Chapter 345: The Hostage Crisis
The melodious piano music came to an abrupt halt. The swaying crowd on the dance floor and the brightly lit ballroom of the grand villa all seemed to freeze in time, as if someone had pressed pause. In an instant, the entire first floor, including the front, back, left, and right banquet halls, was surrounded by bodyguards. A heavy, suffocating tension filled the air, pressing down on everyone like an impending storm. The guests attending the banquet were all prominent figures, yet they had no idea what was happening.
Seeing the muscular, intimidating bodyguards, some thought it was a hostage situation. Panic set in. Terrified screams echoed through the hall. At the front of the formation, Mike strode forward, his face expressionless. “Search the place.”
Immediately, dozens of bodyguards dispersed, sweeping through every corner of the villa with military precision. The rhythmic, synchronized footsteps rang through the halls like a relentless drumbeat of doom. No one dared to move.
Upstairs, the commotion startled Martin from his rest. The elderly man shakily descended the stairs, supported by a maid. His face clouded with confusion. Morgan, Emelia, and several others were also herded into the main hall. In mere moments, the lively birthday banquet had turned into something straight out of a hostage crisis.
Martin’s face darkened as he surveyed the chaotic scene. Today was his 85th birthday. How had it come to this? Gripping his cane tightly, he demanded, “What on earth is going on here?” Samuel and Cedar stood frozen, speechless under the oppressive aura of the man before them. Only one person had the power to turn the birthday of a bank tycoon into a living nightmare: Fraser.
Martin cautiously approached the cold, imposing figure. His voice was calm but laced with unease. “Fraser, what happened? Why the need for such drastic measures?” The crystal chandeliers cast a faint glow over Fraser’s sharp, chiseled features. His eyes were void of warmth. Summer was missing. And at this moment, no one here held any significance to him.
Fraser smiled, but the expression never reached his eyes. “My wife has disappeared in your banquet hall. I trust you won’t mind if I take the necessary precautions.” His gaze swept across the crowd, dark and penetrating. “If anything happens to her, every single person in this room… will pay the price.”
A collective gasp rippled through the hall. Some guests turned deathly pale, trembling uncontrollably. Others erupted into fearful cries.
Emelia’s sharp gaze flicked to her daughter, a silent question in her eyes: “Was this your doing?” Morgan’s heart pounded violently, but she forced herself to remain calm. She clenched her teeth, shaking her head ever so slightly. No one will find out. No one will suspect me. Emelia exhaled in relief. If her daughter had been foolish enough to do something reckless, they would not live to see tomorrow’s sun.
Meanwhile, Sasha and Liliah, who stood beside Morgan, instinctively tried to slip away. But the bodyguards blocked every exit. Nowhere to run. Their eyes welled up with fear. They stumbled in panic, collapsing onto the floor.
Mike returned from upstairs, his expression grim. “Mr. Graham, we’ve searched the entire villa. She’s not here.” “Is that so?” Fraser’s expression twisted into something terrifying.
In the dead silence, someone suddenly burst into sobs. “Who took her? Just tell him already! Don’t drag us all to our graves!” Morgan’s teeth chattered as she clenched her fists, her pupils tinged with blood-red anxiety. They won’t find out. They won’t.
At that moment, the butler hesitated before speaking. “T–There’s still the warehouse. We haven’t searched there yet.” The words had barely left his lips before Fraser was already moving. Without hesitation, he strode toward the back of the villa. Mike and the guards followed.
The warehouse was cold and shrouded in darkness. A thick mist clung to the air, mixing with the sharp, bone-chilling cold. The floor had long since frozen over, a thin layer of ice reflecting the dim light in an eerie shimmer. In the farthest corner, Summer and Merry huddled together.
Summer curled in on herself, her arms wrapped tightly around her stomach. Merry turned toward her, only to see Summer’s eyes fluttering shut. Panic surged through her. “Summer! Summer, don’t do this! Wake up!”
At the faint call of her name, Summer struggled to keep her eyes open. A weak hum escaped her lips, barely audible. Merry’s voice cracked with tears. “You said he would come for us. Why isn’t he here yet?” Tears streamed down her face, freezing almost instantly upon contact with the icy floor. Summer wanted to reassure her, to say something. But her throat felt constricted, as if something had blocked her voice completely. She could not make a sound.