Chapter 349
Sterling was driving when a sudden palpitation seized him.
Instinctively, he tried calling Willow.
The line connected but rang unanswered.
Sterling's heart sank further. Looking up, he saw Majestic City University just ahead.
He pressed harder on the accelerator, speeding back.
At the compound entrance, there was no sign of Willow or Luke.
If Willow had really gotten back early, she should be waiting at the entrance with Luke by now.
"Sterling Lancaster!" Nolan's breathless, furious voice came from behind.
Sterling turned.
Nolan had reached him, pointing accusingly. "Where were you? Why are you only getting back now? Why weren't you with Willow?"
Sterling caught something in his tone, his expression turning cold. "What do you know? Where is she now?"
Nolan wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face, but now wasn't the time for that.
"She was kidnapped!" He glared coldly at Sterling, eyes blazing. "I saw it with my own eyes! Right at the complex entrance! I tried to save her, but they had a car—I couldn't catch up! I thought about going back for my car, but it was already too late!"
Recalling the scene, Nolan's expression darkened further. "Who were those people? You know, don't you? Why are you only getting back now? If you'd come back just a few minutes earlier..."
If Sterling had returned just a few minutes sooner, Willow wouldn't have been taken.
At the very least, they could have caught up with that car!
Sterling's grip tightened around the silver locket in his hand.
If only he hadn't gone back for this thing...
"What do we do now? Should we call the police?" Nolan asked frantically, already pulling out his phone to dial.
He didn't know what else he could do besides call the police.
Sterling stopped him. "Don't."
Nolan glared at him furiously. "Then what? You tell me what to do!"
Sterling's face was grim. "I have a pretty good idea who it is. The police won't help."
If his own family was behind this, even if the authorities knew, they couldn't do anything—might even help cover it up.
"Thanks for telling me this. You can go now," he told Nolan. "I'll handle the rest and bring her back safely."
"You knew all along!" Nolan lost his patience, grabbing Sterling's collar.
Sterling didn't dodge. If he could, he'd want someone to punch him, too.
Willow had been taken right under his nose again.
"I knew it..." Nolan started to say something.
Sterling looked at him. "If you don't want anything to happen to her, you should let go of me now and go back to wait for news."
Nolan bit down hard, forcing himself to calm down, and finally released his grip. "You better keep your word! If anything happens to Willow, I won't let you get away with it!"
Knowing he couldn't help, he didn't insist on staying.
Sterling returned to his car and drove toward the Lancaster Manor.
---
The Brown Villa.
Kaitlyn woke from her drowsy sleep to see her daughter standing by the bed, holding her phone.
"Did someone call just now?"
In her sleep, she thought she'd heard the phone ring, and her heart felt inexplicably heavy.
Gloria had already deleted the recent call log. Hearing this, she smiled sweetly. "No, I was just worried the ringtone might wake you. I wanted to put it on silent."
With that, she set down the phone and poured Kaitlyn some water. "You slept all day. Have some water now that you're up."
Kaitlyn slowly sat up and accepted the water, taking a few sips.
For some reason, her heart still felt weighed down, as if something had happened.
"Where's your brother?" she asked.
Gloria replied, "I'm not sure. Is he probably out with his girlfriend again? Did you need him for something?"
After finishing the water, Kaitlyn grew confused again, forgetting what she'd just said, though the uncomfortable feeling remained.
"Tell him to come home early," she said, lying back down. "I've had you staying home to take care of me lately. That's been hard on you. When you have time, go out and have some fun."
Gloria obediently agreed.
Watching Kaitlyn close her eyes, a cold glint flashed through Gloria's gaze.
Following Kaitlyn's instructions, she called Henry.
Her silver locket was still in his possession, yet Henry acted as if nothing had happened. After taking the locket, he'd never mentioned it again. Every time Gloria tried to get it back, Henry would casually change the subject.
She dialed, but the line wouldn't connect.
Henry was on the phone with Sterling.
It had been a while since Willow left. Uneasy, he'd tried calling her to ask if she'd gotten home, but Willow wasn't answering.
Henry had then called Sterling and learned about Willow's kidnapping.
"You suspect your father?" he asked.
Sterling said, "I'm already on my way back. I'll know soon enough."
Just then, Gloria's call came through. Without even looking, Henry declined it and turned his anger on Sterling. "You knew your father was going to make a move on her. Why didn't you arrange protection?"
He'd assumed Sterling would have someone watching, which was why he'd let Willow go back alone.
Sterling's tone was equally harsh. "I thought you'd give her a ride."
Both fell silent for a few seconds.
Henry ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "I'm heading to your place to wait. I'll also have people start searching. Let me know when you have any results."
He'd finally found his sister, and before they could even reunite properly, she'd been kidnapped.
If anything happened to her, how would he explain it to his family? How could he live with himself?
No matter what, he had to find Willow today!
---
Meanwhile, in a luxurious villa on the outskirts of the city.
Willow slowly regained consciousness.
The silence around her was eerie, frightening.
Memories from before she'd blacked out flooded back.
She didn't know what drug they'd used, but she still felt groggy.
Fighting the discomfort, Willow tried to sit up, only to discover her hands were chained to the headboard.
She surveyed her surroundings.
Charles's face immediately came to mind.
Of everyone who might chain her up like this, Willow could only think of Charles.
But Sterling had clearly said Charles had gone abroad.
Or had Charles used some method to deceive even Sterling?
Sounds came from outside the door—the murmur of voices.
Willow quickly composed herself, watching the door warily.
Seconds later, it opened from the outside.
Wallace entered with a buzz-cut man behind him.
"You?" Seeing who it was, Willow's heart sank.
If it were Charles, she'd be confident her life wouldn't be in danger.
But the person before her now was Wallace.
If she remembered correctly, the last time she'd nearly been burned alive, Wallace had been involved.