Chapter 145: Kidnapped
Evelyn grabbed a delicate crystal ornament from the desk. It was a gift Ryan had made for her to celebrate their partnership—a symbol of their "unbreakable" alliance.
Smash!
The crystal hit the floor, shattering into a thousand pieces.
"I don't understand the rules?" Evelyn’s eyes were red with fury. "I know that a person needs a bottom line! Professor Hayes pulled me out of the mud. I will never step on her just to save your company!"
She glared at him and delivered the most painful blow. "Ryan Lawrence, I was wrong about you. You are no different from Damian!"
The air in the office seemed to vanish. Ryan’s face darkened instantly. He hated being compared to that loser more than anything, especially by the woman he cared about.
"No different?" Ryan let out a cold, sharp laugh. He stepped closer, looming over her. "If that’s who I am to you, then fine."
He turned his back to her, his voice freezing. "The project is suspended. Since you won't cooperate with PR, wait for the lawsuits to bankrupt you. I won't be bailing you out this time."
He strode to the door and slammed it shut. The sound made the walls shake. Evelyn stood frozen, trembling as the tears finally fell. It wasn't just for her mentor; it was the despair of seeing a newly built trust collapse. She thought he was her savior, but he was just another abyss.
Suddenly, her phone rang. It was an unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Is this Mrs. Evelyn Green? This is the 'Angel’s Home' foundation warehouse," a panicked voice said. "It’s terrible! The samples you donated for the auction—the couture gowns—some thugs broke in and trashed them! They poured paint everywhere and slashed them to pieces!"
"What?!"
Evelyn felt a wave of dizziness. Those gowns were made with her prize money to help the orphanage fix their heating.
"I’m coming right now!"
She didn't call a driver. She grabbed her keys and sped toward the warehouse in a remote industrial area. Her mind was a mess, her guard completely down.
The warehouse sat in a deserted area surrounded by overgrown weeds. Evelyn parked by the rusted gates and stepped out. "Is anyone here?"
It was silent, save for the creaking of old sheet metal in the wind. She pushed open a small door and walked inside. The air smelled of mold and sharp paint.
"Hello? I’m Evelyn..."
Bang!
The heavy iron door slammed shut behind her. Before she could turn, a wet cloth smelling of ether was pressed over her face.
"Mmmph!"
She struggled, her nails digging into her attacker's arm, but they held her with a grip like iron. Her consciousness began to slip away. Before the darkness took her, a few figures appeared in her blurred vision.
Leading them was Dennis—the fat, greasy former Omni shareholder who had tried to force himself on her before. And behind him, a woman in a black hoodie stepped forward. She pulled back her hood to reveal a face that was pale and poisonous.
It was Sienna. Wasn't she supposed to be in police custody?
Sienna looked at the collapsing Evelyn and gave a bone-chilling smile. "Long time no see, Evelyn. I told you I’d destroy everything you have. This is just the beginning."
Evelyn tried to scream, but only a faint moan came out before the darkness swallowed her.
Evelyn was jolted awake by a bucket of cold water. She gasped, her vision slowly clearing. She was in a derelict dock warehouse. Rusty containers and rotting wood surrounded her. A flickering light overhead buzzed with electricity.
Her hands and feet were tied to a metal chair, the rough rope stinging her skin.
"Awake?" A sharp, venomous voice echoed.
Sienna was playing with a syringe filled with clear liquid. Her heels clicked on the concrete as she approached. Dennis sat nearby on a crate, smoking a cigar, his oily eyes roaming over Evelyn’s body.
"Sienna..." Evelyn gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stay calm. "Do you have any idea what you’re doing? This is kidnapping. It’s a felony."
"A felony?" Sienna laughed, her features twisting with hate. "I have nothing left! That bastard Damian kicked me out because of you! My baby is gone! I’m a pariah in New York! I’m not going to survive anyway, so taking you to hell with me is a win!"
She leaned in close, her eyes wild with madness. "Look at you, always so high and mighty. It makes me sick. You think Ryan Lawrence loves you? You’re just a toy! Once I inject you with this high-grade heroin and turn you into a junkie, let's see if he still wants to touch you!"
Evelyn’s pupils contracted as she looked at the needle. Her heart hammered against her ribs. If she was injected with that... her baby...
"Don't touch me!" Evelyn struggled, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. "Sienna, I can give you money! Enough to leave New York and start over! Don't do this!"