Chapter 177 Bargaining Chip

Chapter 177 Bargaining Chip
[Sera]

"In the game of power, beautiful Sera, everything is negotiable." Maximilian smiled, reaching out to brush his fingers through my hair. I jerked away from his touch. "Tomorrow, we leave for Valtoria together. You'll love it there, I promise. The royal gardens are even more beautiful than you can imagine."

"I'm not going anywhere," I stated firmly, standing up to leave, but Maximilian grabbed my wrist.

"You have no choice, my princess. Barrett is stranded in Europe, facing various 'unexpected obstacles.' He won't make it back in time to save you."

"Let go of me!" I struggled against his grip.

Maximilian suddenly pulled me closer, his other hand coming up to caress my cheek. "You'll find I appreciate your value far more than Barrett does. In Valtoria, you'll be treated like royalty." His face inched closer to mine. "And I'm certain time will make you forget him..."

Just as he attempted to kiss me, I raised my free hand and slapped him hard across the face, the sound echoing in the quiet room.

"I will never go with you!" I hissed, my eyes blazing with fury. "I am Barrett Thompson's wife, not some commodity to be bought and sold!"

Maximilian touched his reddening cheek, the warmth in his eyes instantly replaced with ice. "How unfortunate that you choose the difficult way," he smirked coldly. "But it won't change the outcome."

The door opened, and to my horror, Donnell Thompson walked in, observing the scene with detached calculation.

"I hope you won't make this more complicated, Sera," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

"How could you do this?" I turned to him, my voice trembling with rage. "He's your son!"

"This is for the greater good," Donnell replied calmly. "The drug shortage has caused hospital supplies to dwindle and markets to fall. If it continues, more people will suffer. Sometimes, sacrificing one person's happiness is necessary."

Maximilian straightened his suit, regaining his elegant composure. "We leave in the morning. You'd better accept the reality, Sera. Your future is in Valtoria, by my side."

"I'll have you locked in this suite until tomorrow," Donnell added. "Attempting to escape would be pointless. Every exit in this building is guarded by my people."

After they left, the heavy door locked behind them, leaving me alone in the luxurious prison. My phone, wallet—everything had been confiscated, cutting off all means of communication.

I walked to the window, gazing at the city lights that had begun to flicker in the distance. Barrett was out there somewhere in that same city, yet I couldn't reach him. Tears threatened to spill, but I forced myself to remain calm.

"I won't give up," I whispered to myself. "Barrett will notice something's wrong. I need to buy time."

I began carefully examining every corner of the suite, searching for anything that might help me escape. As I passed by the door, I overheard the guards conversing outside.

"Jay's been calling asking for her," one voice said. "He seems suspicious that something's wrong."

"Don't worry," another replied. "By tomorrow morning, she'll be out of the country. No one can stop this plan."

My eyes suddenly brightened. If Jay had sensed something was wrong, there was hope. My gaze fell on an elegant vase in the corner of the suite, and a plan started forming in my mind.

"I am not anyone's bargaining chip," I said quietly, determination hardening in my eyes. "Whatever it takes, I'm going to stop this insane plan."

[Barrett]

The sharp ring of my phone pierced the silence of my hotel room at three in the morning. I was instantly awake, years of business emergencies having trained me to shift from sleep to full alertness in seconds. My instincts were already firing warning signals before I even checked the caller ID.

"Jay," I answered, my voice clear despite the hour.

"Sir, something's happened." Jay's voice carried a tension I rarely heard from my usually composed assistant. "Mrs. Thompson is missing. She didn't return from university today. One of the security personnel reported that she was forcibly taken by several men in black suits outside the campus."

I sat upright, my body instantly rigid, though my voice remained steady. "What about the surveillance footage?"

"I've reviewed it, sir. An unlicensed black SUV. We tracked it through several traffic cameras until it disappeared on the route toward Thompson Tower."

"Donnell." The name escaped my lips with ice-cold fury.

"I've tried calling Mrs. Thompson's phone, but it's been powered off. I also attempted to contact Thompson Tower security, but they claim there's no record of Sera Thompson visiting today."

I was already moving, pulling on clothes while maintaining the call. "Prepare the private jet. I'm returning immediately."

"That's the issue, sir." Jay's voice dropped even lower. "All your scheduled flights have been canceled. Your private jet suddenly 'requires maintenance.' And Swiss authorities are holding your passport due to an alleged 'documentation issue.'"

I paused, a dangerous glint entering my eyes that Jay couldn't see. "So I'm trapped here."

"Yes, sir. And... ValtoPharm just announced they're resuming all pharmaceutical supplies. Dominic is on television right now announcing that the 'crisis has been resolved.'"