”Melvin… you're back. I'll... I'll get you some drinks.” Sydney forced herself to stay calm.She grabbed a cup and turned toward the kitchen, but he caught her wrist in an instant.“Melvin, what are you…?”"Where is she?" Melvin's grip tightened until her wrist turned white.Sydney winced, trying to pull free. “Melvin! I don't know what you're talking about! Who's 'she'?""Stop playing dumb. I know you did this. I let it go when you stole the proposal for Wilson Industries, but do you think Sanders Group will forgive such a serious offense? Before I completely lose control, tell me what you've done." Melvin's eyes were cold.Sydney had never seen this frightening side of him before.Trembling, she backed away. “Melvin, you're hurting me. Please let go. I really don't know what you mean.""Melvin, what are you doing?"A deafening thunderclap jolted Melvin. In the flash of lightning, he saw his mother arrive.She rushed over and forced them apart. Sydney immediately hid behind
"Mom, you'd better stay out of this," Melvin told his mother.Mrs. Sanders looked gravely at her son. Though he always showed her respect, she knew their relationship had long been strained.She stepped aside. "Sydney, Sarah is part of the Sanders family. If anything happens to her, you'll be held responsible. Better to tell the truth now than have it discovered later.""Auntie, you too..."Melvin fixed Sydney with a cold stare. "Sydney, leaking company secrets is a crime, especially stealing confidential files. Do you want to go to jail?"Tears rolled down Sydney's face as she looked at Melvin in anguish. "I'll... I'll tell you."The front door opened again. This time it was Mia, just being dropped off.She walked in to find the three of them in a tense standoff."Melvin, where's Sarah? She should have been home two hours ago after work." Mia asked, puzzled."Mia, Sarah's... she's been kidnapped.""Kidnapped?" Mia's eyes widened.Melvin ignored her, turning back to Sydney.
"She? That woman won't know.""Yes, I understand."Sarah spoke up suddenly. "Give me the phone. I want to talk to her."The man hesitated. "Miss, she wants to speak with you."Sarah continued, "I know who you are. You had me kidnapped but you're afraid to talk to me?"Her voice carried clearly through the phone.A soft laugh came from the other end. "Let her speak."The man frowned, holding the phone to Sarah's ear. "Behave yourself."Shivering with cold, Sarah forced her voice to remain steady. "I know who you are, Vivian Wilson. What's all this really about?""Don't stay silent. You have me watched so closely - are you afraid I'll tell Zachary?""You don't need money, so why demand three hundred million from Melvin? Besides the money, what else are you planning?"After a moment of silence, the voice finally responded. "Sarah, I must say you're clever, figuring out it was me so quickly. Or is it just that in all of East Coast, I'm the only one who wants you dead?"Sarah la
"After all that, you still haven't said what you really want," Sarah's tone turned icy.Vivian laughed coldly. "Sarah, you still haven't learned. All you can do now is be the fish on the chopping block. Behave yourself, and maybe I'll be generous enough to let you live.""Miss Wilson, you just said yourself - if I die, Zachary will remember me forever. You won't let that happen."The line went silent, and after a long pause, all she heard was the dial tone.The kidnapper took back his phone, glaring at Sarah. “How dare you talked to Miss Wilson like that."On East District Road, Melvin kept his cold gaze fixed on Sydney.Terrified, Sydney kept redialing the number again and again. She'd specifically told them to maintain contact after capturing Sarah, but despite calling dozens of times, she couldn't get through.“Melvin, I... I can't reach them," she said, trembling.Melvin looked at her incredulously. "Why not? Keep trying! We're almost at the factory."Ten minutes later, th
The same thing had happened three years ago. He'd failed to protect her then. This time he'd risk everything - even his life - to make sure history didn't repeat itself.Under Mia's worried gaze, he dialed a number."What are you up to, Vivian?""Working at the office, dealing with factory issues. Been swamped lately. Why the unexpected call, Zachary?"His expression darkened. "Have you heard about Sarah's kidnapping?""Of course. Nothing stays secret in East Coast, especially among prominent families. Every little drama becomes headline news," Vivian said with a mocking edge.Zachary's frown deepened. "You consider a kidnapping 'little drama'?""Come now, it's hardly serious. I heard they want three hundred million. The Sanders family can easily afford that. Melvin won't refuse - not when it's his sister's life at stake."Mia showed Zachary something on her phone. He glanced at it before pressing on, "Money isn't the issue. But why have the kidnappers and Sarah vanished? What'
The downpour wasn't just affecting their mood - it was washing away all traces of evidence.Worse still, lightning had struck the traffic camera at the intersection. They had nothing to go on.Back home, Melvin sat pinching the bridge of his nose, deep in thought.Sydney ventured carefully, “Melvin, since they called about the ransom for tomorrow, why don't we just pay them?""Shut up!" Melvin shot her a cold look. "If it was that simple, we would have found them at the factory. Who is this person? What's their name?"Sydney avoided his eyes. "I... I don't know who they are. Never met them. I only have their phone number.""How did you meet this person?""I... I..." She bit her lip, afraid to speak.Melvin gripped her shoulders. "Tell me! Things have gone this far, and you still won't talk?"Sydney clutched at her clothes. She didn't dare speak - that person would make her death horrible if she talked."Sydney, you've already made a mistake. Do you want to make it worse? Do I
Sarah opened her eyes to look at the kidnapper. "Is this how Vivian told you to treat me?"The kidnapper smiled mockingly. "Miss Wilson didn't say anything specific. Just told me to keep you tied up here, let the rain clear your head."Behind her back, Sarah's hands searched the ground until they found a rock.Feeling its sharp edge, she secretly started rubbing the rope against it, trying to cut through.But the rope was too thick - after nearly thirty minutes, she hadn't even made a nick.As she struggled to continue, the kidnapper showed he'd noticed all along. "You think I can't see what you're doing? Save your strength. You won't be getting any dinner tonight."The sky grew darker. Though Sarah didn't know the exact time, the deep darkness told her it was night.She'd been freezing here for hours. Melvin must know she hadn't come home by now. If he hadn't found her yet, he must be looking in the wrong place.This remote mountain was difficult to access. The kidnapper had p
Marianne immediately understood, going to the wine cabinet and placing a fine bottle on the table.Vivian smiled. "Grandpa William, see how happy my grandfather is today - he's brought out his precious wine. You know, he bought this at an Italian auction decades before I was born. Once a bottle's gone, it's gone forever."As she spoke, she stood gracefully to open and decant the wine."Zachary's a lucky man. Vivian is beautiful and so refined - she's quite a catch for our family," William said.Old Mr. Wilson kept a straight face. "I entrust my granddaughter to you, you must help guide her. To be blunt, after I'm gone, Wilson Industries will belong to them both.""Grandfather! Don't talk like that. You'll live to be a hundred," Vivian protested playfully.Her grandfather patted her hand. "Yes, yes.""I'm here to discuss the engagement date. Name your terms," William said.Old Mr. Wilson placed a paper before him. "I've had the auspicious dates calculated. The nearest one is Nov
"I'll see what food we have in the kitchen. You stay here and don't move around," Zachary said gently. He raised his hand to ruffle Sarah's hair, but she ducked away. He left with a disappointed look.Sarah watched his retreating figure and muttered under her breath, "Is he treating me like a child?"The countryside rooms had poor sound insulation, and soon she heard clattering noises from the kitchen.Curious about what Zachary was doing, Sarah pressed her lips together and carefully eased herself off the bed, supporting herself against the wall.Just as she was about to hop a few steps, she lost her balance on one foot. Sarah let out a sharp cry as she tumbled to the floor.The pain from her ankle made her face turn pale, and her slender body curled up into a small ball.Hearing the commotion, Zachary rushed over. Seeing the scene before him, his pupils contracted in alarm. He hurried to her side and carefully lifted her back onto the bed.The doctors in West Ridge didn't make
Sarah was stunned into silence by his certainty.When she finally recovered, her words carried hints of embarrassed anger. "Don't flatter yourself. I—Ahh!"Her sentence transformed into a long, sharp cry before she could finish.Zachary held her ankle firmly with one hand while quickly and efficiently spreading the medicinal oil over her foot with the other.Sarah's pain receptors fired, bringing tears streaming down her face. In retaliation, she grabbed Zachary's free arm and bit down hard.A vein throbbed visibly at Zachary's temple.She really wasn't holding back.Zachary had no doubt that his hand was bleeding from her bite.By the time they finished this time-consuming, energy-draining, and the whole "procedure," both Sarah and Zachary had thin layers of sweat on their foreheads.After applying the medicine, Zachary stood up and stumbled slightly.His leg had gone numb from maintaining the same position for too long.Sarah opened her mouth and then closed it, swallowing
As Zachary approached slowly, Sarah wanted to escape, but unfortunately, she had the will but not the ability.The hillside was damp, making the dirt path slippery.She had no strength to resist as he lifted her up in his arms. "Put me down, Zachary! Let me go!""You can't walk," he replied, carrying her with steady steps."Even if I can't walk, I don't need your help! Don't forget, you have a fiancée now!"Zachary's eyes darkened. She really knew how to bring up the most uncomfortable topics.The man had just been in a fight, and his clothes were somewhat disheveled, which only added to his wild nature. His entire presence radiated a dangerous charm.Sarah couldn't help stealing several glances at him. Though she kept telling herself not to fall for him, her heartbeat still involuntarily lost its rhythm.Back at the dormitory, Zachary carefully placed her on the bed and arranged the blankets for her.Sarah frowned, staring at him as she voiced her suspicion. "I never told you
Charlie was now recovering his senses. He pushed himself up from the ground, feeling a sour, aching pain in his stomach."Zach, why did you hit me?" Charlie asked, his eyes wide with disbelief."Hitting you is getting off easy," Zachary replied coldly.Charlie ignored him and lunged toward Sarah.In that split second, everything changed. Sarah fell to the ground, her foot slipping badly, twisting her ankle.She cried out in pain as she sat on the ground, gripping her ankle tightly. Beads of sweat broke out across her forehead."Sarah, what happened? Did you twist your ankle?" Zachary asked anxiously.He immediately rushed to Sarah, crouched down to examine her ankle, and reached out to touch it."Don't touch me!" Sarah jerked away instinctively, sitting on the ground clutching her ankle.Charlie gave the two of them a long, searching look. He had long suspected there was something unusual between them.Zachary's expression darkened, looking rather menacing in the gloomy weath
Her story seemed fine on the surface, but when examined closely, there were major holes. Sarah began to feel uneasy and was about to stop.The little girl immediately looked panicked and avoided Sarah's gaze. She clutched the edge of her shirt tightly and asked cautiously, "Are you not going to take me home anymore?"Those clear, innocent eyes were enough to make Sarah waver, and indeed, she felt her resolve weakening."Sweetie, tell me exactly where on the hillside your home is," she suddenly asked.The little girl's eyes darted around nervously. She lowered her gaze for a long time, thinking hard before looking up with tears in her eyes. “Missy, we're almost there. Look over there—where there's smoke rising, that's my home."Looking into the distance, Sarah could indeed see a wisp of smoke rising from partway up the hillside. Through the dense forest, she could only make out a faint white shadow.It wasn't too far from where they stood, but it wasn't particularly close either.
Even when mealtime arrived, not a single worker put down their tasks."Alright everyone, take a break. Today I'm treating you all to something special," Sarah called out, clapping her hands as she walked through the doorway. Several food carts loaded with sandwiches, pasta, and fresh salads followed behind her.The delicious aroma of hot food drifted through the air. Only then did the workers realize how hungry they were. They jumped up excitedly, shouting, "Thank you, Miss Sanders!"Seeing the joyful atmosphere in the factory, Sarah felt the tension she'd carried all day begin to ease.She wasn't very hungry, so she decided to step outside for some fresh air.While looking around aimlessly, she unexpectedly spotted a pair of timid eyes peering at her from behind a rock.Sarah walked over curiously.Behind the rock was a little girl with a dirty face and clothes that had been torn in several places by tree branches."Hello there, little one. What are you doing here?" Sarah crou
Sarah's lips curved into a slight smile. "Oh right, I almost forgot to tell you. I'm moving to the dormitory near the factory today, so you won't have to worry about me anymore.""You're moving out?" Charlie's eyes widened in surprise."No way." After processing what she said, he rushed over and forcefully grabbed the suitcase from her hands."What are you doing?" Sarah glared at him angrily. "Give me back my suitcase."Charlie laughed coldly. "I can give it back, but nothing in this world is free. You've lived here for so long—you should at least pay some rent."Hearing this, Sarah calmed down. "How much do you want?"Charlie thought Sarah had agreed, so he quickly held up five fingers. "At least this much."Sarah asked, "Five thousand?"Charlie shook his head. "At least fifty thousand."Sarah covered her mouth and laughed."What's so funny?" Charlie threw the suitcase to the floor, angry and impatient. "I'm telling you, don't think I'm joking. Today, if you don't pay up, yo
Zachary smirked as he watched Charlie, amused by his outlandish claims. The poor fool was so wrapped up in his fantasies of wealth that he completely missed the mockery in Zachary's eyes.But as they say, no plan survives contact with reality.Charlie never imagined his schemes would collapse before they even got off the ground."How could I lose?" Charlie stared blankly at the dice on the gambling table, unable to believe what was happening.The noisy sounds of the gambling den faded away as his mind blocked them out. His ears heard nothing, and everything around him became a blur."Hey, are you playing or not? If not, get out of the way. You're blocking the table," someone shoved him aside.Charlie was like a mad dog now, ready to snap at anyone.He turned around angrily, about to lash out, when he saw Zachary standing calmly in the crowd as if nothing had happened.That made sense—after all, it was his money that was lost.Realizing this, Charlie couldn't contain the anger
"Six million… Where the hell am I supposed to get six million?!"The factory’s demand had nearly scared Charlie senseless. But even faced with that staggering number, not once did it cross his mind to end it all. Guys like him—the ones who never took responsibility—were always the ones clinging to life the hardest, like their sole purpose was to drag others down with them.Suddenly, his bloodshot eyes lit up like he'd just grabbed hold of his last lifeline. He muttered to himself, voice shaky but growing in conviction, “Wait, no... there’s still one person. We’re brothers. He wouldn’t just leave me like this.”Zachary had seen this coming from a mile away—he just didn’t think it would take Charlie this long to show up.Now here he was, on his knees, groveling.Zachary leaned forward slightly, one brow raised, voice cold enough to cut glass. “Charlie. Give me one good reason I should help you.”Some people only learned when they were shoved to the edge. And with someone like Charl