“Honey, Maisie just called. Joanna put her and Edith under house arrest. She asked us to go after Basile because he had evidence of Joanna’s crimes. Amelia told Landon immediately after she dropped her phone.”
Landon narrowed his eyes. “Basile…”
“That’s the same guy who tricked us into going to the abandoned warehouse in Rosemill to find William,” Amelia said to herself.
‘That time, I was terrified,’ Amelia recalled. ‘Fortunately, Landon was one step ahead and drove Basile back at gunpoint.’
The solution Maisie told her was risky, and Amelia had her doubts. ‘Could Maisie break ties with her biological mother for Daniel’s sake?’
“Honey…” Amelia hesitated.
“I’ll go after Basile,” Landon said, having decided on something.
Amelia’s heart was in her throat. “Alright, let’s go together.”
“No need. You stay home and take good care of your brother,” Landon said, his sharp gaze softening as he gave her a gentle smile.
Amelia wanted to go with Landon, but Daniel truly needed her.
“Don’t worry, this wheelchair can take on an army,” Landon said. His words finally put Amelia’s mind at ease.
‘My husband is a tower of strength,’ Amelia thought, ‘and he stands tall no matter what. Though his legs failed him, his spirit conquered all quarters! As for me, even if I go, I might end up being a burden.’
Amelia stepped forward to hug Landon tightly. Then, she whispered tenderly, “Promise you’ll come back safe and sound. I’ll be waiting at home.”
“Okay,” Landon replied.
Then, Landon left with his men at once.
Landon didn’t return that entire night.
Amelia lay alone in the expansive bed, feeling utterly out of sorts.
Perhaps it was because of the lonely night, but an unease clung to her, a foreboding that something ill was stirring…
Amelia wanted to call Landon, but was worried it might distract him from tracking down Basile.
After waiting anxiously until dawn, Amelia finally received a message from Landon: [Honey, I’m fine. Just a bit tied up with work. You should get some rest.]
Amelia replied: [Okay. Please stay safe!]
After that, Amelia finally felt at ease and slowly drifted off to sleep.
Daybreak chased away the darkness and lit the world.
The moment Amelia opened her eyes, she checked her phone for messages.
Sure enough, Landon had already sent her a good morning text.
Now that Landon was safe, Amelia could finally relax.
She got up, prepared a nutritious meal for Daniel, and brought it to the hospital.
Chapter 170
As soon as Amelia got out of the car at the hospital, her stomach started hurting. She quickly handed the meal box to Brooke. “Take this to Daniel. I need to use the restroom,” she said.
“Mrs. Kingsley,” Brooke said, scanning the surroundings vigilantly. “I’ll wait for you here.”
The hospital was already bustling in the early morning, with a constant flow of people going in and out of the restrooms. ‘What safety risk could there possibly be?’ Amelia thought dismissively.
“It won’t taste good if it gets cold. Just go and give it to Daniel now,” Amelia said. Then, she hurried to the restroom.
Daniel’s ward wasn’t far from here, so Brooke sent the meal up to him as fast as she could, then hurried back to wait for Amelia.
Brooke completed it in less than three minutes and was pleased with her speed.
Then, Brooke waited anxiously. Ten minutes passed, yet Amelia still hadn’t emerged.
Brooke finally realized something was wrong. She rushed into the restroom, flinging open each stall door one by one in a desperate search.
‘Amelia is missing!’ With this thought in mind, Brooke, her hands trembling, called Landon. “Mr. Kingsley, Mrs. Kingsley is missing…”
By the time Landon rushed back to the hospital, Daniel was already going through the surveillance footage himself.
That was the busiest corridor, and the surveillance footage showed nothing unusual.
There were no security cameras inside the restroom. No one knew what had happened there.
None of the patients or visitors entering and exiting the restroom showed suspicious behavior.
Brooke’s gaze locked onto the janitor’s cart.
“That cart is so huge that someone could easily hide in it. Check the cleaning staff now!” Brooke ordered.
All the janitors in this hospital wore identical uniforms and pushed identical trash bins. So, it was hard to tell them apart.
“Landon, why weren’t you with her today?” Daniel asked, his expression grave.
“I went after Basile,” Landon said.
Landon paused sharply, then continued, “Maisie says Basile has evidence of Joanna’s crimes. Do you buy that?”
“She called you?” Daniel asked, clearly surprised.
‘By all rights, Maisie shouldn’t have told such crucial news to an outsider. If she was going to tell anyone, it should’ve been me,’ Daniel thought.
Landon said, “She called Amy. She said she and Edith were asking for the antidote for you, and Joanna confined them.”
Landon nodded gravely and suddenly realized, ‘So, this was all Joanna’s scheme…’
Daniel also realized it. He slapped his thigh in anger. “Damn it! We’ve fallen right into Joanna’s trap. She lured us away on purpose. Damn it!” Landon’s eyes burned with murderous rage.
Landon thought, ‘If Maisie is here right now, I’ll strangle her with my bare hands.’
Daniel immediately called Maisie, but her phone was off.
He tried the home number next, but still, no one picked up.
Daniel’s heart sank like a stone.
2/4 Chapter 170
‘Maybe Maisie would choose her mother over me, but Edith… She probably won’t do the same,’ Daniel thought. ‘So something must have happened to them, too.’
“Don’t hurt Maisie. She wouldn’t harm me,” Daniel said firmly to Landon while calling his friend Tuff Prescott. “Tuff, please look after Maisie and Edith for me.”
Landon watched Daniel’s rapid–fire arrangements, barely suppressing the fury boiling inside him.
‘We must find Amelia first right now,’ Landon thought.
Just as they were burning with worry, Joanna called. “Don’t panic,” she said coolly. “Amelia is in my hands. She’s safe, for now. But whether she stays that way depends entirely on your sincerity.”
Landon’s heart pounded as he snapped, “What the hell do you want?”
“I want 30 billion dollars,” Joanna demanded, her tone outrageously bold.
Aaron gasped. “Is she out of her mind?”
“The exchange is still at the abandoned warehouse in Rosemill, that familiar old spot you know so well,” said Joanna.
“Okay,” Landon said.
Joanna couldn’t hide her satisfaction, thinking, ‘The Kingsley family’s wealth is beyond my wildest dreams.’
Landon said, “Tens of billions of dollars in cash is impossible. Banks won’t allow a withdrawal that large. I’ll give you a check instead.”
“Cheques can be voided. I don’t want them. Just wire the money straight to my account,” Joanna said.
“Fine, but I’ll transfer the money only after you show me my wife,” Landon said firmly.
“Since you’re being so straightforward, I won’t beat around the bush either. Deal!” Joanna replied.
After that, Joanna hung up abruptly, deliberately avoiding any mention of Daniel’s antidote.
Landon refused to accept this and immediately called Joanna back, demanding, “Give me Daniel’s antidote as well.”
“That’s unacceptable, because 30 billion dollars only buys you one,” Joanna chuckled, thrilled at how easily the money was falling into her lap.
Beside them, Daniel’s brow twitched violently as he urgently signaled to Landon not to agree.
‘Given Joanna’s insatiable greed, she’ll probably demand even more,’ Daniel thought grimly.
However, Landon agreed without hesitation. “Fine, another 30 billion dollars.”
“Well, that’s more like it.” Joanna, now holding all the cards, abruptly ended the call.
“Landon, she’s cunning. It isn’t just about money,” Daniel warned as he mobilized the funds to raise 30 billion dollars for Landon as quickly as possible.
Daniel said, “You handle the money transfer, and I’ll go there and deal with her myself.”
“Don’t go,” Landon said firmly. “With you constantly getting headaches and fainting, you’ll only hold us back.”
Daniel couldn’t refute it.
“I’ll handle this. Just focus on your recovery at the hospital,” Landon said.
Daniel’s head throbbed again, and he once more felt the frustration of a willing spirit trapped in a powerless body.
00:14 VICU Chapter 170
Daniel had no choice but to accept Landon’s plan in the end.
Daniel pleaded anxiously, “Landon, you must bring Amy back no matter what.”
“Consider it done,” Landon replied.
Immediately after Landon left the hospital, his assistant hurried over to report the situation in Rosemill, “Mr. Kingsley, there are indeed lots of people over there…”
Landon gave his orders crisply, “Have the police blend in with our men and surround the abandoned warehouse the moment I step inside. No one moves until you hear my gunshot.”
“Got it,” the guard replied.