Chapter 56 Valerie is Kidnapped

Valerie scoured the downstairs area but couldn't find any trace of Raina.

Disappointed, she muttered to herself, "Maybe I just imagined it..."

Despite the fallout with Howard, Raina had always been genuinely kind to her. The thought of possibly never seeing Raina again made her heart ache.

Suddenly, the sound of an engine interrupted her thoughts. Valerie looked up to see a car pulling up in front of her.

The rear window rolled down slowly, revealing Laura's innocent-looking face. She adjusted her glasses and greeted Valerie with a smile, "Well, if it isn't Mrs. Carter."

Laura gestured towards the building in front of them. "Why are you here?"

Valerie shot Laura a cold glance and took a step back. "That's none of your business."

"How could it not be my business?"

Laura stepped out of the car, a flash of malice in her eyes that quickly turned back to a gentle expression. "If something happens to you and Howard blames the Johnson Group, then I'm done for."

Valerie didn't respond, taking a few more cautious steps back.

She recalled the incident at the banquet. Because of a sentence from Howard, the Johnson Group's multi-billion-dollar deal with the Carter Group fell through, causing their stock to plummet. Now, in Laura's eyes, Valerie was the perfect target for revenge.

Valerie pressed her lips together, silently cursing herself for forgetting this detail.

Seeing Laura approaching, Valerie's mind raced for an excuse. "If you're here because of the Carter Group canceling the contract at the banquet, you should talk to Howard. We're getting a divorce, so coming after me won't help."

"Divorce?"

Laura burst into laughter. "So, Valerie, you lost favor so quickly. But I..."

Before Valerie could react, Laura grabbed her. As Valerie struggled, Laura pulled a small folding knife from her pocket and pressed it against Valerie's lower back, her voice icy. "I'm here for you!"

"Don't move! Get in the car!"

With the knife against her, Valerie had no choice but to comply. Once the car door locked, she tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. Laura smirked, tapping Valerie's face with the knife's tip. "Don't try anything funny unless you don't care about that pretty face of yours."

"You think marrying Howard makes you a high-society lady? Look at yourself!" Laura's eyes flashed with cruelty.

Before Valerie could respond, a sharp pain struck the back of her neck, and she passed out.

"So weak," Laura muttered, glancing at the unconscious Valerie. She turned to the driver. "Take us to the usual place."

The black car sped out of the city, heading towards the outskirts.

On the damp concrete floor, Valerie's eyelashes fluttered. The pain in the back of her head was intense, and she fought the nausea as she opened her eyes. The dim light revealed a mix of rust and mold smells assaulting her senses.

"Awake?" The sound of high heels echoed in the empty warehouse. Laura crouched down, her glasses reflecting the cold light. "Do you know where you are?" She ran the tip of the folding knife along Valerie's collarbone, leaving a red mark on her delicate skin.

Valerie's wrists ached from the nylon ropes. She tried to relax, her eyes scanning the three men smoking behind Laura. One of them, a scar-faced man, eyed her legs lecherously, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Don't do anything stupid," she heard her own hoarse voice say. "Kidnapping me will ruin the Johnson Group."

"Shut up!" The scar-faced man suddenly lunged forward and grabbed her by the throat, the smell of tobacco filling her face. "I can't stand you pretentious bitches." His thumb pressed against Valerie's artery, only releasing when she began to choke.

Laura's smile was faint but menacing. "See that? These guys spent ten years in prison. They know how to make pretty girls..." She suddenly yanked Valerie's collar, pressing the knife to her collarbone. "Wish they were dead."

"What you're doing is a crime!" Valerie's voice trembled with fear but remained firm. "Does Wayne know how vicious you are?"

"Shut up! How dare you mention Wayne?" Laura screamed hysterically, her eyes filled with a crazed hatred. "If it weren't for you stirring things up, making me lose control and push you, Howard wouldn't have canceled all the deals with the Johnson Group! This is all your fault!"

Valerie's heart raced, but she forced herself to stay calm. Laura's viciousness made her throat tighten. "You... you need to calm down..." Her voice shook, "We can talk..."

"Talk? What right do you have to talk to me?" Laura cut her off, her eyes gleaming with malice. "Do you know why I chose this place? It's the most secluded abandoned factory on the outskirts. No one will hear your screams. I'm going to record everything and show Howard just how pathetic his Mrs. Carter is."

Valerie's heart nearly stopped, but she knew she had to stall for time. She fought her fear, her voice trembling. "You... you must be mistaken. Howard and I..."

"Howard? Just a cripple, right?" Laura's eyes burned with madness. "Do you know how much we've lost because of him? Our stock plummeted, my father almost had a heart attack! All because of Howard!"

"So you're going to hurt me to get back at him?" Valerie bit her lip. "Do you think this will make up for your losses?"

"Well," Laura sneered. "The news of Mrs. Carter being gang-raped will at the very least expose Howard to the scandal.."

In the Carter Group's CEO office.

Howard had just signed a merger agreement when the door burst open.

"Mr. Carter, something's wrong!" Joseph, sweating, rushed to the desk.

Howard frowned, looking up at him.

"Mrs. Carter's neighbor said she hasn't returned, but others saw her finishing moving her belongings..." Joseph swallowed hard. "Do you think something happened to her?"

Howard shot up, his eyes fierce. His long fingers grabbed Joseph's collar, his voice hoarse. "Weren't there people protecting her secretly?"

Joseph's legs went weak with fear. "Mr. Carter... she sent them away... She said as your wife, her wishes were your wishes."

"Useless! Mobilize everyone, lock down the city exits! I want her found before dark!" Howard's eyes were bloodshot, his voice raspy. "Valerie... please don't get into any trouble..."

He trembled as he pulled out his phone, dialing Valerie's number.

"Sorry, the number you dialed is turned off..."

Howard roared in anger, hurling his phone against the wall.

Who dared to hurt his woman?!