Chapter 71

Nathan and Taylor sat on one couch, while Camille sat on the opposite one, hands clasped tightly in her lap, looking at them. Roderick stood in front of them, arms crossed, his presence filling the entire space.“I already have the ransom money ready,” Roderick said, his voice coming out steady and cold. “All we have to do is wait for the kidnappers to call and inform us about the time and location.”Taylor shifted uncomfortably on the couch, fingers twisting together. “Who’s going to deliver the money?”“I can coordinate and deliver it myself. That’s the least I could do to help get our daughter back.” Nathan leaned forward, trying to sound helpful.Roderick’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I’ll be the one to do that. I’ll deliver the money to them myself. I want to see the kidnappers with my own eyes and ensure the children’s safety.”“I want to do it. I want to see Adrian as soon as possible. I want to make sure he's okay.” Camille stood up immediately.Roderick turned to her, his expres

Chapter 72

Taylor pushed the door open and stepped into Nathan’s apartment. She dropped her bag on the couch and stood there for a moment, staring at the floor. Nathan closed the door behind them. The lock clicked loudly in the quiet room.“Why did you agree to Miguel’s plan, huh?” Taylor asked, turning to face him. “It might complicate things. We were already so close.”Nathan walked to the kitchen counter and poured himself a glass of water. He drank half of it before answering. “He could have snitched. The last thing we want is him being a hindrance to our plans. We’re already so close.”Taylor started pacing. Her heels clicked against the floor with every step. “We don’t need him. We had a plan. A clean one at that. Now he’s in the middle of it, and he’s mentally unstable if you ask me. You saw how he looked when he talked about Camille. He’s obsessed, and he could ruin the whole thing just to get her.”Nathan set the glass down. “And if we said no, he could have gone straight to Roderick

Chapter 73

Roderick stood in the study, one hand braced on the edge of the desk. Ten waited in front of him, arms at his sides, face calm and focused like always. Roderick spoke first. “The kidnappers want Camille to bring the money. They made it clear that they won't be releasing the kids if Camille doesn't bring the money herself.”He paused, fingers pressing harder into the wood. The thought kept turning in his head — they specifically asked for her. It could mean they wanted someone weaker to carry the bags. Or it could mean something worse. He didn’t like any of it. He didn’t like sending her in there at all. But if he fought her on it right now, she wouldn't listen, and they couldn’t afford delays.“Understood, boss. So, what are your plans on catching the kidnappers? It's already very obvious that we can't follow her inside the park.” Ten said.“The park is isolated so you won’t be able to get close without them noticing. Once the kidnappers move the money away from the location in the

Chapter 74

Ten sat in the back of the blacked-out van parked in the shadows just outside the park’s perimeter fence. The interior was dim, lit only by the glow of his laptop screen. Four of his men waited silently around him, weapons checked and ready. His eyes stayed locked on the red dot pulsing on the tracker map. For long minutes, nothing moved. Then the dot shifted.“They’re on the move,” Ten said, his voice low and steady, no wasted words. “Drive and follow them discreetly. Make sure to keep your distance to avoid suspicion.”The van rolled forward smoothly, headlights off, blending into the evening traffic as they tailed the kidnappers’ vehicle from several blocks back. Ten’s fingers tapped lightly on the laptop edge, calm and focused. The drive took them through the outskirts of Crown City, away from bright lights and into decaying industrial zones. Old warehouses and forgotten buildings loomed under flickering streetlamps. The kidnappers’ car finally slowed and turned into a cracke

Chapter 75

Ten’s three men each grabbed two heavy duffle bags, lifting them without a word. They filed out of the apartment one by one, their footsteps heavy on the hallway floor as they headed back down the stairs. The door clicked shut behind the last man, leaving the living room silent except for the low hum of the air conditioner.Now it was just Ten and Nathan.Ten pulled out his phone, eyes never leaving the man in front of him. He dialed and pressed it to his ear.“Boss,” Ten’s voice was calm and flat. “I already got the bastard behind this entire mess. They never cease to amaze me.”He kept his gaze locked on Nathan, who stood frozen near the couch, breathing faster now. Ten hung up without waiting for a reply, he sent a text and slipped the phone back into his pocket.“You should know by now that this is your end, Nathan,” Ten said, stepping forward slowly. “Both you and Taylor are going to rot in jail. You must be stupid to think you could get away with this.”Nathan’s face twisted. F

Chapter 76

Roderick sat in his study, the only light coming from the desk lamp that cast long shadows across the walls. He hadn’t moved much in the last hour, just staring at the maps and phone logs spread in front of him. The silence in the penthouse was heavy. Adrian was asleep down the hall, but every second without word about Camille made his chest feel tighter.The door opened quietly. Ten stepped inside, closing it behind him.“Any update?” Roderick asked, voice low and rough as he looked up.Ten stopped a few steps from the desk. “Miguel isn’t at his place. We searched it top to bottom. I also reached out to your father but he hasn’t seen him at all.”Roderick’s fist tightened. He leaned back in the chair, rubbing a hand over his face. “What about Vanessa?”“She’s been with Sir Victor the whole time. Says she doesn’t know anything about where Miguel went.”Roderick gave a short, humorless laugh. “I doubt she doesn’t know where her son is. I’ve been calling him nonstop and he isn’t pickin