Chapter 103 The Employer's Identity
Quentin sat in the car, his mind racing with thoughts of Lauren's potential danger. After careful consideration, he concluded that Wendy was the only person who might harbor such a deep grudge against Lauren.
He quickly called Noah. "Noah, I need you to investigate if Wendy has had any suspicious contacts in the past few days. Get back to me as soon as you can."
Noah, rarely seeing Quentin so anxious, immediately began his investigation into Wendy's activities.
Meanwhile, Ethan had already arrived at the hospital.
Ethan headed straight to the obstetrics department to trace Lauren’s activities. He deduced that Lauren must have encountered some unexpected situation while shopping. But what exactly had happened? That remained a mystery.
Lauren’s phone had been off for hours. Desperate, Ethan accessed the hospital’s surveillance footage, meticulously scanning each frame for a sign of her. He finally spotted her in the parking lot, the last place she was seen.
'But what happened to Lauren in the parking lot?' Ethan thought. Unfortunately, the area where she disappeared was a surveillance blind spot. Without wasting a second, Ethan rushed to the parking lot to search for her.
Quentin, too, had learned about Lauren’s disappearance in the parking lot. With a sinking feeling, he suspected she had been kidnapped. Could Wendy be behind this? He wasn't sure yet.
Just then, Noah called back. "Quentin, I looked into Wendy’s recent activities and found she’s been associating with members of the Dark Hand. What's happening? Do you need my help?"
"The Dark Hand? We've tangled with them before. Noah, find a way to control Wendy and prevent her from contacting anyone," Quentin instructed, his mind racing with possible scenarios.
'If Wendy is involved in Lauren’s kidnapping, she’ll face severe consequences,' Quentin thought grimly.
"Don't worry, I'll handle Wendy," Noah assured him, sensing the urgency in Quentin’s voice.
When Lauren regained consciousness, she found herself in an unfamiliar room, bound tightly. The kidnappers who had taken her were anxiously making phone calls nearby. She decided to feign unconsciousness to gather more information.
The kidnappers had brought Lauren to a prearranged location, but their employer hadn't shown up yet. Panic set in because they had taken this job in secret, without their gang's knowledge. If their boss found out, they would be in serious trouble.
Moreover, if their employer defaulted, what would they do with the hostage? What about their promised commission? Desperation led them to repeatedly call their employer.
The employer, now revealed to be Wendy, was in a tight spot. Noah had her under surveillance, preventing her from making any moves.
Observing Wendy's anxiety, Noah asked sarcastically, "Do you have an urgent matter? If my visit is inconvenient, we can discuss our cooperation later."
Wendy shook her head vehemently. She couldn't tell if Noah's visit was genuine or a ruse, but she clung to this lifeline desperately.
Noah had no intention of leaving, watching Wendy closely to scrutinize her every move.
Meanwhile, Richard and David, the kidnappers, were growing increasingly anxious.
"Richard, Wendy’s phone is still unreachable. Do you think she might have forgotten about us?" David asked nervously.
"Stop scaring yourself," Richard snapped. "If worse comes to worst, we can ransom this woman to her family. Once we get the ransom, we can disappear. It doesn’t matter if Wendy contacts us or not."
"Can we really flee?" David countered. "If the gang finds out what we've done, we’re dead."
"Think positive for once," Richard retorted. "Wendy has a deep grudge against this woman. She even said she wanted to kill her herself. If that’s the case, we get the money without getting blood on our hands."
"You're right," David conceded. "Let's wait. Wendy will make her move eventually. No one dares to help her."
Lauren, overhearing their conversation, broke out in a cold sweat. 'So Wendy really did send people to kidnap me, and she wants to kill me herself. I can’t just wait here. I have to find a way to escape, but how? I’m six months pregnant and can't move easily.'
She didn’t know if Ethan had realized her disappearance or if he was coming to rescue her. Shaking her head, Lauren steeled herself. She had to rely on her own wits and strength.
One of the kidnappers came over to check on her. She continued to feign sleep.
"Richard, this woman hasn’t woken up yet. Let’s grab something to eat and lock the door. She won’t be able to escape," David suggested.
"Alright," Richard agreed.
After they left, Lauren struggled to sit up. She went to the balcony and saw she was in an abandoned neighborhood, likely with no other residents—an ideal place for captivity.
The house was old. With great effort, she rubbed the rope binding her hands against the rough wall. After much struggle, the rope broke, though her hands were scraped raw in the process.
Despite freeing her hands and feet, Lauren was still trapped. The balcony was secured with sturdy bars, making her feel like a caged bird.
She didn’t know when the kidnappers would return. If she couldn’t escape and they discovered her attempt, her situation would become even more perilous.
Lauren quickly re-tied the ropes around her hands and feet to avoid suspicion.
Sure enough, the kidnappers returned soon after. They immediately checked on her.
"Richard, the rope on this woman's hands is loose!" David exclaimed.
Richard rushed over. "You wretched woman, are you trying to escape?"
Unable to maintain her act, Lauren widened her eyes in fear, trembling. 'Is this really the end for me?' she thought, her heart pounding.
