?Chapter 219:
On the third day, Caden left for Averibon with Ynda to attend a scientific conference.
A group of paparazzi caught them together in the airport cafeteria.
They were photographed as the perfect couple, and the news quickly became a trending topic again.
Alicia came across the news and clicked on the photo.
Amid the snowy winter streets, Caden wore a ck coat and his gold-framed sses gave him an air of sophistication and attractiveness.
Around his neck he wore his familiar scarf.
She stopped, momentarily stunned.
He was still wearing the scarf she had given him.
Why did he keep wearing it?
He didn''t understand her reasons, but he decided it was best not to think about it.
When they were together, she had often found him exasperating, but now, apart, anything connected with him aroused unexpected emotions in her.
She couldn''t help but feel affected.
Shaking off her thoughts, she returned her focus to her work, determined to distract herself.
Time passed quickly, but Monica was still nowhere to be seen.
Half an hour earlier, Alice had tried to call Monica, but she didn''t pick up.
She assumed Monica would be exhausted and catching up on sleep, so she didn''t call again.
Instead, she simply booked a table at Monica''s favorite restaurant.
Alicia dialed Monica''s number again.
After a long wait, someone finally picked up.
Alicia sighed in relief.
“Monica, are you awake?” she asked.
An unfamiliar voice replied, “He’s still unconscious.
It may take days.
”
The disturbing tone put Alice on alert.
She held her breath and asked, “Who are you?”
The personughed.
“Who I am is not important.
What matters is whether you want to save your close friend.
”
Alicia remained exceptionally calm.
Alicia hoped that maybe Monica''s phone had been stolen and that it was just a malicious scam.
Then, as the call ended, a photo arrived showing Monica unconscious.
Monica''s face was pale and her eyes were partially open, revealing the whites of her bloodshot veins.
She seemed to be fast asleep, and it was clear that she had been struggling desperately before that moment.
A deep feeling of fear filled Alice.
Was Monica injured? What horrors had she faced? What was her current condition?
Alice could not remain inactive any longer.
She thought about calling the police, but at that moment she received another message: “I have hacked your phone.
If you contact the authorities, I will cut off one of his hands immediately.
”
Alice realized that she couldn''t act impulsively.
It was the first time he had faced such a terrifying situation, and it took him a long time to regain hisposure.
Another message appeared, providing an address and demanding that shee alone.
Before Alice could process it, she received a video.
In the video, Monica had regained consciousness.
She was suspended in the air, hanging over a cage full of wild dogs.
The dogs were growling and barking at her, saliva dripping from their jaws.
They looked terrifying and repulsive.
Monica''s screams echo in terror.
The camera pans to show a man''s face.
He had a sinister smile, full of cruelty.
"Did you get the address I sent you? I''ll expect you before dark, or your friend will be the dogs'' dinner.
"
Alice stared at the screen, her face ghostly pale.
Another video immediately followed.
This time, Monica was lowered closer to the dogs.
One of them jumped and sank its teeth into her leg.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.
Blood gushed from the wound and Monica''s screams echoed through the air.
Tears streamed down Alicia''s face as she gripped her phone tightly, desperately screaming at the man to stop.
Her defenses were crumbling with each passing second.
The man''s earlier threat echoed in her mind.
Monica would die if anyone else got involved.
She couldn''t risk calling the police or alerting anyone.
Panicking, Alicia grabbed all the self-defense tools she could find and ran out.
The winter nights were falling fast in Warrington.
As time passed, the sky grew steadily darker.
Fear gripped Alice, and with trembling hands, she stepped on the elerator, driving faster than ever before.
The steering wheel led her to the top of a deste mountain.
The journey was long and tiring, but finally he arrived.
A solitary figure stood in the distance.
The surrounding darkness,bined with the absence of lights, made the silhouette seem even more terrifying, like something out of a nightmare.
Alice jumped out of the car and ran towards the figure.
Her hoarse voice screamed, “Where is my friend? Where is she?”
The man stepped forward without saying a word.
He quickly covered her eyes and dragged her inside.
Alice did not dare to resist.
He knew that these were ruthless people and that their threats were not empty.
His only chance to save Monica was to obey.
He had no choice but to risk it all at that moment.
It was his only option.
With his eyes covered, his other senses were heightened.
The man beside him gave off a strong smell of asphalt, mixed with the smell of animal fur.
He smelled of livestock, perhaps chickens or ducks.
Alice made a mental note of the detail.
Shortly after, the man led her into a room.
He was expecting a foul, musty smell, but instead found warm air giving off a surprisingly pleasant fragrance.
She tensed andy still.
With her vision blocked by the blindfold, she could only rely on sound.
The click of leather shoes echoed as someone approached her.
Then, the footsteps stopped.