Chapter 143: Secretly Picking Someone Up
The white noise of the rain dulled her senses.
With a sack over her head, Luna Morgan lay on the ground, utterly still. She hadn’t moved in a long time.
A few hours ago, a phone call from Jane Lancaster had made her feel as if she’d been plunged into an icy abyss.
"Actually, you don’t need to apologize. I should thank you for pulling such a stupid stunt. It made Zion realize that the person he truly loves is me."
In her memory, Miss Lancaster had always been gentle and gracious, but in that instant, she had become terrifying.
If she hadn’t recognized the voice, she would have sworn it was an imposter.
"Zion was willing to save you because you saved him once. He doesn’t want to owe you anything. But yesterday, you used up that favor. From now on, he won’t give you a second glance, whether you live or die."
"But it’s different for me. I just mentioned breaking off the engagement, and he was so scared he stood guard outside my house all night without sleeping a wink. He even abandoned his company."
"He’s more afraid of losing me than he is of losing you."
"So stop trying to seduce him. The only reason I haven’t done anything to you is because I know you’re nothing but a pathetic clown."
Luna Morgan’s eyes widened, tears blurring her vision.
She frantically shook her head, her voice trembling as she retorted, "I didn’t! I really didn’t try to seduce him!"
’Anyone else could suspect me, fine, but how could Miss Lancaster think of me that way too?’
Miss Lancaster was so gentle and kind. She was the person Luna had always looked up to, the one she tried so hard to emulate.
"Is that so? I don’t believe you." After a pause, her tone shifted. "Anyway, I’m craving the newest cake from The Black Swan."
Luna Morgan froze for a moment. "What?"
Jane Lancaster complained, "It’s so annoying. There’s a huge storm today, so my flight was canceled, and I had to go to Rosewood Manor for fun instead. But The Black Swan doesn’t deliver to Rosewood Manor."
Luna Morgan seemed to understand. "You want me to bring the cake to you?"
"Exactly. And remember, the cake can’t get wet or crushed, and the ice cream can’t melt..."
Luna Morgan argued, "But The Black Swan Cakery is at least a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Rosewood Manor. There’s no way the ice cream won’t melt..."
"I don’t care. I want it today, period." Then she hung up.
Perhaps because the request was so unreasonable, even the leader of the kidnappers looked at Luna Morgan with a conflicted expression.
"Does she always order you around like that?"
Luna Morgan didn’t know how to answer. In a way, yes, but not exactly.
In the past, Jane Lancaster would never make such direct requests. But no matter what she wanted, Luna would go through hell and high water to present it to her.
After that, they blindfolded Luna Morgan and threw her into a corner.
She wasn’t reckless; she knew that staying quiet for now was the best way to ensure her own safety.
’It didn’t matter what happened to me, but I couldn’t let Chloe Dave get hurt. I have to find a way to save us.’
The sound of the rain masked some of the noise. Luna Morgan moved tentatively, an idea slowly forming in her mind.
She started to untie the ropes binding Chloe Dave, but she used too much force and tumbled to the ground.
"Don’t..." Chloe Dave flinched. He’d been beaten into submission and was terrified of drawing another beating.
But there were no shouts, no sound of footsteps. He gradually realized what was happening, struggled hard, and quickly broke free from his ropes.
After untying their ropes, they pulled the burlap sacks from their heads and exchanged a look of delighted surprise. ’Great, no one’s here!’
Just as Luna Morgan reached the door, she suddenly heard faint footsteps outside.
’Are the kidnappers back?’ Just as she picked up the rope, about to loop it back around herself, the sound of a fight erupted outside.
Luna Morgan didn’t have time to drop the rope and rushed out.
"Julian!" she cried, her face filled with joyous surprise as she looked at the refined young man holding a black umbrella at the door. Tears instantly streamed down her cheeks.
Then she remembered something and quickly said, "Julian, tell them to stop! That’s Leo! My friend!"
’So the kidnappers really did leave,’ she realized. ’The two groups fighting outside are both here to save me.’
Julian Lancaster had his bodyguards stop. "Your friend?"
Luna Morgan nodded. "Leo is a good person."
Chloe Dave limped over and looked at Leo. "I recognize you! You own a bar in the nightlife district, right?"
"So you’re that skilled! No wonder you can run a bar over there and do so well. The owner’s such a tough fighter, no one dares to cause trouble!"
Leo had a powerful build and rugged features—the quintessential tough-guy look.
When he was silent, he had the air of a gangster, but when he spoke, his voice was as pleasant as a spring breeze. "Young Master Dave is a valued guest at Twilight. A pleasure to meet you."
The suspicion in Julian Lancaster’s eyes faded. He asked, "Where are the people who kidnapped you?"
"Maybe... they gave up," Luna Morgan said, her expression dimming at the thought.
’The kidnappers must have given up because they couldn’t get a ransom.’
’Maybe they even felt sorry for me,’ she mused. She remembered the leader’s conflicted expression after Jane Lancaster made those unreasonable demands.
’Was that when they decided to let us go?’
’My kindness and patience won me another chance to live.’
"Luna, where’s your phone?" Chloe Dave asked, having found his own shattered one.
Luna Morgan paused. "It’s gone. Oh well, I’ll just buy a new one."
’That phone was a birthday present from Alvin Lancaster, the newest model from Apple, and very expensive. If they sell it, maybe it’ll bring them some comfort,’ she thought.
’This trip wasn’t a complete loss, then.’
—
「Rosewood Manor.」
Alvin Lancaster looked out at the curtain of rain countless times. The downpour showed no signs of letting up, and a knot of anxiety tightened in his chest.
He thought for a moment, then turned to go upstairs, just as Jane Lancaster emerged, fresh from a rose and milk bath.
"Jay, did you really want Luna to bring a cake from The Black Swan?"
He had heard Luna Morgan’s voice during the phone call earlier, which had been a relief. ’She must be fine.’
’The kidnapping his sister’s inner voice had predicted... it probably wasn’t going to happen. After all, yesterday’s incident had just been a big misunderstanding—they only wanted her to restore an old painting.’
’But now there’s a new problem,’ he thought. ’Making Luna deliver a cake... isn’t that just being difficult?’
Mama Knight said, "How could that be? The young miss would never deliberately make things difficult for anyone."
Jane Lancaster looked innocent. "I was just kidding. I only wanted to make sure she was okay."
’Oh, I see.’ Alvin Lancaster breathed a sigh of relief. ’That makes sense. My sister has never asked Luna Morgan for anything before.’
’But that’s exactly why,’ he realized. ’If Jane does ask for something, Luna will be hell-bent on getting it done.’
Outside, the sky darkened. The estate’s butler finished his shift and left, leaving only their group behind.
This place was a scenic area, and Rosewind Estate was a newly popular influencer hot spot. During the day, it was usually crowded with people coming to take photos.
But on a day with such heavy rain, there was no one around. As night fell, it grew even quieter, far from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Legend had it that if a young couple spent the night at Rosewind Estate, they would receive a deity’s blessing, and their love would become even more faithful.
Back when Jane Lancaster turned eighteen, Caleb Lowell had invited her classmates to a party for her at Rosewind Estate.
Alvin Lancaster couldn’t help but wonder about his sister’s true intentions behind those words.
"Forget it, I’ll just wait for Luna in the living room," Alvin Lancaster said.
’You’re still not smart enough. Someone with a bit more sense would have been too impatient to wait and would have secretly gone to pick her up by now, right?’
’Secretly pick her up?’ The thought struck Alvin Lancaster. ’That’s right... where’s my brother?’
’It’s been an hour, and I haven’t seen him at all.’