Chapter 398

Chapter 398

Of course, I didn't expect that locking up Alex would make Robert so anxious he'd immediately tell me where James was.

That wasn't my goal anyway.

I didn't need Robert to tell me where to find James.

I did this to make Alex see exactly how much he mattered to Robert.

On the other end of the line, Robert said nothing.

Alex stared at the phone in my hand, anxious as hell.

"Cat got your tongue? I remember I only choked you for a bit—didn't break your neck, did I? How come you can't even speak now?"

Hearing me say this, Alex's eyes widened in disbelief that I'd actually tried to kill my own father. He couldn't help but feel deeply worried about what would happen to him next. After all, if I wouldn't even spare my father, what chance did he have—a half-brother?

"Is Alex with you right now? I'd like to speak with him."

I glanced at Alex, who'd been ordered to stay quiet. "No, he's not."

Robert fell silent again.

I knew he didn't believe me.

But Robert didn't have the guts to challenge me, and he didn't dare keep playing mute either. "Alice, you can't threaten me with Alex."

"Right. Even if I locked up your mother today, there'd be no way to make you negotiate with me, to agree to tell me where James is—let alone with Alex, right?"

"You..." Robert didn't know how to respond.

He sounded like a frog was jumping in his throat. "Yes. No matter who you lock up, I won't give in. If you're so capable, go find James yourself. If you do find him, I'll accept my fate—you can do whatever you want with me. But if you can't, don't even think about getting James's whereabouts from me. I already told you—as long as you don't hurt me, as long as you don't try to kill me, James will be fine!"

"As for Alex, lock him up all you want..." Robert said, sounding somewhat defeated.

That sentence completely shattered Alex's defenses.

He ignored my instructions and screamed, his voice cracking, "Dad! What do you mean 'lock him up all she wants'? Do you really have the heart to abandon me?"

Robert pretended not to hear, completely ignoring Alex.

Alex lost it. "Robert, why the hell did you kidnap James? What did you do to piss off Alice? I don't know anything about any of this! Why do I have to get dragged into this and locked up? Where the hell did you hide James? Just say it already! What, will you die if you tell her?"

Alex had accidentally hit the nail on the head.

He really might die.

"I'm so scared. I don't know what's going to happen next. You can't just abandon me!"

Robert completely ignored Alex's wailing and asked me, "Is there anything else?"

"Nothing else. If you won't take care of Alex, I'll deal with him however I want."

"Then I'm hanging up." Robert hung up, escaping reality.

Tied to the chair, Alex looked like he wanted to jump up, chair and all. "Robert! Robert! You can't hang up! You can't just ignore whether I live or die! Fuck you, you bastard! You don't deserve to be my father!!!"

"Save your energy. After all, you don't know how long you'll be here."

I kindly reminded him.

Alex shook, crying as he spoke. "Alice, please don't do this to me. I'll do anything you want, anything. I'll help you—I'll help you kill Robert!"

I raised an eyebrow, surprised at how easily Alex's hatred for Robert could be provoked. But Alex's resentment toward Robert wasn't deep enough yet. Right now he was just panicking, which was why he'd say something like that—not because he'd actually decided to kill Robert.

It wasn't quite the effect I wanted yet.

I walked over and patted Alex's head gently, but he trembled like I was about to chop it off. I reassured him, "Don't be scared. I said I wouldn't hurt you, and I meant it. As for helping me kill Robert—that would just ruin you, wouldn't it? It would destroy your whole life. I don't want to do that to you."

Alex pressed his lips together, clearly not believing I'd consider his well-being.

"Let's give Robert a little more time. Maybe in a couple days he'll remember some family feeling and agree to tell me where James is in exchange for your freedom, right?"

"You really, really are just keeping me locked up? You won't do anything to me?"

"Of course. I keep my word."

I really wouldn't lay a hand on him. But other people were a different story.

"You don't need to be this scared. You just can't play games on your phone, that's all."

"Okay, okay."

Alex nodded.

Right now, besides complying, there was nothing else he could do.

"Stay put then. I'm leaving."

"Mm..." Alex answered, suppressing a sob.

I left the Silver Creek estate.

When I returned to the main house, I saw Emily sitting on the couch looking lost, with Sawyer sitting beside her, head down. The two of them just sat there in silence. I could tell Sawyer wanted to say something, but seeing Emily's dejected state, he held back.

Seeing me return, Sawyer stood up, somewhat agitated. "Alice. You're back..."

He started apologizing to me. "Everything turning out like this—it's all my fault. If I hadn't insisted you stay out of the investigation, thinking I could handle it myself, this would've been resolved already. It's my fault, all my fault."

After speaking, Sawyer couldn't help choking up.

He raised both hands to cover his face, looking like he didn't want to face reality.

"It's fine. Things haven't reached the worst point yet. I've already figured out where James is."

When I said this, color finally returned to Emily's face.

"Really, Alice?" Emily was no longer silent. "Where is James?"

"In Novaria. BOC Gene Tech's underground pharmaceutical research facility."

That was the only place that could block my search detection.

Because the underground facility's intrusion interference system—I'd built it myself.

Breaking through that interference system would take time, and I was too lazy to waste it. After all, there was only one place in this world I couldn't hack into. If I couldn't find James's whereabouts, it could only mean he was in that place.

So now BOC Gene Tech was getting involved in the Baker family's business. It looked like Dr. Carr had already realized I was V—though he didn't know I'd been reborn. He probably thought I'd escaped the explosion before my adoptive parents died.

I figured BOC Gene Tech got involved because Dr. Carr wanted to see me. He had his people help Robert hide James, making me search for him—all to lure me to BOC Gene Tech.

Perfect timing. It was about time I settled the score between Dr. Carr and me anyway.

Hearing this address, Emily looked confused. "BOC Gene Tech? I've heard that name. It's Novaria's largest biotech pharmaceutical company. Why would Robert hide James in a place like that?"