Chapter 176
Chapter 176:
The man offered nothing else. He reached somewhere out of sight and produced a stool as if he had conjured it from thin air, placing it at a careful distance — close enough to watch her every breath, yet far enough to maintain full control.
Every so often, he cast a glance her way.
Time crawled forward, and Kailey sank deeper into pain, losing all sense of the hour. During that stretch of silence, the man answered two more calls and issued crisp directions for the exchange. He planned to use a courier service.
“I don’t trust any of you. Only a delivery service keeps me calm. But don’t think of calling the police. This woman’s skin is soft. If I slip and leave a cut, that would be unfortunate.” His hand traced along her cheek with slow, deliberate intent.
She had no way to move. No way to avoid him. A chill crept along her arms, and her fear tightened its hold.
When despair pressed close, the man leaned back again with the ease of someone enjoying a game. Kailey shut her eyes and forced each breath to steady her nerves. She tried to remind herself that the man wanted money above all else. Yet she still could not understand why he had chosen her. Had it been chance?
Her thoughts twisted like a tangled thread. She could only hold onto the knowledge that she had to stay alive until Kyson and the police found her.
The steady tapping of his fingers filled the room and stretched her nerves tight, as if someone were winding a spring inside her chest. When she felt her control slipping, the phone rang once more.
The man cast a sharp look at her before answering. “Well now, they found us this quickly p>
Kailey’s heart lurched, and she went perfectly still while he listened to the caller.
𝗖𝘩i𝘯𝘦𝘀𝖾 𝘯𝘰𝘃𝘦𝗅s t𝘳a𝗇𝗌𝗅𝘢𝗍е𝗱 o𝗻
“That has nothing to do with me. I only care about receiving the money. If I don’t get it…” He released a low, unsettling laugh.
Though his sunglasses hid his eyes, Kailey sensed the danger rolling off him in steady waves. The room seemed to grow heavier when he crouched in front of her. “You are fortunate. I never expected those fools to track us so quickly. They turned out sharper than I believed.” He paused, then added almost conversationally, “Now that the money has arrived, I will keep my promise. There will be another day, Kailey p>
He cast one last lingering glance at her, gathered his belongings, and walked out with unhurried strides.
Moments later, frantic footsteps echoed through the hall.
“Miss Evans p>
“Kailey p>
She recognized Devin’s voice and her uncle’s. Mustering her remaining strength, she knocked over the cabinet beside her. The sharp crash cut through the silence and drew their attention at once.
Lionel reached her first. His eyes reddened when he saw her, and his hands trembled as he worked to free her. “You endured so much, Kailey. It’s safe now. It’s over. The police will make sure those people face justice p>