattled her, and she instinctively knew Weston must be in one of them.
Suddenly, the noise intensified, and the wind whipped around her, making it hard to stay steady. She staggered, being pulled along by the rough grip of the kidnapper.
And then, everything stopped.
Stella dared to glance up. Her eyes locked onto a familiar silhouette stepping out of a helicopter hovering nearby.
It was Weston.
Despite everything, despite her decision to cut him out of her life, seeing him now, in the midst of this chaos, filled her with a mix of fear and hope.
His sharp, noble aura was unwavering as he stepped toward the kidnappers, and his cold gaze scanned the rooftop.
“Mr. Ford, Ms. Cohen and Madam are over there. The culprit is a criminal gang, some of whom are still hiding. What do we do now?”
“Don’t move recklessly. Ensure their safety at all costs.”
Weston’s voice was low, dangerous. He moved swiftly, his gaze like ice as he loosened his shirt collar, preparing for what was coming.
Without a word, he jumped from the helicopter, landing with military precision on the rooftop. The wind from his descent lifted his suit, and dust swirled around him.
His figure towered over the kidnappers, and the murderous intent in his eyes was unmistakable.
“Let her go!” Weston’s voice was a low growl, filled with lethal intent.
The kidnappers froze, retreating in fear.
“Don’t come any nearer! Both of your women will die if you do!”
Stella, shaken and still disoriented, looked up and saw Weston. Her breath hitched as she called out, her voice weak, “Weston…”
His eyes immediately found hers.
The moment he saw her, her pale complexion, the bloodied scratches on her face, and the utter weakness in her posture, something in his demeanor shifted.
His face darkened, and a dangerous rage flickered in his eyes.
This wasn’t the first time he’d seen her in distress, but this time, something snapped inside him.
Fists clenched, he was ready to fight, to tear apart anyone who dared to hurt her. But just as he took a step forward, he heard a weak cry from behind.
“Weston…”
The voice broke through his focus, and for the first time in a long while, he hesitated.
Skip to content