"Elena… Elena…"
Chloe's voice pulled her out of the deep fog of her slumber. Slowly, she opened her eyes, her vision blurred by the dried tears on her face.
Chloe sat beside her on the bed, concern etched across her face. "Baby girl, what's wrong?" she asked softly. "Your cousins told me you won't go downstairs, let alone eat." Do you want to starve yourself to death before Charles gets back?"
Elena jolted at the mention of his name, her heart pounding. "Is he here? "Did the police rescue him?" Her voice trembled, desperation clinging to every word.
Chloe sighed, gently brushing a lock of hair from Elena's face. "Come on, I got you some food. "You need to eat." She placed a tray of food beside her.
Elena scarcely glanced at it. "I don't care about food, Chloe. I care about getting Charles back."
Chloe placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "Charles is safe, I'm sure of it. Soon enough, he'll be rescued, and everything will go back to normal. But you can't keep acting like the world has ended."
Elena's eyes were filled with fresh tears. "You don't get it, Chloe. I love him. I love him so much it hurts."
A slow, calculating smile flickered on Chloe's lips, but she masked it in an instant. "And you'll pay the price for loving my man," she fumed.
Taking a deep breath, Chloe continued, "Listen, we have a lot of business transactions this week. I didn't want to bring it up before because of your wedding, but if we don't act now, we'll lose a lot of investors."
Elena sighed. "Chloe, you're the closest to me. You can handle it. I'm not in the right state of mind to deal with business. I'd rather focus on finding Charles first."
"Fine," Chloe said calmly. "But will you at least sign these papers? I've already gone through everything, and these contracts will benefit the company in the long run. You don't need to strain yourself reading them."
Without hesitation, Elena reached for the papers and signed all of them, barely looking at the pages.
Chloe's fingers tightened around the documents, her nails biting into the paper as a triumphant thought cut through her mind. "That was almost too easy," she mused. Now, all that's left is for the shareholders to sign, and this company will slip right through her fingers.
She let out a gentle laugh. Oh, Charles, you're such a thief. Look at how you've broken her. She's lost the sharp mind I used to admire. Love makes fools of us all.
Quickly, she shaped her expression into one of sympathy. "Alright, I'll go. Eat, okay?"
Elena hesitated. "The police... have they found anything?"
Chloe exhaled a practiced sigh. 'No, dear. I spoke with the detective this morning, and he assured me they're doing all they can. We just have to wait patiently.
"She turned to leave when Elena held her hand. Thanks, Chloe. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Chloe smiled demurely. 'Anytime, sweetheart. I'm always here for you.'"
"But as she moved away, for just an instant, her smile turned cold."
After that, Chloe headed straight to the Moretti Foundation building, walking majestically like someone about to hit the jackpot, her heels clicking against the marble floor. She went straight to the CEO's office, unbothered by the seriousness of the situation. Clifford Edwards, the temporary CEO, looked up from his desk.
Surprise flickered in his eyes before curiosity took its place.
"Miss Chloe Davelon," he greeted smoothly, adjusting his tie.
"Good morning, sir," Chloe replied, her voice smooth yet firm. She offered him a slow, cunning smile—the kind that made men weak before they even realized they were prey.
Clifford leaned back in his chair, eyeing her warily. "How is Elena? I'm sorry I missed their wedding."
Chloe's smile widened. "Oh, no need to apologize, Mr. Edwards. We both know you were rather relieved the wedding didn't go through."
His eyes tightened. "I beg your pardon?"
"Drop the act," she said, stepping closer, her fingers gliding over the cool surface of his desk. "You never wanted Elena back in power. Her marriage would have secured her place, and you wouldn't have had a hope of keeping your little throne."
Clifford snorted. "That's absurd."
Chloe moved around his desk—slow and calculated—before perching on the edge, one leg draped over the other, her skirt rising just enough to catch his attention. "I have something that will fulfill your fantasies," she whispered, leaning forward until her heady perfume wrapped around him.
"Miss Davelon, what do you want?" His voice, laced with both skepticism and intrigue, dropped lower.
With a triumphant smile, Chloe pulled out a folder and placed it on his desk.
"Take a look."
Clifford's face turned pale as he hesitated before opening the folder. Inside, a series of photographs captured him with different women—none of whom were his wife. Some were taken in hotels, others in the back of his car. Each one was more damning than the last.
His hands trembled as he tightened his grip on the folder. His mouth opened, but no words came out. Chloe couldn't help but laugh at the sheer panic etched across his face, his once-confident posture faltering.
"You see," she purred, stroking the edge of a photo, "I do know your wife. And she's not the type to simply request a divorce—no, she would take you for everything you're worth. Your money, your reputation, your career."
She tapped one of the photos with a precisely manicured nail. "Now, you wouldn't want that, would you?"
Clifford's eyes widened as he swallowed hard, his trembling hands clenching. "What do you want?"
Chloe shoved a second sheet of paper across his desk. "Elena signed her contract to transfer her ownership of Moretti Foundation to you."
Clifford's shock made his eyes bulge. "This... this would put me in majority ownership." He shook his head. "Elena would never—"
"She did," Chloe interrupted with slick confidence. "She's no longer in the right state of mind to make decisions for this company. She signed of her own free will."
"No," he growled, shoving the paper aside. "I want to hear it from her directly." This is too big of a decision."
Chloe sighed dramatically, tilting her head as she leaned close to his ear. "And that's where we have a problem, Mr. Edwards," she whispered. "Because I don't believe you're in a position to negotiate."
Clifford's gaze went lower—down to her hip, then he turned to the dip of her neckline, the way the dress hugged her curves in all the right spots. He'd always noticed Chloe, always desired her, even when Jude Moretti was still alive. She'd been beyond his grasp then. Now she stood before him, temptation hanging there like a well-baited hook.
Chloe smirked knowingly, brushing an invisible speck of dust from his lapel, her fingers lingering just a little too long. "You've been watching me," she murmured, her voice like velvet. "I'm aware of that."
Clifford exhaled shakily, his hands gripping the armrests of his chair.
"This is how it's going to play out," she continued, retreating just enough to let the tension crackle between them. "You will sign the documents, then transfer five hundred million dollars to the designated account in the contract." She traced a slow finger along his jawline before stepping back. "It's simple—we both get what we want. You keep the company, and I take what's mine."
Clifford hesitated, his heart pounding like a war drum. His gaze flickered between the contract, the damning pictures, and Chloe standing in front of him like the devil in heels.
He took a deep breath, then slowly reached for the pen.
Chloe's smile deepened as she watched him sign Elena's inheritance away.
"Good boy," she breathed, shoving the folder of his compromising photos back into her handbag. "Now, don't leave me dangling for that transfer."
With that, she whirled around and strode out of his office, leaving Clifford gripping the edge of his desk, as if she had just sealed his fate.
It had been three days, and Elena hadn't seen or heard from Chloe since the day she came to sign those documents. At first, she assumed Chloe was busy handling company affairs in her absence. But as the days passed without a word and her calls went unanswered, a creeping sense of dread coiled tightly in her chest.
"She sat at the edge of her bed, clutching the sheet, worries tightening around her. Is Chloe in danger too? Had Charles's kidnappers caught up with her as well? The thought made her stomach churn. The fear of losing another person close to her heart sent her into a state of frenzy. Not Chloe too, she prayed inwardly.
Later that night, her phone buzzed—it was a WhatsApp video call from an unknown number.
Elena's heart skipped a beat. She hesitated, staring at the screen, debating whether to answer. Since the kidnapping, she had ignored all calls except those from Chloe and the detective handling Charles's case. She didn't want anyone to see her like this—vulnerable, broken, and barely holding herself together."
Something about this call startled her, though, her fingers hesitating on the screen.
She swallowed, breathing deeply and swiping to accept.
The moment the screen flashed and she saw him, her entire body braced itself.
Charles.
Alive and in good health.
A wicked, slow grin crept over his face. He was in a lovely room, but the harsh light on his screen cast shadows over his cute face. His dark eyes glowed with a creepy satisfaction, like they were savouring each instant.
"Hello, my lady," he sneered, his husky voice laced with contempt. "Did you miss me?"