Ch. 21..30
Chapter 21
Watching Sandra’s face go through a whole emotional rollercoaster, Tiffany just rolled her eyes and left.
Whatever Sandra was cooking up. Tiffany couldn’t care less. As far as she was concerned, Sandra and Kenneth deserved each other it was a match made in hell, and she was all for it.
After breakfast, taking advantage of the weekend, Tiffany brought Eric along to accompany Thalia to the hospital. Thalia had been suffering from frequent headaches lately, and Tiffany wouldn’t be at ease unless they got it checked out.
Talk about a small world – the hospital they went to was the most famous one in Lovell City, owned by the Pauley family. As a century-old medical dynasty, the Pauleys wielded significant influence in town. And Sidney was the family’s youngest scion.
When they arrived, the hospital was a madhouse. The place was crawling with patients. Looks like they were in for the long haul – two hours minimum before they’d even get a chance to be seen.
“Mom, come and take a seat,” Tiffany said, helping massage Thalia’s temples. “You’ve got to learn to take it easy, fuel up right, and not sweat the small stuff. That’s why your head’s always giving you trouble.”
“Take it easy? As if! The Olsons are a total train wreck. Lucky we caught this supply chain mess before it blew up, or your dad would’ve been toast!” Thalia groaned.
Putting on a brave face for the kids, Thalia tried to change the subject. “This headache’s no big deal. Maybe we should just call it quits and head home.”
“Not a chance, Tiffany said firmly. “We’ve come this far, might as well go the whole nine yards and get you looked at.”
Eric nodded in agreement.
Thalia gave up trying to sway the stubborn siblings. She just smiled and went along with it.
After a long wait, it was finally their turn. Thalia stood up, ready to go in with the kids. But out of nowhere, three burly guys appeared and blocked the door, barring their way.
“Step aside and let our madam through. The rest of you, back off!” one of them barked, throwing his weight around.
Tiffany saw red in a heartbeat. “Oh yeah? And what if I don’t play ball?” she shot back, digging her heels in with her hands on her hips.
The bodyguard scowled at her. “Listen up, missy. You better scram before you cross the Hayes family. Trust me, you don’t want to see what happens if you don’t!”
Suddenly, a decked-out rich lady, Charlotte Hayes, came strutting out from behind the bodyguards with her nose so high in the air.
Rolling her eyes, she snapped, “What’s with all the talking? If these nobodies won’t scram, just kick them out,”
Thalia tugged on Tiffany’s sleeve and whispered, “Hey, Tiffany, let’s just go. We can wait a bit longer.
But Tiffany stood her ground. She could take a lot, but backing down for no reason would only encourage these jerks to push people around even more.
As soon as Charlotte barked the order, her bodyguards moved to shove Tiffany and Thalia out. But before they could lay a hand on Thalia, Tiffany sprang into action, grabbing two of the men’s wrists in a vise-like grip.
Tiffany twisted their wrists hard and fast. The men let out piercing yells that echoed through the hallway.
Tiffany kicked two of them away forcefully. As the last bodyguard lunged forward, Eric rushed in, shouting, “Tiffany, I’ve got this one!”
Eric lashed out with a kick, but being only eight years old, he was a bit of a wild card. His aim was off, but he still managed to nail the guy where it hurt the most.
“Ow!” The bodyguard’s scream put the others to shame, his voice cracking with pain.
Tiffany blinked in surprise, then ruffled Eric’s hair. “Nice shot, buddy!”
She then stepped in front of Charlotte, who was trying to slip away. With a saccharine smile that was more menacing than sweet, Tiffany asked, “Leaving so soon, Mrs. Hayes? I thought you were eager to see the doctor?”
Charlotte stumbled backward, her face a mix of fear and indignation. “You’ve got some nerve! Don’t you know the Hayes family isn’t someone to trifle with?”
That was true. The Hayes family was a big fish in Lovell City’s pond, going toe-to-toe with the Kelleys in the business world. They probably came here looking to stir up trouble with the Kelleys.
But Charlotte never saw this coming. She didn’t expect that Tiffany, a young, fragile-looking girl, could take down her tough guys so easily.
“Why would 1, Mrs. Hayes?” Tiffany smirked, watching Charlotte’s makeup crumble like a sandcastle.
Then she twisted the knife. “Look, you’re already over the hill. Why embarrass yourself? Why don’t you stay home and slap on some face masks? No need to come strutting around here unless you’ve got a real reason.”
Tiffany’s zinger hit Charlotte like a ton of bricks. She was steaming mad but couldn’t spit out a word. With all these onlookers gawking, she figured she’d better save face. So she huffed and puffed, then stormed off with her bodyguards trailing behind.
Thalia gave her kids a once-over, her face etched with worry. “Are you two okay?”
“We’re fine! Tiffany was awesome,” Eric said, looking at his sister like she was his hero.
This whole dust-up blew over without any more fireworks. But the hospital gave them the cold shoulder, saying they’d caused too much of a scene.
Eric wasn’t about to let it slide. He pressed, “Hey, what gives? The other guys started it. How’s that fair, huh?”
Thalia could see Eric was about to blow his top. She stepped in to cool things down, giving him a gentle tug. “Easy there, kiddo. We’re in the clear, but we did ruffle some feathers. Why don’t we hit the road and find another hospital?”
The guy in charge shook his head and said with an icy tone, “Just leave. If Mrs. Hayes comes back with her people, you’ll drag the whole hospital into this mess.” It was clear they were too scared to cross the Hayes family.
Tiffany shot the guy a look that could freeze hell over, then wordlessly steered Thalia out. There was no point making a big deal out of it now.
That’s just how the world works. To come out on top and avoid being pushed around, you need to be a big shot. Tiffany clenched her fists, determined to make it to the top.
Just then, a gentle voice piped up nearby. “Mrs. Kelley, would you mind if I examine you instead?”
All heads turned to see Sidney approaching, looking apologetic. “I’m really sorry. My team really dropped the ball there. Mrs. Kelley, next time, please come straight to me, okay?”
Chapter 22
Sidney’s sincerity and politeness threw everyone for a loop. He was the heir of the prestigious Pauley family, with exceptional medical skills. People would bend over backward just to get an appointment with him.
Sidney didn’t need to kiss up to anyone. He was sitting pretty at the top of the food chain. But here he was, rolling out the red carpet for the Kelleys.
The guy who’d been all high and mighty earlier, giving them the bum’s rush, was totally stunned. He was about to
pipe up to save his skin when Sidney shot him a look that could curdle milk.
“Beat it, you’re not wanted here anymore,” Sidney snapped. With just that, he straight-up fired the dude.
Floored by Sidney’s boss move, Thalia and Eric looked at each other, then both stared at Tiffany, as if asking, “Whoa, how do you know this guy? What’s going on? Is he on our side?”
Tiffany didn’t know what to say. She was as lost as they were she and Sidney were barely on cach other’s radar. They’d crossed paths just once before. So she had no idea why Sidney was suddenly playing Mr. Nice Guy.
She could only think of one explanation – it had to be because of Richard. That was the only thing that made sense.
Following a hunch, Tiffany looked up. A guy was leaning against the wall in the opposite hallway. Tall and lean, with a mysterious and elegant vibe about him.
Even though she could only see his back, she could feel the power radiating off him in waves, an invisible force keeping everyone at arm’s length.
As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Richard spun around. Their eyes locked, and he flashed her a subtle smirk.
Tiffany’s brain pretty much short-circuited. This guy was next-level gorgeous. Perfect face? Check. That “I’m too good for you, but you want me anyway” attitude? Double-check. He had this lazy “I woke up this” swagger that was just… ugh. What girl wouldn’t turn into a like puddle around him?
Tiffany snapped out of it and turned to Sidney. Thanks a lot, Mr. Pauley. Mind giving my mom a check-up?” Then she gave Eric a little nudge. “I gotta hit the ladies’ room. Eric, stick with Mom, okay?”
Tiffany was zooming-off when Thalia called out, “Hey, wrong way! The ladies’ room is in the opposite direction.”
Sidney chuckled and started herding them along. “Alright, Mrs. Kelley, let’s go. We’ll head to my office and get to the bottom of what’s bugging you.”
Tiffany rushed to the other hallway and bam – there was Richard, still leaning languidly against the railing. The overhead lights were doing him all kinds of favors, softening that jawline that could cut glass. He looked like he’d stepped right out of a magazine cover. Tiffany sidled up to him and mumbled, “Hey, uh, thanks again for having our backs.”
Richard glanced at the girl who’d just parked herself beside him. She was still catching her breath from her little jog, cheeks flushed pink. Talk about an accidental glow-up! And those eyes? They were practically sparkling.
Richard’s eyebrow arched as he teased, “Don’t tell me you tracked me down just to ask about dinner again.” He really emphasized that “again, making sure she couldn’t miss it.
Tiffany rubbed her nose, feeling caught red-handed. Clearly, Richard had a memory like an elephant. She’d floated the dinner idea a couple of times before, but always left it hanging. Now it looked like she was backed into a corner.
So, any plans for tomorrow?” she asked, sweet as pie.
Richard was pretty pleased she didn’t hit him with the “uncle” thing this time that always got under his skin. “Why wait? Let’s grab dinner tonight,” he said, jumping at the chance.
Tiffany thought about it for a sec, then nodded. “Yeah, sure.” After they sorted out the when and where, she couldn’t help but ask, “By the way, what brings you to the hospital today?”
Richard pointed at his stomach. Then it clicked for Tiffany – back when she’d turned back the clock, Richard had been seriously injured, even if he didn’t let on. Guess they’d hushed it up good, because she hadn’t heard a peep about it.
Tiffany caught the drift that this was hush-hush, so she didn’t dig any deeper. “Well, I’ll catch you later then. I’d better get going.” She gave a quick wave and hurried away.
As her delicate frame vanished from sight, Richard’s eyes glazed over, lost in thought.
Just a few days ago, he’d helped her track down Stan. He’d also got his guys to keep tabs on her without her knowing. He was kinda curious about what she was really after.
The results caught him off guard, but in a way, he wasn’t too shocked. This girl wasn’t straightforward as she looked. She had some serous depth, enough to keep even him guessing.
By the time Tiffany got back to Thalia, Sidney had already finished the check-up.
–
Good news it wasn’t anything major. Just a little low on blood, which meant her brain wasn’t getting enough oxygen. Sidney wrote her a prescription and said, “Get plenty of rest, and come see me again in a month for a follow-up.”
Tiffany and Thalia gave Sidney a big thanks, then headed out.
On the ride home, Thalia piped up, “So, Tiffany, what’s the deal with you and Mr. Pauley? He seems like quite the gentleman.”
Eric jumped in. “Mom, you missed it. I saw Tiffany talking to this other guy just now. Talk about good-looking- he was next level!”
Tiffany wanted to zip Eric’s lips. She quickly shut down any thoughts about her and Sidney being arritem. “We hardly know each other. He’s just paying back a small favor I did for his friend a while back.”
She kept mum about Richard, aware that dropping his name would rock Thalia’s world, given his pull in Lovell City.
Thalia let it slide, knowing teen girls and their secrets go hand in hand. She just grinned from ear to ear, bursting with mom pride. “Hey, with a knockout daughter like you, the boys must be falling all over themselves!”
“Exactly!” Eric jumped in, laying it on thick. “My sis is one in a million – she deserves all the best stuff in the world!”
Tiffany cracked up at Eric’s goofiness. The three of them shot the breeze and yukked it up the whole way back.
That evening, Tiffany got all dolled up. She told her parents she was meeting a friend and headed out again. She arrived at the restaurant early, so she decided to wander around for a bit.
As she strolled by a bank, she spotted a middle-aged guy down in the dumps, bawling his eyes out – it was a real heartbreaker. Tiffany almost walked right by, but something made her stop. She hesitated, then took a second look at the man’s face.
She recognized him. It was Caleb Foster, who used to own a creative planning company. His business went under because he ran out of money and his accountant embezzled funds.
On top of that, his 4-year-old daughter needed expensive medical care. He ended up having to sell his company. Even though he tried his hardest, he couldn’t scrape together enough money.
In her previous life, Kenneth had been the one to help out. He bought Caleb’s company an paid off what Caleb owed. After that, Caleb had worked for Kenneth for the rest of his caree
The key thing was that Caleb was really talented. After his first business failed, he worked hard to build the company up again. In the end, he made Kenneth a fortune.
Tiffany’s eyes lit up. This time around, the chips had fallen differently. Lady Luck was smiling on her, serving up Caleb on a silver platter before Kenneth could get his mitts on him. If she didn’t strike while the iron was hot, she’d be shooting herself in the foot.
Tiffany made up her mind in a flash. She marched right up to Caleb and, cutting straight to the chase, flashed a card. “There’s 12 million dollars on this. Want to make a deal?”
Chapter 23
At the end of his rope with no light on the horizon, Tiffany’s arrival was a ray of hope for Caleb, akin to a lifeline for a drowning man.
He was so stunned he couldn’t get a word out. Finally, he blurted, “Just save my kid, and I’ll do whatever you ask, no questions.”
He was ready to face any consequence, even if it meant risking everything right then and there. There was no room for hesitation.
Tiffany’s lips curved into a smile. “Your servitude isn’t necessary. I’m interested in acquiring 70% of your company’s shares. You can still be the CEO, and I won’t interfere with operations. My role will be to provide capital, while your focus will be on expanding the business.”
This offer seemed like an unexpected blessing. His company had already gone bankrupt, and everyone else had written it off as a lost cause.
But this girl had come out of nowhere, offering him a lifeline and backing it up with real investment. It was like winning the lottery when he least expected it.
Caleb was floored. He thought he must be losing his mind or that this girl was playing some cruel joke. It was too good to be true – he had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.
Tiffany wasn’t one to waste time. Seeing Caleb’s disbelief, she grabbed him by the arm and marched him straight to the bank. Caleb’s jaw dropped when he saw the balance. This was real after all.
He composed himself, wiping his eyes. “Alright, I’m in,” he said, giving her a firm nod.
“Here – get your kid fixed up first, then we’ll talk business. Don’t sweat the small stuff, it’s all covered.” Tiffany slipped him the card and jotted down her number. “Look, I’ve got a full plate. Gotta go now!”
It was like a fleeting miracle! This girl had swooped in like some kind of superhero and vanished just as fast. The whole encounter couldn’t have lasted more than five minutes.
Caleb was left dumbfounded, holding nothing but a phone number. He realized he hadn’t even caught her name.
He broke down again, bawling his eyes out. This tough guy was now a blubbering mess.
He’d been begging all over town, but everyone had turned him away. Then this girl appeared unexpectedly. No tricks, no hidden agenda. She offered him a substantial amount of money. and threw him a lifeline when he was about to sink.
It took a while, but Caleb finally snapped out of it. The desperate and defeated look in his eyes faded away, replaced by a renewed determination. He was back in the game, ready to work hard and give it another try.
Tiffany had no clue, but her spur-of-the-moment good deed had totally knocked Caleb’s socks off. She’d won his unwavering loyalty.
This company that everyone had written off as dead in the water was about to bounce back. This business was gonna shoot up like a weed, planting its feet so firmly that nothing could knock it down.
It’d be a major player, making the competition green with envy. Tiffany would be in an advantageous position with an investment that kept on rewarding her.
But that was all in the future. Right now, Tiffany was elated. In her past life, Kenneth was supposed to recruit Caleb. But this time, she’d beaten him to it. She’d just significantly disrupted her enemy’s plans.
Tiffany’s deal with Caleb blew Kenneth’s old offer out of the water. Even if Kenneth tried to sweet-talk Caleb later, he’d be barking up the wrong tree. That ship had sailed.
Tiffany was in such high spirits, humming a tune as she strolled over to grab a bite with Richard.
Tiffany figured she’d beat Richard to the punch, but no dice. As she got closer, she spotted him standing straight as a flagpole. Looks like he’d been cooling his heels for a while.
Tiffany kicked it into high gear and hustled over “My bad for keeping you waiting,” she said, a little out of breath. “I hit a snag on the way here
Richard snuck a peek at his watch. His poker face didn’t crack. She was late by a whole five minutes.
In Lovell City, all the big shots and fat cats wouldn’t dare be even a hair late when Richard called. But with just one look at Tiffany’s puppy dog eyes, Richard’s annoyance went up in smoke.
“Come on, let’s head in,” he simply said.
Tiffany let out a breath. She’d been riding high on cloud nine and lost track of time. Thank her lucky stars she hadn’t ticked off Mr. Big Shot enough to make him bounce.
They strolled into the restaurant side by side, and Tiffany gave the place the once-over.
Velvet & Vine was a highly acclaimed restaurant in Lovell City. It boasted chefs from Michelin-starred establishments, known for their exceptional culinary skills. The food was said to be unforgettable, leaving a lasting impression on all who dined there.
The restaurant adhered to a strict policy of serving only 99 customers daily. Once this limit was reached, they would decline service to any additional patrons, regardless of their status or influence.
Many tried to cause trouble for Velvet & Vine, but the restaurant had an ace up its sleeve. Some big-time mystery player was pulling strings behind the scenes, helping them weather every storm like it was just a drizzle.
Tiffany looked around and saw the place was pretty much a ghost town, aside from the servers who stood at attention, ready for action. She didn’t make a big deal out of it, just followed Richard in.
Little did they know, Sandra was passing by and caught the whole show. Talk about being in the wrong place at the right time!
Sandra paused and grabbed Kenneth’s arm. She pointed at Velvet & Vine and said, “Hey Kenneth, I think I just saw Tiffany go in there with a guy. They looked pretty cozy.
The second Tiffany’s name dropped, Kenneth couldn’t help but frown. “You sure about that?”/ he asked.
“I think so, but she’s your fiancée. It’s weird she’d be so close with another guy. Maybe I saw it wrong, Sandra said, looking confused.
Good thing Tiffany didn’t catch that, otherwise she’d have called Sandra out for being such a two-faced fake. Talk about putting on an innocent act!
Kenneth looked pretty ticked off as he headed straight for Velvet & Vine. Sandra followed him, chirping away, “Hey, Kenneth, wait up! Don’t get mad.”
Tiffany had just walked into the restaurant when Kenneth approached, looking livid. He grabbed her wrist roughly, not caring if it hurt.
“You’ve got some nerve, you two-timing flake! Speaking around with other guys behind my back: Kenneth exploded.
Just my freaking luck! Tiffany thought, seething inside. She spun around, ready to let loose. “Kenneth, have you lost your marbles or something? What makes you think you can push me around?
In Tiffany’s eyes, Kenneth was a total hypocrite. He hung out with Sandra all the time without a second thought, but here he was acting all high and mighty, accusing her. Seriously?
Kenneth totally misread the situation, thinking Tiffany was jealous. He calmed down a bit but still sounded super bossy. “Let’s go. I’m not taking no for an answer.”
Tiffany went from disbelief to livid in a hot second. “Who the hell do you think you are? You’re a nobody, got it? You’ve got no right to come in here, yelling and demanding answers. You’re not the boss of me, so back off!”
This verbal smackdown left Kenneth’s head spinning. Then the guy next to Tiffany turned around. Kenneth had thought the man looked familiar from the side, but when he saw his face, it was like he’d seen a ghost.
Kenneth was totally thrown off. He started stuttering like crazy. “Un… Uncle…”
Richard was busy on a call, not really paying attention. But he had never expected that, in less than a minute, his nephew had the nerve to come in acting all tough right in front of him.
“You trying to start something?” Richard asked, giving Kenneth an ice-cold look. He was reading Kenneth like an open book.
Kenneth was shaking like a leaf. No way he’d dare mess with Richard.
Even though Richard was just a few years older, he’d always been the one person that scared the c**p out of Kenneth when they were kids. Richard might seem all chill and logical on the outside, but inside he was stone-cold. He could make someone disappear without leaving a trace.
Richard saw Kenneth back down right away and noticed Tiffany’s wrist looking a bit red. “If you’re not trying to start something, then hands off her. Now.”
Chapter 24
Richard’s face clouded and his domineering vibe cranked up a notch. He was like a stone-cold wall, making everyone feel on edge and struggle to catch their breath.
Quick as lightning, Kenneth pulled his hand away.
Kenneth was about to pipe up, but Richard shot him a death glare and barked, “Beat it!”
Without a fuss, Kenneth took off, tail between his legs.
Sandra, hot on Kenneth’s heels, was rattled to the core by the intense scene. She was sweating bullets, scared stiff that Richard’s fury would come her way next. If it did, she’d be toast before she knew what hit her.
Kenneth and Sandra were just about to make a break for it when Richard’s voice rang ou “Hang on a sec.”
Kenneth and Sandra hit the brakes, giving Richard a look that was half puzzled, half frightened.
Richard, cool as a cucumber, just tossed out, “Your taste in women’s really gone downhill, huh?”
Richard’s comment hung in the air, leaving Kenneth and Sandra puzzled. What exactly was he getting at?
It seemed Richard was taking a jab at Sandra, suggesting that Kenneth had really messed up this time.
Richard didn’t wait for their response. He simply turned on his heel and waltzed into Velvet & Vine with Tiffany in tow. The place was closed for business and off-limits to anyone else. The whole joint was reserved just for them.
Tiffany was over the moon, grinning from ear to ear. She couldn’t take her eyes off Richard, totally star-struck.
‘D**n, Richard’s the real deal, Tiffany thought, completely pumped. ‘One power move and that two-faced Kenneth folded like a cheap suit. Even that snake Sandra didn’t dare put on an act. So freaking awesome!”
Tiffany’s face lit up as she chirped, “So Richard, what are you in the mood for? My treat, so knock yourself out.”
Tiffany nudged the menu Richard’s way, buttering him up with a playful tw**le in her eye.
Richard let out a little chuckle. This girl was in the dark about him owning this place. He decided to keep her in the loop, so he just rattled off a few dishes and handed the menu back.
Tiffany, pretty easy to please, tacked on a couple more dishes that caught her eye.
In no more than ten minutes, the food was out. Tiffany took a bite and couldn’t help but gush. “Wow, this is great! Totally worth the hype.
No wonder this place was always packed to the rafters, even with a tight guest list of just 99 lucky ducks a day.
After they wrapped up dinner, the server brought out some fruit plates and desserts. Tiffany was in the middle of digging in when Richard piped up, “Ever tried archery?”
“Yeah.” Tiffany nodded. “My dad and I were all about it when I was a kid. I was a total tomboy back then, crazy about horses and archery. I’ve been at it for years, and I’ve come a long way.”
Tiffany didn’t see any reason to keep it under wraps. Richard had probably seen her go toe- to-toe with Ged at Nocturne Arena.
Richard nodded, then said, “Alright then, I’ll give you a bow.”
Right on cue, a waiter breezed in, lugging a box. He plopped it on the table and took off, pulling the door shut behind him.
Tiffany drew a blank, not quite following Richard’s drift. But she noticed him motioning with his head for her to check out what was in the box.
After a quick hand cleanup, Tiffany opened the box. She saw a knockout bow and arrow set, decked out in silver with a soft glow. It seemed to be made of a special material – crazy light but hard as rock, even outclassing iron.
With a hint of a grin, Richard chimed in, “They call this one the Galaxy. It’s got it all – power, feather-light, but it means business. I’ve got no use for it, so I figured you should have it.”
Galaxy. What a beautiful name. Tiffany knew she should probably turn it down, but once she got her hands on the bow, it just felt right. Like it was made for her a perfect fit and too good to pass up.
“Thanks a million, Richard!” Tiffany said, accepting the gift with a mix of gratitude and awkwardness.
They were practically strangers, but he’d already stuck his neck out for her a few times, and now he was gifting her this top-notch bow. She promised herself she’d find a way to pay it forward when the opportunity came up.
“Try it,” Richard suggested, pointing to a small ornament on the wall. “See if you can hit that.”
Easy as pie. Tiffany set up the shot, stepped back, and fired away without sk**ng a beat. Just like that, the ornament was down for the count.
Tiffany had dialed it back a notch, otherwise, that arrow would’ve gone right through the wall like a hot knife through butter.
Richard gave Tiffany a nod, clearly impressed. “Nice.”
“Your turn, Tiffany said, her eyes sparkling as she handed over the bow and arrow to Richard. She beamed with excitement.
People said Richard could do it all, so this archery trick would probably be a piece of cake for him.
At that moment, Tiffany had let her guard down completely around Richard. She was starting to see that the top dog wasn’t such a tough nut to c**k after all.
Richard took the bow and arrow, then took a shot at the same target Tiffany had picked. Just like that, he threaded the needle, hitting the figure’s eye in the wall painting. It was a piece of cake for him, and his accuracy blew Tiffany’s out of the water.
Tiffany was blown away, ready to sing Richard’s praises, when he suddenly turned around. The grin was wiped clean off his face, replaced by a look that could freeze hell over. It was like staring down the devil himself.
In the blink of an eye, that deadly arrow was pointed right at her forehead, ready to do some serious damage.
Tiffany’s blood ran cold, and her stomach did a flip. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was just messing with her.
Freaking out, Tiffany couldn’t help but think back to that creepy dream she’d had recently
In it, Richard had found out she was gunning for the Harpers and totally lost it. He’d seized her by the throat, all cold-blooded and stone-faced. The look in his eyes then was a dead ringer for the one he was giving her now.
-Up until now, life had been a cakewalk for Tiffany. But this was her wake-up call that death wasn’t just knocking – it was practically through the door. The reality of it sent shivers down her spine, and she felt like she was walking on thin ice.
just yelp and to spare, Tiffany’s gut took over. She couldn’t think straight or do a thing in a panic, “Richard!”
But Richard didn’t say a word. He just let go of the bowstring, and before she knew it, that arrow was heading right for her forehead.
Chapter 25
For a hot second, Tiffany thought she was a goner. But the lights didn’t go out. Instead of feeling the big ouch, she heard a sharp ping, like two swords crossing.
Tiffany’s eyes flew open to find an arrow and an iron ball right at her feet. When she glanced back, she couldn’t miss the gaping hole smack in the middle of the big window.
That fancy floor-to-ceiling window, meant for guests to soak up the view, had just become some sniper’s golden opportunity.
Tiffany didn’t even want to think about where she’d be if Richard hadn’t come through with that arrow. It gave her the creeps.
“We’re out of here,” Richard said, picking up the bow and arrow and taking Tiffany’s hand. He was all set to make tracks.
Tiffany’s palm was damp with sweat; she was still freaked out by his earlier move. But there hadn’t been time to explain in the rush of the moment. To reassure her, he gently tightened his grip on her hand.
Tiffany’s heart was still pounding. Anyone would be shaken up after that wild ride. She’d even thought Richard was really trying to do her in.
Luckily, it was just a mix-up. But that iron ball had done a number on the thick glass. ‘Was it meant for me, or was Richard the one in the crosshairs?” she thought.
Tiffany asked, “Richard, is someone after you?”
“Since when are you so chummy with my name? he asked, raising an eyebrow, his voice still smooth as honey.
Tiffany rubbed her nose, feeling a bit sheepish. “Well, we’re in the same boat now, right? So maybe we can loosen up a bit?”
She’d play cute when she was trying to butter him up, but usually, she was all formal with his name.
The corners of Richard’s mouth turned up. “Sure thing,” he said. Her voice was easy on the ears, no matter what she called him.
“You’re dodging the question,” Tiffany pressed.
“There are always troublemakers.” Richard shrugged. He’d been dodging bullets for years, after all.
He then gave Tiffany a once-over, his eyes narrowing. “Are you scared?”
Tiffany was caught off guard, sensing there was more to his question. But she just raised the Galaxy bow, putting on the same confident face he always wore. “Scared? Please. They’re just a bunch of losers,” she scoffed.
If anyone tried to mess with her, she’d handle them one at a time.
Richard’s mouth turned up at the corners, his eyes showing a hint of amusement. “Pretty good.”
Her boldness hit the spot with him.
But Tiffany kept mum about her plan to pay him back if she ever got the chance or if he needed her to step up to the plate.
As they left Velvet & Vine, the cold wind made Tiffany realize Richard hadn’t let go of her hand the whole time.
His large, rough hand completely enveloped her small one. Looking down, she noticed his fingers were long and slender, hinting at a life of luxury. But she could feel a thin layer of calluses there, probably from years of practice.
Everyone only saw Richard’s big-shot status, not knowing about all the threats he had to deal with constantly.
Tiffany thought about pulling her hand away but decided against it. He was just trying to keep her safe. In the end, Richard made sure she got home okay himself.
“Hurry inside and get some sleep,” he said.
“Okay.” Tiffany leaned in through the car window before leaving. “Be careful.” She looked at him with genuine concern.
Richard suppressed a smile. This girl seemed to underestimate what he could handle. He nodded anyway. “Don’t worry about it.”
Tiffany then headed inside.
After she left, Richard sat in the car, deep in thought. His expression was a mix of resignation and damusement, especially when he recalled her words: “We’re in the same boat now.”
A faint smile spread across his face. He had to admit that her words had struck a chord with
As for the gutsy troublemaker who nearly took out Tiffany… Richard’s face turned grim as he made a call, his tone now dead serious. “Have you got him? Keep him just this side of alive.”
Then his car quickly disappeared into the night.
Back in her room, Tiffany freshened up and flopped on the bed, but her mind was racing. Everything that went down today felt unreal.
She sat up and gently touched the bow and arrow. This gift is something else, but what could I possibly give in return?’ she sighed silently.
Given Richard’s status and background, he had it all. She’d have to think about that one later. As she carefully put away the bow and arrow, Tiffany happened to spot a necklace in another box. It was pretty simple – a black cord with a small silver crescent moon charm.
This was the necklace she’d worn since she was a kid, which she’d quietly taken off after Kenneth called it tacky.
Now, Tiffany put the necklace back on. She’d always wondered about the little T-shaped mark under the moon, but her parents had been vague, saying it was her mom Thalia’s initial. She had never really bought that explanation.
No point in overthinking it. Tiffany closed her eyes and drifted off.
The next morning, Tiffany had to go to school. Before leaving, she asked Stan, “Hey Uncle Stan, what’s the deal with my bag? Did you forget to buy it?”
“Oh, right! I was tied up yesterday and it slipped my mind. Don’t worry, I’ll grab it today!” Stan laughed nervously.
Tiffany brushed it off. “Never mind. Just give me my money back!”
“Come on, Tiffany, I can’t take your cash. Let’s call it à loan, and I’ll pay you back soon, okay?” Stan tried to negotiate.
“Seriously? Some uncle you are. Just keep the money, if you’re not too ashamed.” Tiffany scoffed, turning and getting in the car.
In a hot minute, she nailed the act of a spoiled little princess.
Yesterday’s move was all part of her plan. She knew Stan would take the money but not follow through on buying the bag.
She was setting Stan up to mess up again. After losing big and getting fired, with his wife always on his case and his daughter only caring about status, Tiffany wondered what Stan might do next in his desperate state.
“Would he try to off us himself? Or hire someone to do the dirty work?’ Tiffany thought with a smirk.
She figured Stan’s next move would be to kidnap her and try to squeeze her dad for ransom.
Chapter 26
As soon as Tiffany took off for school, Stan was left hanging. Her harsh words were still bouncing around in his head while he stood there, thrown for a loop.
To a rich girl like Tiffany, 20 thousand dollars was nothing more than the price of a designer bag. Having it or not made zero difference to her.
But Stan was caught in a living hell. His pipe dreams had gone up in smoke. His wife was breathing down his neck for cash, and his daughter was chewing him out for **ng a fortune while being tight-fisted.
Stan was beating a dead horse trying to explain himself to Selena. The smoking gun was that video clip, and it was the reason Selena wasn’t buying his story.
In it, Stan was caught red-handed shooting his mouth off to two women, promising to splash out on a mansion and fancy cars if they showed him a good time. To Stan, it was just drunk talk, but Selena and Sandra took it as gospel.
Selena wasn’t messing around with her ultimatum. If he wouldn’t pony up the cash in three days, she’d spill the beans to Charlie.
Selena figured if Stan was gonna leave her high and dry, she might as well burn the whole house down. They’d all get kicked to the curb by the Kelleys, but at least Stan wouldn’t get off scot-free
Stan was in denial, refusing to face the music. No way was he gonna let things hit rock bottom! As he chewed it over, a sinister look flashed across his face.
‘Well, my dear niece, you brought this on yourself. Thought you could look down your nose at me and throw money around. to get your way, huh?” Stan mused. Sporting a nasty smirk, he headed out the door.
Since he had a big move planned, he figured he’d better get some backup to keep things from going sideways.
After heading back to campus, Tiffany dove into the planned test.
Most of the questions were recycled from old exams, but with an extra twist to make them tougher. Kenneth was the go-to guy for putting these tests together, and he always nailed it.
But this time, things went off the rails. Kenneth’s computer got hacked. Right under everyone’s noses, the hacked machine was wiped clean. The only thing staring them in the face was a giant “Loser” splashed across the screen in bold black letters,
Everyone cracked up, but Kenneth’s face fell. That dig was obviously meant for him! Getting humiliated in front of the whole crowd was a new low.
Meanwhile, Tiffany was on cloud nine. Heading back to her dorm after lunch, Tiffany ran into Kenneth.
“Was it you who messed with my computer?” he demanded.
“Like I’d know how to do that, Tiffany quipped with a grin. “Shouldn’t you be asking if I’m the one who called you
“Loser?”
Kenneth was furning, wishing he could shake some sense into her. She was so quick on her feet, leaving him speechless with just a few words.
Tiffany hummed and walked on by. But Kenneth couldn’t take a hint and followed her, asking, “What’s going on with you and my uncle? Watch it, the Hampton family isn’t your steppingstone!”
Tiffany let out a deep sigh, not sure how to handle his s**d nonsense.
But Kenneth kept running his mouth, The Hamptons are a big deal, totally out of your reach. Even if you struck out with me, don’t sink this low!”
Tiffany wondered if he was off his rocker. She snorted, “You’ve barely had a sip and you’re acting drunk. Beat it My business with Richard is my own.”
Getting worked up, she added. “Keep this up, and I might just cory up to your uncle for real”
That really ticked Kenneth off. “How dare you be so shameless!” he blurted.
But Tiffany just brushed him off, walking away without a second glance.
Things were pretty chill for a couple of days. But time was running out, and some people were getting antsy, ready to jump the gun. Tiffany couldn’t help grinning to herself.
After class that afternoon, she put on her best sick act and headed to the office. She told the teacher that she didn’t feel great and wanted to head home.
Most people had a soft spot for pretty girls, so the teacher didn’t think twice before saying yes.
After leaving school, Tiffany didn’t rush home. She spent some time browsing a nearby bookstore, picked up two books after about 30 minutes, then headed out
While she was there, one of Stan’s watchdogs called him up. “Boss, that girl you wanted us to keep an eye on just left school What’s next? Should we make our move?”
Stan was thrilled about this news.
With the school being a boarding setup, Stan had been scratching his head about how to get to Tiffany. But now she’d practically gift-wrapped herself by walking out wasn’t this just what he’d been waiting for?
He shot back, “Go for it and knock it out. Don’t worry about the money.”
“Got it, we’ll take care of everything.”
After the call, a van with no plates showed up in a flash.
Tiffany was walking out of the bookstore, lost in her new book, when the van suddenly pulled up right in front of her. The next thing she knew, she was grabbed and yanked inside!
Just like that, Tiffany was gone, with only her books left sc**ed on the ground.
Sandra was picking up some stuff at the school gate and saw the whole thing go down. She was freaked out, her heart pounding like crazy.
Then Kenneth showed up out of nowhere, patting her head. “What are you looking at?” He looked around but didn’t see anything unusual.
Sandra snapped out of it and smiled shyly, “Oh, nothing. Just a cute cat running by.”
They then walked back to class together, looking like the perfect couple. But inside, Sandra was full of spite, thinking, “If Tiffany’s really been kidnapped, I hope she never comes back, ever!
Once hauled into the van, Tiffany put on her best act as a clueless trust fund baby. She bawled her eyes out, looking scared out of her wits.
“My family’s got deep pockets, I mean really deep. Just call my dad, he’ll shell out whatever you ask, just don’t hurt me!” she begged.
Her words were exactly what the kidnappers wanted to hear.
“Hand over the phone!” one of them snapped.
Tiffany passed it to them without missing a beat.
The four kidnappers then called Charlie, following Stan’s script, “We’ve got your daughter. Don’t make waves, bring ten million dollars where we tell you, or she’s done for!”
One of them was about to slap Tiffany to make her cry for Charlle to hear. But before he could, Tiffany started bawling on her own, “Dad, please hurry with the money, I don’t want to die, I’m freaking out!”
Charlie spoiled Tiffany rotten, so hearing this, he was beside himself. He gave in right away, begging, “Don’t hurt my daughter, I get the money together ASAP!”
The call ended way smoother than they’d expected. The kidnappers were feeling pretty c**y, with one saying, “This little hottie’s playing along nicely, made our job a whole lot easier.”
Chapter 27
Tiffany curled up in the van’s corner, too scared to make a noise. She looked like a frightened little rabbit, her big eyes full of tears about to spill over enough to make anyone feel bad for her.
Usually, the kidnappers would tie her up to stop her from running off. But when they got the ropes out, Tiffany started sniffling, “Why are you doing this? I’ve been so good, why do you need to tie me up?”
She was a spoiled rich kid, after all. It made sense she’d be a bit of a crybaby. If her dad came to pay up and saw his precious daughter hurt, he’d make their lives hell
“So…. we just leave her like this? We’ll just lock her up, a fragile little thing like her can’t escape anyway,” one of the kidnappers suggested.
They talked it over and agreed. They just warned her, ‘Be good, don’t try anything stupid!”
Tiffany nodded, looking miserable.
The van smoothly left the city, heading further and further out until it reached a beat-up old factory in the middle of nowhere. This place had food and drinks – obviously the kidnappers’ hideout for now,
Gathering the ransom money would take time, especially since the kidnappers demanded it all in cash to cover their tracks. Getting ten million in bills would take until at least the next day
The kidnappers got out and locked Tiffany up in the factory, with a few of them taking turns keeping watch. If Tiffany even thought about trying to escape, they’d grab her in a heartbeat.
But Tiffany was playing it cool, not even thinking about running off. Instead, she started bossing them around, “Is this what you’re giving me to eat? What kind of junk is this? I’d rather starve!”
She threw a tantrum like a spoiled princess, refusing to eat the cold fast food and pouting in the corner.
The kidnappers looked at each other, totally confused. They didn’t have much here, and they were used to eating simple food without anyone complaining.
But Tiffany was acting like a little queen, not at all like someone who’d been kidnapped.
“If you don’t want to eat, that’s your problem,” one of them said,
“I’d rather die of hunger than eat this! My dad’s coming to get me out tomorrow, and he’ll see his daughter starving. You think you’ll still get that ten million dollars easy peasy?” Tiffany fired back.
It was clear who had the upper hand, and Tiffany was the winner, hands down.
“Fine, Miss Kelley, what do you want to eat? I’ll go grab it now, okay?” someone said.
Without so much as a ‘please” or “thank you”, Tiffany listed off a ton of dishes.
One of the four kidnappers took off to get food for Tiffany, while the other three kept watching her.
Bored silly, Tiffany wandered around the factory, totally ignoring the three guys following her every move. When she came back Trom checking out a corner, she heard banging and kicking from a shipping container.
Tiffany had a gut feeling that someone was inside, all tied up, so she asked, “What’s in there?”
“Oh, nothing, just a sheep we’re gonna b**er. It stinks here, why don’t you go look around somewhere else if you’re bored?” a kidnapper replied.
“Open it up,” Tiffany demanded, raising an eyebrow. Her voice didn’t sound pitiful anymore, but rather bossy.
The kidnappers’ faces darkened. “Don’t push your luck! Just because we’re being nice doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want.
“Oh really?” Tiffany grinned. In one quick move, she grabbed an axe and swung it, breaking the lock off the container door. Before the kidnappers could even blink. Tiffany had already swing the container door open.
A girl came tumbling out, all tied up, landing right at Tiffany’s feet. The girl looked totally shocked, then started trying to talk through her gag, making mu**ed noises at Tiffany.
Tiffany reached out and pulled the cloth out of her mouth.
The girl took a big breath, then started cussing out the kidnappers like there was no tomorrow. “You jerks, kidnapping me, you’ve got some nerve! And you shoved me in this place crawling with roaches! How dare you?”
The kidnappers’ faces got even darker.
This girl was the one they’d nabbed yesterday. And the story behind it was pretty wild.
They were actually after one of her classmates, but when this girl saw her friend getting grabbed, she rolled up her sleeves and charged in like a bull!
It turned out to be four against one. Her classmate managed to hightail it out of there, while this girl ended up taking the fall
The kidnappers shared a look, then all stepped forward together, grabbing ropes to tie Tiffany up.
By now, they didn’t care if this delicate miss got a bit banged up a few bruises were no big deal, the main thing was to stop her from causing any more trouble.
The girl on the ground saw this and got mad as hell. “You jerks, ganging up on one person like that. Hey, knock it off!” She
arms and legs kept her stuck tried to jump in and help, but her tied
Frustrated, she was about to start yelling again when one of the kidnappers went flying, followed by a scream of pain and the sound of bones breaking-
Looking up, she saw Tiffany just standing there, not even breaking a sweat. All these three kidnappers were on the ground, rolling around in pain.
The girl looked at Tiffany like she was some kind of superhero, her guilt turning into total admiration. “Wow, you’re amazing!”
Tiffany chuckled, then went over to untie the girl. “So, how did you end up getting nabbed?”
Embarrassed, the girl began telling the whole story anyway. When she got to the part about her classmate bailing on her and running off, she still felt a bit hurt. The least her friend could’ve done was call for help, instead of leaving her stuck in this dark pit.
“Forget about it, no point bringing that up again. The carefree girl then held out her hand to Tiffany, beaming. “Hey there, my hero, I’m Zoe Steves.”
“Im Tiffany Kelley,” Tiffany said
And just like that, they became friends.
What a wild turn of events Tiffany was just going along with this whole act, but ended up actually saving someone for real.
After getting untied, Zoe looked at the three guys moaning on the ground. “So, what do we do with these jerks?*
“Tie them up.” Tiffany threw the ropes to Zoe, with a little sinirk. Make sure they’re good and tight.”
“On it!” Zoe replied.
Who knows how much Zoe had been through, locked up in here, barely able to breathe. Now that she had a shot at getting even, she grinned like the cat that ate the canary, making the three big guys on the ground shiver in fear.
Chapter 28
This was a classic case of getting too big for their britches. The kidnappers were kicking themselves, realizing how dumb they’d been.
Their kidnapping had gone off without a hitch- they’d grabbed Tiffany easily, thinking she was just some helpless girl. They never thought for a second she could get away from a bunch of big guys like them.
But reality proved they were wrong. Not only could she escape, she could fight like a pro. From the start, Tiffany had just been putting on an act.
The kidnappers tried to fight back, some even tried to run, but Tiffany would knock them around a bit, and pretty soon Zoe had them all tied up good and tight
Zoe looked around, feeling pretty good about how things turned out. She asked Tiffany where the missing kidnapper was, clearly seeing Tiffany as someone she could count on.
Tiffany sat down and broke the news that the other guy wasn’t coming back. This made Zoe feel better, but it totally crushed the three tied-up kidnappers.
They finally got what was going on – Tiffany had been picky about the food on purpose, just to get one of them to leave. They’d been hoping their buddy would come back and save them, but now they knew it was all over. Talk about a lost cause!
“Tiffany, are we leaving now or what?” Zoe asked, not sure of their plan.
“No need to hurry. Someone will be coming to get us,” Tiffany replied calmly.
“Okay, then I’ll go grab a bite,” Zoe said, heading straight for the snacks.
She was so hungry that manners were the last thing on her mind. The factory was a ghost town, but it still had some basic stuff around.
Tiffany sat in the chair, looking over at the captive guys. Out of nowhere, she smiled in a way that gave them the creeps. “Do you know where your friend went?”
“Don’t tell me… you…” They couldn’t finish the sentence, but they all got the same awful idea of what happened.
It was pretty clear what Tiffany meant earlier when she said their buddy wasn’t coming back. There was really only one way to take that he was gone for good.
Tiffany raised an eyebrow. “Okay, let’s be straight here. What did Stan promise you guys! And don’t even try to lie, or you’ll end up just like your friend.”
The kidnappers were so taken aback that she just came right out and named the mastermind. She sounded so sure like she knew everything that was going on.
They looked at each other, scared for their lives. They finally answered quietly, “He gave us 10,000-dollars up front, and said we’d get another 20,000 if we pulled it off.”
Only 30,000 to take my life? What an absurd idea! Tiffany thought, determined to make Stan pay for it.
She then spoke indifferently, “Since you took the money, it’ll be even easier to throw the book at you. Do you guys know how long you could be locked up for kidnapping and trying to extort someone?”
“Miss Kelley, please go easy on us!” they pleaded. “We just were thinking straight for a minute. We promise we’ll never do anything like this again, we swear!”
“Weren’t thinking straight for a minute? What a convenient excuse, Tiffany sneered inwardly.
They’d gotten greedy and kidnapped someone for money, doing some pretty awful stuff, and now they thought they could just write it off. As if it was that simple to make this all go away.
Tiffany smirked. “If broken promises were dollars, you’d be billionaires by now,” she mocked.
“But listen,” she changed gears. I’ll give you push those kidnapping charges.”
a shot at making things right. Just do exactly what I say from now on, and I won’t
“Of course, Miss Kelley. Whatever you want, we’ll do it!” The kidnappers nodded eagerly, totally missing how Tiffany had just gotten them to dance to her tune with just a few words.
Zoe tossed a bag of chips to Tiffany with a smile. “Here, Tiffany, try these. This flavor should be pretty good.”
“Thanks, Tiffany said, taking the bag. Then she suddenly asked. Hey Zoe, are you any good at doing makeup?”
Zoe blinked in surprise. “Huh? Yeah, I can do makeup.”
“Great. Finish eating and then let’s get started,” Tiffany said mysteriously.
The clock struck 8 PM. Tiffany had been in the kidnappers’ clutches for over four hours now.
As soon as Charlie got the call from the kidnappers, he canceled all his work and rushed to the bank, frantically trying to withdraw ten million dollars in cash.
But this was a huge amount of money. Just counting all that cash would take a while, and the bank didn’t even have that much on hand right now.
Charlie was really worried about his daughter, but he was afraid to make any noise about it because the kidnappers had threatened to kill her if he did. So he kept the whole thing quiet, not even telling Thalia and Eric what was going on.
Seeing Charlie pacing back and forth worriedly, Owen tried to calm him down. Try not to stress too much. If they’re after money, they won’t dare hurt Tiffany. What we need to focus on now is getting the cash together as fast as we can.”
“Do you think someone’s trying to get at me by going after Tiffany?” Charlie asked.
It made sense to him, considering how this happened right when the bidding project was having problems. Maybe someone was trying to scare him.
Owen almost said out loud that the real troublemaker was actually Stan, the one Charlie was protecting. Otherwise, why would Tiffany put herself in danger like that? But before he could say anything, his phone started ringing
Owen looked at who was calling and quietly stepped out of Charlie’s office. “Hey Tiffany, are you okay? Is everything going alright? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”
“I’m fine, Uncle Owen, Tiffany answered, sounding pretty relaxed.
Owen was the only one who knew what was really going on with Tiffany’s kidnapping.
When they first came up with this plan, he was totally against it, worried about her safety. In the end, he reluctantly agreed but only after he put a tracker on her phone to keep her safe.
As for that kidnapper who went out to buy food and never came back? Owen had actually arranged for someone to get him under control.
Tiffany gave Owen the green light, whispering. “Uncle Owen, it’s go time.”
“Alright, but watch your step!” Owen cautioned.
The call didn’t end there. Owen took a breather to get his game face on, then barged into Charlie’s office, looking excited. “Charlie, you’ll never guess who just rang me up. It’s Tiffany!” he hollered.
Chapter 29
As soon as Charlie heard it, he shouted, “Give it to me!” and s*ed the phone from Owen’s hand. All he could think about was whether Tiffany was safe-he didn’t stop to wonder why she had called Owen instead of him.
“Tiffany, is that you? Where are you?” Charlie asked, his voice thick with concern.
“Dad. Tiffany’s voice was weak, barely a whisper.
The moment Charlie heard her, his eyes filled with tears, and his hand holding the phone began to tremble. “Sweetheart, are you okay? Are you hurt? Where are you? I’ll come get you right now!”
“Dad, the kidnappers stepped out to smoke, so I got a chance to call you. It’s Stan who kidnapped me!” Tiffany’s voice was raspy, as if she’d been hurt. Then, she broke down into sobs. “I don’t know where I am. Dad, I’m so scared, please come get me!”
Charlie’s heart shattered, while Owen, standing nearby, caught every word of Tiffany’s plea. If he hadn’t just spoken to her earlier, he might have believed she was truly injured. ‘She’s quite the actress, Owen thought to himself.
But Owen hadn’t forgotten his mission. He quickly said, “I’ll get someone to trace Tiffany’s phone rightaway. As soon as we have an address, we’ll go get her!”
“Yeah, yeah, right?” Charlie responded, his mind spinning. He couldn’t wrap his head around the idea that Stan bad kidnapped Tiffany, but she had just told him that herself.
Tiffany must have guessed Charlie might doubt her, so as soon as she hung up, she started a video call. Charlie hurried to answer it.
In the video, Tiffany quickly hid the phone, leaving only the camera showing. She whispered, “Dad, mute your phone so they don’t hear you.”
Before Charlie could reply, there was a loud bang in the video-the sound of a heavy iron door being kicked open.
When Tiffany heard the bang, she curled up in the corner, hugging her knees, terror written all over her face. Three vicious looking kidnappers barged through the door, their menacing figures captured by the video.
One of them stepped forward and kicked Tiffany, snarling, “What’s your old man up to? Why hasn’t he sent the money yet? Does he not care about saving you?”
“No, no!” Tiffany shook her head frantically, clearly terrified. “My dad will save me, he will. But can you tell me why Stan would kidnap me? I can’t believe it-he’s family!”
No sooner had she spoken than she got another brutal kick.
One of the kidnappers growled, “Who said Stan kidnapped you? Don’t go making things up!”
“Damn it, she must’ve overheard us when we were on the phone! What are we gonna do? If the boss finds out, we’re not getting paid,” another kidnapper muttered.
The kidnappers huddled together, whispering furiously. Finally, they decided to force Tiffany into silence, no matter what it took. The video call ended abruptly with Tiffany’s screams echoing in the background,
Charlie was shaking with rage. As a father, watching his daughter being treated like this was unbearable. “Star, you ba**rd!” he hissed through gritted teeth.
Just then, Owen burst in, panic in his voice. “The signal’s cut off Is something wrong with Tiffany phone? We can’t trace her location. What do we do?”
Charlie’s eyes blazed with fury, his expression terrifying. He spat out, “I know someone who knows exactly where she is!”
Without another word, Charlie stormed out of the office, heading straight home, with Owen close on his heels.
The bank where Charlie was withdrawing cash just happened to be owned by the Hampton family. That evening, as Richard finished work and drove home, he passed by the bank. Casually, he asked, “Are they working late? What’s going on?”
“Yes, Mr. Hampton,” his assistant, sitting in the passenger seat, quickly replied. “The Kelley Group called this evening, saying they needed to withdraw ten million dollars in cash, so the staff had to stay late to handle it.”
Usually, news like this wouldn’t catch Richard’s attention. But the word “Kelley” immediately piqued his interest. He asked. “Did you mean the Kelley family?”
“Yes. The assistant nodded.
“Why are they taking out that much money?” Richard’s voice remained as cold and detached as ever, giving nothing away. The assistant was a bit taken aback-he couldn’t understand why Richard would care about something like this. But he still answered. “I’m sorry, Mr. Hampton, I’m not sure of the reason. I’ll find out right away.”
Three minutes later, the assistant had the answer. “Mr. Hampton, it seems Charlie Kelley’s daughter has been kidnapped. The kidnappers are demanding ten million dollars as ransom.”
“What did you just say?” Richard’s expression darkened instantly
The atmosphere in the car grew frigid, and the assistant felt a wave of nervousness. It had been a long time since he’d seen Richard this angry.
“Find out where she is. I want to know her exact location, Richard ordered.
“Yes, sir!” the assistant responded immediately.
The black sedan pulled over to the side of the road. Richard stared at the neon lights outside, his mind ddenly flashing back to the smile Tiffany had given him at the restaurant entrance that day. He remembered her saying, “Now we’re in this together, we have to look out for each other!”
Just as Tiffany had said, Richard had made up his mind. He was going to protect her, no matter what it took.
As he was lost in thought, the assistant’s voice broke through. “Mr. Hampton, I’ve got the information!”
In the Cedar Ridge Villa, Stan was savoring a glass of fine red wine. The thought of getting his hands on a huge sum of money by tomorrow filled him with glee.
The kidnappers he’d hired were seasoned professionals, checking in with him every two hours. To stay safe, Stan never showed his face, giving all his orders over the phone.
“Everything’s going so smoothly, it’s like the universe is on my side. But I should give them a call, remind them to keep an eye on that brat, just in case, Stan thought, setting down his wine glass. But just as he was about to make the call, he heard the sound of a car pulling up outside.
He knew it was Charlie returning home, but he had no intention of greeting him. Stan was afraid his expression might give something away. What he didn’t expect was for Charlie to suddenly kick the door open with a loud bang and storm in.
Stan jumped, about to lash out, when Charlie’s furious voice cut through the air. “Where’s Tiffany?”
“Charlie, what are you talking about? Tiffany has classes today; she’s probably at school, isn’t she? Why are you–” Stan didn’t even finish his sentence before Charlie punched him square in the gut.
“Tell me, where’s my daughter?” Charlie roared, his voice filled with rage. “Stan, how could you kidnap Tiffany? She’s your niece! And have you forgotten all I’ve done for you? You old b**rd!“
Fueled by fury, Charlie yelled as he relentlessly beat Stan, each punch landing like a blow of vengeance for Tiffany.
Chapter 30
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Charlie. Honestly, until you mentioned Tiffany was kidnapped, I didn’t know anything had happened to her. I have nothing to do with this. You can’t just accuse me like that. Why do you think it was me? Haven’t you considered that someone might be trying to frame me?” Stan denied it all, hoping that if he held his ground, Charlie might start to doubt himself.
What he didn’t expect was for Owen to suddenly walk in, dragging a man and throwing him down at Stan’s feet.
“When I got out of the car, I noticed someone lurking in the shadows. I suspected he might be connected to the kidnappers, so I decided to test him and I was right!” Owen explained,
The man was one of the kidnappers, the one who had been caught after taking the van out, Owen had threatened him into playing along, so the man now blurted out, “Boss, how could you go back on your word? You promised us 500 thousand dollars for our trouble!”
Stan’s eyes widened in shock, and he snapped, “When did I ever say that? I clearly told you 30 thousand dollars!”
The moment the words left his mouth, Stan realized he’d slipped up. He turned to look at Charlie, only to see Charlie’s face darken with a cold fury. The trust between them was shattered beyond repair.
“No, Charlie, it’s not like that, I-Stan stammered, desperate to explain.
‘T’ll ask you one more time: where is my daughter?” Charlie’s voice was icy.
Before Stan could respond, the kidnapper, still trembling on the floor, quickly spoke up. “I know! I’ll take you to her!”
At that moment, in the abandoned factory, Tiffany stretched and got up from the floor. The bruises on her face and arms were nothing more than makeup, carefully applied with lipstick She hadn’t actually been beaten; it was all part of an act with the kidnappers.
Tiffany glanced at the three kidnappers crouching on the ground and said, “You all played your parts well”
“Miss Kelley, we made sure not to hurt you!” The three men, catching her gaze, quickly defended themselves.
Actually, while they were acting with Tiffany earlier, the three kidnappers briefly considered taking the opportunity to tie her up for real. But with Zoe standing nearby holding a power drill, they didn’t dare make a move.
Earlier, while Tiffany was applying her makeup, she had explained the whole plan to Zoe. Upon hearing it, Zoe couldn’t help but curse, “Gosh, your uncle is a real piece of work!”
Tiffany checked the time, figuring that Owen and Charlie would arrive any minute. She quickly instructed Zoe to tie her up again, making it look like she was still being held captive. Zoe tied the ropes using a loose knot that Tiffany could easily undo with a tug, just in case the kidnappers decided to try anything
Tiffany had planned everything down to the last detail. Next, she would continue to act as though she’d been mistreated, ensuring that Charlie’s hatred for Stan would deepen. Then, Owen would present the contract that Stan had signed earlier, exposing all of his schemes. Once Charlie realized that Stan had not only embezzled company funds but also kidnapped Tiffany, there would be no chance of forgiveness.
As her plan neared success, Tiffany smiled at Zoe and said, “You’ve really been a huge help.”
“You saved my life, so of course I’m going to help you,” Zoe replied with a grin.
The three kidnappers, terrified after being beaten, got to their feet, ready to continue pretending they were mistreating Tiffany. Just then, the sound of a car engine roared from outside
Zoe quickly hid, while the three kidnappers, their expressions now menacing, advanced toward Tiffany, who put on a helpless act.
Suddenly, the factory doors were kicked open, and a man burst in. When Tiffany saw who it was, she was shocked. She hadn’t expected Richard.
“What are you doing here?” Tiffany asked, surprised.
Richard’s eyes narrowed as soon as he saw the bruises on her. Anger surged through him, and he seemed more intimidating than ever. Without a second thought, he charged at the three kidnappers and started beating them mercilessly.
The kidnappers quickly realized that Richard’s punches were even more powerful than Tiffany’s had been. They were in so much pain they couldn’t even muster the strength to scream.
Tiffany hurried forward, grabbing Richard’s arm. “Stop, I’m okay. These injuries-they’re all fake. The kidnappers were just playing along with me.”
Richard paused, looking at her with disbelief. “Are you serious?”
“Absolutely!” Tiffany nodded frantically. To convince him, she grabbed his hand and pressed it against her face. “Feel it- these bruises are just lipstick, they’re fake!”
As Richard touched her face, he felt a flutter in his chest, but he kept his composure, asking skeptically, “Why would you fake these injuries?”
Tiffany had no choice but to explain the entire plan to him, then urged, “You need to leave, now. Don’t mess up my plan!” Richard frowned, taken aback. He had come all this way to rescue her, only to be told to leave.