At Ian Shelby’s villa. Justin Kingston held his phone, pondering. He had just received a call. Why was it rejected when he called back? Out of concern, Justin called again, only to be hung up on. Hung up? Was she upset? Impossible, she’s so understanding. She wouldn’t be angry because he didn’t answer in time. A sense of foreboding spread in Justin’s heart... He quickly dialed the number for Emerald Cove, and it connected shortly. Without waiting for the other side to speak, he asked anxiously, "Did Madam return?" "Hello, Mr. Kingston," came the voice of Nanny Zhou, "Madam hasn’t come back." "..." Justin estimated the time; even at 40 mph, she should have arrived, right? Could she have gone to buy flowers? Justin patiently waited, pondering, trying to think positively and not associating it with her and Elias Colton’s escape. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel·fire·net But every minute and second was torturous for Justin. Gradually, he had a sense of dread but was unwilling to believe it. At this moment, a black SUV stopped in front of an abandoned factory. Mia Lane focused her gaze, ensuring she hadn’t been here before. It was already the southern suburbs of the city. Her hands were tied behind her back as she was forcibly dragged out of the car. "Get in!" The man firmly commanded. Mia couldn’t think of anyone she had offended. Was Kristina Kingston inside? Impossible, she wouldn’t need to go this far. The factory ahead was dilapidated, with cracked walls looking like they could collapse at any moment, giving the impression of a dangerous building. The men grabbed her from both sides and dragged her inside! Mia was puzzled and a little scared. Stepping through the gate, the smell of gasoline filled the air, making her nauseated and dizzy. The spacious room was a mess, with piles of junk resembling a garbage dump, and spider webs everywhere. Several glass panes of the window were broken, and the light shining through revealed particles of dust floating in the air. The air was very murky, with the smell of gasoline mixed with a rotting odor. "Go! Upstairs!" The man urged her. The old staircase had no railings, built in the most conspicuous place. Mia couldn’t escape, and she was somewhat interested in the mastermind waiting upstairs. Who could it be? What did they want? The men pushed her to go up the stairs! The surroundings were exceptionally quiet; only the sound of footsteps was audible. After the stairway turn, wet liquid flowed down... soon flooding Mia’s shoe soles. She instinctively stopped, frowning and lowering her gaze, as the pungent gasoline smell signaled danger. Their aim wasn’t just money. Do they want her dead? Fear enveloped her, sending chills across her scalp. Someone impatiently pushed her, causing her body to lean forward, almost falling into the gasoline, but a man grabbed and forcefully held her upright as they ascended. On the second floor, the 400 to 500 square meter space was empty except for a dozen large iron canisters randomly placed in corners, and seven or eight conspicuous support pillars. Not far away, in a chair, sat a man dressed in black, wearing a baseball cap with his head bowed low, hiding his face. Behind him stood four or five burly men, some holding iron rods, others clutching machetes, evoking a particularly ferocious vibe. Mia didn’t even dare to breathe heavily; her legs were weak as she silently held her breath and surveyed the surroundings. In the air laden with strong gasoline fumes, dust particles floated around. Mia saw two large gasoline cans tipped over, the gasoline soaking into the ground and some of it flowing towards the staircase. Four words flashed through her mind—desperate criminals!