Ryan and Skylar sat in the restaurant, strategizing their next move. Ryan was frantic with worry, and Skylar tried to remain calm to support him."We need to figure out where they took Iris and Mrs. Jessica," Skylar said, tapping her fingers on the table."I know. I've got my father's men looking into it, but we need to find more leads," Ryan said, frustration evident in his voice.Skylar's phone buzzed, and she quickly checked it. "I've got a contact who might know something. He's got connections with some underground networks. I'll set up a meeting.""Do it. We need every lead we can get," Ryan said, his mind racing Later that evening, Ryan and Skylar met Skylar's contact, a man named Marcus, in a dimly lit bar."I hear you're looking for someone," Marcus said, his voice low and gruff."Two people, actually. A woman and her daughter. They were abducted," Skylar explained, showing him photos of Iris and Mrs. Jessica.Marcus studied the photos and nodded. "I might know something, but it
After the investors had left, Luca turned to Ryan. "Buddy, I've known you for years, and I've never seen you in such a mood. You were absent-minded throughout the meeting. What's going on?"Ryan sighed as they stepped into the elevator. "There's a lot happening, Lu. A whole lot," he said, running a hand through his hair. "Iris is missing, after her mother went missing. And Bella is at my house, pregnant with my child."Luca's eyes widened in shock. "What?!!!""It's a mess, Lu. I don't know where to start," Ryan said, his voice breaking."Start from the beginning. What happened to Iris and Mrs. Jessica?" Luca asked, his concern evident.Ryan took a deep breath and began to explain. "Iris and I were getting close, despite everything. But after an argument with Bella, Iris ran out, and then she disappeared. I got a text from her phone saying she needed help, but I couldn't find her. Later, I found out that Mrs. Jessica was abducted from the hospital."Luca listened intently. You had all
Ivy remained in her room, reminiscing about what Bella said. "You look so much like your brother's wife," the voice from the show echoed in her head.She was told this same thing at the fashion show, and now Bella said it again."But we don't look alike, do we?" she asked herself.She searched for Iris's pictures but couldn't find any. She remembered their wedding pictures and searched for them. She finally saw a picture of Iris on Instagram. She saved it and compared it to hers.She looked closely and saw that they had a striking resemblance. Her nose was pointed in the exact same way, and they had the same shape of eyes too.She shook her head to get rid of the thought. "It might just be a coincidence," she thought as she dropped her phone and decided to go take a shower.After her shower, Ivy felt a renewed determination to get to the bottom of this mystery. She decided to do some deep findings about Iris. She sat at her desk, opened her laptop, and began searching for any info
"Ryan, stop! Leave her alone. She's pregnant, can't you see? Are you trying to kill her?" Ivy's voice cut through the fog of his anger. She rushed towards them and pulled Ryan's hands off Bella's neck.Bella staggered backward and fell onto the bed, gasping for air and holding her neck. Ivy handed her a glass of water, which she gulped down, coughing and struggling to breathe.Ryan stormed out of the room in frustration, his hands shaking."Are you okay?" Ivy asked Bella, concern in her voice."Yes, I'm fine. Your brother tried to kill me. I will have to report him to the authorities," Bella gasped."I'm really sorry about that. I will go talk to him. Sorry, Bella," Ivy said, making sure Bella was stable before leaving to find Ryan.Ivy found Ryan in his study, sipping whisky from a glass. She sat across from him, her expression serious."That wasn't so good, Ryan. You almost killed her," Ivy said."I don't care. She should just leave me alone," Ryan replied, his voice void of emotion."
"Ryan," Mrs. Rose called, "when are you getting married to Bella?""Getting married to who?" Ryan asked, incredulous. "I'm only responsible for the child, not Bella. I can't marry Bella."Bella's eyes went dim and cold at Ryan's words."Don't dare me, Ryan. Don't. You will have to marry Bella and take care of her, and that's final. What is this I heard about you almost choking her to death? Are you mad, Ryan? Do you want to kill a pregnant woman?" Mrs. Rose barked."Get married to Bella or have me to deal with," she said.Ivy looked at Bella, a deep-seated dislike brewing within her."I won't and can never marry Bella, and that is final. My wife is still out there missing, and you are asking me to marry Bella? Mum, do you even have a heart?" Ryan asked, his voice filled with pain."Mind your tone and how you speak to me, young man I won't warn you again," Mrs. Rose said."You might as well take Bella to live with you if you don't want me to kill her anytime soon," Ryan said, leaving the
She knew she needed to take matters into her own hands. She couldn't rely on Mrs. Rose forever.Later that evening, Ivy slipped out of the house and headed to a secluded café downtown. She needed to meet someone who could help her. As she walked in, she spotted the man she was looking for sitting at a corner table."Thank you for meeting me," Ivy said, taking a seat across from him.The man nodded. "Of course, Miss Kendrick. What can I do for you?""I need information on the people who took my sister-in-law and her mother. I need to know everything," Ivy said, her voice low.The man raised an eyebrow. "That's a tall order. It won't be easy or cheap.""I don't care about the cost. Just get me the information," Ivy replied, her eyes cold and determined.The man nodded. "I'll see what I can do. Give me a few days."Ivy nodded, standing up. "Thank you. I appreciate it."As she left the café, Ivy felt a sense of satisfaction. She was going to get to the bottom of this, no matter what it too
Ryan, Luca, and Ivy spent the next few hours formulating a plan. They knew they couldn't go to the police Victor had connections everywhere. They needed to handle this themselves."I'll make the exchange," Ryan said. "But we need a backup plan in case things go wrong.""I'll follow from a distance," Luca suggested. "If anything goes south, I'll be there to help.""And I'll keep digging for more information on Victor," Ivy added. "We need to know what we're up against."Ryan nodded. "Alright. Let's do this."The following evening, Ryan stood in a deserted warehouse, the documents in a briefcase by his side. His heart pounded in his chest as he waited. Luca was hidden nearby, ready to intervene if necessary.A car pulled up, and a man stepped out. He was tall, with a scar running down his left cheek. "Mr. Kendrick, I presume?" the man said, his voice cold."Yes. Do you have Iris and her mother?" Ryan asked, trying to keep his voice steady.The man smirked. "They're safe, for now. Do y
There was a knock at the door. They quickly separated, and Mrs. Rose sat down, wiping her tears."Come in," Dr. Parker called. Mr. Kendrick entered, his face etched with concern. "Parker, how's my son's condition?""He's out of danger and just needs to recover now," Dr. Parker replied."Oh, thank you, Parker. Thank you very much," Mr. Kendrick said, relief flooding his face."Honey," he called to his wife, "don't cry. Ryan will be fine. You heard what Dr. Parker said."Mrs. Rose nodded, still trembling. "I'm just scared, Honey. Ryan never listens."Mr. Kendrick sighed. "He's a man, Rose, and men always do what they think is right."Mrs. Rose stood up. "I'm going to Ryan's room," she said and left.As Luca and Ivy waited for news, a man approached them. He was tall, with a commanding presence and a skull tattoo on his right arm. "I heard you were looking for Victor," he said, his voice deep and husky.Ivy and Luca exchanged wary glances. "Who are you?" Ivy asked."Name's Alex. I have so