Chapter 267: You Won't Be Able to See Her Just Yet

Serena Sinclair's POV:

I felt my heart pounding as I approached the door. Just as my hand reached for the handle, the woman suddenly appeared, blocking my path with an outstretched arm.

"My father is in the middle of important business with Mr. Kingston," she said coldly. "You can't disturb them."

I met her gaze with a steely one of my own. "I need to confirm he's safe."

"Of course he's safe," she replied, her lips curving into a mocking smile. "Why do you think you're even allowed to be here? If it weren't for Mr. Kingston, you wouldn't have the privilege of setting foot in this place."

I studied her face. She had seemed somewhat elegant at first, but how quickly her true colors had emerged.

Griffin frowned beside me. "Don't push it," he warned her.

"Push what?" she asked innocently.

Before Griffin could respond, she continued, "This is my territory. I can do whatever I want here."

"Your territory?" Griffin scoffed. "You really think you're some kind of ruler here? We need to ensure Mr. Kingston's safety."

"I said he's safe, so he's safe," she snapped, glaring at Griffin.

The tension between them was palpable, like they might come to blows at any moment.

Then we heard it—a soft click as the door suddenly opened.

An elderly man wearing loose-fitting clothes reminiscent of tai chi attire appeared in the doorway. He glanced at the woman with disapproval.

"Susan," he said, his voice carrying quiet authority, "these are our guests. What kind of attitude is this?"

Susan pressed her lips together without responding. Despite her earlier bravado, she clearly respected—or feared—her father enough to hold her tongue in his presence.

"I apologize, Mr. Kingston," the older man said. "This is my daughter, Susan. I'm afraid I've spoiled her, making her temperament rather... assertive. I hope your associates won't take offense."

Phillip smiled coolly. "It seems you might need some help with parenting, Mr. Astor. If you're struggling, I'd be happy to offer assistance."

Astor seemed momentarily taken aback, his expression tightening before he glanced at his daughter, who lowered her eyes.

"I've prepared dinner for you, Mr. Kingston," Mr. Astor said, his tone deliberately respectful. "Would you do me the honor?"

I could see the careful calculation in Phillip's eyes before he smiled. "How could I refuse such a gracious invitation?"

"Please," Mr. Astor gestured with an open hand.

Phillip looked at me, and I immediately understood, moving to his side. Griffin threw a final glance at Susan before following us.

The white villa opened into a courtyard with an octagonal pavilion that seemed to blend traditional elements with local architectural styles. Susan directed the staff to arrange the food while her father invited Phillip to sit down.

Though Mr. Astor was our host, he didn't put on airs, sitting down alongside Phillip. Susan naturally took her place next to her father, directly across from me, her eyes never leaving my face.

During the meal, Mr. Astor summoned one of his men, speaking to him briefly before turning back to us with a smile.

"Had I known you were looking for this person, I would have had her delivered to you personally," he said casually.

What did that mean? I glanced at Phillip, whose expression remained carefully neutral. I couldn't read what he was thinking, so I kept quiet, following his lead.

"Miss Sinclair, why aren't you eating?" Mr. Astor asked, drawing my attention.

"I'm not accustomed to the local cuisine," I replied honestly.

The truth was, I couldn't bring myself to eat food prepared by these people. They weren't exactly known for their ethical business practices, and I wasn't about to risk being poisoned.

"You're rather picky, aren't you?" Susan remarked, her lips curling with disdain.

Phillip looked up from his plate. "My girlfriend doesn't put just anything in her mouth."

Susan's expression froze, clearly caught between embarrassment and envy at Phillip's protectiveness.

Mr. Astor shot his daughter a warning glare. Susan put down her chopsticks, clearly fuming but unable to respond.

Just then, the man who had been sent away returned, whispering something in Mr. Astor's ear. I noticed a momentary shift in his expression before he composed himself and stood up.

"Please excuse me for a moment," he said, leaving the pavilion.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the table. Luna stared at her plate, avoiding eye contact with anyone. Griffin remained standing at attention behind us, his posture tense. Phillip's hand found mine under the table, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Minutes ticked by with excruciating slowness. I could hear distant voices—muffled but urgent—coming from somewhere beyond the courtyard. The staff that had been attending to us seemed to have disappeared, leaving the pavilion eerily quiet.

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out, startling birds into flight from nearby trees.

My heart skipped a beat. In all my years, I'd never heard a real gunshot before—only in movies and TV shows. The sound was sharper, more jarring than I'd imagined.

Why was there gunfire? Had someone been killed?

My heart clenched at the thought, unwanted images of violence flashing through my mind. This wasn't television—these were real people, real weapons. That's what made it truly terrifying.

Susan must have noticed the flash of fear in my eyes because she smirked. "Miss Sinclair, are you always this timid?"

I raised my eyes to meet hers, my gaze deliberately cold.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" she taunted. "Never seen a beautiful woman before?"

"Beauty is only skin deep," I replied evenly. "A pretty face with an ugly heart is no beauty at all."

"You—" Susan stood up abruptly, but her father's return silenced her. She sat back down reluctantly.

Mr. Astor smiled as if nothing had happened. "I apologize—just handling some household matters. I hope it didn't disturb your meal?"

Phillip cut straight to the point. "Where is she, Mr. Astor?"

"She's not here at the moment. I've sent for her," he replied smoothly. "Tomorrow—tomorrow I'll have her delivered to you personally. How does that sound?"

"Acceptable," Phillip nodded. "As long as you deliver her safely, I'll fulfill my part of our arrangement."

He stood up. "Now, may my associates and I leave?"

"Of course," Mr. Astor smiled.

"Let's go," Phillip said, and I followed immediately.

As we walked back to the car, my palm was slick with cold sweat as I gripped Phillip's hand. He glanced at me, noting the concern in my eyes.

The engine started, and as the car began to move, I opened my mouth to speak, but Phillip squeezed my hand in warning. Looking up, I caught his signal to remain silent and swallowed my questions.

Phillip exchanged a look with Griffin, who immediately understood. The car stopped, and Griffin conducted a thorough check with his team. Only after confirming the vehicle hadn't been tampered with did Phillip finally speak.

"She's safe," he said. "She's likely already been rescued."

"Really?" I asked, hardly daring to believe it.

"Yes," Phillip confirmed. "But for security reasons, you won't be able to see her just yet."