Chapter 110 Strike First
News of Zachary's release from the police station spread like wildfire. The Jennings Manor received word quickly, and Emily flew into a panic. She kept calling Landon's phone, but it remained stubbornly off.
"Where the hell did Landon go last night?" Emily hurled her phone at the couch in frustration. Butler Joe and the housemaid stood off to the side, barely daring to breathe, their hands twisted anxiously.
"I asked him, but he wouldn't say," the maid replied in a hushed voice.
Emily snatched an apple from the fruit bowl and flung it viciously at her. "Useless! Didn't I tell you to keep a closer eye on him? He's the CEO of Apex Global Group now—how many people are watching his every move? And you let him run wild like he used to?" Her voice climbed higher. "Zachary's already out there, and now when everything's going to hell, you're telling me he's disappeared? What kind of game are you playing?"
The maid ducked her head low, trembling all over, but she didn't dare utter another word.
Joe spoke up. "Mrs. Jennings, could Zachary have kidnapped him?"
Emily let out a cold snort. "He doesn't have the guts. If he dared lay a finger on my son, I'd end his miserable life myself."
Joe was Emily's man, loyal to her through and through. Since Emily despised Zachary, he maintained the same stance. "Mrs. Jennings, please try to stay calm. But it's not impossible. For Zachary to walk out of there without a scratch, he must've found some solid evidence. I heard Mr. Davis received a court summons. If Zachary could dig up Mr. Davis, he can definitely trace this back to Mr. Jennings."
Emily's conviction wavered. "Are you saying Zachary already knows the truth?"
Joe exhaled with relief. "It's just speculation, but I think it's highly likely. Zachary's position was taken from him—of course he's bitter about it. Now that he's off the hook, who knows what revenge he's plotting? He might even try to take back the CEO position at Apex Global Group."
Emily's hand flew to her chest, panic creeping in. With her other hand, she pointed at the maid. "What are you standing there for? Call the police!"
The maid scrambled to grab the phone, but Joe stopped her. "Mrs. Jennings, calling the police won't help. Mr. Jennings disappeared last night, and Zachary only got out this morning—he'll never admit to anything. If you report it and he does something to Mr. Jennings, we'll lose everything."
"Then what am I supposed to do? Is Landon in danger?" Emily paced the room frantically.
"Mrs. Jennings, how about this—we strike first." Joe offered up a terrible plan. Emily immediately leaned in closer. "How?"
Joe lowered his voice and whispered his scheme into Emily's ear.
Shortly after leaving the downtown apartment, Zachary received an unexpected call from the Jennings Manor. He frowned at the screen and hung up. But the phone rang persistently again.
"Mr. Jennings, while sorting through your father's belongings, we discovered he left behind a letter. We need you to come home."
"What letter?" Zachary asked.
"Mrs. Jennings hasn't opened it. She said you and Mr. Landon Jennings both need to be present before anyone can read it."
"Fine. I'll be there." Zachary hung up without a second thought and drove straight to the Jennings Manor.
The moment he walked through the door, he found Emily perched on the sofa, cradling her pet cat. Her expression was dark. Zachary's cold gaze swept across Emily's face before landing on Joe.
"Landon's not back yet?"
Joe hesitated, and Emily lost her composure. She shot to her feet, her finger shaking as she pointed at Zachary. "Zachary, quit the act. Where are you hiding Landon? You think your dirty tricks will stay hidden forever? Let me tell you something—Landon is my son. As long as I'm breathing, you'll never take Apex Global Group from him."
In that moment, Zachary understood. They'd joined forces to trap him. He looked at Emily with narrowed eyes, his gaze glacier-cold. Since he was three years old—when this woman appeared at the Jennings Manor with Landon in tow—they'd been sworn enemies. He hated this woman. Hated her with every fiber of his being.
"Psycho." The word left Zachary's lips like ice. He turned on his heel and strode toward the door with long, purposeful steps.
"Zachary, don't you dare leave." Emily panicked and rushed forward, grabbing his arm. "Give me back my son! If anything happens to him, I swear I'll make you join that shameless dead whore of a mother in hell!"
He could tolerate her vicious words aimed at him. But insulting his mother? That crossed a line. The rage Zachary had suppressed for over twenty years erupted in that instant. He violently shook off her grip and snapped, "You have no right to mention my mother."
Emily hadn't anticipated the force behind his movement. She lost her balance, and her body went flying. Her cheek slammed into the corner of the coffee table, tearing a gash near her eye.
"Ma'am!" Joe rushed forward to catch Emily. "Quick, call 911!" He barked orders at the maid.
Despite the injury, Emily's fury remained undiminished. "Zachary, you murderer! You killed my son, and now you want to kill me too? I'll fight you to the death!" She struggled to her feet. Zachary dusted off his sleeves without sparing her a glance and continued walking toward the exit.
Outside in the courtyard, Emily chased after him. She threw herself at his legs and dropped to the ground, clinging like a desperate woman making a scene on a street corner. "If you don't hand over Landon, you're not leaving here."
Zachary let out a cold laugh. "Out of respect for my father, I've been civil with you. Too bad you don't know when to quit."
"Joe, get her off me. Or else—" The unspoken threat hung heavy in the air.
Joe hurried over, reaching for Emily's arm. "Mrs. Jennings, the ground's cold. Please get up."
Emily refused. Blood seeped from the wound near her eye, and tears streamed down her face. "Give me back my son!" She chanted the words like a mantra.
Zachary's patience was wearing dangerously thin. He had no time for Emily's hysterics. Just as his anger reached a breaking point, Joe quickly positioned himself to shield Emily. "Mr. Jennings, Mrs. Jennings is just worried sick about her son. Please show some understanding. She is your elder, after all. Don't do anything rash—people will say you have no respect for your elders."
"Respect for my elders? What about her deserves any respect?" Zachary's laugh was bitter. He wrenched himself free from Emily's grasp with force.
At that exact moment, Landon's hot pink sports car roared into view. Flashy and obnoxious as ever, with a long-haired woman in the passenger seat. The car screeched into the courtyard.
"Mom, check out my new girlfriend—isn't she smoking hot?" Landon had his arm around the woman, making out with her between words. Joe averted his eyes, unable to watch the spectacle.
When Emily saw them, rage surged through her veins. "You little bastard!" She grabbed a shoe and hurled it at Landon.
He released the woman and finally noticed Zachary standing in the courtyard. "You're not supposed to be—" His brain felt foggy. He shook his head, closed his eyes, then opened them again. Sure enough, Zachary stood there, his face thunderous.
"Damn it, how did you get out?" He dropped his arm from the woman's shoulder and fumbled for his phone to make a call. But no one picked up.
"Dammit! What the hell is going on?" Landon cursed repeatedly. He'd partied all night and only woken up half an hour ago—he hadn't seen any of the latest news.
Now he was equal parts shocked and terrified.
And Zachary's footsteps were slowly closing in on him.