Chapter 314
Nick had shared the tracking method with Caroline. Holding her phone, Caroline compared it with the location shown and circled around, confirming that Sophia was indeed deep inside this abandoned factory.
However, just as she was about to enter, Arthur suddenly grabbed her and pulled her into a hidden spot.
Caroline didn't yet know what was happening. Arthur pointed in a direction. Caroline looked over, her breath catching.
While she'd been carefully confirming the location, someone else had arrived. But her attention had been focused elsewhere, so she hadn't noticed them.
The person was bundled up from head to toe, riding a worn-out small electric scooter, heading in their direction.
If Arthur hadn't pulled her, they would have already been discovered.
They hadn't even gone in yet and had nearly alerted their target. Caroline looked at Arthur gratefully. Good thing he'd reminded her.
Arthur's gaze fixed on the newcomer as he let out a soft sound of surprise.
Caroline withdrew her gaze from him and also looked over, then froze.
How is this person Leona?
After signing the contract last time, Leona had been consistently supplying her on schedule.
The company had dedicated employees to handle this, so she didn't need to trouble herself. Therefore, she hadn't contacted Leona in a while.
Caroline never expected to see her here, especially at such a particular time.
Could it be that everything she'd shown before was fake, and she still had dealings with Richard in private?
Realizing this, Caroline's expression darkened considerably.
Leona didn't notice the two of them. She fished a set of keys from her pocket, opened the abandoned gate, and pushed the electric scooter inside.
She'd just parked the scooter when someone blocked her movement.
Her entire body was pressed against the cold wall, a man's icy voice coming from behind her.
"I'll ask questions, you answer them. If you don't want to live, you can also lie to me."
The man's tone was cold. Leona had never experienced anything like this. Her whole body trembled as she stammered.
"I'll talk, I'll tell you everything. Don't kill me."
Caroline had originally wanted to follow Leona inside, but hadn't expected Arthur to be so decisive, directly taking control of Leona.
Still, this was also a method.
After all, they still weren't clear about the situation inside. Having a hostage could be useful.
Leona was pressed against the wall, her inner fear making her not dare move.
This gave the two an opportunity. Caroline typed out the questions she wanted to ask on her phone for Arthur to relay.
"What are you doing here?"
"This is... my family's factory. I come check on it every so often."
Leona's whole body trembled, her speech stuttering.
Caroline frowned. Leona's pharmaceutical factory wasn't here.
"How many factories does your family have?"
"My parents were scammed by crooked businessmen before. The con artists said this area would be redeveloped. They used all our family savings to buy these factory buildings in this area."
"There are three or four total. I can't manage them all, and it's too remote to rent out, so I can only leave them vacant and occasionally come check on them."
After Leona finished, tears were about to fall. "Sir... if you want to stay here, please do. I don't have any plans for this place right now. Just don't demolish the buildings."
"Can you please not kill me? I'm still young. I don't want to die."
The instant she was grabbed, Leona's mind had already run through various murder cases.
Because she was so poor, these factories didn't even have electricity, let alone security cameras.
In this remote wilderness, even if she screamed her lungs out, no rescue would come. And if she died here, her body might not be discovered even after it rotted.
She should never have come today.
Leona regretted it in her heart.
"There are already people inside," Arthur spoke again.
Leona froze. "That shouldn't be. When I checked last time, there was no one."
Arthur didn't respond.
Leona quickly added, "I have other abandoned factories! Sir, if you really have nowhere to stay, I'll take you to the other factories. As long as you don't kill me, anything is fine!"
Arthur nodded to Caroline. Leona's performance seemed fine—this kind of fear didn't look fake.
He released his grip on Leona. Still in fear, she trembled all over, not daring to move, let alone turn around.
"The people inside are kidnappers. It's not safe for a girl like you to inspect alone. Bring more people next time."
Caroline finally spoke. Hearing the voice suddenly change to a woman's, Leona hadn't yet reacted. Eyes brimming with tears, she turned around.
Seeing Caroline, Leona's eyes immediately went wide as saucers. "Ms. Hamilton, how is it you?"
She looked at Arthur again. This person also looked very familiar. She seemed to have seen him around Caroline. They were together.
The person who'd just threatened her was Caroline and him? Why?
"Someone kidnapped my employee. I followed the tracker here. I happened to see you and thought you were with them, so my attitude wasn't very good. I apologize." Caroline proactively apologized to Leona.
Leona quickly shook her head. "It's... It's fine. As long as the misunderstanding is cleared up. But..."
She shuddered. "Are there kidnappers in my factory?"
Too terrifying. She shouldn't have gone out today.
"Yes, Richard's people. He wanted benefits from me. I didn't give them to him, so he kidnapped my employee, trying to exchange her for benefits."
Caroline nodded.
Leona had originally wanted to find an excuse to quickly slip away, but hearing it was Richard doing bad things again, she couldn't help but become furious. "How can he do this? He's too despicable!"
And he was using her factory. If something really happened and the police investigated, she definitely wouldn't escape involvement.
"I've been roaming around these factories since I was little. I'm very familiar with the layout here. If you have the tracker, you can show me. I can help you find out where she is."
Almost without hesitation, Leona made her decision. She'd stay here to help Caroline.
Caroline was new here and unfamiliar with the routes inside. She could very likely be at a disadvantage.
This was her benefactor. She didn't want Caroline to encounter danger at her factory.
Even though she was still somewhat afraid of those kidnappers, her anger toward Richard and gratitude toward Caroline made her choose to step forward.
She couldn't let Richard commit crimes at her family's factory.
"Is that okay? Thank you so much then."
This was a pleasant surprise for Caroline. She pulled up the tracker to show Leona.
She was indeed very familiar with the place. After just one glance, she nodded. "I know where she is. The route from the main entrance is more open, but you're easily discovered. I know a small path. Follow me."
Leona walked ahead while the two quickly followed.
Because no one had walked this small path in a long time, the weeds had grown almost to people's knees.