Rural Belle & Three Heirs

Right now, with a mixed crowd having a blast at the Martin Mansion, nobody noticed anything out of the ordinary.

Grant finally decided to head downstairs, where he spotted Michael charming a group of ladies with his impromptu performance. Unimpressed and not in the mood for socializing, Grant slipped away, taking another staircase to the dining room. As soon as he arrived at the restaurant, he saw a heavily bundled woman pushing a trash cart, looking around nervously, as if she was afraid of something, and hurriedly left.

The sight didn't really catch Grant's attention. Realizing it was time to move the party to the next phase, he called the dining staff to serve the food.

Meanwhile, the bundled-up woman maneuvered the garbage cart to a small, concealed door in the backyard of the Martin Mansion. She quickly removed the mask covering her face, revealing Sophia's sinister expression. With an air of calm menace, she pulled out her phone and made a call.

"It's done. Get the car over here right away," she commanded before abruptly hanging up.

Soon, a van pulled up in front of Sophia. Two young guys got out, checked the garbage bin she had pushed out, then loaded it into the van and drove off. A few minutes later, Sophia called an Uber and quickly slipped out through the back door.

At this moment, in the Martin Mansion, Grant seemed to have noticed something unusual. He first spotted a phone lying in the corner of the dining room. When he picked it up and headed to the living room, intending to find its owner, he discovered that Chloe was nowhere to be seen.

He interrupted Michael's performance and asked, "Hey, has anyone seen Chloe?"

Zara, who was the last to talk to Chloe, told Grant, "Wasn't Chloe in the dining room? I saw her there five minutes ago. I even gave her my phone."

Hearing this, Grant showed the phone he had just picked up and asked, "This is yours?" Zara nodded. "Yeah."

Grant said, "I found this phone on the floor. Mic, get Liam over here right now. Chloe might be in trouble."

Hearing Grant's words, everyone became frantic. Quickly, the three young masters of the Martin Family mobilized everyone they could, starting a search for Chloe throughout the Martin Mansion. The friends Chloe had invited also began searching various parts of the the Martin Mansion.

Two hours went by, and they still hadn't found any sign of Chloe. Grant's face turned serious, and everyone could feel the anger radiating from him.

He coldly told Liam, "Find her. Expand the search area."

A few hours later, Chloe, who had been knocked out, slowly came to. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Lucy's heavily made-up, sinister face right in front of her.

Seeing her awake, Lucy sneered. "Oh, you're up?"

Recognizing Lucy, Chloe quickly replayed everything in her mind. After a moment of clarity, she looked at Lucy and demanded, "Lucy, where are we? How dare you kidnap me? What do you want?"

Chloe struggled, trying to take in her surroundings.

It looked like an old, abandoned warehouse, filled with a musty, creepy vibe. She was tied to a busted chair, her hands bound tightly behind her back, the ropes digging into her wrists and making them bleed.

Even though she'd been through a lot, this was the first time Chloe had ever been kidnapped.

Facing the imminent danger, she was feeling slightly nervous. Not sure of Lucy's intentions in tying her up here, she became even more flustered. The unfamiliar surroundings quickened her heartbeat, causing cold sweat to form on her forehead. Trying to recall what had happened before, she could only remember some vague snippets and a woman's sinister smile.noveldrama

If Lucy's motive was money, the solution would be straightforward. However, if her aim was darker, Chloe needed to muster every ounce of strength and cunning to save herself.

Without answering Chloe's questions, Lucy approached, brandishing a menacing knife. The blade danced dangerously close to Chloe's face, its cold sheen reflecting her terror. "Chloe, don't struggle," Lucy hissed. "The ropes are tight, and you'll just hurt your wrists more. And don't even think about escaping; I've got people inside and out. Getting out of here is nearly impossible. The guys haven't been with women in years. Your looks won't save you. They'll rape you first, then kill you."

Lucy's words spilled like venom, making Chloe's skin crawl with disgust. If she weren't bound, she would have slapped that smug expression right off Lucy's face. But now wasn't the time for confrontations. Staying alive was her sole priority.

She hoped someone would quickly realize she had been kidnapped and find her soon. She was too young to die here, in this bleak and unknown place.

At this moment, Chloe suddenly missed Grant very much. It seemed that in this city, he was her only hope.

Chloe took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She lifted her face to meet Lucy's cold gaze. "Lucy, what do you want? If it's money, just name your price."

The Davis Family was loaded, and even Chloe's own account had more money than an ordinary person could earn in several lifetimes. She knew Lucy had struggled after her father was expelled from Quest University, scraping by as a hostess in karaoke bars. So using the money to negotiate was the best approach, at least that was what she believed.

But unexpectedly, Lucy's face contorted with rage. With a swift, brutal movement, she kicked Chloe and the chair over, sending them crashing to the ground. The rough floor scraped Chloe's delicate skin, the pain sharp and immediate, making her wince.

Lucy loomed over her, eyes blazing. "You're in this situation and still trying to use money? Fuck, do you think money makes you invincible? Your high-and-mighty attitude is what I hate most about you, Chloe. Every time I see that smug look, I want to kill you. You're so ugly-how do you even have the courage to live?"

Without waiting for a response, Lucy grabbed Chloe roughly and slapped her hard across the face. The sting burned, igniting a fire of anger within Chloe. She had never been one to cower, and she certainly wasn't going to start now.