Chapter 313 Something Happened to Margaret
Raymond hadn't contacted Margaret for many days.
Ever since he returned the safe to Margaret, he had restrained his longing and hadn't reached out to her.
Every day, he immersed himself in intense work to divert his attention.
In the past, if they had a fight, they would never go this long without contacting each other.
Margaret would sensibly come to coax him.
But now, the time they spent not contacting each other grew longer and longer.
They truly were a married couple, both tacitly choosing not to reach out to the other.
Raymond couldn't wait any longer; he didn't want them to keep dragging it out like this.
If he didn't take the initiative, she probably would never contact him.
Raymond had Alvin drive him to the Hughes Manor.
Raymond called Margaret.
The phone was connected, but no one answered. Was she still mad at him?
Sitting in the back seat, Raymond's eyes turned cold. Did she hate him that much?
Alvin noticed Raymond's disappointment through the rearview mirror and said, "Mr. Howard, how about I try calling Mrs. Howard?"
Taking out his phone, Alvin confidently dialed Margaret's number.
Still, no one answered.
"It seems Mrs. Howard is busy, not just ignoring you." Alvin said.
Hearing this, Raymond's expression improved a bit.
When he got out of the car, snowflakes began to fall in the night sky, carried by the cold wind, landing on Raymond's handsome face and the shoulders of his black coat.
The ornate iron gate of the Hughes Manor wasn't locked. Alvin just tried pushing it gently, and it opened.
Raymond followed Alvin into the villa.
They went upstairs via the spiral staircase.
It was empty, and the rooms were dark without anyone.
Alvin turned on the wall lamp, which cast a dim, yellowish glow.
It fell on Raymond's profile, making him look exceptionally lonely and desolate.
"Call Margaret," Raymond ordered.
Alvin dialed again.
Suddenly, the sound of a vibrating phone echoed in the living room.
Following the sound, Alvin found Margaret's phone on the cushion of a hanging chair and handed it to Raymond: "Mr. Howard, Mrs. Howard didn't take her phone."
Raymond took Margaret's phone.
He then searched the master bedroom, the kitchen, and every room but found no trace of Margaret.
"Mrs. Howard might have gone out to buy something," Alvin suggested.
Raymond sneered, "Going shopping without her phone?"
"Call Mary. Ask her if she knows where Mrs. Howard is."
"Yes, Mr. Howard." Alvin nodded, then took out his phone and called Mary.
Alvin took the call on the balcony and then returned, looking uneasy: "Mr. Howard, Mary said Mrs. Howard gave her a few days off. She hasn't been to the Hughes Manor for several days, and Mrs. Howard hasn't contacted her. As for Mrs. Howard's whereabouts, she doesn't know either."
Raymond pressed his lips together, his face dark and grim.
Margaret's phone was left at home, indicating she left in a hurry.
Her clothes in the closet were all there. She didn't elope with Daniel! So where did she go?
Raymond's heart felt heavy, and the atmosphere in the living room suddenly became oppressive, and he realized that something had happened to Margaret.
"Quickly send people to search!" Raymond ordered in a deep voice, "Check the surveillance outside the villa."
Alvin busied himself with making calls and then went downstairs.
After a while, Alvin came back upstairs and reported to Raymond: "Mrs. Howard indeed had an accident. The surveillance shows she was taken away by a delivery truck! Mr. Howard, don't worry. Our people are tracking the truck's whereabouts!"
Alvin left to continue the search.
Raymond was left alone in the house.
Early the next morning, Raymond waited all night, but Alvin still hadn't found the truck's whereabouts.
"Mr. Howard, should we call the cop? It would be much easier to find her with their help," Alvin suggested over the phone.
Just as Raymond was about to respond, an unknown call came in.
Raymond hung up on Alvin and answered the new call, only to hear a woman's arrogant laughter. "Raymond, your wife is in my hands now!"
"It's you?" Raymond's eyes narrowed, instantly recognizing Evelyn's voice.
Evelyn was bold enough to kidnap Margaret.
"Cut the crap! If you want to see Margaret one last time, come alone to Everpeak Mountain! If you dare call the cop, I'll kill her!" Evelyn spat out her threat and hung up.
Raymond received a photo.
In the photo, Margaret's hands were tightly bound with a rope.
She was hanging from a dead tree branch.
The branch she was hanging from was over a cliff.
And the dead tree had already been sawed halfway through.
An anonymous message popped up: [You have twenty minutes before this tree completely breaks. Raymond, whether you see her one last time depends on how fast you get here. And if I find out you called the cop, she'll die even faster!]
Raymond, who was usually a neat freak, didn't even have time to change his clothes. He rushed downstairs, got in his car, and followed the GPS to Everpeak Mountain.
The fastest route to Everpeak Mountain from here was at least an hour's drive.
Plus, he had to climb the mountain, which would take at least half an hour!
The roads were constantly congested.
He kept hitting red lights.
Raymond angrily punched the steering wheel.
His mind was filled with images of Margaret.
He remembered the first time he saw Margaret as a freshman; she wore a red down jacket and stood out in the crowd, stunning him.
He remembered Margaret dragging him shopping, pretending to sprain her ankle, and insisting he carry her home. When he was annoyed, she kissed his cheek.
He remembered Margaret kissing him and whispering sweet words in his ear. "Raymond, I like you. I like you very, very much. More than you like me."
The veins on the back of Raymond's hand bulged as he gripped the steering wheel.
He floored the gas pedal.
Alvin called, and Raymond told him to call the police and set up an ambush at the base of Everpeak Mountain. At the foot of Everpeak Mountain was a wide lake.
If someone fell, having rescue boats ready could save them immediately.
"Mr. Howard, please be careful," Alvin said worriedly over the phone.
Raymond reached the base of Everpeak Mountain, fifteen minutes had already passed.
There were only five minutes left before the tree holding Margaret would break!
Everpeak Mountain was extremely steep; cars couldn't drive up.
Raymond didn't dare stop, following the GPS and rushing up the path.
The snow on Everpeak Mountain was falling heavily.
It landed on his handsome profile, and the cold wind cut like a knife.
Raymond silently prayed, 'Margaret, please hold on, don't let anything happen, nothing can happen again.'
At the top of Everpeak Mountain, a bucket of filthy water from a stinking ditch was poured over the unconscious Margaret's face.
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