After hearing Brent's words, Duncan's face suddenly darkened.
He wasn't a fool. Brent's implication was that someone else wanted to harm Deanna but had been watching them, using them as pawns.
They even wanted to frame them.
"Damn it, don't let me find out who it is. If I do, I'll kill him for plotting against me."
Duncan couldn't hold back and cursed.
Brent looked at him and frowned, "What's the use of saying this now? The important thing is how to handle the upcoming situation."
"What else can we do? Just act like Deanna hasn't been taken away and negotiate with Gunner and Lance."
Duncan gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "Do you really think we should tell Gunner and Lance that Deanna isn't with us and hope they'll let us go? Do you think they'll believe us?"
Brent listened and glanced coldly at him, "I didn't mean that. But if we stick to the plan, we need to re-strategize."
Lance knew nothing about this.
All day long, they found no clues.
Old Ashley and the two kids had been very uneasy since they learned Deanna was taken.
Julia was also extremely worried and wanted to help find her, but Lionel stopped her.
"Mr. Mercer and Mr. Martinez will find a way to locate her. If you want to help, keep Old Ashley and the two kids calm. Don't let them get too anxious. Besides, you're pregnant and not in stable condition. Going out to search would only cause more trouble for Mr. Mercer and the others."
Although she was unhappy to hear this, Julia knew Lionel was right.
The best way she could help was by taking care of the two kids and Old Ashley for Mr. Mercer and Deanna.
With this in mind, she calmed herself and went to see Old Ashley.
"Grandma, are you in your room?"
"I'm here."
Old Ashley responded and sent the two kids to open the door.
When the door opened, Julia first noticed the two kids' red eyes, still wet with tears.
Clearly, they had just been crying.
"Crying?"
Julia tenderly wiped their tears away.
Chloe couldn't hold back any longer and hugged her leg, crying, "Godmother, I'm worried about Mommy. It's been a whole day, and we still haven't found her."
Gregory didn't speak but his eyes were full of tears.
Seeing this, Julia felt heartbroken. She knelt down and softly comforted them, "Don't worry. With your daddy around, nothing will happen to your mommy."
"Really?"
Chloe looked up with teary eyes.
Julia nodded firmly, "Of course. When has Godmother ever lied to you?"
She didn't forget Gregory standing beside them. She ruffled his short hair and reassured him, "You too. Don't cry. Believe in your daddy; he'll definitely bring your mommy back."
"Yes, Daddy is very capable. He will bring Mommy back."
Gregory wiped his tears and obediently held Julia's hand, saying, "Godmother, don't kneel. Mommy said you have a baby in your belly. Kneeling is bad for the baby; it might get squished. Sit on the chair."
Hearing the child's concerned voice made Julia's heart melt.
"Don't worry. The baby is still small. Squatting won't squish him."
She didn't know how to explain that the baby was just a tiny lump of cells right now.
Just then, Old Ashley's disapproving voice came from behind, "Even if the baby is small, your health isn't good. You need to rest more and not move around too much."
"I know. I didn't go far; just came here to check on you all."
Julia followed the old lady's words.
Seeing this, Old Ashley knew her intentions and sighed, "Good child, don't worry about us. Lance said those people took Deanna for a reason; she's not in danger. As long as she's safe, I can be at ease. I'll take good care of Gregory and Chloe while waiting for Deanna to come back."
For the next two days, Lance and Gunner kept searching.
But progress was not optimistic.
Apart from some clues on the first day, they found nothing afterward.
They checked every road surveillance but found no suspicious vehicles.
Lance was getting increasingly anxious and irritable each day.
Little did he know that Deanna was on a private yacht three thousand kilometers away on the sea.
She stared at the white ceiling above her, feeling dazed and unable to figure out where she was.
It took several seconds for her to recall what happened before she fainted. Her face changed drastically as she tried to sit up but found herself extremely weak.
She couldn't even move a finger without great effort.
"Is anyone there?"
Deanna weakly called towards the wooden door.
She vaguely heard music outside earlier, indicating someone was out there.