Chapter 4

I ran like a madwoman towards where the helicopter was landing. I saw the cabin door open.

Julian slowly descended the steps.

My heart was racing, but before I could make a sound, a rough hand clamped over my mouth. Then my hair was yanked back violently.

"You little bitch, how dare you hit me! You must have a death wish!"

It was the man whose head I had struck earlier. He had caught up!

The leader was respectfully waiting to receive Julian. Noticing the commotion, he frowned and looked our way.

He silently shook his head at the man holding me.

I was immediately dragged behind a wall.

Not far away, Julian had come down. He looked travel-worn and worried.

The leader immediately went to greet him: "Boss, we've pulled all the surveillance footage as you instructed. We'll definitely find clues about the young miss's whereabouts."

"Take me to the surveillance room."

Julian strode forward, passing within arm's reach of me. We were separated by just a wall.

He suddenly paused, clenching his fist.

As if speaking to me, or perhaps to himself, he said: "Elena, please be safe."

My face was covered in tears and blood. He was right in front of me, but I couldn't make a sound.

In the end, I was thrown into solitary confinement.

To prevent me from escaping, they dislocated my arms, tied my legs, and gagged me tightly again.

For the next few days, Julian didn't come.

The underground casino was dimly lit, and Ethan had kept me confined to the hotel room during our stay. My face probably wasn't captured on any surveillance footage.

My hope was slowly fading away.

But early one morning, I heard hurried footsteps and Julian's voice.

"Boss, how can you be sure that person is the young miss just from seeing her back? Could you have made a mistake? She's just a nobody left here to pay off a debt."

Julian's voice was agitated and slightly panicked.

"Enough! Where are you keeping her?"

"In... in the solitary confinement cell up ahead."

He recognized me!

Hope surged within me. I tried to make muffled sounds to get Julian's attention.

But the footsteps stopped about ten paces away from me.

"Mr. Ashcroft, we just confirmed with the young miss's fiancé. He said she's already back in the country. She was never missing."

It was Julian's assistant's voice.

"Where does her location show?"

"Also in the country. It shows she returned three days ago, but it just synced up due to signal issues."

Ethan had taken my phone when he left with Vivian. It had a tracker Julian had installed.

Now he was using the phone's location to mislead Julian!

The leader eagerly persuaded him: "Boss, you must have been mistaken. I knew that woman couldn't possibly be the young miss!"

Julian instructed his assistant: "Contact the pilot immediately to prepare for our return. I need to see Elena with my own eyes to be sure."

"Yes, sir."

Hearing Julian about to leave, I threw caution to the wind.

I used all my strength to slam my head against the iron door of the cell, making a loud "bang".

Julian's footsteps halted. His tone turned cold:

"Who exactly is locked in there?"

The gang leader forced a smile. "Boss, it's just a troublesome woman. She's not worth your attention. You should go find the young miss. I'll deal with her later."

But Julian didn't leave.