Chapter 192
The disaster struck without warning.
No one had expected the kidnappers to be so desperate–so reckless, they’d rather die than let Celestine go.
Gunshots erupted, one after another, echoing over the waves.
For once, Chester’s calm composure shattered.
“No! Stop!”
He roared, lunging toward the stretch of water where Celestine had vanished.
Joanna and the secretary, who had just arrived, grabbed him, holding him back with all their strength.
Joanna’s sobs were desperate. “Chester, don’t be rash! Celly’s a strong swimmer–she’ll be alright!”
The secretary chimed in, voice trembling yet steady, “Mr. Fordham, the rescue teams are already on their way. You have to trust them–let the professionals handle it.”
Chester’s heart pounded so violently it hurt.
He couldn’t shake the image of Celestine’s face as she fell into the water–calm, almost eerily so. There’d been no trace of fear, no panic in her eyes.
It was as if the will to live had already faded.
No.
He refused to believe that.
No matter what Celestine thought of him, there were the children–two children. She would never just abandon them.
He’d made the only choice he could in that chaos. For the first time, he chose her.
Once she was safe, he’d explain everything. Celestine wasn’t the sort of woman who couldn’t be reasoned with.
Gritting his teeth, Chester forced himself to steady his breathing, to tamp down the agony and anxiety clawing at his chest.
Suddenly, someone else broke away from the crowd, sprinting toward the water
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where Celestine had disappeared.
As the man passed him, he spat a furious insult-“Useless.”
Before Chester could retort, Gideon had already plunged into the sea.
A sharp jolt of shock ran through Chester.
What was going on between Celestine and Gideon?
Since she’d moved out of the Fordham estate, what exactly had happened between them?
Recent events flashed through his mind, and an uneasy suspicion took root.
A suicide pact? No. Never.
Chester drew himself upright, took a deep breath, and barked at his secretary, “Call every rescue team in Portside City–right now! I want her found, alive or dead.”
Joanna’s eyes widened with disbelief for a split second.
Since when had Chester cared this much about that woman?
A silent, bitter hatred kindled in her heart once again. Without a word, she turned her gaze back to the restless sea.
Celestine, you’d better pray you actually die this easily.
Meanwhile, Vernon finally arrived–just in time to see Gideon leap into the water
after Celestine.
He froze in shock.
Wasn’t the young master terrified of water? He wouldn’t even go near a pool–how could he just jump into the ocean like that?
This was bad. Really, really bad.
Earlier, they were supposed to head back to Oceanview City. As usual, Vernon had been compiling the Fordham family’s weekly report when he mentioned Chester’s sudden return to the old manor–and the suspiciously large amount of cash he’d withdrawn.
Gideon had immediately caught the anomaly. “No, check where Chester took the money.”
At the time, Vernon had just thought the young master was letting his paranoia,get the best of him, as usual.
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But the truth was far worse than he’d imagined.
Celestine had been kidnapped.
Gideon hadn’t hesitated: he told Vernon to prepare the cash as ransom, and they’d rushed to the coast.
But as soon as they arrived, gunfire split the air.
Gideon had bolted from the car, sprinting toward the chaos.
Vernon had barely managed to keep up–panting, stumbling to the edge just in time to see Gideon’s silhouette vanish beneath the waves.
With shaking hands, Vernon called the Prescott family’s private rescue team in Portside City, then dialed the eldest Prescott son.
By midnight, wave after wave of rescuers had combed the sea, but there was still no sign of Celestine or Gideon.
The gunshots had drawn too much attention. Despite the Fordham family’s swift lockdown of the scene, swarms of reporters and paparazzi ringed the perimeter, cameras ready for any scrap of news.
Rumors swirled through the crowd.
“Did you hear? The kidnappers went after Joanna–Mr. Fordham’s thrown everything he’s got into the search! The gunman was killed on the spot!”
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