Farris acknowledged Bruce’s betrayal and the birthday party incident that had severed her ties with the Ashton family.
Yet the family’s pressing circumstances overshadowed his remorse.
“My intentions are pure. Please attend the Ashton Group’s anniversary celebration. Our success stems largely from your contributions-your presence would honor that legacy.”
“The Ashton family and I share no connection; my attendance holds no significance,” Corrine replied, a bitter smile playing across her lips.
“I doubt anyone there desires my presence.”
After a weighted pause, Farris continued, “Corrine, I cannot ask for your forgiveness, especially given their treatment of you. But life demands forward motion. Why let past grievances anchor you? Release them, and watch your path improve.”
“Whose path improves-mine or the Ashton family’s?” Corrine’s voice cut through the line like winter frost. Farris found himself without response.
“I’ll refrain from pursuing accountability with the Ashton family and preserve their dignity, but please cease contacting me,” Corrine stated with finality.
“I have pressing matters to attend to. Goodbye.”
She ended the call, only to have her phone immediately ring again. After she declined it, another call followed. Irritation creasing her brow, she answered, but the voice that greeted her wasn’t Farris’.
“Finally, you picked up!” Donnelly’s deep voice burst through the line, brimming with excitement but quivering ever so slightly, like a rope about to snap.
Corrine arched a brow, her tone carrying a sharp edge of skepticism.
“Alright, spill it. How much do you need this time?”
She knew Donnelly too well. The man rarely called unless his wallet was gasping for air.
Donnelly was a decent soul, no doubt about it, but common sense seemed to flee him whenever a rare artifact hit the auction block. So, when she heard his voice on the other end of the line, it wasn’t hard to connect the dots. But then, her assumption crumbled like a house of cards
“Are you Miss Holland?” A harsh, haughty voice cut through the receiver, dripping with arrogance.
Before she could respond, Donnelly’s panicked voice erupted in the background.
“Help! They’ve kidnapped… mmph!”
“If you don’t behave, I’ll cut out your tongue!” The same haughty voice came, followed by the sickening thud of a body hitting the ground.
The revelation struck Corrine like ice water. Donnelly had been kidnapped. Her previously charming expression hardened into a mask of glacial determination.
“What do you want?”
“Miss Holland, you truly embody the reputation of Timeless Treasures’ owner – straight to the point,” the kidnapper sneered through the phone.
“Fifty million dollars, delivered to the dock in an hour! Or the old man dies!” The line went dead.
Corrine’s mind raced as she contemplated the situation. Donnelly was practically a hermit-who could he have possibly angered?
Then, like a bolt of lightning, memory struck: the suspicious vehicle that had tailed her yesterday.
Without hesitation, she contacted Jules to trace Donnelly’s phone.
The signal placed him not at the docks, but at an abandoned construction site. Her eyes glinted dangerously as she steered her car toward the location. Meanwhile, Leah was returning from a shopping excursion with a friend when Corrine’s car caught her attention.
Her features darkened with remembered humiliation.
The incident at Farris’ birthday party, where her counterfeit gift had exposed her before the Ashton family, still burned fresh in Leah’s memory. Seething with anger, she had stormed into the antique shop to demand a refund. But instead of getting what she wanted, she’d walked out even more humiliated. Her grudge against Corrine had festered ever since, and the sight of her now stoked the fire. Leah’s lips curled into a venomous smirk as she watched Corrine’s car with narrowed eyes.
The Ashton family claimed Corrine had no connections in Lyhaton-no friends, no family, no obligations. So, where could she be rushing off to? Leah’s gaze lingered. The car wasn’t heading toward Timeless Treasures. Interesting. Was Corrine hiding something? A secret she wouldn’t dare let the world see? A venomous smile twisted Leah’s lips as curiosity and malice merged into determination. She would discover what Corrine was hiding.
In her car, Corrine dialed Jules.
“I’m approaching the construction site. Bring backup.”
“Why must you always rush into danger without consulting me first?” Jules released an exasperated sigh while hurriedly dressing.
“Corrine, I mean it-wait for reinforcements before doing anything rash!”
“I’ll try,” Corrine replied noncommittally before ending the call.
Her eyes flickered to the rearview mirror, noting the vehicle shadowing her movements. A hint of mockery crossed her features. Behind her, Leah noticed Corrine’s sudden acceleration. Had she been spotted? Or was Corrine racing to protect some dark secret? Pressing the accelerator, Leah maintained her pursuit, determination burning in her eyes.
After more than an hour of driving, the car entered a desolate landscape of abandoned construction projects. Years of neglect had transformed the area into a wasteland where weeds entangled the skeletal structures, casting long shadows in the fading light. Leah’s knuckles whitened against the steering wheel as she scanned the haunting surroundings
Her suspicions about Corrine deepened with each passing moment. Why else would anyone drive to such a forsaken place unless they had something sinister to hide?
When she finally spotted Corrine’s parked vehicle ahead, Leah hesitated before stepping out, phone clutched in her trembling hands. She crept forward, ready to document whatever dark secrets she might uncover.
Meanwhile, Corrine had already located the kidnappers’ makeshift hideout within one of the unfinished buildings. Inside, an odd pair-one corpulent, one rail-thin-huddled over a small iron pot of boiling noodles.
The thin man stirred the pot listlessly.
“Think she’ll really bring fifty million to the dock?”
His companion cast a doubtful glance at their bound captive.
“For this old man? Unlikely.”
“Boss is asking too much. Might scare her off completely.” Donnelly’s eyes welled with tears at the sight of Corrine. Bound hand and foot with black tape sealing his mouth, he writhed helplessly on the ground, managing only muffled sounds.
“Shut it!” The fat kidnapper delivered a sharp kick, but as he turned, he froze at the sight of Corrine.
“Who-who are you?”
Without a word, Corrine strode past him and carefully peeled the tape from Donnelly’s mouth. He worked his jaw briefly before craning his neck toward the entrance.
“You came alone?”
“The police might have made them desperate,” Corrine explained quietly.
Donnelly gaped at her recklessness.
“What’s happening here?” she asked, nodding toward his captors.
Nervousness flickered across Donnelly’s features.
“I was investigating that gem. They claimed to have information, so I followed them, and…”
He caught Corrine’s knowing look and sighed.
“After we raided Brevard Ferguson’s hideout three years ago, he vanished. I posted a reward, hoping to catch him off guard. Instead, I walked right into their trap.”
Their casual conversation enraged the kidnappers. The thin man drew a concealed blade, running his fingers along its edge.
“Hey! Stop ignoring us!”
“Those two…” Donnelly murmured to Corrine, “they sold the counterfeit gem.”
Corrine studied the armed man through narrowed eyes.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.