Chapter 161
"I think you're the one treating me like an idiot. How can I be sure that once I transfer the money, you'll actually release her and not hurt her?" Charlotte leaned back in her chair, speaking deliberately. "And what's stopping you from using my mother's safety to extort a second payment?"
Hearing Charlotte's words, the person on the other end was clearly losing patience, their voice rising sharply.
"You don't have a choice!"
"I'm the one in control here! Your mother's life is in my hands!"
"If you—"
"Which is exactly why I can't trust a kidnapper who won't even show their face."
Charlotte scoffed, enunciating each word: "So I'm demanding a face-to-face exchange."
"Of course, you can choose the location. That way, I won't be able to set anything up in advance, right?"
"You check the money, I check my mother. If everything's fine, we each go our separate ways."
"It's the fairest option—and the only one I'll accept!"
"I refuse."
"Then we have nothing left to discuss."
Charlotte wasn't flustered: "You won't get your money, but I... I'll make sure you realize that kidnapping my mother was the stupidest decision you've ever made!"
As she delivered that last line, her voice turned ice-cold.
Richard, on the other end of the call, seemed to grasp something and fell silent.
He'd thought he was the one in control, but he hadn't expected Charlotte, supposedly the weaker party, to be this unyielding!
Charlotte listened to the breathing on the other end, her eyes narrowing slightly.
The tables had turned. She was no longer the one who needed to panic—Richard was.
The standoff continued. Just then, a uniformed server approached with a tray, bowing slightly to Charlotte.
"Excuse me, are you Ms. Charlotte Johnson?"
Charlotte shifted her gaze from the floor and glanced up at him, giving a faint acknowledgment.
"Ms. Chloe Johnson would like to see you in one of the upstairs rooms."
The server kept his head lowered as he spoke.
Hearing Chloe's name, Charlotte frowned.
At this hour, Chloe should be getting her makeup done. Why would she be looking for her?
Was this some kind of gloating? A power play?
Charlotte's eyes darkened. "I'm busy."
She assumed that after her refusal, the server would simply leave.
But instead, he lifted the tray, presenting what was on it to Charlotte.
It was a hairpin resting on a velvet cushion—a pearl hairpin.
The pearls were round and lustrous, clearly well-cared for by their owner.
The moment Charlotte saw it clearly, her pupils contracted sharply.
That was Victoria's hairpin!
It was supposedly a keepsake her grandmother had left her mother—something Victoria never went anywhere without.
At the same time, Richard on the phone seemed to be running out of patience.
"Charlotte, I'm giving you one last chance! Are you agreeing or not?!"
But Charlotte didn't hear him. Her mind was racing, pieces clicking into place.
Richard and Chloe... they were working together!
Or rather, this entire thing had been orchestrated by Chloe and him from the start!
No wonder she knew Victoria's whereabouts so precisely. No wonder she had this hairpin.
Realizing this, Charlotte took a deep breath and hung up the phone, her gaze cold and fixed on the server.
"Where is she?"
"She's in the bridal dressing room. Please follow me."
The server turned and headed toward the nearby elevator.
Charlotte followed, fully aware this was a trap.
But she had no choice. The fact that Chloe had sent out that hairpin meant Victoria was either in her hands—or at the very least, Chloe knew exactly where she was!
Charlotte glanced over at Edward, still chatting with his friends in the distance. After a moment's hesitation, she decided not to alert him.
She had no concrete evidence yet. Dragging the Harris family into this now would only complicate things further.
She had to stay calm.
Taking a deep breath, Charlotte forced down the murderous rage rising in her chest and followed the server.
Soon, the elevator reached the second floor.
The doors opened, and they stepped into a quiet hallway.
As Charlotte walked, she discreetly scanned her surroundings, memorizing the locations of all the security cameras and emergency exits.
Before long, they arrived at a large white door.
The server stopped, pushed it open, and gestured inside.
"Ms. Charlotte Johnson, please go in. Ms. Chloe Johnson is waiting for you."
Charlotte stood at the threshold and glanced inside.
The room had a European-style interior, with oil paintings hanging on the walls, lending it an air of elegance.
The room looked normal—except for one glaring problem: it was completely empty!
Chloe should have been here getting ready for her wedding, but now...
A thought flashed through Charlotte's mind like lightning. Her expression changed, and she immediately turned to flee.
But the server didn't give her the chance!
The instant Charlotte turned, he shoved her hard, sending her stumbling into the room!
"Bang!"
The door slammed shut and locked immediately.
Charlotte's face paled. She lunged for the door, trying to force it open.
But then, a sickeningly sweet fragrance began flooding the room from all directions.
No—it's a sedative!
Charlotte's heart sank. She immediately covered her nose and mouth, trying to block out the scent as much as possible.
She rushed to the door and yanked on the handle with all her strength, but it wouldn't budge.
"Chloe! Get out here!"
No response.
Not only that, but the fragrance was growing stronger, seeping relentlessly into her nose.
The more she inhaled, the weaker her body became. Her vision began to blur.
She had to get out of here—now. If she didn't, the consequences would be disastrous.
Mind made up, she abandoned the door, mustered all her remaining strength, grabbed a metal ornament from a nearby cabinet, and hurled it at the window.
But what she expected didn't happen. The glass—clearly reinforced, shatterproof glass—spiderwebbed with cracks but didn't shatter.
Seeing this, Charlotte's heart sank even further.
Her head was growing heavier, and the room was starting to double in her vision.
Damn it. She was running out of time!