Chapter 46: Stirring Up Trouble
Instinctively, Paige positioned herself in front of Olivia and Susan.
“Ah-!” Molly’s friends screamed in terror at the sight.
Molly, still on the phone, dropped it in shock at the unfolding scene. She backed away until she was pressed against Paige.
Paige reached out and pushed her forward.
Molly screamed as she bumped into one of the men. The man glanced at her and immediately grabbed her. “Boss, it’s her!”
“Take her away.”
It was a kidnapping. Paige realized instantly.
Nancy cowered nearby, trembling as she called the police. One of the kidnappers pointed a gun directly at her. “Want to die, go ahead and call the cops!”
“Ahhhh…” Nancy dropped her phone in fear.
Meanwhile, Molly was dragged towards the car, screaming loudly, “What are you doing? Don’t take me! My boyfriend is Enrico!”
“Hah, if you weren’t Enrico’s woman, we wouldn’t be kidnapping you!”
The kidnappers forcibly pulled her away.
‘They were Enrico’s enemies after all.’ Paige hadn’t expected her suspicions to materialize so quickly.
Protecting the two maids, Paige began to step back. Molly struggled desperately, suddenly turning back and grabbing Paige’s hand tightly. “I’m not going, I’m not going! Take her away, take her away…”
The kidnappers exerted force to drag her away, but Molly, ignoring everything else, used all her strength to cling to Paige.
Paige glared coldly at her, lifting her foot to push Molly away when a handgun suddenly pressed against her head.
The leader of the kidnappers grew impatient. “Take them both.” This was downtown, and every moment delayed their chances of escaping unscathed.
Paige shot Molly a fierce look before the kidnappers took them both away.
“Don’t hurt her!” Susan and Olivia threw down their shopping bags and rushed forward, desperate to rescue Paige. “Miss, Miss… ”
In the end, all four were bundled into the kidnappers’ car.
…
Presidential Palace, lunch meeting.
In the opulent dining room, security guards and servants formed a large circle. In the center, a round table was set, surrounded by influential figures.
At this moment, all eyes were on one person.
Enrico.
He idly stirred the noodles on his plate with a silver fork, but didn’t eat.
“Mr. Gustin, the fluctuations in your conglomerate’s stocks are not good for the national economy,” a senior figure advised with seriousness.
Lately, Enrico seemed to be meddling excessively in economic matters, causing widespread concern. Although he was known for his erratic behavior, recently it seemed particularly severe. Perhaps something unpleasant had happened to him.
Enrico paid him no mind.
For a week now, he had deliberately attended events with that woman, appearing in front of the media. Paige hadn’t making a single phone call, not pleading for mercy, nor did she have any intention of telling him the truth.
“Enrico.”
The president, a young man around thirty years old, reached out and placed a hand on Enrico’s shoulder politely. “Have you been having some trouble lately? Tell me about it, I can help you.”
“I don’t need anyone to solve my problems,” Enrico said indifferently, stirring the noodles on his plate into a mess.
Suddenly, footsteps outside interrupted. A security guard moved to intercept, but the president glanced up and frowned. “You idiots, Jaden works for Enrico. You dare to stop him?”
The security guard immediately stepped aside.
Jaden approached with a serious expression, bowing slightly to the assembled dignitaries at the table before coming to Enrico’s side. He leaned in and whispered, “Molly has been kidnapped.”
“Who?” Enrico hadn’t even bothered to remember the woman’s name.
Jaden continued, “During the abduction, Paige was also at the scene and was taken along.”
Enrico paused in his noodle-stirring, then sneered coldly, “Good, the bastard is finally going to taste some bitterness.”
Anyone who dared to kidnap and threaten him was asking for trouble. Without his protection, he wondered what fate awaited her.
“Aren’t you going to rescue her?” Jaden asked in a subdued voice.
He knew Enrico never liked being threatened, not even compromising when his own half-brother had his fingers chopped off. But Jaden sensed that the woman held some significance for Enrico, which made him ask.
At Jaden’s words, Enrico chuckled, “Do you think I’m going to be threatened for her? You’ve been around me too long, maybe your brain’s gone dull? Am I the kind of man to be threatened for a woman? What a joke!”
Jaden felt embarrassed by the rebuke and stood there in silence.
“What’s wrong, Enrico?” The president noticed Jaden’s troubled expression and couldn’t help asking.
“Nothing, Just dealing with some arrogant fool who wants to challenge me.”
“Who dares to challenge you?”
“People like that are better off dead.”
“Absolutely.”
Enrico smirked, indifferent to the conversation around him as he took a sip of strong liquor and picked up his silver fork again, ready to eat his noodles.
But he suddenly stood up, “I have something else to attend to, I’m leaving.”
Everyone looked at him in surprise. Why was he leaving so suddenly?
“Jaden, gather the men, let’s go.”
Jaden stood still for a moment before hurrying to catch up.
…
The black SUV sped forward recklessly, sirens already blaring outside.
Inside the vehicle, several dark gun muzzles pointed directly at them.
Olivia and Susan shielded Paige in the middle, forcefully pushing Molly away and even kicking her, “Shameless, dragging us into this mess.”
Paige sat in silence.
Molly was held by two kidnappers, trembling as she clutched her head, “Please don’t take me, let me go, I’ll give you as much money as you want.”
“Money?” the leader of the kidnappers sneered. Knowing how ruthless Enrico could be, they were here for more than just money. “Kidnapping Enrico’s woman, do you think we’re after money?”
Police cars were approaching from behind.
A window was rolled down, and a kidnapper leaned out, firing shots towards the pursuing vehicles.
The gunfire was deafening, mixed with Molly’s frightened screams, causing Paige pain in her ears.
The two maids threw themselves onto Paige, trembling as they shielded her.
Paige sat there, her face devoid of expression.
After a round of gunfire, the police cars were clearly falling behind.
The black SUV sped up, racing down the road.
After what seemed like an eternity, the car finally came to a stop.
The bumpy ride made the frightened Molly throw up, her face ghostly pale. The interior of the car smelled awful and pungent, and Paige put a finger under her nose and looked at Molly in disgust.
“Get out!” Even the kidnappers couldn’t stand the stench inside anymore, dragging Molly out.
Paige and the two maids were also pulled out. Paige cooperated, following the kidnappers forward.
Surrounding them was a vast green expanse, devoid of any buildings except for one ahead-a derelict large building. It seemed to have been intended for a factory, now abandoned with makeshift curtains covering its doors and windows.
This place was chosen well. Snipers won’t find high ground here, but people hiding inside can observe any movement outside clearly.
“Get in!” The kidnapper shoved Paige inside. Susan started to protest, “Don’t touch her! Do you know who she is? She’s…”
“Slap!” The kidnapper cut her off impatiently with a swift slap. “I don’t care who you are. I’m here to grab Enrico’s woman. You all are going to die.”
What? Susan and Olivia widened their eyes in shock, but before they could speak, their mouths were taped shut.
Paige was naturally gagged as well, her hands restrained behind her back with ropes.
“Mmmph! Mmmph!” Olivia struggled to make noise, but couldn’t.
“Take them upstairs and kill them. Keep Enrico’s woman alive,” ordered the lead kidnapper, glancing at them.
Ahead, Molly, looking disheveled, was being pushed up dusty cement stairs. Upon hearing the order, she turned abruptly to look at Paige.
“Move!” The kidnappers pushed Molly onward, entering a room.
Meanwhile, Paige and the two maids were shoved into another cement room, tumbling to the ground in a heap.
Two men entered, one after the other, pulling off their hoods to reveal their faces. They looked disdainfully at the three women. “Just three women. Let’s not waste bullets, shall we? They’re making too much noise.”
“Agreed,” the other nodded.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .
They hung their guns on the wall, rolled up their sleeves, and retrieved military knives from sheaths strapped to their calves. They approached, brandishing the knives. “You’re out of luck.”
They raised the knives, the sharp edges glinting in the lamplight.