Chapter 104: Chapter 104

In the restaurant, Conrad Sterling initially thought Anna Thornton was playing tricks.

But after confirming with the hospital, Mary told him Anna had left a long time ago.

Logically, she should have arrived at the restaurant within ten minutes of Conrad Sterling.

Since she still hadn’t shown up and the phone was unreachable, something was definitely wrong.

"President Sterling, we checked the surveillance outside the hospital, and indeed saw Miss Thornton leaving by car two hours ago. However, it’s strange because there’s no record of her at the restaurant."

"Then check all the surveillance along the way, track the car she took, it’s impossible for someone to just vanish."

"Yes, President Sterling."

Ethan ordered the relevant personnel to act and turned around, unable to resist verifying with Conrad Sterling: "President Sterling, could Miss Thornton’s disappearance be related to those who bullied her at the company last time?"

"They wouldn’t have the guts!" Conrad Sterling asserted.

"So, does that mean someone else took Miss Thornton away? And it must be someone daring, could it be... could it be a kidnapping?" Ethan was startled by his own speculation.

Anna Thornton had been missing for over an hour, and if she really encountered bad people, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Ethan was so worried about his newfound goddess that his eyes turned red: "President Sterling, is there a chance Miss Thornton is in trouble?"

"Should we call the police?"

Conrad Sterling’s face didn’t look good either; he couldn’t be bothered to respond to Ethan: "Shut up!"

Anna Thornton was a public figure; calling the police in such situations would only complicate matters.

Moreover, no one could find someone faster than Conrad Sterling’s people.

While others went to check the middle section of the route, President Sterling opened the surveillance they retrieved earlier, specifically the footage of Anna Thornton getting into the car in front of the hospital.

It seemed normal, but as he pulled the progress bar forward, Conrad Sterling spotted another familiar figure on the surveillance.

"Hey, isn’t that Young Master Willow?"

Ethan leaned over to look, getting a side glance from Conrad Sterling.

Remembering the recent order to ’shut up’, Ethan silently took a step back, but his neck was still stretched long.

Conrad Sterling watched the surveillance showing Anna Thornton chatting warmly with Henry Willow at the hospital entrance for about seven or eight minutes, his expression both cold and serious.

"Ask where Henry Willow is, this matter is related to him."

Finally hearing President Sterling speak to him, Ethan quickly dialed Young Master Willow’s number as instructed.

Meanwhile, he shouldn’t forget to share his thoughts with President Sterling: "Could it be the SUV that Miss Thornton refused earlier?"

"No!" Conrad Sterling was too tired to disdain Ethan’s intelligence at this point, directly moving the mouse over the static surveillance image, circling the sports car hiding in the corner of the street, "It’s a Grant Family car!"

"A red Maserati sports car... I remember Sixth Miss Grant seems to have one. If Miss Thornton’s disappearance is related to him, I hope it doesn’t involve Young Master Grant as well," Ethan prayed.

After all, that particular Young Master Grant had a peculiar temper and always seemed at odds with President Sterling.

However, Ethan’s prayers were quickly rendered ineffective, as before he could get through to Henry Willow, Conrad Sterling received a report from his subordinates who were investigating the middle section of the route.

"President Sterling, Miss Thornton was intercepted and kidnapped by several vehicles on Kaelan Road. We checked the license plates of those cars, and it turns out they belong to... belong to..."

Anna Thornton was brought out from the underground warehouse, and throughout the journey, she couldn’t help but steal several glances at the man sitting beside her.

If Conrad Sterling always gave people the impression of being ’cold’, then Finn Grant’s consistent personal aura could be described as ’sinister’.

His features were so deep they almost had a mixed-race appeal, yet his attire wasn’t aiming for a refined gentleman look. Judging by his hair, it hadn’t been cut in at least two years to grow this long.

Most men look odd with long hair; only a rare few manage to look handsome regardless of hairstyle due to their superior looks.

Conrad Sterling belonged to this rare few, and so did Finn Grant.

Seeing this person close his eyes for rest as soon as he got in the car, Anna Thornton glanced several times at the driver’s seat in the front, and the driver was seriously driving.

Perhaps now was the opportunity!

Seizing the moment, Anna Thornton reached into Finn Grant’s coat jacket, but before she could touch anything, she felt a rigid, cold object pressed against her waist.

Anna Thornton didn’t dare to look down to confirm, as she suspected the shape of that object seemed to be... the barrel of a gun.

The man who appeared to be resting beside her awoke as soon as she moved, glaring at her with a murderous look: "What do you intend to do?"

"N-nothing," Anna Thornton cautiously withdrew her hand, explaining, "The air conditioning in the car is quite cold; I saw your jacket open and wanted to help you zip it up."

Such a lame excuse, Finn Grant would believe it if pigs could fly.

The man warned her: "Don’t try any tricks, I’m taking you to see Henry Willow, and once we arrive, you’ll follow my instructions."

"Your demand is for me to seduce Henry Willow and create a situation where your sister catches him in the act?"

"If you succeed, I won’t make things difficult for you and will give you a generous reward."

"This will break your sister’s heart."

"Being with that coward of a man, she’d eventually be heartbroken, better a short pain than a long pain."

"But as you said, your sister really likes Henry Willow, so much that she can’t bring herself to break up even knowing his promiscuous ways. Even if she catches him in the act this time, it may not necessarily lead to her letting go."

Hearing Anna Thornton mention this possibility made Finn Grant frown with displeasure: "Why do you talk so much?"

"Since you asked me to help you, we’re in a partnership. I’m analyzing the possibility of success with you, shouldn’t you respect the issue and discuss it properly? Otherwise, if the outcome doesn’t meet your expectations, what if you get upset and kill me? No matter the generous reward, I won’t take such high-risk work."

It’s the first time Finn Grant encountered a woman being threatened with a gun and still daring to bargain with him: "Do you believe I won’t shoot you right now?"

"Go ahead, I’ll die sooner or later anyway."

Anna Thornton closed her eyes resolutely as she finished speaking, a gesture of unyielding calm before death.

Finn Grant didn’t really act against her, and after a moment of deadlock, he asked: "Then what do you want?" ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ N0v3l.Fiɾe.net

"I want you to return my phone so I can make a call to assure my child."

"Didn’t you say you’re still underage? Where’s this daughter you speak of?"

"It’s a long story, all because of a scumbag I met when I was young, who messed up my life."

"Keep making up stories!" Finn Grant returned to his meditative state.

"Alright, I’ll be honest. I actually work at the largest entertainment club in Aethelgard. Today, I was supposed to entertain a VIP guest, but halfway there I got delayed because you kidnapped me. I need a chance to call back and explain, after all, I can’t afford to offend such a distinguished guest."

Upon hearing that, Finn Grant finally opened his eyes, looking at Anna Thornton with a complex gaze.

"Is it Big Pig Trotter?"

"Someone named ’Big Pig Trotter’ called you earlier, I hung up on him."

"Was he calling to hurry me up?"

Anna Thornton’s hard-earned date with Conrad Sterling had gone down the drain.

Seeing her seemingly regretful expression, Finn Grant asked: "Is this person a regular customer of yours?"

"After you complete the task and receive the reward from me, you won’t need to work in such a place anymore or worry about this person’s demeanor."

Anna Thornton: "...Then I’ll thank you in advance!"

He didn’t believe the truth, yet insisted on believing a lie; this Young Master Grant didn’t seem all that wise, did he?