But Jonathan’s eyes kept scanning the room, searching for something–or
someone
“Prescott.”
He had just spoken when a man’s voice cut in from nearby.
“Looking for someone?”
The voice wasn’t exactly familiar, but it wasn’t a stranger’s, either. Jonathan had just spent the better part of an hour listening to it back in the conference room.
“Want a hand?” the man–Jarrett–offered, but Jonathan didn’t answer. Not a word.
Suddenly, the blaring alarm fell silent
Jarrett wandered off, chatted with a staff member, and returned at a leisurely pace. “They checked everything,” he reported. “False alarm. No real fire. Either a prank or a faulty machine. Apparently the smoke machine for the wedding let out way too much smoke, set off the fire alarm.”
Prescott let out the breath he’d been holding, pressing a hand to his chest in relief.
Meanwhile, Jonathan quietly pulled out his phone. A WhatsApp message from Niamh popped up “Something came up. I had to leave early *
Jonathan frowned, thumb hovering over her name, about to call. Before he could, a video calll buzzed m
He answered without thinking Demel’s sickeningly smug face filled the screen.
“Well, Mr. Thomas, long time no seel
Jonathan’s gaze turned ice–cold. He noticed Daniel was in some dilapidated apartment–the wallpaper yellowed and peeling in strips.
“Time’s short when you’re a wanted man, so let’s get to the point…” Daniel sneered “Put together ten million for me, or the woman dies.”
He angled the camera, revealing a woman tied to a chair, duct tape slapped over
her mouth
Jonathan’s grip on the phone tightened, the veins in his hand standing out. He sure Daniel had snatched Niamh–she’d left the ballroom, made the perfect target. and the whole world knew she was his wife
Chapter 322
But the woman onscreen wasn’t Niamh.
It was Marina.
Her eyes were huge, red–rimmed, brimming with tears.
your Daniel went on, lighting a cigarette. “You know, I planned to take both her and dear wife, Niamh, in the chaos. But your wife had some other guy hanging off her–left the hotel before I could make a move, arms around each other, all cozy. Lucky for me, this idiot stuck around, wandering all over looking for you–didn’t even notice I was following her.”
He took a drag, then, without warning, jabbed the glowing tip of the cigarette toward Marina’s shoulder.
Muffled, Marina writhed in pain, unable to cry out through the tape.
“You so much as try anything and you’ll get nothing,” Jonathan’s voice was low and dangerous. For a moment, Daniel paused.
Then he just shrugged and let out a cold laugh. “I know she’s your first love, Jonathan. Even if you’re married now, you never really got over her, did you? So I’m being generous–ten million, that’s all I want. If I’d gotten your wife too, I’d be asking for twenty. But since she’s off with another guy, I’ll cut you some slack. Ten million, in Bitcoin. I’ll send you the account. You have two hours. If I don’t get it, or you try calling the police, or pull any tricks…”
He crushed the cigarette out right on Marina’s shoulder.
She howled behind the tape, her body shaking with pain.
“Daniel!” Jonathan roared.
Daniel pulled back, grinning. “Whoops, my bad. Slipped.”
He ripped the tape from Marina’s mouth, almost theatrically, as if inviting Jonathan to listen to her cries.
Marina, gasping for breath, managed to shout, “Jonathan, don’t you dare pay him! Don’t do it!”
14.04
