Ch. 841..850

Chapter 841 Chapter 841 Lucas stared deeply at Selena as if trying to determine whether she was putting on an act.

"What are you looking at? I'm asking you a question!" Selena took two steps closer, her emotions barely in check.

If Lucas had hurt Aveline again, she would fight him with everything she had!

Aaron quickly pulled her back, saying, "No, you've seen how Lucas has been treating Aveline lately. With everything happening online, he's been running around like a spinning top. He hasn't even had time to see her in days. How could he have possibly done something to upset her?"" Selena's eyes were red with frustration. She glared at Lucas. "Really?"

Lucas stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and asked hoarsely, "Did she ever mention wanting to leave or anything like that to you?"

Selena paused, suddenly realizing.

Right! How could she have forgotten?

Aveline had mentioned wanting to leave before she even talked about taking Selena with her! And knowing Aveline's character, if she was planning to leave, she wouldn't do it without saying a word. She would have told Selena! This meant that Aveline hadn't simply left; she had been kidnapped!

Selena began pacing back and forth in the living room, thinking through all the possibilities.

"The only person Aveline would be truly worried about right now is Annie. Could someone have used Annie to lure Aveline into a trap?" she wondered aloud, suddenly clapping her hands.

"That must be it! Someone must have set terms that forced Aveline to agree maybe threatening to harm Annie if she didn't comply. Aveline must have been coerced!"

Lucas' eyes darkened; he hadn't thought in that direction.

The fact that Aveline had actively shaken off Baron and Braden, disguised herself, and left her phone behind at that house-it all seemed like she had left willingly. But what if she was made to do it?

After all, if she hadn't been forced into it, there's no way she could have pulled off something so carefully planned on her own. And even if she had, she definitely wouldn't have left Selena behind, knowing Lucas might give her a hard time. Realizing all the complexities of the situation, Lucas' face grew even darker.

Who had threatened Aveline? And where had they taken her?

Selena rushed up to him, "Lucas, you have to find her! You must find her!"

"I will find her," Lucas said with determination.

The strong front Selena had been putting up slowly faded away.

Her eyes reddened as she looked at him, pressing her lips together tightly. She couldn't say anything more now, but all her hopes rested on Lucas.

She prayed he would find Aveline quickly.

Aveline absolutely couldn't be in danger!

...

Aveline sat humbly on the ground, her vision swallowed by darkness everything around her unfamiliar. She was filled with fear.

belongs to en.kikistori At that moment, she heard the sound of the door opening.

Wanda's voice came through, "Miss Would you er is ready. V You have some?" belongs "Get out," Aveline's voice was hoarse, and she remained motionless on the floor.

Wanda said nothing more and quietly turned to leave.

Dinner... So, it was already evening?

How long had she been missing? Had Lucas noticed by now?

Thinking of him, she bit down on her lip, overwhelmed with guilt.

How foolish she had been! She had shaken off Baron and Braden ande hadn't even told Lucas where she was going!

Aveline hugged her knees, tears streaming down her face.

Chapter 842 Chapter 842 Aveline had no idea how much time had passed when she heard the door open again. She sat motionless on the floor. The footsteps stopped just a short distance in front of her, and she could feel a gaze bearing down on her.

It wasn't Wanda.

Her voice was raspy as she asked, "Who are you?"

After a brief pause, an electronic voice responded, "You haven't eaten dinner, and neither has Annie. If you don't drink water, she won't either."

Aveline's breath hitched, her voice hoarse with defiance, "How ridiculous. Do you think you can threaten me like this? My biggest regret is dragging myself into this mess for her!"

There was no reply from the other side. The air became heavy with silence.

After a long while, Aveline slowly stood up, feeling her way around, searching for something.

"What are you trying to do?" the electronic voice inquired, grabbing her arm firmly.

"I need to use the bathroom," Aveline croaked out.

The person guided her in a direction, and she didn't resist. When they reached the doorway, she said, "If you want to be kind, fix my eyes and let me go."

The person remained silent, releasing her arm.

Aveline gave a mocking smile, entered the bathroom, and locked the door behind her. She felt her way around, trying to familiarize herself with the environment. After some effort, she finally found the toilet. Her face turned pale, filled with frustration. How did she end up like this? Who was this person?

Whoever they were, if she ever found out, she wouldn't let them get away with it!

She lingered in the bathroom for nearly an hour, getting accustomed to the surroundings before venturing out again. She began to pace back and forth in the room, feeling her way around.

With nothing but darkness before her, she felt lost, unable to adjust, with only an overwhelming sense of fear.

"You don't care about Annie, but what about Lucas?" the electronic voice spoke again.

Aveline's entire body tensed up. "What do you want to do?"

The electronic voice responded, "If you don't eat properly, I'll send people to target him. I'll make sure that he's constantly suppressed within the Tudor Group, leaving him no peace."

en FindNovel Aveline pressed her lips together. "Do whatever you want. He and I are no longer related." There was a strange silence from the other side.

Aveline ignored it and continued to feel her way around. Her leg bumped into a table, and she ran her hands over the surface-it was a display table with a model ship on it She continued to feel around...

"Do you really not care about him anymore?"

After a long pause, just when she thought he had left, the electronic voice sounded again, this time right behind her ear. Startled, Aveline quickly turned around and shoved him away. "If you want to talk, just talk. Why do you have to be so close to me?"

The person chuckled a distorted sound that sent a chill down her spine.

"I was just thinking... if you don't care е about him anymore, why not come with me?" he said, grabbing Aveline's handand dragging her in another direction.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!" Aveline cried out in shock, struggling to free herself.

But she was quickly thrown onto a bed, the mattress soft and bouncy. Her body jolted as she landed, and immediately, she felt someone pressing down on her!

"Get off, get away!" Aveline's face was filled with fear.

She kicked and scratched frantically, trying to keep him from touching her.

She hadn't felt much fear before, but now, she was utterly terrified!

"So, you still care about Lucas, don't you?" the man said, his grip tightening on her wrists, pinning her down and preventing her from moving.

Chapter 843 Chapter 843 "What does it matter to you whether I care about Lucas or not? You're nothing but a despicable coward, hiding in the shadows. You don't even dare to show your face or use your own voice. What exactly do you want?" Aveline spat out, unable to see anything, completely restrained and unable to fight back physically.

She could only try to attack him with her words.

Even now, she had no idea who he was or what his intentions were.

It was maddeningly passive.

After her outburst, she felt the grip on her wrists tighten as if he wanted to crush her bones.

Breathing heavily, she let out a cold laugh and continued, "Why did you bring me here? To control Lucas? To threaten him? You've already resorted to kidnapping and imprisonment; what's left to hide?"

She kept provoking him, hoping to gather some useful information.

"I won't use you to control him," the electronic voice replied from above her, still emotionless.

Aveline froze. He wouldn't use her to control Lucas? Then what did he want?

"I only ask you one thing-do you still care about Lucas?" the voice repeated.

"I don't!" Aveline replied coldly.

The grip on her wrists loosened slightly, but her brows remained furrowed.

A moment later, the person released her and stood up, moving to the side. "Eat properly, or I will really harm Annie. You say you don't care about her life or death, but you dragged her into this. She's innocent. Can you bear to see her tortured?" With that, the sound of footsteps filled the room as he left.

Aveline sat up, her face pale and grim.

He was right; she couldn't stand the thought of Annie being hurt because of her. But the man's identity remained a mystery. Who could he be?

Not long after, Wanda came in with a tray of food.

This time, Aveline didn't refuse; she began to eat.

Regardless of her fear for Annie's safety, she knew she needed to keep up her strength-for the moment she could seize an opportunity to escape. A bitter glint flickered in Aveline's eyes.

She couldn't see could she really manage to escape?

Wanda, eaten, eing that Aveline had y relaxed and took qut et her phone to snap a photo, she sent to her "master."

belongs to en.kikistori Aveline, with little appetite, set down her fork after eating just half a plate of pasta, Wanda cleaned up and left the room. Aveline sat on the sofa, quietly thinking about her next move.

The situation was unclear, and the first thing she needed to do was to figure out what was going on.

Obeying for now might make then et other side lower their guard; then, she could extract useful information.

...

The sky had darkened, and still, there was no news of Aveline.

Inside the room, the atmosphere was heavy.

Everyone's faces were grim.

Selena was restless.

Lucas' people hadn't found anything; she needed to seek outside help!

She went back to her room and quickly dialed Russell's number.

"Hello, Selena, what's going on?" Russell's voice came through almost immediately.

Selena, anxious, said, "Russ, Aveline is missing. Can you help us find her?"

"What?" Russell sounded shocked. "When did this happen?"

Selena explained the entire situation to him.

Russell's tone grew serious. "Alright, I'll send people to look for her."

Selena bit her finger, worried. "Will this cause trouble for you? What about the Johnson family...?"

Russell replied, "Don't worry. I'll find her, no matter what."

Chapter 844 Chapter 844 Seeing that Russell didn't bring up the Johnson family, Selena didn't continue the topic either.

"Alright, thank you," she said sincerely.

Russell replied, "She's my friend too. If she's in trouble, it's only right I help. Wait for my update." After saying that, he hung up the phone. Selena put down her phone and clasped her hands together in prayer.

"Ave, please be safe."

Behind her, the door opened, and Aaron walked in.

He glanced at her worried face, pursing his lips before asking, "Did you just ask Russell for help?"

Selena looked at him briefly before sitting down on the sofa. "Another person means another bit of strength. You and Lucas are both unreliable!"

Hearing this, Aaron's brows furrowed. "It's fine if you wanted to insult Lucas, but why drag me into it?"

Selena glanced at him, suddenly thinking about how the Fletcher family had always made things difficult for her.

She felt wronged, and her face showed her frustration.

"You're all big jerks."

"That's going too far." Aaron walked over, grabbed her chin, and looked at her unkindly, then leaned in to kiss her.

Selena, however, dodged him. "Is now really the time? Why are you always thinking about these things?"

Staring into his eyes, she suddenly asked, "Are you with me just for this?"

Aaron's brows tightened at her words. "What nonsense are you thinking?"

Selena scoffed. "Isn't it true?"

Every time in bed, he was like a ravenous wolf, as if he wanted to devour her whole.

Aaron reached out and playfully pinched her cheeks, puffing out her lips like a goldfish. "What's gotten into you, Selena?" he said. "Isn't it normal for me to be interested in your body? You're my girlfriend, after all. If I started eyeing someone else, you'd flip out." Selena blinked at him, her words coming out with some difficulty. "But I won't stay young forever."

Aaron responded, "And you think I will?"

Selena was at a loss for words.

Aaron frowned at her. "What's really gotten into you? Why are you saying these things? Aren't we doing fine?"

Yes, they were doing fine, except she had been warned and threatened by the Fletcher family, but that was just on her end.

Should she tell him?

If she did, what would he choose?

Selena couldn't decide, and she wasn't willing to take the risk. She pushed his hand away and sighed. "It's just seeing how upset Ave is, I can't help but feel the same.

en FindNovel Aaron sat down and pulled her into his arms. "I won't let anyone make you feel wronged."

Leaning against his chest, Selena didn't respond for a while.

...

That night, Aveline didn't sleep well at all.

She kept tossing and turning, waking up repeatedly to nothing but darkness. Her emotions spirale ne and she wept uncontrollably before drifting off again in a daze.

When morning came, she felt drained, her energy completely gone.

Wanda knocked and entered the room to see Aveline's eyes swollen.

She let out a soft sigh.

"Miss Young, the weather is nice today. How about going outside to get some fresh air?" Wanda suggested. Aveline, however, replied, "I'm blind. What difference does it make whether I go out or not?"

Wanda was momentarily speechless.

After a long pause, she finally said, "I'll get your breakfast."

Aveline fumbled her way to the bathroom, bumping into things along the way. When she finall the reached the sink, the search for counter began.

The whole process was painfully slow and exhausting.

By the time she held the toothbrush and toothpaste, tears had already started to fall again.

Chapter 845 Chapter 845 She had no idea how to even get the toothpaste onto the toothbrush...

Gripping the brush tightly, she finally squeezed the toothpaste directly onto her teeth before starting to brush.

By the time she finished and came out, half an hour had passed.

Wanda hurried over to support her. "Miss Young, let me help you this way."

Aveline didn't resist, allowing Wanda to guide her.

After settling on the sofa, Wanda placed a plate and fork in her hands. Though it was difficult for her to eat, Aveline managed to get the food down.

Her face was expressionless, her entire being numb.

At noon, that man came again.

Today, he actually sat down to eat with her!

Aveline blinked and asked, "Are you still not going to tell me who you are?"

"It doesn't matter," he responded.

Aveline frowned. "Then why are you keeping me here? What exactly do you want?"

This time, he stayed silent.

Not knowing the reason or his purpose, everything remained a mystery.

Aveline gripped the fork tightly, her gaze lowered. "Can you at least fix my eyes? I can't adapt to living like this."

"No," he replied without hesitation.

In a flash, Aveline grabbed the plate in front of her and hurled it at him!

Wanda's startled cry echoed with the sound of the plate striking something before shattering onto the floor.

Aveline's face turned cold, and she didn't utter a word.

"Sir, are you alright?" Wanda rushed to his side, anxiously checking the wound on his face.

His forehead had been grazed, but he ignored it, his gaze fixed on Aveline's icy expression.

He didn't blame her, simply stood up and left without a word.

Wanda looked at Aveline disapprovingly. "Miss Young, how could you do that?"

Aveline let out a cold laugh. "I don't have a knife right now. If I did, I'd stab him to death without hesitation!"

"You!" Wanda gasped in shock and quickly turned to leave.

Aveline closed her eyes for a moment. Why couldn't she act like this?

How was it fair that he could blindfold her, lock her up somewhere she didn't know, and keep her in the dark? He could do whatever he wanted, but she wasn't allowed to fight back?

No way. That kind of "justice" didn't exist in this world!

Without the appetite to eat, Aveline groped her way to the sofa and pulled a cushion into her arms, feeling completely lost.

...

At Maple Garden.

Lucas hadn't slept for a day and a night, his sharp eyes bloodshot, and his face dark with frustration.

Desmond walked in with a serious expression. "Mr. Tudor, we've checked all the routes out of the city, but there's no sign of Miss Young."

Lucas, a cigarette dangling from his lips, narrowed his eyes and suddenly said, "Get in touch with Rina."

Desmond was taken aback. "Mr. Tudor, why Rina?"

Lucas let out a cold sneer. "Maybe she'll surprise me."

Desmond couldn't understand why Lucas would think that. What connection could there be between Aveline's disappearance and Rina? Nonetheless, he went to carry out the order.

Just then, Lucas' phone rang.

Glancing at it, he saw it was a call from Mark. He answered and put it on speaker.

Mark's voice came through. "Lucas, are you neglecting the group now? You haven't given any explanation about the situation online, you're not attending meetings or leading the company. If you don't want to stay in the Chairman position anymore, step down and stop holding up the company's progress!"

Lucas' voice turned icy. "Mr. Lewis, how's your son enjoying life abroad? Have you checked in on him recently?

Chapter 846 Chapter 846 "You! What have you done?" Mark's voice trembled with panic upon hearing Lucas' words.

Lucas curled his lips into a cold smile, his gaze sharp and menacing. "Who contacted you, and where is Annie now? I want all the details. Miss even one, and your son will lose a finger. Don't doubt me I'm capable of anything." Without waiting for Mark to respond, Lucas hung up the phone.

"That devil!" Mark glared at the disconnected call, smashing his phone in anger. His chest heaved violently, his face turning ashen.

His assistant, seeing the outburst, cautiously asked, "What should we do now, Mr. Lewis?"

Mark's face darkened. "Contact him. If he can get my son out, I'll agree to whatever he asks!"

The assistant hesitated, worried. "But if Lucas finds out about this..."

"Just do it!" Mark snapped. "Also, prepare a detailed list of everything involved in this incident. Write down everything he might want!"

It was clear he was ready to switch sides. If the other party couldn't help him, he'd turn to Lucas in an instant.

Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, the assistant quickly answered, "Yes, sir."

Time passed slowly, each minute dragging on.

Mark waited anxiously, and after about two hours, his phone rang again.

Despite the smashed screen, the phone still functioned.

Seeing the caller ID, Mark's face grew even more grim.

"Hello?"

Desmond's amused voice came through. "Mr. Lewis, you really lack the spirit of cooperation. I've just sent you a picture. It's regarding your son's current situation. Make sure to check it." With that, the call ended.

A sense of foreboding washed over Mark, making his heart sink instantly.

his In no time, a photo arrived on Mark's shattered phone screen. Through the web of cracks, he could see son curled up on the floor, his left hand drenched in blood. His son was clutching his wrist, staring in horror at his hand-beside him lay a severed finger!

Lucas really did it!

Mark gripped his phone tightly, his eyes reddened with fury, but beneath that anger was deep fear. Lucas knew he had sent someone to contact that other person! Clearly, Lucas was far more dangerous than he seemed.

No wonder Lucas wasn't concerned about the online backlash. He could resolve it easily if he wanted to.

A cold sweat broke out on Mark's back as dread filled his chest.

He quickly dialed his assistant.

"Send everything to Lucas immediately. Stop contacting the other guy!"

It had been two hours, and that person still hadn't rescued his son.

Instead, his son had lost a finger because of him!

It was clear now-following Lucas' orders was the only way.

Desmond quickly relayed the news to Lucas.

"Mr. Tudor, Annie is in a psychiatric hospital."

Lucas' voice was cold. "Send someone to bring her back."

"Yes, sir." Desmond immediately obeyed, silently marveling at howe bizarre the situation was. Whoever took Annie had placed her in a psychiatric hospital of all places.

But no one would have guessed that she'd be there.

swr With the location confirmed, Desmond led a team to the hospital. When they arrived, several cars were about to leave. He ordered his men to block the vehicles and search them. In one of the cars, they found Annie. ne

Chapter 847 Chapter 847 Annie was successfully rescued, and all the people involved were brought back by Desmond. Meanwhile, in a room within a remote neighborhood...

A man sitting on the sofa received a call.

He smirked slightly and said, "So they found her. Not a big deal, she's not that important."

"What should we do next?"

The man paused for a moment before replying, "Find Aveline first."

"Understood."

After hanging up, the room fell into silence.

...

Aveline had started to get familiar with the layout of the room. It was a suite with a small living room and a large bedroom. She guessed that it wasn't an ordinary apartment but more likely a villa or something similar. The people who lived here were wealthy. The ones keeping her captive had some money.

But she wasn't sure how wealthy they were or whether this was their only property.

However, her instincts told her this person's identity was likely more complex than it seemed.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Wanda walked in. "Miss Young, dinner is ready."

Aveline didn't respond, instead feeling her way toward the source of the voice.

As she got closer, a strong fishy smell hit her nose.

Her brow furrowed, and a wave of nausea surged within her.

She covered her mouth, trying to find somewhere to vomit, but unable to see, she lost her bearings. In the end, she could only vomit onto the floor.

Wanda was startled. "Miss Young, what's wrong?"

She hurried over, gently patting Aveline's back, and then fetched a cup of water.

Seeing Aveline's pale face, she was frightened.

If anything happened to Aveline, she'd be held responsible!

"I... ugh..." Aveline tried to speak but was overwhelmed by the smell of fish again, causing her to vomit even more.

She retched until her stomach was empty, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

Wanda quickly glanced at the food, then hurriedly took it away. She opened the windows to let fresh air circulate. Only then did Aveline begin to feel a little better.

Wanda helped her to the bathroom, where she rinsed her mouth before sitting on the bed. The room stift carried the faint smell of vomit, and Aveline's face remained pale en FindNovel Wanda, flustered, asked, "Why did you suddenly vomit?"

Aveline's voice was weak. "I'm skipping dinner."

BUMS Wanda didn't respond, watching her for a moment to make sure she wouldn't vomit again before leaving the room. She contacted the man, who arrived shortly with a doctor in tow.

Aveline, feeling weak, lay on the bed. Hearing the door open, she knew it was him-he never knocked. He had come. "Check on her," the man said, his voice devoid of emotion.

Soon, the distinct smell of the doctor filled the room, causing Aveline to frown slightly-she didn't like the scent.

After a brief examination, the doctor also checked her pulse. When they were done, they left the room.

The door closed, and though she could no longer hear their conversation, Aveline was too nauseous to care. Outside, the doctor spoke quietly. "She's pregnant."

The man froze. "Are you sure?"

The doctor replied, "It would require a hospital visit for confirmation, but a pregnancy test could also verify it. The chance is about ninety percent."

The man instructed Wanda to quietly purchase a test. Then, turning to the doctor, he cold net "If it's confirmed, prepare the said, medication for an abortion

Chapter 848 Chapter 848 "You dare!"

At that moment, the door to the room suddenly swung open. Aveline, her face pale but her expression taut, stood there.

Although she couldn't see anything, her eyes were filled with a fierce determination.

She instinctively shielded her stomach with her hands, her voice hoarse but resolute. "If you dare touch my child, I'll fight you to the death!"

Though she had been lying on the bed, anxious, she quietly got up and moved closer to the door, wanting to overhear what they were discussing.

To her shock, she caught wind of the possibility that she might be pregnant!

Stunned, her mind raced as she recalled her recent moments with Lucas. There was one time when things had gotten too intense, and the next time, they hadn't used any protection. She had assumed she was in her safe period and brushed it off at the time. Clearly, the so-called safe period wasn't safe at all!

But now that she knew she was pregnant, she was determined to keep the baby.

Without close family in this world, she would create her own family.

No one could touch her child!

The doctor glanced at the man and said, "I've prescribed some medication to help her recover. We'll know for sure if she's pregnant after the tests."

The man said nothing, but Aveline could feel his gaze fall on her.

As the doctor's footsteps faded, the man's electronic voice echoed coldly. "Didn't you claim you no longer cared about Lucas? So why keep his child?"

"It's MY child!" Aveline's voice was sharp, unyielding. "Mine alone!"

He let out a derisive laugh. "But the father is Lucas. The child shares his bloodline. You can't claim it as yours alone. If Lucas finds out you're pregnant, you'll never escape. You'll be bound to him forever." Aveline's heart raced. "Who are you? How do you know so much about me?"

She picked up on the subtle hint in his words he knew she had been trying to get away from Lucas. That meant he had to be someone close to her.

Only a few of her friends knew about her situation.

Could it be Sidney? Or Gernard? Russell?

First, she mentally ruled out Sidney. He spent all his money on medical bills and couldn't afford to orchestrate such an elaborate plan to keep her captive here. He didn't have that kind of power.

So was it Gernard or Russell?

It couldn't be Russell either!

He had recently gotten married and was fully focused on taking over the Skyler family business. He even went as far as marrying Rina for that purpose. There was no way he'd do something like this to her. Deep down, she refused to believe that Russell would be capable of such a thing.

Could it be Gernard?

But he already knew she had divorced Lucas!

Why would he still be fixated on whether she cared about Lucas or not?

Yet, if it wasn't them, then who else?

It had to be someone with the power to pull this off without Lucas discovering it immediately, someone who also understood her inner thoughts. Aveline found herself sinking back into confusion.

The man watched her pale face in silence for a long moment before finally speaking. "Aveline, I won't let you have Lucas' child. If you want a child, I can give you one."

"Get out!" Aveline cursed angrily. "You make me sick!"

In her panic, she hurried back into her room, slamming the door and locking it behind her.

Her hand instinctively rested on her stomach. Whether or not she was truly pregnant was still uncertain, but her mind was made up. If she was carrying a child, she would protect the baby at all costs. She would never let anyone harm him!

Chapter 849 Chapter 849 Wanda returned quickly, holding several pregnancy tests in her hands.

"Sir, I bought different brands. We can try them all."

"Hmm," the electronic voice responded from outside the door, followed by a knock.

Hearing the sound, Aveline tensed up, but she knew she had to take the test-she needed to know for certain if she was pregnant.

She opened the door, and Wanda came in, guiding her toward the bathroom.

"You can leave now," Aveline said. She wasn't comfortable with anyone watching her.

Wanda nodded and stepped out.

Aveline carefully felt her way around the bathroom to make sure Wanda was truly gone before following the instructions Wanda had given her. But she quickly realized she couldn't manage it alone, so she called Wanda back in. Wanda used the tests for her, and they quietly waited for the results.

After five minutes, Wanda glanced at the tests and said, "Miss Young, you're pregnant."

Aveline smiled, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach. Beneath her flat skin, a tiny life was growing-a child connected to her by blood, her own family.

Her heart surged with both joy and heightened vigilance.

Wanda took the pregnancy tests outside and spoke to the man.

As Aveline stepped out of the bathroom, she heard the electronic voice again. "Aveline, I advise you to terminate the pregnancy. It's better for both of us."

Her face darkened. "If you try to harm my child, unless you plan to blind me forever, I will kill you!" she threatened, her voice cold and unwavering.

She could feel his gaze on her, though she wasn't sure how long it lingered before he finally spoke again. "Alright, I won't harm your child." Aveline exhaled in relief, but the unease remained.

What if he secretly gave her abortion drugs without her knowing? She couldn't see, after all.

After a pause, she asked, "How long do you plan on keeping me here? Who are you? Why won't you tell me anything?"

The man didn't answer her, simply turned and walked out.

Aveline, left in the silence, felt even more unsettled as she fumbled her way back to the bed.

Anxiety gnawed at her. "What now? What should I do?"

...

Outside, the man stepped into his car, removing the microphone from around his neck. He rubbed his temples wearily. Just then, his phone rang.

Seeing the caller, his expression darkened.

On the other end, Selena was too worried to sit still.

With no updates from Russell, she called him.

"Hello, Russ, do you have any news about Ave?" she asked anxiously the moment the call connected.

Russell's voice sounded tired and raspy. "Not yet. Are you sure she hasn't left Cloudflare City?"

Selena responded firmly, "I'm sure. Lucas has already checked all the exits there's no sign of her.

wone vela Whoever took Ave must still the city!"

be in Russell hummed in acknowledgment. "Alright, I'll send more people to investigate." Disappointment was evident in Selena's voice. "I'll be waiting for good news."

"Yeah."

After hanging up, Selena slumped back on the sofa, frustration and worry clouding her mind.

Meanwhile, at the Hilton Hotel, Gernard listened to his assistant's report with a complicated expression. "Are you certain the person who took Aveline is him?" Gernard asked.

The assistant nodded. "Yes, sir. You asked me to keep an eye on Miss Young, and grew suspicious when she suddenly left in disguise. I had people follow her, and that's when we saw her being taken away by him. Mr. Cooper, should we inform Lucas about this?"

Chapter 850 Chapter 850 "No way!"

At that moment, Juliet burst into the room.

Gernard frowned as he saw her. "Juliet, were you eavesdropping on us?"

Her eyes flickered briefly before she spoke. "I came to ask if you wanted to go out for dinner, not to eavesdrop. Gernard, you can't tell Lucas about this! If you do, he'll definitely go rescue Aveline, and then they'll be even more entangled. What about me?" Gernard looked at his sister's sweet face. He had always indulged her, spoiling her even to the point of meddling in Aveline's life, trying to persuade her to divorce Lucas at Juliet's request. But now, a strange sense of irritation crept into his heart. "So, what you're suggesting is that Lucas should never find Aveline?" he asked, his tone cold.

Of course! If Aveline disappeared forever, it would be perfect!

But Juliet couldn't say that out loud.

"I really, really like Lucas," she said, her voice pleading.

"Now that he's divorced, we're both single. I'm going to try my best to win his heart. If he falls in love with me, it would benefit both the Tudor and Cooper families-we'd be stronger together. But if you tell Lucas where Aveline is, he'll go rescue her. "What if she plays the victim and acts pitiful? Lucas will definitely soften, and they'll get tangled up again. I don't want my future husband to still be caught up with his ex-wife. Please, Gernard, just stay out of this, okay?"

She tugged at Gernard's arm, pouting and swaying like she always did when she wanted something. It had always worked-whether with him or their older brother. They could never resist her charm. But not this time.

"No." Gernard pulled his arm free from her grasp, refusing her request.

Juliet froze. "Why not?"

His expression was serious as he replied, "This isn't like before. A life is at stake. Aveline is missing, and there's a real possibility her life is in dangen Even if I don't tell Lucas, I'm going to bring her back. I can't stand by and do nothing."

Juliet was furious on the inside but kept her face neutral, careful not to let Gernard see her true feelings.

"Alright, if that's the case, it's better you go than Lucas. But Gernard, who took Aveline? Where is she now?" Juliet quickly relented, shifting the conversation to Aveline's whereabouts.

Seeing her sudden change in attitude, Gernard's irritation eased a little.

If she had kept pushing, he might have really lost his temper.

"She was taken by Russell. She's currently being held in one of his properties," Gernard replied.

Juliet blinked in surprise. "Russell? The one who's married into the Johnson family? Why would he take Aveline?"

Gernard shook his head. "I don't know."

He had been just as shocked when he found out. After all, Russell had even helped Aveline with legal matters before. It seemed clear now that Russell's feelings toward Ker weren't as simple as friendship-he had other intentions.

The real question was, did Aveline know?

Juliet's eyes flickered with curiosity before she said, "Alright, go rescue her then. But make sure you don't tell Lucas, okay? For my sake, please don't let him know." With that, she turned and left.

Gernard glanced at his assistant and ordered, "Send someone to bring her back."