Chapter 4 Knock It Off

‘Traffic control?’

Daphne frowned. She dug out her wallet, took out some cash, and paid the cab driver. “I’ll get down from here then. I can walk the rest of the way.”

The driver did not say much. Τhus, Daphne paid him and prepared to get out of the cab, until someone suddenly opened the car door!

Daphne screamed in fright. She stared at the men outside the car fearfully.

The man outside the cab was dressed in a suit and a pair of sunglasses. He stared at Daphne expressionlessly. “Miss Montgomery, please come with us!”

‘How did they know my name?’

Daphne’s heart thumped. “Who are you? What are you— Ah!”

Daphne was dragged out before she could finish her sentence and pulled toward a car behind her.

Before she could put up a fight, she was flung into the car. Then, two bodyguards got into the car and sat right next to her—one on the left and one of the right, both watching her!

Daphne stared at the pair, utterly horrified. “Who are you? What are you doing? Why have you kidnapped me?”

No one answered her. The bodyguards acted as if they didn’t hear her at all and remained sitting there, unmoved.

Daphne was about to bombard them with more questions when the car suddenly drove off!

Daphne leaned in front to look and realized that there was an entire convoy of cars in front. They were going against the flow of traffic as if there was no one around them at all!

The arrogance!

Daphne had no idea where she was going. Her first instinct was to call the police until she realized that she hadn’t brought a phone at all.

Of course she wouldn’t. She would be out selling her body. Why would she have brought her phone along?

The cars continued reversing. This gave Daphne the impression that not only were they arrogant enough to disregard traffic rules, but also—for some strange reason—there wasn’t a single car on this part of the road in sight!

It was as if this road had been specially cleared off.

Soon, after a winding road, the convoy slowed down, gradually arriving at a residential area full of villas.

Daphne fixed her gaze outside the window. She tried to figure out her location, but every house in this area looked very similar. She couldn’t figure anything out at all.

The car stopped. One bodyguard pushed Daphne and barked, “We’re here! Out of the car!”

They were pretty much taking advantage of her at this point. Daphne weighed the consequences of retaliation and decided that it would be best to behave herself and get out of the car. The bodyguard pushed her ahead.

It was a villa, much bigger than the ones she had previously seen, and there were plenty of fresh flowers all over the lawn.

Tulips, Daphne’s lucky flower.

“Hurry it up!”

The man behind Daphne pushed her again.

Daphne was thoroughly surprised when she entered the villa. She may be nearsighted, but the gilded décor of her surroundings was simply blinding.

The Palace Hotel was luxurious enough, but this was nothing compared to that.

‘Why did the kidnappers bring me here? What is this place?’

Daphne looked around but couldn’t find anything amiss.

‘Where did the kidnappers go? Where have they gone?’

There was no one in sight! She was all alone in this sumptuous mansion!

Daphne felt strangely afraid in this unfamiliar place. She kept looking around, then suddenly spotted a telephone, underneath a desk lamp!

Daphne rushed over, snatched up the phone, and dialed a number that was most familiar to her.

She put the receiver against her ear and nervously waited for the call to connect.

Daphne’s heart nearly leaped out of her chest when the call was connected.

Her brother had gotten off the plane! His phone was on too!

“Hello?” A deep, melodious male voice answered the call, like an answer to Daphne’s prayers.

Daphne clutched the phone and cried, “Cedric!”

Silence.

Finally, the person on the other end of the call slowly replied, “Daphne?”

Daphne excitedly exclaimed, “It’s me, Cedric! Where are you? I’m at—”

“Cedric? Who is that? Is it a call from Daphne?”

Beatrice Hahn’s voice suddenly chimed in from the receiver, putting Daphne into an abrupt stop. She widened her eyes in disbelief.

‘Beatrice! She’s with my brother!’

“What’s up, Daphne? I’m kind of busy right now. I have to go. We’ll talk later, okay?”

The unnatural tone in Cedric Montgomery’s voice felt like a knife through Daphne’s heart.

“Cedric, I’m being held hostage. Please, save me!”

Holding out on one final shred of hope, Daphne made her anxious plea.

“Hehe, knock it off, Daphne. If you’re really kidnapped, why are you calling me instead of the police? Alright, I’ve really got to go. We’ll talk when I’m home.” She could hear the mirth in Cedric’s melodious voice.

“But…”

Beep, beep, beep, beep…

Daphne had more to say, but he had already hung up!

The telephone receiver slid through Daphne’s fingers, landing on the ground with a clattering noise. Daphne seemed to have lost all feeling, standing in one spot like a wooden figure. Her eyes clouded over with a silent shade of grey.

“Daphne, give me three years! I’ll come home in three years and give you everything you want!”

This had been Cedric’s promise to her before he had left. Daphne could practically hear it, ringing clearly in her mind.

Daphne could even remember his every expression as he had said those words at the time.

His eyes had been full of such sincerity, such determination…

How did it turn out this way?

‘No, there must be some mistake!’

Daphne immediately returned to her senses and sprinted toward the door. She had to leave this place and ask her brother for an explanation!

“Heh.”

She heard a soft chuckle just as she was about to reach the door.

Daphne stopped and whirled around. She couldn’t see the man’s face too clearly, only a rough silhouette.

“Who are you?” Daphne asked.

Her heart was filled with fear.

Nicholas bent down and picked up the telephone receiver from the ground, lifted his head, and stared at Daphne. He curved his capricious lips into a taunting smirk, then spoke in a deep, teasing voice. “What? It’s only been a few hours since you’ve left the bed. Don’t you remember me anymore?”

‘Only been a few hours since you’ve left the bed…”

Daphne frowned and was immediately seized with shock. She stared at the silhouette in disbelief, then exclaimed, “Nicholas Lee Wolfe!”

‘Why is he the kidnapper? What did he kidnap me?’

“Interesting. You’re quite bold. You’ve actually had the nerve to use my full name.” Nicholas sat down on the couch as he eyed Daphne from a distance.

An overwhelming oppressiveness lowered the air pressure around her. Daphne composed herself, lifted her head, stared at Nicholas, and said, “Why have you kidnapped me? What do you want?”

‘What do you want…’

Nicholas’s almond-shaped eyes suddenly darkened. “Come here. Let’s sit and talk,” he said with a forced smile on his face.

Daphne was speechless. She frowned as only a fool would walk toward him. She had nothing to say to this man!