Ch. 2061..2070

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2061

The presidential suite was fitted with two bedrooms and a living room. Joan and Nancy could each have a room, while Caiden and Jaden comfortably occupied the living room.

“I apologize in advance, Joan,” Caiden said easily before gently rolling up her shirt.

He was horrified by the sight that greeted his eyes. Joan's entire back was swollen and red, with blood still oozing from several gashes. Caiden felt as if his heart had been caught in his throat. What sort of cold-blooded people are they? How could they have abused her like this!

He was livid. It made Caiden wonder at the amount of inner strength and courage that Joan possessed. No ordinary person could have endured such agony being inflicted upon them.

How fortunate that I happened to pass by! Caiden thought, shuddering. The odds were far too slim for his liking. What if I hadn't? Would Joan have died?

“What's wrong, Caiden?” Joan asked meekly, sensing his hesitation.

“Huh? Oh, it's nothing... I'm fine. This might sting a little, so bear with me,” Caiden hurriedly replied. He picked up the medicine and gently applied it onto Joan's back.

The sheer number of wounds on her back made rubbing it in little by little impossible and would have taken far too long. Caiden thus smeared a large amount onto Joan's back all at once and evenly spread it.

A groan escaped from Joan's lips. Caiden felt her stiffen almost instantly beneath his fingers.

“Does it hurt?” Caiden immediately paused and looked at Joan anxiously. He heart ached in sympathy.

“I'm fine! Please go ahead. I'm sorry to trouble you,” Joan replied. She shut her eyes tightly and clenched her jaw in resolve to endure the pain.

This was Gabriella's lesson to Joan, which she would have no choice but to bear the consequences of. Joan was determined to remember every bit of this humiliation and the cruelty that Gabriella had shown her.

Every bit of raw flesh that Caiden's fingertips gingerly touched, however, weighed immeasurably upon him. He felt laden with a mixed feeling of anguish and remorse.

Caiden blamed himself for not having arrived earlier to defend Joan from her assailant. He felt guilty for not confessing his feelings for her all those years ago, choosing to leave the country altogether instead. Caiden believed that Joan's suffering today was indirectly a result of his absence. I should have been by her side protecting her! Caiden fumed, gnashing his teeth in frustration.

“Joan, can you tell me how you got injured?” Caiden abruptly asked.

What should I tell him? Joan fretted. She hung her head for a moment, then answered slowly, “It was from the abduction.”

That's impossible! Caiden reflected. Kidnappers usually held their victims hostage for money. From the looks of it, the vicious manner with which Joan's abductor had treated Joan clearly displayed a personal vendetta.

“Joan, I think she was out to kill you,” Caiden muttered in a low voice.

At his words, Joan froze.

She hadn't expected this charming, kindhearted, but clearly naive youth to be quite so perceptive.

Indeed, after Gabriella had discovered that Joan was in a relationship with Larry, she had set out on her bloodthirsty mission to root Joan out and destroy her.

“You can't make baseless claims like that. There's no evidence,” Joan informed Caiden hastily.

“Aren't these wounds evidence enough?” Caiden retorted hotly, righteous indignation rising within him.

Joan knew, however, that she couldn't prove that this was the work of Gabriella. There were no audio files or visual recordings of the events that had occurred.

“It doesn't matter. Let's continue,” Joan replied evenly, then lapsed back into silence.

Even though Joan had not expressly revealed her feelings, Caiden could discern from her troubled expression that she, too, had her suspicions.

“I'll handle the wounds on my leg,” Joan said feebly after a moment.

Caiden marveled at her obstinacy. He'd already been exposed to Joan's entire bareback. Why is she suddenly so being so bashful about her legs?

“It's fine. Just rest for now. Don't worry, I won't dare take advantage of you,” Caiden reassured her in a slightly teasing tone.

There was nothing much Caiden to do to Joan now, even if he wanted to, given the extent of her wounds. Besides, the thought of harming a woman, especially when she couldn't fend for herself, would never even have crossed the mind of a gentleman like Caiden.

“It wouldn't be proper. I'll just...” Joan trailed off, her voice faltering. She stood up and hurried away to fetch the medicine.

“Joan, there's no one else here! Besides, who cares?” Caiden argued, feeling slightly annoyed.

Joan's sudden show of modesty seemed both illogical and impractical to Caiden. He couldn't fathom how Joan would rather inconvenience herself than allow Caiden to help her. In this aspect, Caiden preferred the frankness of the people he'd met overseas. Instead of worrying about superficial things such as their image and reputation, they were more concerned with sorting out their feelings and achieving peace of mind. Caiden found his own countrymen's preoccupation with preserving an untarnished image, at the expense of their own wellbeing, both frustrating and foolish.

“All right.” Unable to counter Caiden's reasoning, Joan finally gave in. She reluctantly sat back down again.

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Joan had acquiesced partly also due to her instinctive feeling that Caiden harbored no ill intentions. Besides, they had been schoolmates once, after all. It was the latter fact that made Joan feel a sense of shared intimacy with Caiden. Even now, he was proving himself to be a considerate, well-mannered fellow.

“Can't you tell me?” Caiden suddenly continued, picking up from where they had left off before the conversation had unraveled.

Joan hesitated. The expression on her face, however, softened gradually.

A million thoughts raced through her mind. Where do I begin? Joan reflected. Everything had begun ages before Caiden had even stepped into the picture. There was no use in involving Caiden in matters irrelevant to him. Besides, Joan was afraid that if she revealed the whole truth to Caiden, it might even trigger his anger towards her.

It would be far better to keep Caiden in the dark and maintain the status quo. Joan thus said nothing in response.

“All right. Even if you refuse to tell me anything, I'll find out on my own,” Caiden declared, undaunted.

Why is he so interested in finding out? Joan thought in alarm. There was no discernible relationship between Caiden and Joan that reasonably compelled that level of investment on time and energy. This moment of closeness had been due more to coincidence than any lasting affection, or so Joan thought.

“What do you want to find out?” Joan pressed urgently.

“Who bullied, kidnapped, and then threatened you,” Caiden replied blandly.

Joan felt her heart flutter, moved by Caiden's seemingly unexpected concern. She had no idea that she had been the object of Caiden's affections all this while.

Joan was nonetheless grateful for Caiden's unforeseen aid. If it hadn't been for his intervention, she would doubtless still be languishing under Gabriella's torment now.

However, Joan concealed her emotions from Caiden and stated mechanically, “There's no need for that. It's all over now.”

How can she let something like this go so easily? What on earth is she thinking? Caiden bristled. Anyone in their sane mind would have been able to draw the conclusion that there must be a reason behind all of this. If Joan's abductor had gone to such great lengths to hold her, the entire operation must have undergone quite a season of planning. Caiden could not comprehend how Joan could dismiss that fact so easily.

Another thought struck him like a bolt of lightning. Perhaps Joan wasn't waving it off but doing her utmost to evade it.

“I don't want to talk about this anymore. I feel very tired now,” Joan said meaningfully.

It was part of the truth anyway. Joan was indeed weary of replaying the scene of Gabriella vehemently kicking and punching her. Even more, Joan did not want to dwell on the fact that Nancy had been violently abused by Gabriella on Joan's account as well.

It had all happened because of her, and she still could not bring herself to confront that fact. Joan didn't even know for certain how Nancy was faring or if she'd even managed to regain consciousness yet. Even more significantly, Joan dared not think about the fate of the child in Nancy's belly. Joan felt a rising tide of consternation surge within her and struggled to quell it.

“How's Nancy? Has she woken up yet?” Joan turned to face Caiden, gazing at him intently.

“Don't worry, Nancy's fine. My friend's taking care of her,” Caiden replied soothingly.

Caiden felt another wave of affection for Joan. Even when she was hurt and in danger, her friend's safety still featured prominently in Joan's mind.

She was exactly as Caiden remembered. The beautiful, innocent girl with who he had fallen in love all those years ago still stood before him now, unchanged.

If Joan hadn't extended a helping hand to Caiden then, he might not have had the privilege of getting to know her in this lifetime. For that, Caiden counted himself as unbelievably lucky.

Perhaps it was fate that Caiden had somehow managed to stumble upon Joan at this juncture.

“I'm glad she's OK,” Joan mumbled in return.

Joan evidently did not intend to tell Caiden anything of note.

Caiden decided not to pursue the matter. Since Joan had made up her mind, further interrogating her would only cause her to resent him.

“Stay here for a few days. Your kidnappers will be hunting for you everywhere, so don't step out for now. After the dust has settled, I'll send you home,” Caiden offered in a gentler tone.

Caiden was right. Once she'd sunk her teeth into something, Gabriella wasn't one to be shaken off that easily. Once she realized that Joan had escaped, Gabriella would immediately be hot on her heels, tirelessly surveying and searching for Joan. Joan was all too familiar with the ruthless persistence that Gabriella had.

“Where's your best friend? Why don't you get her to help you? Isn't she rather wealthy?” Caiden suddenly probed.

Best friend? Joan thought, bemused. She shook her head resignedly. All of that had come to an end long ago.

“I don't have a best friend,” Joan answered soberly.

What? Caiden was taken aback by this sudden revelation. He could clearly remember Joan being inseparable from another girl back in college. The pair were always seen together, whether studying, taking part in activities, or going on vacations. Joan and she had been so close that they were virtually indistinguishable then.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2063

Caiden wondered if the two had naturally grown apart once each had had families of their own.

“It doesn't matter. Most college students don't stay in touch with their friends after graduation. We're all going on our separate paths in life, after all...” Caiden rambled, attempting to fill the awkwardness that had descended on them.

Joan, however, knew well enough where the heart of the matter lay.

Whenever Joan used to fantasize about her dream wedding, she'd always pictured Gabriella as her sole bridesmaid. However, things had taken a sudden turn when Gabriella had fallen in love with Joan's husband.

“Jory...” Nancy moaned. She lay on the bed with her eyes shut, her mind wandering.

“Hey, wake up, hey...” Jaden said, gently patting Nancy's arm.

Nancy, however, made no response.

“Don't hit me! I'm begging you. I'm pregnant! Don't hurt my child,” Nancy whimpered, waving her arms weakly. Her forlorn expression stirred up the pity in Jaden's heart as he stood by Nancy's bed watching her.

He couldn't help but wonder what crosses Nancy had to bear. He could not imagine what horrors she'd witnessed that were so unendurable they'd even spilled over into her dreams.

“Hey, wake up!” Jaden raised his voice and nudged Nancy a little more forcefully this time.

“Who are you? What are you doing? Where am I? Why are you here?” Nancy babbled. She startled awake, sitting up violently.

Jaden couldn't quite stifle the giggle that burst out of him.

Even when Nancy clearly wasn't intending to be, Jaden found her reactions endearing.

“Let me answer your questions one by one. I'm Jaden, a friend of Caiden. You're safe in a hotel. Caiden and I rescued you and Joan from a pitch-dark room,” Jaden replied patiently.

So he was the one who saved Joan and I! Nancy realized with a flood of relief.

“Where's Joan? How is she?” Nancy asked fervently, clutching Jaden's arm tightly.

“Don't worry. She's doing just fine. You'll have to stay here for a few days, though. The hotel's being watched now, so you might be discovered if you try to leave,” Jaden advised Nancy in a reassuring tone.

“What are you doing? Where did those people in the room go, then? Did they fly away?” Gabriella spat at two of her men, who had been diligently spying on the door of the room. She could feel her stomach knotted up in rage.

Why did I hire such useless punks? Gabriella seethed in despair. The only thing they're good for is taking money from me! They've done absolutely nothing so far.

“I'm asking you a question! What? Have all of you suddenly gone dumb?” Gabriella roared.

The two men meekly hung their heads, looking like a couple of convicted criminals.

“Ms. Ward, we haven't left our spot for a single instant. We don't know where they could have vanished too either,” One of the men volunteered faintly.

What did he mean by that? Was he trying to insinuate that I'm being unreasonable? Gabriella sneered as she straightened her back and faced the two men squarely.

“Sure. Tell me, then, what should we do now that they're nowhere to be seen?” Gabriella demanded.

The two men exchanged glances. Helplessness flashed across their eyes.

“We can check the surveillance tapes in the hotel.” One of them ventured tentatively.

Gabriella had to admit that it was a surprisingly sound idea. “Go on, then! What are you waiting for?” she hollered.

The two men visibly trembled in fear as they cowered before Gabriella.

“Hey, you can't just look at our surveillance footage. We have to get the consent of our manager first...” The supervisor of the security control room quickly broke in.

“Get lost! You'd better not stand in my way. If you insist, I'll get rid of you in the nastiest manner possible,” Gabriella threatened meanly. She took a menacing step towards the supervisor, who shrank back and quickly retreated a few steps.

The supervisor rapidly took stock of the situation. He almost instantly came to the conclusion that self-preservation was of utmost priority. There'd be time enough to make all the reports he wanted after this crew of ruffians had departed.

“Have you found anything?” Gabriella asked through gritted teeth.

How dare you escape from me! Gabriella cursed Joan inwardly. How could she have even managed to flee in that state? It's practically a miracle, Gabriella pondered. She almost admired the wits and determination that journey must have taken.

“You'd better hurry up. My patience is almost used up,” Gabriella announced chillingly.

The men could not comprehend how this woman had managed to strike such terror in them. However, they had never met such a callous woman in their lives. They obeyed Gabriella as if by instinct.

“Ms. Ward, we've already reviewed the tapes in the security control room, but...” One of the men began, but his voice died away on his lips.

“But what!” Gabriella shrieked at the top of her lungs. Quite a number of doors opened and a few guests peered out, evidently displeased by the ruckus.

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“There's a crazy bitch yapping outside! She has no sense of propriety at all!”

“Eh, forget her. Let's just go to sleep. If she doesn't want to sleep, that's her business. If she goes overboard, we'll call the police,” a couple murmured faintly to themselves in the distance. The doors soon shut after a while.

“Ms. Ward, the footage has been erased,” the man timidly replied in a small voice.

Alas, the surveillance tapes had been doctored. Gabriella's plans were momentarily thrown into disarray. Wait a moment. I've practically disabled both Nancy and Joan! It's impossible that they could have accomplished so much within such a short period of time. Unless... they got help! Realization dawned upon Gabriella.

The heart of the enigma remained, however. Who were they getting help from? And where had they gotten the key? Gabriella had confirmed that there were two keys to the room in total. One was with the receptionist while Gabriella held the other in her hand. There had been no visible damage to the door or the lock. The only reasonable deduction Gabriella could draw from this fact was that Joan and Nancy's aid had gotten the key from the receptionist.

“Quick, go to the front desk. They're going to change shifts soon. We have to seek out the receptionist who worked the front desk at that time!” Gabriella raged.

The two men sprinted out of the security control room as if their lives depended on it.

“What do you mean? I don't understand what you're saying,” the receptionist said, frowning in response to the harried demands of the two men standing before her.

“Come on. Are you saying that no one came to take the key?” the men yelled, unleashing all the fear and anger he'd kept pent up within him from enduring Gabriella's abuse.

The receptionist's no-nonsense face immediately grew white with rage.

She had no clue what these two madmen were going on about. The receptionist took pride in her professionalism and would never have handed the key to any stranger who demanded it. After all, the hotel greatly valued the privacy of its guests.

“Forget it. You won't be able to get anything out of her,” Gabriella scoffed, sauntering over.

The two men whirled around and looked at her in bewilderment.

“Ms. Ward, what do you mean by that?” they asked curiously.

Gabriella almost boiled over with exasperation. Utterly disregarding her pathetic lackeys, she walked up to the receptionist and inquired politely, “Hello, may I ask who the receptionist on duty was just now?” The two men gaped in astonishment. They'd never heard such a gentle tone issuing from Gabriella before.

“Oh, were you referring to her? Her shift already ended, and she should be home by now. She'll be coming back to work tomorrow morning if you can wait until then,” the receptionist responded with equal courtesy.

“Sure, thank you,” Gabriella replied. She turned and walked away, beckoning for the two men to follow.

“I strongly suspect that those two bitches are still within the premises. Tonight, no matter what, I want you to thoroughly search every room,” Gabriella said confidingly to the two men once they were out of the receptionist's earshot.

“Got it. All right, we'll do as you say, then,” the two men willingly assented.

Having thus agreed, the three of them proceeded on their separate ways.

Nancy and Joan's disappearance had left behind a whirl of turmoil in its wake.

“It's all because of you, Larry! How many things have happened ever since you got married to Joan? Those that I can recall offhand are already far too many to count!” Jory said, glowering.

Jory's outrage, however, was perfectly reasonable, given that his wife had suddenly gone missing without a trace.

“Calm down, Jory. Let's put our heads together and come up with a plan. There's no use you kicking up a fuss. It'll only waste more valuable time,” Larry explained.

Where's his presence of mind? Doesn't Jory have any sense at all? Larry wondered disdainfully to himself. At a time like this, shouldn't he be finding ways to solve the problem instead of assigning blame?

Larry shook his head, heaving a sigh of despondency. It baffled him as to why Nancy even bothered fraternizing with such a pathetic bunch.

“Fine, what do you say we should do, then? Where should we start looking?” Jory taunted, leering at Larry.

They had last seen Nancy at the fashion boutique. Larry guessed that Rune was aware of something, at least. He had been consistently denying everything, however. It was outrageously evident that Rune was covering up for Gabriella. Larry cracked his knuckles, the cogs in his mind turning feverishly.

Rune hadn't been lying. He'd told Larry and Jory that Nancy had been to his boutique and that he'd personally seen her off onto her ride. Both of these facts were true. What Rune was blissfully oblivious to was that the car Nancy had been traveling on was hijacked by Gabriella's gang of ruffians.

“I think we can make use of Rune to convey a message to Gabriella,” Larry said thoughtfully.

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Jory burst out into peals of snide laughter.

Does Larry take Rune for a fool? Does he really think that he'll be willing to give up the woman he loves just to help you? Jory thought contemptuously.

“In the recording, Nancy did give him some food for thought. I think Rune's a reasonable guy. He's not a bastard. He wouldn't want anything to happen to Gabriella either, so I think we can take advantage of this,” Larry analyzed.

Jory had to grudgingly admit that Larry had made a valid point. Rune's heart was still soft-hearted at his core, and he did have a set of morals he adhered to. Defending Gabriella was Rune's greatest struggle.

“Rune, if you really love Gabriella, then don't let her continue in her wicked ways. You know what she's capable of. The moment she fixates on something, it's impossible to tear her away from it. You're the only one who can change her,” Larry cajoled.

What the hell is he talking about? Obviously, this idiot is not aware that the only person in the world who can make a dint on Gabriella's heart of steel is himself.

Gabriella loved Larry in her own wicked way, and Rune was perfectly aware of that. It was this knowledge that kept him ensnared, however, quite unable to let go. As a result, Rune had been dragged into various evil deeds as a result of this twisted love.

To Larry's surprise, however, Rune was unexpectedly firm. “I don't want to have anything to do with Gabriella anymore. Please don't approach me about her anymore,” Rune declared solemnly.

Have Rune and Gabriella broken up? Why has it happened all of a sudden? Larry wondered. It seemed unbelievable. Rune had always been perfectly smitten with Gabriella. How could he have given her up just like that?

“Did you and Gabriella...” Jory began, then paused. His face twitched as he struggled to think of a delicate way to phrase the question on both his and Larry's mind.

“I won't have any more contact with Gabriella in the future. I'm already seeing someone else at the moment. Besides, I don't wish to get involved in your affairs any longer. I don't understand what goes on in your wealthy circles, and I don't care to know either,” Rune added decisively.

Larry guessed that Gabriella had finally broken Rune's heart once and for all.

Rune had, in fact, made this decision after he'd found out that Gabriella had kidnapped Nancy.

He had offered Gabriella numerous chances to repent, even committing dirty deeds on her behalf to prove his sincerity to her. In the end, however, Rune's efforts had ultimately remained futile. Wearied, Rune's tolerance had finally reached its end.

Love was a most curious thing. Once bitten, one could do absolutely nothing but to accept what fate had in store. Rune was thus determined to wait no longer nor push fruitlessly for something that wasn't destined to be. Instead, he would practice acceptance. It was a much more peaceful way of living.

“Can you bear to let Gabriella go, though? Isn't she the woman you love the most?” Larry pressed.

He wondered skeptically if Rune had merely said this to deflect Larry and Jory's intense questioning.

Rune, unfortunately, was earnest in his resolve. “I'm sorry, if there's nothing else, I'll be closing for the day. I'm picking my girlfriend up after work,” he announced, turning and hurrying away.

So it's true! Larry mused, looking at Rune's departing figure. Beside him, Jory shook his head in resignation and heaved a long sigh.

If Gabriella already had a man who was so deeply in love with her, why did she have to choose Larry instead? Furthermore, why did she have to resort to such despicable tactics? What on earth is Gabriella thinking?

Does she really love Larry? Countless questions clamored in Jory's mind. The worst outcome would be for Gabriella to finally snag Larry, only to realize that all her labor was in vain. Gabriella had been so obsessed with Larry, not out of love, but because of jealousy. After all her maneuvers, however, Gabriella had ended up losing the only man who loved her.

“All right. Let's leave too, then,” Jory said helplessly, walking out of the fashion boutique.

...

Back at the hotel, Gabriella's men were industriously checking each room. Joan and Nancy, meanwhile, were still holed up in Caiden's.

Nancy had begun experiencing feelings of claustrophobia. It was purely fear that confined her to her room.

“Joan, when can we get out of here?” Nancy wheedled, sulking as she paced the room.

“It'll just be another few days, Nancy. Just bear with it, OK? It's for our safety. I'm fine, but I can't let anything happen to you,” Joan replied as she ruffled Nancy's hair.

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“Look at that. What an image of sisterhood,” Jaden proclaimed as he walked into the room, placing the bags he was carrying aside.

“What did you buy? Are there snacks in there?” Nancy asked excitedly, her eyes dancing with anticipation.

“Of course. How could I not have gotten your favourite?” Jaden replied proudly. He fished out an enormous bag of assorted snacks and tossed it over to Nancy.

Even while pregnant, Nancy radiated a disarming beauty. If Nancy wasn't so obviously taken, Jaden would have swooped in.

“Jaden, what's happening out there?” Joan asked somberly.

“It's a mess. Someone's going door to door searching the rooms. This place isn't safe anymore. We'll have to move somewhere else,” Jaden replied gravely.

In fact, Jaden had been rather astounded by the doggedness of Nancy's kidnapper. So many days had passed since Nancy had escaped, yet she was unrelenting in her pursuit. Jaden privately wondered just how great an offense Nancy had committed to warrant such a chase.

“Hey, where's Caiden? Where did he go?” Nancy asked out of the blue, as if suddenly recalling his existence only then.

“He went out to deal with some other matters. He can't be spending the whole day in here with you, can he?” Jaden remarked wryly.

He shot a glance at Joan, who was standing a little way off. Raising his voice slightly, Jaden continued, “Caiden's always busy every day. I really don't know which woman will be able to deal with that in the future,” Jaden said, purposely a sigh loud enough for Joan to hear.

Nancy hesitated, then slowly inched towards Jaden.

“Are you saying that Caiden doesn't have a girlfriend now? That's impossible! He's so handsome and is such a kind-hearted man. How can he not have a girlfriend?” Nancy commented incredulously.

Everything Nancy had pointed out about Caiden was true. In fact, Caiden would have had a girlfriend by now if he hadn't been so hung up over Joan. The various girls who had lusted after Caiden while he was in college were sophisticated, pretty maidens. They stood no chance, however, against Caiden's steadfast obsession of his college sweetheart.

At least Caiden had finally met Joan now after all those years spent pining for her.

“Joan, do you have a boyfriend?” Jaden asked casually.

“Like me, Joan got married quite a few years ago,” Nancy quickly supplied.

What? She's already married? Jaden thought, aghast. Did both of us go to all that trouble for nothing?

Disappointment flashed across Jaden's eyes. If Caiden finds out, he'll be devastated! Jaden thought, distraught.

“What are all of you talking about? It sounds exciting,” Caiden's voice called out cheerily at that moment. He followed, sauntering in soon after.

“Uh... we were... nothing much. Why did you come back so early today?” Jaden asked, quickly shifting the conversation away from the earlier sensitive topic.

“I finished early so I came back naturally,” Caiden replied smoothly.

One could almost hear a pin drop in the room, so stifling was the silence.

“What's wrong? Why are all of you behaving so strangely?” Caiden asked with a chuckle.

“It's nothing. We were just... they were just asking me about the situation outside. We are still...” Jaden frantically replied, tripping over his words in his eagerness to fill the room.

“That's right, we've got to move. They're searching for you room by room. If we don't allow them in here, that'll definitely raise their suspicions,” Caiden agreed.

It looks like Gabriella's not going to give up anytime soon! Joan thought gloomily.

“Joan, isn't that person your best friend in college? She looks very familiar,” Caiden suddenly said.

“What do you mean, best friend? She's Joan's nemesis! She's totally a wolf in sheep's clothing,” Nancy retorted, gnashing her teeth in anger.

Nancy had meant to look intimidating but Jaden only found her grow even more adorable in his sight. His lips curved up involuntarily into a smile.

“Caiden, thank you for taking care of us for the past few days. However, I think it would be best if we head home instead,” Joan suddenly said slowly, as if deep in thought.

There was no point in staying there now that Gabriella and her men had arrived, Joan reasoned. If she and Nancy remained, all they would be doing was submitting themselves into Gabriella's hands.

Beside Joan, Nancy looked rather apprehensive. “Joan, even if you go home, Gabriella definitely won't stop here,” she piped up in a small voice.

It was true. To say that Gabriella was an extremely determined individual was to put it lightly.

“So it's her,” Caiden gave a low whistle.

He recognized the name. Gabriella had been notorious in college for bullying the freshmen in their club. She was also extremely snooty and would only associate herself with the rich and powerful. Gabriella considered herself far too superior to mix with the common herd. Caiden had been on the receiving end of Gabriella's nastiness back in school. If it wasn't for Joan's multiple interventions, he would have quitted the club long ago. Caiden would naturally never have had the chance to win first place then.

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“Don't worry, Joan. I'll find a way to get you home safely.” Caiden smiled.

“And how exactly are you planning to do that? There's no way for us to escape under their surveillance,” Jaden chimed in.

He's right. Gabriella had sent more backup to guard and inspect the rooms.

“I guess you'll just have to trust me,” Caiden said to Joan and Nancy.

Though Jaden didn't know what tricks Caiden had up his sleeves, he believed that Caiden would have come up with a decent escape plan.

“Here, Joan. I bought some disguises for the two of you. We're leaving right after you've changed. There are fewer people around since it's mealtime.” Caiden tossed the clothes to the ladies and pulled Jaden out of the room.

Nancy picked up the clothes in a hurry. She was stunned when she realized what they were. I've never worn clothes like this before! I can't imagine how it's going to feel like.

“Nancy, it's just for a while, ok?” Joan coaxed.

She knew wearing men's clothes would be difficult for Nancy. Nancy paid a lot of attention to her image. Though she behaved somewhat carelessly, she was oddly repulsed by the idea of wearing men's clothes.

“It's fine, Joan. Let's just change. We shouldn't keep them waiting for long.” Nancy started undressing without a further word.

To complete their disguise, both women changed their hairstyles and put on glasses. They also muddied their skin. Only a close acquaintance would be able to recognize them.

“We're done. Let's go,” Nancy announced as she left the room.

“Pffft!” Forgetting to control his reaction, Jaden burst out laughing at the sight of the two ladies.

“Don't you think you've gone a little overboard with the disguises?”

I have to take every precaution. Gabriella knows us too well, and I'm sure she has our faces imprinted in her memory. She's going to be even more careful after my last escape.

“That's good then. Time to go,” Joan whispered.

“Jaden, we won't forget you're here if you stop speaking for two seconds, you know,” Caiden said abruptly.

This shut Jaden up.

The two men left the room first. A few minutes later, they beckoned the women forward.

“Just act natural. Or they'll notice that something's amiss.” Caiden's eyes kept darting around his surroundings.

“Ok.” Joan rubbed her hands together nervously. There was a hint of fear in her eyes.

“Joan, I-I'm scared,” Nancy blurted.

“Don't say anything, and don't worry. You'll be fine with us here.” Jaden patted her comfortingly on her shoulder.

They walked in pairs, passing through numerous corridors. They avoided the elevators. They were more easily recognizable in close quarters, and there were also surveillance cameras in elevators. Gabriella had also arranged for guards in all the elevators so she could track them down quickly.

“Stop there!” A cold, unfamiliar voice rang out.

“What rooms are you from?” A fierce man walked toward them.

“We're from the top floor. What's going on?” Caiden straightened to his full height and replied the man coolly.

The guard hesitated at Caiden's answer.

Isn't the presidential suite located on the top floor? He thought better of invoking their ire. Why are those two chaps wearing hats indoors though? And they're wrapped in layers like burritos.

“Hey, you two. Aren't you sweating from wearing those hats in this sort of weather? You should take them off.”

Caiden looked at the two women before casting a hostile gaze toward the guard.

“What's wrong with wearing hats?” he retorted.

“Nothing's wrong, sir. We're under orders to look for some people in the hotel. So we need your friends here to take off their hats before we can let you pass.”

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2068

The guard answered Caiden meekly, apparently surprised by his imposing aura.

“Take the hats off, then.” Caiden eyed the two women.

They took their hats off but didn't turn around.

Short hair. And they're both dressed in men's clothes.

“I'm sorry for disturbing you, sir. You may leave.” The four of them left in a hurry.

Nancy and Joan let out identical sighs of relief. The tension had also left their gaze. Luckily I thought of putting on some wigs, or we'd have given ourselves away!

“Joan, thank god you thought about the wigs.” Nancy's praise was effusive.

Of course! We need to stay one step ahead if we want to escape from her clutches.

“Who knew the two of you could pass off so easily as men, eh?” Jaden commented nonchalantly.

“You jerk, we almost fainted from the nerves. How do you look so carefree right now?” Nancy pinched his elbow.

“Well, it's not like I can walk around with a frown on my face. What a poor omen. Plus, don't you find this rather exciting? Ok, ok, I'll zip my lips. Won't you let me off the hook, ma'am?” Jaden teased.

Joan's lips curved up in humor as she watched their interaction.

I don't know how the two of them are still in the mood to mess around!

“What a pity,” Caiden sighed.

Joan turned to face him confusedly.

“If your friend isn't married or pregnant, they would've made a good pair,” he explained.

“You can drop the idea. She and her husband are a pair of disgusting lovebirds,” Joan added.

They would make a pair of good buddies, though.

Nancy and Jaden were both loud and colorful characters, so they got along exceptionally well. Perhaps they were a bit too caught up in their teasings and had thrown the escape to the back of their minds.

“Nancy, shush,” Joan whispered.

The two of them were lost in their own world. They were still playing around noisily.

Soon, they arrived at the doors of the hotel.

Joan visibly sagged in relief at the sight.

“We're free!” Suddenly, Nancy had stretched out both arms and shouted at the sky.

All eyes in the lobby turned to her at that moment.

Damn it! ”Run!” Caiden yelled.

“Get them! Quick!” One of Gabriella's head lackeys barked out orders at his men.

A few people began running toward Joan and Nancy.

“Why are you still standing around? Run!” Jaden pulled Nancy with him as they ran.

“Oh god, am I going to die here?” Nancy screamed.

“Just shut up and save your energy for running! I can't carry you since your stomach's so heavy!” Jaden retorted.

“Damn it, Jaden. How can you joke at a time like this?”

Nancy was panicking like mad. She had never expected to foil her own plans of escape with some carelessly uttered words.

In reality, the head lackey had already noticed her and Jaden. They were making such a ruckus that it was almost impossible not to notice them. Though her disguise as a man was believable, she gave herself away the moment she shouted at the sky.

“Get in!” The two women were shoved into the car.

A black sedan sped along the highway, followed closely by a fleet of at least ten cars.

“Oh god, they're on our tail! What are we going to do?” Nancy's fear was palpable.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2069

They were so close to escaping unnoticed. Her disappointment at being discovered was indescribable.

“It's ok, we'll figure something out,” Joan comforted Nancy gently while stroking her hair.

“Well, we wouldn't be in this situation if you didn't announce it to the whole world,” Jaden complained.

“Shut it. If you weren't playing around with her, she wouldn't have let down her guard either,” Caiden cut in.

Jaden fell silent as the guilt began creeping up his spine.

The cars behind showed no signs of giving up on their chase. The four of them were beginning to lose hope.

“Caiden, we're going to run out of fuel at some point. Think of something,” Jaden said worriedly.

They would never be able to outlast the fleet of cars behind them. They would eventually run out of fuel and get caught.

“Joan, is there anyone you can call for help? We need some backup,” Caiden pleaded.

“He's right. Joan, you should call Larry. I'll call Jory. We can get them to send some help and at least block off the cars,” Nancy voiced anxiously.

“Ok,” Joan answered determinedly.

Caiden passed Jaden's and his phone to them.

At this very moment, Larry was going through the surveillance tapes feverishly in an attempt to piece together what had happened. He didn't know what she was going through and had never expected to receive a call from her.

His phone lay abandoned on the sofa. He had ignored it though it rang multiple times. All his attention was on the screens before him.

“Mr. Norton, your phone's ringing.” One of his assistants entered the room.

“Who is it?” Larry asked disinterestedly.

“I-it's your wife.” The assistant paused in confusion.

Joan? Larry stood up in an instant and grabbed the phone in his assistant's hand.

“Hello? Joan? Where are you? Are you ok? Are you injured? Tell me where you are, and I'll come for you right away!” Larry almost stumbled over his questions.

“Larry.” Joan tried hard to rein in her emotions.

She almost burst out crying at the sound of his voice.

“Can you come and get me? There are a lot of cars behind us. They're all chasing us. Please come quickly,” Joan said shakily.

“Ok, don't panic. Send me your coordinates, and I'll bring help ASAP.”

Joan hung up soon after.

Caiden saw that hope had begun to creep into her features. I guess that man she called is a really important person in her life.

Nancy began sobbing when Jory picked up her call.

Jory's heart broke into pieces when he heard her cries.

“Jory, I'm almost dead! Please save me!” Nancy wailed into the receiver.

“I-I'm in the c-car now, and there are s-so many cars behind us. Jory, what are we going to do? I don't want to die.”

Jaden burst into laughter at her simpers.

Nancy was drying her tears after ending her call with Jory.

“F*ck you, Jaden. What's so funny about our situation? I'm scared to death here. Are you planning to laugh yourself to death instead?” Nancy mumbled.

“Aren't you being a drama queen? Going on and on about how you're about to die. Just look at how calm Joan is.” Jaden scoffed.

Well, Joan's not an ordinary person to begin with!

“Stop talking, Jaden. Keep our eyes on the road,” Caiden chided.

There were close to twenty cars on the highway. Each car was now driving at its maximum speed.

Meanwhile, Jory had called Larry about the situation. “Hey, Larry, did Joan call you? Nancy called me too.” Jory left his office in a hurry.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2070

“Yes, I've got it. Let's send out more men to stop those cars...” Larry blurted anxiously.

That was the first time the two men had ever reached a consensus.

Boom!

All of a sudden, a peal of thunder split the air, followed immediately by a downpour.

Flashes of lightning lit up the sky, and thunder boomed. On the whole, everything seemed terrifying.

“Oh God, this is bad! In such weather, I can't accelerate, or we might crash!” Jaden exclaimed loudly.

Truth be told, he didn't dare drive too fast since he was afraid that he would lose control of the car.

“Joan, when is backup arriving?” Caiden asked as he twisted to the back.

“Soon. They've already set out,” Nancy swiftly chimed in.

“Jaden, just hang in there for a bit more. Focus...”

“They're here! They're here!” Nancy suddenly shrieked excitedly.

Upon hearing that, Joan's eyes instantly widened, and she gazed out the window.

“You're sure they're on your side?” Caiden questioned while staring at them dubiously.

“Yup! One of them is my husband, and the other is hers,” Nancy quickly explained.

All at once, Jaden let out a sigh of relief at the front.

In no time, a dozen cars cut off Caiden's car from the cars that were pursuing them at the back.

Having done so, the people in the cars promptly scrambled out.

“Are you okay, Joan?” Larry knocked on the car window, his heart that had been lodged in his throat finally settling back into his chest.

“Caiden, this is my husband. We're safe!” Joan hurriedly asserted.

“Hubby!” Nancy threw herself into Jory's arms as soon as she climbed out of the car. “I thought I would never see you again! I thought I was going to die with our child...” she sobbed.

“Okay, you're fine now. Everything's fine,” Jory comforted as he patted her shoulder lightly.

“Are you hurt anywhere? Did Gabriella do anything to you?” Larry checked Joan, who was standing before him, all over.

“I'm fine. Fortunately, they saved us, or we would've really died in there.” Joan pointed at Caiden and Jaden some distance away.

“Thank you.” Larry slowly walked over to them.

Hmm... he must be the person whom Joan holds in high regard, huh? His curiosity piqued, Caiden studied Larry skeptically.

“Nice to meet you. I'm Larry Norton, Joan's husband. Thank you for saving my wife.” Larry extended a hand courteously.

However, Caiden didn't plan on shaking his hand since he found it superfluous. Besides, they might even be enemies in the future.

“Who are you all? Get out of my way!” the leader of the ruffians on Gabriella's side bellowed.

“Who was that? How dare you make such a racket in front of me? Do you not want to live anymore?” Jory threatened as he sauntered over.

In an instant, those men backed away several steps.

“Boss, that's Mr. Synder. We can't afford to cross him, so let's retreat. Our lives are more important,” a young man whispered after scurrying over.

At that, the lead ruffian wavered.

He had once heard that Jory and Larry were ruthless and pitiless characters in the business world who never showed their enemies an ounce of mercy.

But what am I supposed to say to Gabriella Ward? No, I've got to make a decision and sacrifice either one. Ugh! No matter what, life is the most important!

“Uh... Mr. Synder, I'm sorry, but we've got the wrong person,” the lead ruffian murmured with a smile.

“B*llshit! It was them! They were the ones who had been pursuing us! They're all Gabriella Ward's men!” Nancy thundered out of the blue.

Hearing that, Jory's eyes immediately radiated murder. How dare they make a move against my woman? They must all have a death wish!

“Men, attack!” The moment Jory's order fell, the men behind them charged forward with wooden sticks.

With that, a battle raged on.

The highway had long since been barricaded, for Larry had already made a call to prohibit anyone else from accessing the highway before coming over.

Very quickly, Gabriella's men could no longer hold out and all collapsed on the ground.

As rain and blood blended together, the stench of blood permeated the air.

“Don't take things too far, Jory. It'll be troublesome if anyone dies,” Larry reminded.