Ch. 171..180
Chapter 171 Gavin Is More Important
“I traced the IP address of that person to Gavin’s school.”
“So who is it?” Benjamin frowned.
Don’t tell me it’s him again!
“I-It’s Gavin, Mr. Graham!” Ethen said.
He thought that Benjamin would be furious, but the man’s response was a calm one.
“Noted.”
Ethen could not believe his ears.
Just like that? Mr. Graham is not angry about it?
“Don’t tell anyone!”
With that, Benjamin hung up the phone.
Ethen came back to his senses and felt relieved. Quickly, he destroyed the evidence.
I’m glad Mr. Graham puts Gavin first.
“Benjamin? Why are you here?”
In the hospital, Shaun, who happened to be talking to a colleague, noticed Benjamin and walked up to greet the man.
“Are you injured?” Shaun added when he noticed the blood stains on Benjamin’s shirt.
“It’s not me. Danna got into a car accident. I took her here.” Benjamin frowned as he looked at his stained shirt.
“Danna got into a car accident? Is she all right?” Shaun gasped.
He glanced at the ward.
“She has a broken leg, her head’s injured, and she’s probably concussed!” Benjamin replied calmly.
Shaun looked at him and patted him on the shoulder. “She’s going to be fine. Don’t worry too much.”
Benjamin peered at him without saying a word.
After a while, Shaun asked in a low voice, “You’re still concerned about her, huh? Are you guys…”
Benjamin’s facial expression was unreadable. Shaun brushed off the question and changed the subject.
“Oh, I have other things to do. I guess I ought to get going. Call me if you need anything!”
Benjamin nodded. He lingered outside of the ward for some time before going back in.
After turning a corner, Shaun called Kingsley and told him about Danna’s car accident.
“Serves her right!”
Kingsley felt no sympathy for Danna.
“You said Boss is there? Don’t tell me he’s still in love with that wicked woman!”
Shaun sighed. “It sure looks like it!”
“I thought you said that Boss was interested in Ms. York?”
Kingsley felt that Benjamin and Arissa were more suitable as a couple.
“Whatever. We don’t have a say in this. It’s all up to him,” Shaun said.
“Gosh, I feel bad for Gavin,” Kingsley said, apparently upset.
That woman mistreated the kid. Why would Benjamin go back to her?
In the meantime, the school was in chaos.
No one could find the five children. The surveillance cameras did not detect them leaving the school.
That was because the children had tampered with the devices.
Robert and the teachers got anxious. It had already been an hour since their disappearance.
They tried looking for the children outside the school but to no avail.
In the end, they had no choice but to inform Arissa.
When Arissa got wind that her children had gone missing, her mind went blank.
She almost fainted.
“Are you okay, Ms. York?” Her colleague, who was in a meeting with her, rushed forward to catch her.
Arissa was panicking. She slumped onto her chair.
She bit hard on her hand and came back to her senses. Then, she yelled into the phone, “Why is this happening? How did they disappear?”
Her hands trembled when she thought of the possibility that Danna had kidnapped them.
“We’re really sorry. We’ll find them as soon as possible!”
Arissa knew that now was not the time for questions. She needed to find her children.
She dashed out of the meeting room as soon as she hung up the phone.
Chapter 172 I Am Sorry
Arissa’s colleagues overheard her phone conversation.
They exchanged glances. “Ms. York’s kids are missing. We should join the search.”
“Let’s go!” With that, everyone set off together.
Before Arissa could hail a cab, her colleagues drove over.
“Ms. York, get in. We’re coming with you,” Charlie lowered the car window and shouted at her.
“You guys…” Arissa felt extremely thankful for the support. “You should all go back to the office. I just have to check things out.”
“Come on! Just get in the car, Ms. York. There is strength in numbers. We can save time too.”
Not wanting to delay, Arissa quickly jumped in the car. “Thanks, guys.”
“Don’t mention it, Ms. York. Now, let’s find your kids.”
Arissa nodded, clenching her fists.
Anxiety stirred within her.
How on earth have the kids gone missing?
“Ms. York, have you tried calling your kids?”
The reminder snapped Arissa back to her senses. She immediately called Zachary.
Hearing about the incident from the school left her in a daze. Danna’s threats were still lingering in her mind. For a moment, she was at a loss.
The call did not go through as Zachary’s phone was switched off.
Her heart sank.
She dialed Gavin’s number but to no avail.
What’s going on?
Arissa’s hands trembled in fear. She called Oliver next.
“Sweetheart, please pick up the call. Please…” she murmured under her breath in dismay.
No one knew how to comfort the distressed woman. They could only hope that it was a false alarm.
This time, the call got through. Arissa was surprised. Her hands were sweaty.
Pick up the call, Sweetheart. Please!
“Mommy!”
Arissa had her heart in her mouth when she heard the familiar voice coming from the other end of the line.
Slightly relieved, she asked cautiously, “Sweetheart, are your brothers with you?”
“Yes, they are. What’s wrong, Mommy?”
Carrying some snacks in his arms, Oliver walked over to his siblings just ahead of him.
Though Oliver’s reply seemed relaxed, Arissa probed again, “Where are you now? Have you been kidnapped?”
“Nope,” Oliver denied.
He dared not tell his mother that the bad guys had been taken to the police station.
“Mommy, we’re not in school at the moment, but don’t worry. My brothers say that we have to get to safety. That’s why we got out.”
Upon hearing that, Arissa finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Yet, fury rose in her. “Didn’t I tell you not to go out without permission? Do you know how dangerous it is for you to wander around like that? I’ve been worried sick about your safety when the school told me you all have gone missing.”
My children, why didn’t you tell me in advance? You almost scared the life out of me!
“I’m sorry, Mommy. We… We got caught up in something and forgot to tell you,” Oliver apologized.
“Where are you now?” Arissa asked, utterly livid.
“We… We’re in Olswick.”
Olswick?
Arissa’s brows furrowed. I think Bradley is still there.
After asking for her kids’ whereabouts, she told them to stay where they were. Then, she called Bradley and told him to get her kids.
“Ms. York, have you found them?” her colleagues asked after she hung up the call.
“Yes. They left the school on their own. You guys can go back to the office now. I’ll take it from here.”
“Let us take you there.”
“No need. It’s fine. Return to the office. There’s still work to do. Sorry for troubling you all,” Arissa apologized.
“It’s all right. What matters is that the kids are safe.”
She nodded with a smile and let out a sigh of relief.
Those naughty kids… Thank goodness nothing bad happened.
Chapter 173 Her Jig Is Up
“I’ll get down here and hail a cab. It’s quite far. Please go back to work.”
Arissa waved goodbye to her colleagues before taking a cab to Olswick.
She contacted the school and told them that the kids had been found. She also apologized to the principal.
While she was on her phone, she sized the driver up, but nothing seemed unusual. She finally felt relieved.
Meanwhile, in Olswick, Bradley was keeping a watchful eye on the man and the woman.
He didn’t know which building they were currently residing. He had to keep a low profile so that he wouldn’t give the game away.
Nonetheless, he paid the beggars on every street in the area to watch out for the two. That way, he would know once they made their appearance.
So, after he received Arissa’s call, he quickly rushed to her aid.
He spotted the five kids sitting on the terrace garden. They were eating snacks. They were so cute that he could not bring himself to stay mad at them.
“Hey! What are you guys doing here? Your mother is worried sick.”
“Mr. Hinton!”
As soon as Bradley came into view, the children ran over to hug him.
“We are here for you. We wanted to give you a surprise,” Jesse said sweetly.
Bradley was shocked. “How did you know I’m here?”
“We have GPS,” Jasper answered, waving his phone.
“As much as we like visiting you, we have an urgent matter to tell you,” Zachary said sternly.
Bradley raised his eyebrows. “What is it?”
Chills ran down Bradley’s spine as Zachary told him everything.
That was a close one! If they hadn’t been practicing self-defense since they were much younger, they would have fallen into the hands of the bad guys.
“We found that the culprit is somewhere around here. That’s why we came, and… we called her just now. I believe she’ll show up soon.”
“Huh? What did you tell her?” Bradley was astonished.
Won’t she suspect anything?
A hint of cruelty flashed across Gavin’s eyes. “We told her that her jig is up. The police will be at her doorstep in any minute.”
Bradley gaped.
“Now, we just have to wait for her to take the bait.”
Zachary revealed a devilish smirk.
“Oh, my! You should have at least told your mother about this.”
Bradley and the five children took their cover as they surveyed the alley.
The kids had already located the woman’s hideout. They just couldn’t be sure which room was hers.
Meanwhile, when Edwin realized Gavin was missing, he rushed to the school. He was anxious as well.
He didn’t want to hide the news from Benjamin, so along the way he contacted the boy’s father.
Benjamin did not pick up the call. Edwin had no choice but to call Ethen instead.
“Edwin?”
“Ethen, Gavin’s missing. Quick, send out a search party!”
Staggered, Ethen walked outside as he continued to learn about the situation.
After finding out that Gavin was last seen at school, Ethen hurriedly got his men to check the surveillance footage.
He called Benjamin too, but the call was instantly cut off.
Huh? What the h*ll is going on out there? Mr. Graham hasn’t left Danna’s side. And now, he doesn’t even pick up my call?
Left with no choice, he sent Benjamin a text message.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Danna noticed Benjamin’s active phone screen. She peered at the direction of the restroom. Seeing that the coast was clear, she grabbed his phone, hung up the incoming call, and deleted the phone record.
It wasn’t easy to get Benjamin to stay with me. I won’t let anyone come between us. If he leaves, I’ll be stuck here on my own.
Ethen texted Benjamin: Mr. Graham, Gavin’s missing.
Danna’s eyes lit up at the sight of the text message. She immediately deleted that too.
That son of a b*tch is missing? This is great! He had better not show his face again!
A hint of smugness flashed across her eyes.
The door opened. Danna instantly put down Benjamin’s phone and got back onto the bed, pretending to be asleep.
Chapter 174 The Captured Accomplice
Benjamin came out from the restroom. He glanced at the sleeping woman.
He approached the bed and noticed that his phone was not in its original position.
Briefly stunned, he picked it up. He peeked at the woman on the bed.
He checked the phone. There were no missed calls or text messages.
His brows furrowed. Just as he was about to inspect the application, Edwin’s call came through.
Benjamin exited the ward before answering the call. “What’s up?”
“Mr. Graham, Gavin is found. He’s with Ms. York now.”
Edwin received the news shortly after arriving at the school. Knowing that the children were safe had finally taken a load off his mind.
He then called Benjamin to relay the good news.
Benjamin’s eyes lit up. He asked in a low voice, “I don’t understand. What do you mean?”
Has the kid gone missing?
Benjamin did not seem to know anything about the incident, so Edwin explained everything.
Benjamin’s face darkened. Immediately, he called Ethen.
“Mr. Graham, I’ve been waiting for you to call me back. I tried to call you-” Ethen rambled on anxiously.
Benjamin cut in, “Wait, you tried to call me?”
He cast a glance in the direction of the ward.
Upon hearing that, Danna gritted her teeth.
Such a nuisance!
“Yes, I did. I called you multiple times and even sent you a text message.”
Ethen was puzzled, but he went on, “I wanted to tell you that Gavin had gone missing. Then, Edwin called me just now and told me that the boy has been found. I’m at the police station dealing with the kidnappers…”
Benjamin listened patiently. He narrowed his eyes, flashing a cold glint. “I’ll be right there.”
He turned to his bodyguards standing in front of the ward. “Follow me,” he ordered, his face grim.
“Benjamin… Benjamin!”
Shrieks echoed from inside the ward, yet the man chose to walk away with his bodyguards in tow.
Meanwhile, Arissa finally arrived at Olswick. As soon as she got out of the car, she caught sight of the woman sneaking out anxiously with a man.
She directly charged toward them, and gave the woman a brutal slap on the face.
The woman was dumbfounded. “Why did you hit me?”
Just as she was about to return the favor, her gaze met Arissa’s. In an instant, her face turned pale.
“Y-You…”
Slap! Slap! Slap!
No holds barred, Arissa slapped her several times in a row.
Blood oozed out from the corner of the woman’s mouth.
The man next to the woman came at Arissa in spite of his guilt.
Bradley, who got there just in time, got hold of the man and gave him a good beating.
He exchanged a knowing glance with Arissa. At the sound of his whistle, his men surrounded the place.
“What are you trying to do? You cannot take the law into your own hands. It’s against-” the man threatened, calling on all his courage.
It was a futile attempt, as Bradley soon knocked him out cold.
The woman wanted to escape. Arissa stretched her leg out, tripping the woman and making her fall on her face.
“Ms. York, please let us go. We have no business with you-”
Squatting down, Arissa grabbed her by her hair and slammed her head against the ground.
The woman’s chin met excruciating pain as tears rolled out from her eyes.
She cried, “Help! Help! We’re being attacked!”
She shut up when she felt the blunt end of Bradley’s knife on her neck.
He ordered his men to take the two suspects into the car.
“Where are the kids?”
Arissa’s anxiousness had petered out on her way to Olswick. She didn’t think she would encounter the two culprits so soon.
“There!” Bradley pointed at the children’s hideout.
The children deleted the surveillance footage, packed the laptop, and ran over to their mother.
“Mommy!” they shouted in unison.
Chapter 175 They Were Almost Kidnapped
Their excitement trailed off at the sight of Arissa’s stern look.
She scanned the kids from head to toe. Seeing that they were completely unscathed, she sighed inwardly, but she still kept a straight face.
“Now, tell me. Why did you skip school?”
Her fury made them jump out of their skin.
“Don’t you know that everyone’s worried about you?” Arissa snapped, seeing red.
Their disappearance kept the teachers and principal on pins and needles. When the school told her about it, she was almost scared to death.
“Mommy, I’m sorry…” Zachary apologized as he kept his head low.
He was sorry because they failed to inform Arissa before executing their plan. They wanted to tell her after they captured the perpetrators.
It was Gavin’s first time seeing Arissa swell with wrath. He was somewhat frightened.
He knew he had to take responsibility.
So, he came forward. He shielded Zachary and fessed up, “Mommy, I-I’m really sorry. It was my idea. I led them out of the school. I’m the one to blame. Please don’t be mad at Zachary.”
Realizing that her kids were afraid of her, Arissa did her best to contain her anger.
Bradley walked over to them and put in a good word for the kids.
“Hey, hey… Boss, hold your fire. They were right to get out of school. Who knows where they might be right now if they hadn’t?”
“What did you just say?” Arissa stared daggers at Bradley.
“They were almost kidnapped,” Bradley said as he gulped.
Arissa broke out in a cold sweat when she heard that. So, it’s true. Someone really did try to take them away.
She turned to her children, but none of them dared to look her in the eyes.
It tugged at her heartstrings.
Squatting down, she pulled Gavin and the others into her embrace.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t mean to be mad at you. I assumed you were wandering around for no reason. I was worried you might be in danger. I should’ve controlled my anger…”
Arissa hugged them tightly.
If anything happens to you, who knows what I might do to that woman?
Zachary and Gavin secretly exchanged meaningful glances. See, what did I tell you? Mommy can’t stay mad at you.
“We’re sorry for not telling you in advance, Mommy. You must be worried sick,” Gavin whimpered as he patted Arissa on the back.
“Please forgive us, Mommy. We should’ve told you ahead of time,” Zachary quickly added.
“Mommy, I was wrong.” Oliver’s eyes reddened.
“Mommy, we know what we did wrong. Sorry…” Jasper pouted.
“Sorry for scaring you, Mommy.” Tears ran down Jesse’s cheek.
Mommy’s so scary just now, but she’s right. We’re in the wrong.
Arissa kissed their foreheads and gave them a tight embrace.
“It was my fault for rounding on you without understanding the situation. I should apologize too.”
She let go of them, caressed their cheeks, and wiped away the tears on Jesse’s face.
“It wasn’t your fault, Mommy.” Zachary looked at her timidly. “It was ours.”
Arissa ran her fingers over their hair.
“Boss, I think we should go,” Bradley reminded Arissa. They still had other important things to do.
Arissa nodded. She and her children got into the backseat of the car while Bradley opened the door to the driver’s seat.
“Sweethearts, are you hurt?”
Looking at her children, she acknowledged her lingering fear. I can’t imagine what I would do if I lost you.
“Not at all,” Jasper said, shaking his head.
Then, he and Oliver explained how they subdued the kidnappers.
Arissa smiled with relief.
Her children seemed to have great self-defense skills.
Nevertheless, she could not bring herself to let her guard down. They got lucky too. If they had encountered a skilled fighter, they might not be able to pull it off.
“Sweethearts, why have you come to Olswick?” Arissa asked when she regained her composure.
She looked to Zachary and Gavin for answers.
“We came here to catch the bad guys, Mommy.”
Gavin tensed up, exuding a strong aura.
Chapter 176 Help Her
“Mommy, that woman is behind it all! Our investigation led us to this place. Little did we know, Mr. Hinton is here too!”
Zachary glanced toward his mother who had her brows knitted tightly together.
I was right! Danna had been behind it all. That vicious woman deserved that accident. She had it coming for her!
Arissa wished Danna could vanish from this earth.
“Don’t worry, Mommy. They won’t get their way. I helped you kick her *ss just now. When we have collected all the evidence against her, she will have a taste of her own medicine!”
Gavin clutched her hand tightly, his eyes burning with hatred for Danna.
Arissa said, “Sweetheart, you said you kicked her *ss?”
Her heart skipped a beat as she remembered something.
“Yes, I sent people after her! But relax, Mommy, I will keep her alive.”
Arissa’s heart wrenched as she looked into Gavin’s hate-filled eyes. She embraced him tightly.
“Sweetheart, l-let’s not do this anymore. Mommy can deal with this. I will make that woman pay. You should enjoy your youth. I don’t want you to have their blood on your hands!”
Danna has turned my child into a monster!
Arissa was heartbroken, but she did not blame her child for protecting her.
“I am sorry, Sweetheart. Mommy made you suffer.”
“Mommy, don’t blame yourself. This is not your fault! If anything, it is all because of that nasty woman!”
Gavin’s attempt to comfort her only made Arissa choke up with tears.
“I will be fine. Don’t worry about me, Mommy.”
Arissa caressed her child’s hair, took a deep breath, and suppressed her emotions.
“Mommy, don’t cry. That woman deserves it. We are not afraid of her!” Zachary wrapped his arms around her and consoled softly.
Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse joined the hug as well. “Mommy, don’t be scared. We can protect ourselves.”
Arissa could not hold back her tears any longer. She wanted to bring all her kids away from here so that they would be away from danger.
Meanwhile, Bradley witnessed the entire scene from his rearview mirror, and tears welled up in his eyes.
“Sweethearts, don’t expose yourselves unless necessary, okay? We don’t know what that woman is capable of,” Arissa warned her children.
The five kids nodded their heads. “Mommy, we’ll be careful. We already cleaned up all traces of us in the surveillance system, and we didn’t leave any trace of our identity at the scene. She won’t be able to track us down,” said Zachary confidently.
On the other hand, a frown appeared across Gavin’s little face as a sense of uneasiness arose within him.
I left behind a clue on purpose… Will Daddy help that woman?
Gavin felt his gut lurch at the thought of Benjamin’s concern for Danna.
With gritted teeth, he reminded himself that having his mother’s love was enough.
While wearing a determined expression on his face, Gavin said to Arissa, “Mommy, we should leave this place as soon as possible. It might be dangerous if we stay.”
Arissa paused. Just as she was about to question him, her phone rang.
It was Benjamin.
All five kids saw the caller ID.
Before Arissa could react, Gavin reached over and declined the call.
“Don’t pick up, Mommy!”
Thinking that he was just afraid of receiving a scolding from Benjamin, Arissa patted his head. “It’s all right!”
“Mommy, it’s not that! Benjamin knows about me and Jasper now. I think he wants to snatch us from you!” Zachary told her the truth.
Arissa was shocked.
How did Benjamin know? Why didn’t he say anything when they met?
“Mommy, he is sly as a fox! Hurry, turn off your phone. Take your sim card out, too, so he can’t trace the signal.”
Zachary snatched the phone over and removed the card for her. Following his lead, the other kids took out their cards from their respective phones as well.
“H-How?” Arissa was confused. “How did you all know that he’s aware of your existence?”
If Benjamin knew, why did he keep silent in front of me? He even looked at me in disbelief when I told him that Gavin is my son!
Chapter 177 You Will Regret This
Gavin’s face was red with anger as he narrated the events to her.
“Mommy, he asked me to swap places with Zachary at night. He wanted to bring Zachary and the rest back to the Graham family, so he asked me to not tell you the truth. Mommy, I will never help him again! I hate him!”
Arissa was taken aback by his outburst. She hugged him and said, “Sweetheart, are you all right?”
“He didn’t want me! I hate him!”
This child had feelings for Benjamin. Not so long ago, he was defending his actions. When did he develop such hatred for Benjamin?
Arissa looked at Zachary. The little boy avoided her eye contact and remained silent.
She asked gently, “Tell Mommy what happened. Why do you hate Daddy?”
“Mommy, he only cares about that woman! He doesn’t even care about me!” Gavin bawled loudly in her arms.
Arissa was stunned.
My child is hurt by Benjamin’s treatment of Danna?
“What did you see?” Arissa rubbed circles on his back, soothing the crying child.
“Once he heard that Danna was in trouble, he ran right out! He cares so much about that evil woman. I hate him! I don’t want him anymore. I just want to be with you, Mommy!”
Gavin tightened his hug as he spoke.
At this point, Arissa’s eyes were puffy with tears. “There, there. Don’t cry anymore. Stay with Mommy. I will always be with you!”
If Benjamin wants to be with Danna, then let them be together! I can always raise my kids by myself.
Arissa was determined not to let Benjamin hurt her kids anymore.
However, she knew that the most important thing for them then was to find a place to hide. Otherwise, with Benjamin’s capabilities, they would be defeated.
“Mommy, let’s leave this place, okay?” Gavin’s tear-stricken face gazed up at her pitifully.
Arissa could not bring herself to reject his request. Hence, she nodded and said, “Yes, let’s all leave.”
She wiped the tears off Gavin’s face before asking Bradley to bring them to Lightspring.
Gavin sniffled. Then, a determined gaze flashed across his eyes.
Hmph! Benjamin, you will regret this! We don’t need you anymore.
At the same time, Benjamin frowned as he stared at his declined phone call.
He tried once more, but the phone was turned off.
Benjamin’s face darkened as he emitted a chilling aura.
“Mr. Graham, have you managed to contact Gavin?”
Ethen watched Benjamin’s reaction carefully. The latter shot him a cold glance, sending shivers down his spine.
“That woman turned off her phone. Find out where she is this instant!”
“Yes!” Ethen was frightened. Why did Ms. York have to turn off her phone?
Even after some effort, Ethen was still unable to locate her.
“Mr. Graham, I can’t locate her…” Ethen’s forehead was covered in a cold sweat as he reported the bad news to Benjamin. However, he tried his best to reassure his employer. “I’m sure Gavin is safe with Ms. York.”
Benjamin narrowed his eyes. What game are you playing now, Arissa?
“Is the report out?” Benjamin’s eyes remained steely.
“It just says here that a lady had hired them. They did not reveal any address…”
Benjamin boomed, “Well, then use other methods to make them talk!”
Ethen rushed to get the task done. Within ten minutes, he got the information he needed.
“Mr. Graham, they say that the woman is in Olswick. We have located her on the satellites. She’s heading out of the city.”
Upon hearing that, Benjamin’s eyes flickered.
Trying to escape?
“Gather some of our men to stop her. Don’t let her leave!”
Kidnapping my son? You will wish you were never born!
“Find out who else she has made contact with! Leave no stones unturned!”
“Roger that!”
Ethen got into the car. He made a call to pass down the orders before continuing his investigation.
Meanwhile, in Bradley’s car, the group was about to hit the highway toward Lightspring when Arissa remembered something.
“Bradley, don’t take the highway. Use the small roads.”
“Is something wrong, Boss?”
Bradley looked at Arissa with concern through the rearview mirror.
“It won’t be easy for us to leave with the two people we’re bringing along. Find a secluded area. We’ll teach them a lesson first.”
Chapter 178 At Their Mercy
Arissa had a plan in mind. She wanted the culprits to pay.
What’s the point of capturing the accomplices? Her priority should be preventing Danna from ever rising again.
“I know a place. Follow me!” Bradley’s eyes flashed dangerously as he hastily informed his companions. They followed the trail.
Half an hour later, they found a dilapidated warehouse surrounded by overgrown weeds.
The place looked like it had been deserted for a long time. The gloomy atmosphere from the inside sent shivers down their spines.
“Let’s go!” Bradley and his men dragged the couple into the warehouse and flung them onto the ground unceremoniously.
The two observed the dark surroundings nervously.
The woman began to sob.
What are they going to do with us? They won’t kill us, will they?
The woman trembled with fear as she thought of the worst-case scenario.
“Feel free to beat them up. I don’t care how you do it, but make sure to keep them alive,” Bradley informed his men. Then, he shot the two a malicious look. “You’re at our mercy now.”
“No! Please!”
The two captives kicked the ground rampantly as they retreated to the back in a desperate attempt to escape.
“Remember to cover their faces!” Bradley instructed his men as he leaned against the door.
The men approached their captives and covered their faces with black sacks. Then, the pummeling commenced.
Arissa and her five children also gave them a well-deserved kicking for everything they had done, and left after they had properly unleashed their fury.
“Be good and wait in the car. I’ll be back soon!” Arissa instructed her children.
“Mommy, are you going to let them go after this?” Gavin asked.
Arissa stroked his head affectionately.
“We’ll let them go for now. They still have to record their statements. After that, I’ll attach a tracking device on them. They can’t run away from us,” Arissa assured him.
These two scumbags reappeared in Dellmoor just to kidnap my children. If we really let them go, they’ll surely contact Danna again.
“Mommy, that’s a great idea!” Zachary’s eyes lit up in anticipation.
“Mommy, do you know how to use it?” Jasper looked at Arissa doubtfully. “Do you need my help?”
“There’s no need. I know how to use it. Just stay in the car. I’ll return shortly!” she reminded them.
“Okay! Be careful, Mommy!” Jesse nodded obediently.
“Don’t worry, Mommy. I’ll watch over them,” Gavin said.
It was time for him to take responsibility as the eldest brother.
Arissa looked at her children one more time, shut the car door, and hurried into the building.
By the time she got there, the couple had already been beaten to a pulp. They were barely conscious.
Arissa cued Bradley to proceed with the interrogation.
He approached them and removed the sacks from their heads. Then, he turned on the recording function on his phone and pointed it at the captives.
“If you treasure your lives, you better tell us the truth!” Bradley warned.
The woman and the man met Arissa’s furious gaze. They were regretting not killing her all those years ago.
If they had, no one would have found out what they had done.
Damn it. I should’ve killed her while I had the chance.
“Ms. York, Danna ordered me to do it. She told me to kill all of you, but I didn’t. I beg you, please spare me. I let you live, didn’t I. We had no say! If we hadn’t obeyed her, she would take revenge on us!”
The woman blabbered on without waiting for the interrogation to start.
“Were you the ones who tied up me in that building?” Arissa glared at them viciously, showing no sign of sympathy. She could not care less whether or not they had been forced to do Danna’s dirty work.
She and her children almost lost their lives because of them.
She had no intention to show them mercy.
“It wasn’t us. Danna sent other people to kidnap you. It was only later that I was told to take care of you until the children were born…” The woman quivered in remorse at the thought of the children.
She did not dare to look Arissa in the eyes.
If the children hadn’t survived, there’s no way she would forgive us.
“It was all Danna’s doing. She forced us to accept her money and work for her. She would have hired other people even if we turned her down. She kidnapped your children and asked me to kill you. I couldn’t do it, but I didn’t have a choice. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place,” the woman said in between sobs.
She continued, “We decided to abandon you and your children in the desert, b-but you somehow managed to survive, didn’t you? That’s all we know. It’s all Danna’s doing!”
Chapter 179 Her Parents Knew About This
Enraged, Arissa squatted down and grabbed the woman by the collar.
She knew that much.
“So, Danna ordered you to kidnap my children, did she?” Arissa asked in an intimidating tone.
The woman nodded in fear. Her face was as pale as a sheet.
“Y-Yes, she knew you were still alive. T-Then, she called us over to kidnap you and the children again, but we never had the chance until we spotted them. We decided to get them first,” she explained.
Arissa could not hold back her rising anger. She slapped the woman hard on her cheek.
“You heartless scumbags! I can’t believe you would lay your hands on children!” she fumed.
“Please understand, Ms. York. We were forced to do it. Danna took our daughter. If I don’t obey her, she will k-” The woman choked on her tears as she struggled to finish the sentence.
“She threatened to kill our daughter… We don’t have a choice.”
“Tell me, why did Danna want to kidnap us?” Arissa probed.
“S-She wanted to kill all of you because she felt threatened by your presence. She wasn’t going to let you guys live,” the woman replied fearfully.
“I didn’t do anything,” the man said, his voice shaking. He feared death more than his wife did.
He went on, “I was just the driver. Danna was the one ordering us around! And my wife didn’t do anything wrong to you either! She didn’t kill you back then.”
“Do you think I’m deaf?” Arissa glared at him.
She knew this man had wanted to kill them. It was the woman who spared their lives.
The man shivered as he felt a stab of guilt.
“We really didn’t want to kill anyone!” he protested.
“Does Danna know my children are still alive?” Arissa decided to change the subject.
The couple looked at each other and shook their heads vigorously.
“No. We haven’t told her. We couldn’t kidnap you, so we tried to take your children instead. That way, at least we have something to show her. When everything was done, we couldn’t inform her in time,” the woman explained.
She paused for a moment, and said, “Actually, we only found the four children this morning. We weren’t sure who they are at first, but they definitely resembled Benjamin. So, we decided to kidnap them first to check if they were indeed your children!”
They happened to be standing guard nearby Arissa’s house when the four children came out together.
They were surprised because the children looked so much like Benjamin.
The kids were exactly the ones they had abandoned in the desert all those years ago. With that in mind, they decided to take action despite the risks.
They did not want to harm the children. They just wanted to lure them out and have them answer some questions.
However, they were caught in the act before they could bring the kids over.
“We just had some questions for them, but we were discovered before we could do so!” The man glanced at Bradley.
Bradley did not send the children to school because he was tailing the couple.
The couple had gone back to Olswick after successfully evading Bradley. They recruited some gangsters to help them kidnap the children.
They would have accomplished their mission if the children were proven to be Arissa’s.
If not, they would let the kids go.
Thankfully these scumbags miscalculated, or else my children would be in real danger.
“Who else was involved in my kidnapping back then, besides Danna?” Arissa scoffed.
The woman shook her head and said, “I don’t know! I’ve told you everything I know!”
Just then, Arissa brandished a knife and pressed the blade on the woman’s face. With a gentle slash across the cheek, blood gushed out from the wound.
“Ah! Not the knife, please… On no, I’m bleeding! Ms. York, please spare me!” the woman cried.
“Talk, or else,” Arissa pressed the blade harder against the woman’s cheek. More blood poured out.
“Danna’s parents knew about it. Her mother came to see you once, but you were sleeping then,” the woman explained.
“What else?” Arissa asked menacingly.
Gasping for breath, the woman said, “That’s all I know! I swear!”
As soon as Arissa raised her hand, the woman fainted from the shock.
“Dear!” the man screamed in horror.
He looked warily at Arissa for fear she would attack him. However, there was no way he could run as he had been tied up.
“You! What the hell are you planning? You’ll go to jail for murder!” he warned.
Arissa laughed haughtily at the threat. Against the light, she looked like the Grim Reaper.
“Jail, you say?” Arissa snorted.
Chapter 180 Little Footprints
Arissa snorted, “Why didn’t you think about prison when you were committing all those atrocities? You obviously thought that I would not survive, right? Too bad. Here I am!”
She raised her dagger and swung. The man rolled his eyes and passed out.
“Pfft! What a coward. What should we do now, Boss?” Bradley saved the video and shot a dirty look at their captives.
Arissa drew back her dagger from the man’s crotch. He deserved it for attempting to molest her. She wiped her dagger clean against the floor before putting it back in its sheath.
“Mommy!” Oliver’s voice rang at the door. Arissa turned around to block the gory scene from his view.
“What’s wrong?”
“Mommy, Benjamin’s men are on their way!”
“Where are they now?” Arissa scowled as she exchanged looks with Bradley.
“They’re on the highway!”
“Let’s go!” Arissa berated herself for forgetting about him.
They got into the car and left the place as fast as they could.
Right after they left, Benjamin and Ethen arrived at the scene with their men.
“Are they still alive?” Ethen was shocked when he saw the captives lying unconscious in the warehouse.
“Yes.” Benjamin was certain.
Ethen gazed meaningfully at him. What does he know?
“Wake them up. The rest of you, search the place!” commanded Ethen. “Tsk tsk, what a horrible scene! I wonder who’s behind this.”
Who did this to them? How cruel. Almost as cruel as Mr. Graham!
Benjamin scanned the surroundings. There were footprints scattered all over the floor. He narrowed his eyes at the smaller ones.
“W-Who are you people?” The captives eventually regained consciousness. Their pupils dilated with fear at the sight of the intruders, especially Benjamin, who stood against the light.
“That is not your concern.” Ethen flashed them a half-smile as he radiated a menacing aura. After working under Benjamin for so many years, Ethen had mastered the skill.
“Tell me, who brought you here?”
“Are you here to save us? Did Ms. Adams send you here?” Unable to conceal his excitement, the man made the mistake of assuming they were being saved.
Ethen turned to Benjamin, whose expression remained unreadable.
The foolish man spilled the beans without being probed.
“It was Arissa. She brought us here. She beat us up-”
“And why would she do that?” Ethen snapped.
The man gradually realized that the people in front of him were not here to save them. He looked away from Ethen.
Benjamin stepped in and gave Ethen a meaningful look.
The man trembled when he caught sight of Benjamin.
“B-Benjamin!”
Benjamin shot him a seething look. The man almost wet his pants.
“M-Mr. Graham!”
“I see you are no stranger to fear. Did it ever occur to you, when you kidnapped Mr. Graham’s son, that something like this might happen?” Ethen thrust his foot at the man, then he nodded at the bodyguards.
Instantly, miserable cries filled the air. Painful shrieks echoed throughout the abandoned warehouse and persisted for more than ten minutes.
The couple twitched weakly. Death would have been kinder. Not a single part of their bodies had been spared from torture.
“Mr. Graham… Please have mercy… It’s all Ms. Adams’ doing. We did not kidnap your children! We only want Arissa’s kids. All four of them…” Terrified, the woman told Benjamin everything.
Benjamin’s eyes flickered.
Even Ethen couldn’t suppress his shock.
“Four children? What do you mean? Ms. York only has two, doesn’t she? Wait. Make that three if we count Gavin.” Ethen cast a look at Benjamin, who had yet to come to his senses.
“T-There are four children with her. We just found out this morning, and they all look identical to Mr. Graham,” the man confessed, still shaking.