Chapter 1739


    ?


    "Well, this means trouble," Frank murmured to himself, frowning as he tried to think of a solution.


    Meanwhile, outside the karaoke box, Helen received a call from Horey. "Your n is genius, Ms. Lane."


    "What?"


    Helen was left confused. She looked between Gina and Huub, but they looked just as confused as to what the kidnapper was talking about.


    Horey chuckled just then. "Still pretending, huh?"


    "I''m not pretending. What are you getting at?" Helen pressed urgently.


    Horeyughed in cold rage. "Not pretending? Then why did you bring a fake flower? Hell, that''s not all-you even had someone hide in the closet in Room 10, ready to ambush me! You''re really showing no sincerity here, Ms. Lane!"


    Helen wheeled on Huub in shock. "The Bloodcrane Spiritbloom is fake?!"


    Huub appeared stunned for a moment, but he quickly stuck with the script he had prepared beforehand, insisting vehemently, "Impossible! That''s definitely the Bloodcrane Spiritbloom, an heirloom from my ancestors! How could it be fake?! The way I see it, the kidnapper must have already taken it and is trying to frame us instead!"


    "Hah!"


    Horeyughed coldly in turn. "You think I''d be interested in your fake crap?! Save it! If I''m trying to pull a scam, why would I even bother calling you?! You''re the one who refused to take my deal and tried to trick me! You''ll understand the consequences for that soon enough!"


    Beep... Beep...Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Horey hung up before Helen could exin, leaving her dejected as she listened to the static beeping.


    If Gina had not been quick enough to catch her, she would have copsed on the floor right then.


    "Listen to me, Helen."


    Huub strode up, ready to maintain his innocence. "The Bloodcrane Spiritbloom I gave you is not fake. It''s real, and I promise you that on my reputation. I''d never lie to you!"


    While Helen said nothing but nod at his assurance, Gina quickly said, "Of course we believe you, Mr. Droitner You''d never joke something like this given your family background. But why was the kidnapper saying that we lied to her? And that thing about anambush... Did you do that, Mr. Droitner?"  to


    "No, absolutely not." Huub shook his head repeatedly while turning to smile mildly at Helen. "Helen has decided to follow the kidnapper''s demands, so why would I ruin it for her? Come on-let''s go in and see what''s happening inside."  to


    Despite what he said, Huub was just carrying out the n he had put together beforehand.


    First, he would deny everything,


    refusing to admit that the


    Bloodcrane Spiritbloom in the box


    was a fake. Even if it was really what he had brought there, he would insist that the kidnapper was the


    one who had switched it out with a fake.  to


    After that, he would watch how Helen reacted.


    If she still epted everything he said and tactfully epted his advances after Frank''s ''disappearance'', he would just let slide his lost ''Bloodcrane Spiritbloom''.


    But if she refused, Huub would demandpensation.


    And if she could not afford it, he would take extra steps and coerce her into submission anyway.


    It was the perfect n, with endlessyers of contingencies.