Chapter 547 Who Is Troubling Ashley?
"Pearl, stop running!" Andrei chased after her, their pursuit playing out through the streets until he finally caught her.
"Let go of me!" Ashley struggled violently. "I don't know you! What have I done to you? Why are you kidnapping me?"
"Pearl, please don't be afraid. I truly just want to talk to you."
"You're insane! Who talks to someone like this? Get away from me!"
Ashley fought fiercely, kicking and hitting at Andrei with all her strength. "You dare kidnap me? Do you have a death wish? Do you have any idea who I am? I'm the prince's girlfriend!"
Her blows and threats seemed to have little effect on him. Even invoking His Highness Prince Totti's name failed to intimidate him.
"Pearl, what an imagination you have," Andrei scoffed.
A flash of cruelty crossed his eyes before he knocked her unconscious.
Half-carrying her limp form, he sighed, "I tried to be reasonable, but you wouldn't listen. You brought this on yourself."
He hoisted her over his shoulder, placed her in his car, and drove away.
As they traveled from deserted back streets toward the main roads, Andrei found traffic at a standstill. Crowds of agitated people were gathering, engaged in heated discussions.
Noticing police checkpoints ahead, he instinctively pulled his cap lower over his face.
Still at a distance, he called out to a bystander, "Hey, what's happening up there? Why are there so many officers?"
"Apparently a woman's been kidnapped. They're checking everyone."
"Really? Who would cause such a commotion by being kidnapped?"
"It's all over social media. They're saying some fool kidnapped the prince's girlfriend right here in Gold Valley District. The entire area's on lockdown now—none of us can leave!"
"I see..."
The prince's girlfriend?
Andrei shot a panicked glance at the unconscious Ashley, cold sweat breaking out across his forehead.
Everyone in Gold Valley District knew of Totti and his ruthless efficiency in both business and retribution.
When she had claimed to be the prince's girlfriend earlier, he'd thought she was bluffing to frighten him. He hadn't believed her for a second.
But she had been telling the truth.
Damn it. He had unwittingly kidnapped the prince's girlfriend, which meant he had no chance of escaping Gold Valley District now.
No point in regrets now—he had to see this through.
Andrei pulled his cap lower and adjusted his mask before making a U-turn and heading in another direction, carefully avoiding all police checkpoints.
At the police station, Ethan stood in the surveillance room, his mind racing though his expression remained composed.
His hawk-like eyes focused intensely on the screens displaying footage of Ashley exiting the car at the hospital entrance, then entering the supermarket and selecting items.
"Your Highness, the footage ends at the entrance. It's a blind spot in our surveillance coverage."
"Check nearby cameras immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
After typing frantically, the officer announced, "Your Highness, we've found footage from a shop across the street. Look—a man abducted your wife."
Ethan's jaw clenched as he watched the man press a cloth over Ashley's mouth and nose before dragging her into a black vehicle. Fury radiated from his entire being.
He commanded, "I want this man's complete background within one minute. Pull all traffic camera footage and locate that vehicle."
"Right away, sir!"
Who was this man? Why kidnap Ashley? What was his purpose?
Ashley hadn't made enemies in Gold Valley District. Who would target her?
A thought suddenly occurred to Ethan. "What about Marc and his mistress? Did you apprehend them after their escape?"
The question made the officers break into a nervous sweat. He stammered, "Your Highness... we... haven't yet."
Ethan erupted, "So because I didn't ask, you did nothing? What's the point of employing incompetent fools like you?"
He'd been preoccupied and had forgotten to follow up on Marc's situation, assuming the police had captured them. Instead, they'd been free all this time.
Thinking it through, the only people with a grudge against Ashley were Marc and Mary. This kidnapper was likely just a pawn—Marc must be behind it all.
"You have one hour," Ethan snarled. "Find this man and Marc, or all of you are fired!"
What useless incompetents—their efficiency was fucking atrocious.
Ethan resolved to reform this culture of negligence once Ashley was safely back.
Just then, his phone rang. It was Ian.
"Hello, Ian."
"Your Highness, I have the paternity test results for you, Andy, and Nate—two reports in total. I'm bringing them to you now."
"Good. I'm at the police station."
Moments later, Ian arrived with the reports.
"Your Highness, here are your results."
With his mind preoccupied by Ashley's disappearance, Ethan glanced at the reports only to see: Totti, Andy, Nate: No paternal relationship established.
Ethan demanded, "Ian, did you bring the wrong reports?"
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