In the following days, Lucas messaged her daily, but there was still no news about Annie.Aveline had been struggling with insomnia as well. Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the Findηovel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.The video’s hype had diminished somewhat but still lingered on the trending list.One day, while Aveline was in her study drawing, her phone suddenly rang.She glanced at the screen-it was an unfamiliar number.She hesitated for a moment but decided to answer it, guessing that the person behind everything might finally be reaching out to her.”Hello, who’s this?” Aveline asked in a cold tone.The voice on the other end was a processed electronic voice, making it impossible to discern the gender or emotion.”Do you want to see Annie? She’s with me.”Aveline immediately asked, “Who are you? Where is Annie?”The caller continued, “I’ll give you an address. Come alone. Don’t inform Lucas, and don’t let those two bodyguards follow you. Otherwise, I’ll kill her and frame Lucas for it. With the video still generating buzz, imagine how it would look if news broke that Lucas tortured Annie to death. What do you think would happen to him then?”Aveline abruptly stood up. “Alright, I agree.”The caller wasted no time and hung up immediately.Soon, a text message appeared on her phone, giving an address in a remote area on the outskirts of the city.A sense of unease welled up inside her.Should she inform Lucas? But the caller’s warning still echoed in her ears.She couldn’t risk Annie’s life, nor could she let Lucas be falsely accused of murder.Aveline quickly gathered her things and headed out.She first went to a mall, blending in with the crowd, and entered a restroom. After changing into a different set of clothes, she reemerged with a hat and a mask, making it harder for Baron and Braden to recognize her.She rented a car and drove toward the outskirts. When she arrived at the designated location, she saw that it was a secluded compound.She hesitated for a moment but still decided to walk inside.”Is anyone here?” she called out as she moved further in.The house was two stories high, eerily quiet, with an unsettling atmosphere.Aveline pushed the door open and stood at the entrance; inside, it was pitch black.”Is anyone here?” she called out louder, but there was still no response.Not planning to venture further, she turned around to leave. However, the moment she turned, someone rushed at her, covering her mouth andnose tightly! Her eyes widened in shock as she struently. A sharp, pungent smell filled her nostrils, and the drug quickly took effect, causing her consciousness to slip away. Before she lost consciousness, she managed to catch a glimpse of the person’s face, but she didn’t recognize him at all.When she woke up again, sherealized her eyes were blindfolded and her hands and feet were bound. The Surrounding area was completely silent. “Is anyone there?” she called out.Her mouth hadn’t been gagged.No one responded. She tried several times, but the ropes around her wrists and ankles wouldn’t budge.Exhausted from struggling, she could only sit still, waiting in silence.She didn’t know how much time had passed when she heard some sounds-someone seemed to be opening a door and walking in.”Who’s there?” she asked, immediately alert, tilting her head slightly to listen for any movement.But the person remained silent, instead untying the ropes around her feet and grabbing her by the wrist, pulling her to her feet.”Who are you? Why are you holding me?” Aveline continued to ask.From the touch and the way he breathed, she could tell the person was a man.He still didn’t speak, guiding her forward until she was pushed into a vehicle.