Chapter 11 Find Out Where She Is

Daniella extended her hand toward Evan's phone, ready to pass it to him.

However, as she glanced at the caller ID displaying Caroline's name, a glimmer of coldness flickered in her eyes. She hesitated briefly, then swiftly ended the call and slipped the phone back into Evan's coat, feigning nonchalance.

Meanwhile, Caroline remained frozen in place, her mind reeling, as she witnessed the abrupt termination of the call.

Was he too occupied to answer?

With determination, Caroline clenched her teeth and hailed a taxi to make her way to the casino. She desperately hoped Evan would return her call.

*

An hour passed.

Caroline stepped out of the car and stood at the entrance of the opulent casino. Determined, she made her way through the bustling lobby, seeking directions that led her to Room 02.

Taking a deep breath, she gathered her courage and pushed open the door.

As the door creaked open, a pungent combination of smoke and the scent of blood assaulted her senses.

Several menacing-looking men sat inside the private room, and her father knelt on the floor, his face drained of color. His injured hand, missing several fingers, was hastily wrapped in blood-soaked gauze.

At the sound of the door, Bradley weakly lifted his head. His eyes were filled with desperation to survive. "Carol! Save me, please!"

Instantly, all of Caroline's anger dissipated upon seeing her father's distress.

She hurriedly moved toward Bradley, only to be blocked by an imposing figure.

"Miss Shenton, what's the rush? Pay up first!" sneered a man with a repulsive scar on his face, puffing on a cigar.

His gaze lingered on Caroline's body. The despicable greed in his eyes sent shivers down her spine.

Suppressing the fear and anger welling up inside her, Caroline turned her gaze toward the scar-faced man. "Release my father first, and then I'll give you the money!"

The scar-faced man was direct in his response. With a dismissive wave of his hand, the men holding onto Bradley released their grip.

Simultaneously, Bradley stumbled to his feet and hastily made his way toward Caroline, his eyes brimming with gratitude for surviving the ordeal. "Carol! I'll make my escape now. You stay and return the money for me!"

And just like that, he left Caroline behind and ran off without a single glance back.

"Miss Shenton, what a wonderful father you got there!" mocked the voices around her, accompanied by laughter.

Caroline's eyes met with the scar-faced man's gaze, enduring the heartless abandonment by her own father. "At the moment, I only have 7,000 dollars with me. Could you find it in your heart to grant me two more days to accumulate the funds?"

The smile on the scar-faced man's face froze in an instant. In the next breath, he forcefully slammed his wine glass onto the table, shattering it into countless fragments.

"How dare you negotiate with me to release him when you ain't got a single penny on you?!"

Caroline trembled but managed to gather her composure. "I just need one day!"

The scar-faced man bellowed, "Fuck you!"

His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Caroline.

"Since you don't have the money, use your body to repay the debt!"

Caroline's face drained of color as she took a step back. "I'll call the police if any of you try anything!"

"The police?" The scar-faced man laughed, pulling out his phone and throwing it onto the table. "Go ahead! I ain’t afraid of no police!"

Caroline gulped nervously.

She knew deep down that calling the police wouldn't solve her predicament, but she couldn't allow herself to be caught by them. Otherwise, she would either end up crippled, or dead!

Quickly, Caroline reached into her pocket and pressed the shutdown button on her phone three times in quick succession. Then, she inched back cautiously, and seizing the moment when their attention was diverted, she swiftly turned and bolted toward the exit.

"Get her!"

An enraged shout echoed behind her. Just as Caroline managed to twist the doorknob open, someone forcefully grabbed her hair and yanked her back.

"Ahhh!" Caroline's cry of pain echoed through the room as she was brutally thrown into the pool of blood, a grim reminder of her father's abuse.

The throbbing ache quickly radiated through her limbs and bones, causing Caroline's vision to blur from intense dizziness.

She struggled to prop herself up. And just as her vision got a little clearer, her eyes widened in horror as she saw the bald man advancing toward her with menacing steps.

Before she could fully rise, a harsh slap landed across her face. It unleashed a symphony of ringing in her ears and searing pain on her cheek, nearly knocking her out.

With her scalp tingling, Caroline forced herself to raise her head.

"Trying to run? You ain't gettin' away from me! If I don't leave you broken and shattered tonight, I ain’t worth the dirt beneath my boots!" the bald man sneered, pulling back his hand and ripping at Caroline's garments.

The chilling sensation on her chest snapped Caroline back to reality. Her eyes widened, and she let out a despairing scream, "No... No!!!"

Meanwhile, in the corridor outside the private room, Reuben hastily grasped his phone and barged right into Evan's private VIP room.

His intrusion disrupted the tranquility of the VIPs, earning disapproving frowns from them.

However, Evan's face darkened. He knew that Reuben wouldn't have acted so rashly without urgent cause.

He loosened his tie, his voice cold and commanding, "Speak!"

Reuben's expression turned grave. "Mr. Jordan, something has happened to Ms. Shenton!"

Evan's features hardened, and his eyes turned dark. "Find out where she is!"

Reuben quickly nodded, his fingers flying across his phone. Soon, he pinpointed Caroline's location.

He looked up at Evan in shock. "She's next door..."

Without hesitation, Evan rose abruptly, and a clueless Daniella hurriedly followed behind.