Chapter 280

Chapter 280
Evelyn's POV

I sat in the backseat of Dorian's car, my mind racing with calculations.

Dorian slid in beside me, his cologne filling the confined space. Daniel squeezed in on the other side, effectively trapping me between them. The leather seats felt cold against my skin despite the warm night. 

"Blake looked better today," Daniel said, breaking the silence as the car pulled away from Blackwood Estate. "I stopped by Thompson's place earlier." 

Dorian nodded. "Good. Did he mention anything about the—" 

"Not in front of her," Daniel cut him off with a pointed look in my direction. 

I turned my attention to the window, watching the Beverly Hills lights blur past. The driver was going faster than usual, making sharper turns. We were heading downtown, but I had no idea where exactly. 

"Where are we going?" I asked, keeping my voice casual. 

Neither man answered immediately. Daniel checked his phone while Dorian stared straight ahead, his jaw set in that stubborn way I'd come to recognize. 

After what felt like forever, the car slowed down. I glanced outside and saw we'd arrived at what looked like a college campus. The sign read "Los Angeles Technical College." 

"Why are we at a school?" I asked as Daniel opened the door. 

"Finding someone," he replied cryptically before climbing out. 

I turned to Dorian. "Finding who?" 

"I'm not entirely sure," he said, his expression unreadable. 

"But Daniel said this had something to do with Hunter, something you needed to handle personally," I pressed. 

Dorian shook his head. "I don't know the details yet. Daniel's following a lead." 

Bullshit. I didn't believe him for a second, but I nodded as if I accepted his explanation. Through the windshield, I watched Daniel approach the dormitory entrance. He stood there, scanning the few students who were still out at this hour. 

Two girls emerged from the direction of the dorms, backpacks slung over their shoulders, laughing about something. Daniel straightened up, eyes locked on them like a predator spotting prey. 

"Is that her?" Dorian muttered, leaning forward. 

I watched as Daniel approached the girls, his body language changing to something more casual, less threatening. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but I saw him point at one of the girls—petite with dark-rimmed glasses and braided hair. 

"Are you Willa?" I read his lips. 

The girl nodded, looking confused. Her friend took a step closer to her, protective. 

What happened next made my blood run cold. Daniel grabbed Willa's arm and started dragging her toward a second SUV that had pulled up alongside ours. She struggled, her mouth open in what must have been a scream. 

"Let me go! Help! What are you doing?" Her words were muffled through the glass, but her panic was clear. 

Her friend tried to intervene, but Daniel shoved her away with enough force to send her stumbling backward. He said something to her that made her face pale. She froze in place, clutching her phone but not daring to use it. 

"What the hell is he doing?" I gasped, unable to hide my shock as Daniel forced Willa into the waiting SUV. "Dorian, that's kidnapping!" 

Dorian's expression remained impassive. "It's complicated." 

"Complicated?" I hissed. "He just grabbed a college student off the street!" 

The SUV with Willa inside sped away. Without a word, Dorian tapped the divider glass, and our driver immediately followed. 

"Dorian, what's going on?" I demanded, fighting to keep my voice steady. 

"She's been spreading stories online," he finally said. "Damaging stories. About me." 

I stared at him, trying to process this. "So your solution is to abduct her?" 

"We're just going to talk," he said, his tone making it clear the conversation was over. 

We followed Daniel's SUV to a familiar location—Azure Heights. 

As we pulled up, I saw Daniel forcing Willa out of the other vehicle. Her glasses were askew, and she was still struggling despite being significantly smaller than him. Her mouth was covered by Daniel's large hand as he dragged her toward the building's private entrance. 

"Dorian, this is kidnapping," I said again, more firmly this time. "This is illegal." 

"She broke the law first," he said coldly, watching as Daniel disappeared into the building with Willa. 

I made a decision. "I'm coming in." Before he could protest, I opened my door and stepped out. "I'm already here. I might as well see what this is about." 

Inside the apartment, Daniel had already taken Willa into one of the bedrooms. I could hear her voice, high with fear. 

"I don't know what you're talking about! Please, I haven't done anything!" 

Daniel emerged from the room, closing the door behind him. "She's playing dumb." 

"What exactly is she supposed to have done?" I asked, crossing my arms. 

"She's been spreading false stories online," Daniel said, glancing at Dorian. "About Dorian. Sexual misconduct, bribes, illegal business practices." 

I looked at Dorian, who had settled onto the leather sofa, loosening his tie. "Is that true?" 

"Of course not," he snapped. "That's why we're here." 

From behind the closed door, Willa was still protesting. "I don't know you people! I didn't write anything about anyone!" 

I noticed she kept shaking her head, genuinely seeming not to recognize any of us. Something didn't add up. 

"Let me talk to her," I suggested. "Woman to woman. I can find out why she's doing this." 

Daniel stepped between me and the door. "That won't be necessary, Mrs. Blackwood. We can handle this." 

"Then why did you bring me all the way here?" I demanded. 

Dorian gave Daniel a nod. "Go ahead. Find out who put her up to this. I just want answers." 

Daniel disappeared back into the bedroom, closing the door firmly behind him.

I maintained my confused expression, but internally, I was panicking. I did recognize her. Willa was Hunter's cousin. I'd only seen her photo once, when Hunter had mentioned her starting at the tech college, proud of her scholarship. But I'd remembered her face instantly. 

This wasn't about online rumors. This was about getting to Hunter through his family. 

From behind the closed door came Willa's terrified voice. "No! Please don't! What are you doing?" 

I kept my face neutral but shot Dorian a meaningful look. His expression remained cold, detached. 

"Stop! I don't know anything! I'm just a student!" 

I clenched my hands into fists, willing myself not to react. What was Daniel doing in there? I heard fabric tearing, and Willa's sobs intensified. My heart raced as I tried to think of some way to intervene without giving myself away. 

The bedroom door opened, and Daniel emerged. There were fresh scratch marks on his face, thin red lines along his cheek. 

"Like a damn wildcat," he muttered, touching the scratches. "Claws out the second I got close." 

"Did you get anything?" Dorian asked. 

"Not yet. She's tough for such a little thing." 

I couldn't help myself. "I didn't hear you asking her any actual questions. All I heard was threats and clothes ripping. Was that your idea of an interrogation?" 

Daniel glared at me. "Mrs. Blackwood, with all due respect, this isn't your area of expertise." 

Just then, my phone vibrated in my pocket. Daniel's head snapped toward the sound, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. 

"Let me see that," he demanded. 

I pulled out my phone and deliberately held it up for both men to see. The text was from Dorothy, my grandmother: 

Evelyn, dear, do you have my medication? I can't find it. 

I tossed the phone onto the glass coffee table. "It's my grandmother. Feel free to check. In fact, I won't touch my phone again tonight. I didn't touch it in the car either, which Dorian can confirm." I looked directly at Daniel. "So if anything happens, don't come pointing fingers at me." 

Daniel stared at my phone on the table, clearly rethinking whatever suspicions were forming in his mind. 

"Good," I said, satisfied that I'd covered my tracks. "Now, are you going to tell me what's really going on here?"