Chapter 176 What Are You Going To Do?
After Aurelia's instructions, the group split into two teams and got to work.
Maria was at the beauty salon when the lights dimmed. She scolded the beautician, "Do you work in the dark? How can you see the products? Don't mess up my essential oils."
Before she got an answer, a black cloth was thrown over her head.
"Come with us, old fart," a cold male voice said, making Maria's legs weak.
"Who are you?" Maria asked, but a sock was shoved into her mouth before she could get a reply. Two men rudely dragged her out the back door to a waiting car, not even letting her put on her shoes. Terrified, she felt an urgent need to relieve herself.
Blindfolded, gagged, and with her hands tied, Maria had no idea who had taken her or where she was going. She could only let out muffled screams. The man in the back seat occasionally kicked her, adding to her terror. Shivering uncontrollably, Maria was in extreme panic.
As the car drove on, Maria tried to think of a plan but couldn't. Fear clouded her mind, making rational thought nearly impossible. She didn't know what awaited her, which was the scariest part.
Desperate, Maria tried to loosen the ropes binding her hands and intended to take her chance by jumping out of the car. However, as the rope slightly slackened, one of the men kicked her leg sharply, causing intense pain and stopping her attempts. "Don't be smart; we'll arrive soon," the man warned.
After kicking her, one of the men made a call. "We've got her. How about your end?"
Maria couldn't hear the response from the other end. The man replied, "Hurry up and get her daughter to meet."
Hearing the man mention a meeting, Maria was so frightened she wet herself, soaking the seat.
She was terrified beyond words. It was one thing for her to be taken, but were these people also going after her precious daughter Chelsea?
Maria only had one child, and everything she did in her life was to protect Chelsea, who was her lifeline!
Maria whimpered and thrashed around in the car. She would rather die than let anything happen to her precious daughter, especially since Chelsea was pregnant and couldn't handle such a scare.
Her actions completely angered the man watching her in the back seat. He kicked her hard in the stomach, causing Maria to curl up in pain, sweat dripping from her forehead.
The man driving reminded him, "Hey, that's enough. The boss said not to cripple her."
The man in the back seat looked at the soiled car seat with disgust and spat. "There's nothing in her stomach; one kick won't hurt. We'll have to get the boss to cover the cost of replacing the car seat."
As he spoke, the car came to a stop.
Maria whimpered and cried. The man pulled the sock from her mouth and said, "We're here!"
Maria, who had never suffered like this before, gagged after having a man's sock in her mouth. "Who are you, and why are you kidnapping me?"
The man in the front seat laughed. "Kidnapping? No, we're inviting you. Have you ever seen a kidnapped person get to sit in a seat? They're usually stuffed in the trunk and thrown into an abandoned factory, waiting for someone to pay for their release."
His words reminded Maria. "If you want money, I can give you. My husband owns a company and can pay for my release. Just don't hurt me."
The man laughed. "Are you sure your husband would spend a fortune to save an old woman halfway to the grave? One of life's greatest pleasures is losing a wife in middle age. He could use that money to marry a young girl; wouldn't that be great?"
Maria fell into despair instantly. She had little faith in Norman, who was selfish and only cared about himself. In this situation, he might not be willing to spend his life's savings to save her.
Meanwhile, Chelsea noticed the housekeeper hadn't told Nathaniel about her unauthorized outing the previous day. She persuaded the housekeeper to take her for a walk inside the community to relieve the stuffiness in the house.
Despite not being ill, Chelsea felt like a prisoner, restricted from seeing her parents and controlled in every aspect of her life. She felt suffocated by a tasteless diet, worsened by severe morning sickness, which left her with no appetite.
The housekeeper was easily manipulated and agreed to a walk; after all, they were still inside the community, and nothing would happen.
As they changed and went out for a walk, Chelsea fed the fish in the artificial lake with some biscuits. While feeding the fish, she asked the housekeeper, "Could you go upstairs and get a few more packets of biscuits? There are still some fish that haven't eaten."
The housekeeper looked around cautiously and replied, "Be careful here, and don't get too close to the water. I'll be right back."
Chelsea smiled and thanked her, showcasing her talent for manipulation. In just a few days, Chelsea had gained favor with the housekeeper, which allowed her some freedom within limits.
The housekeeper's concern for Chelsea's pregnancy with a heart condition and the fact that she was carrying the Heilbronn family's grandchild made her more lenient.
The housekeeper left a thermos for Chelsea and reminded her to be careful before she went back to fetch the biscuits.
Nathaniel's house was the best in the villas, facing the artificial lake. The housekeeper hurried upstairs to get the biscuits, but when she looked out the window, she didn't see Chelsea. With a second look, Chelsea's phone and the thermos were lying on the ground.
Panicking, she rushed to the elevator without even locking the door.
Chelsea was nowhere to be seen. The housekeeper called out a few times but got no response. Her eyes fell on the lake, and she was terrified by her thoughts.
Could Chelsea have fallen into the lake?
Nathaniel trusted her to take care of Chelsea and her child, and now this happened. She might have to answer for it with her life.
Given the gravity of the situation, she didn't dare delay and called Nathaniel directly.
Nathaniel, in the middle of a meeting, stepped outside to answer the housekeeper, Daphne's call. "Daphne, what's wrong?" he asked.
Daphne's voice trembled, "Mr. Heilbronn, Miss Thompson fell into the lake. Please send help quickly."
Nathaniel's expression froze. "Daphne, call 911 first. See if there are any security guards or passersby nearby who can help. I'll be there right away."
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
