?Chapter 1779:


    Harlee pulled her car to the side of the road and called Rhys.


    “Rhys, what should we do? My dad and Felix are missing.”


    It was only upon hearing Rhys’ voice that Harlee realized she was crying. So, there were moments when even she could feel this kind of fear—moments so raw that all she could do was weep.


    Overwhelmed by emotion, Harlee felt like she was teetering on the edge of a breakdown. Guilt, unease, regret, and worry surged inside her, drowning her usual calm. She couldn’t imagine what she would do if something truly happened to Felix and her father. If not for her inner discipline, she might have copsed the moment Thiago informed her.


    Rhys, concealing the lethal fury in his eyes, gave sharpmands while speaking to her with gentle reassurance.


    “Lee, trust me. I will bring Felix and your dad back safe. You have my word.”


    The idea that someone had driven his woman to this state of despair filled Rhys with icy resolve. Celine and her aplices would pay—and pay dearly.


    Three hourster, Rhys sessfully traced Celine’s movements. She had proven herself cunning. Once she realized her ns had been uncovered, she used Lonnie and Felix as leverage. She demanded not only that Harlee kneel and beg for forgiveness but also that the Green and Sanderson families deliver a ransom of twenty billion.


    Celine had clearly done her homework on Harlee. She contacted Sk, insisting that Harlee appear in person at an abandoned factory to kneel and hand over the ransom.


    Although Sk was often seen as the most vulnerable member of the Sanderson family, under Harlee’s influence, she had grown far more formidable.


    “Miss Cavendish, that’s quite a demand,” she said coldly. “Do you really think you can walk away freely after something like this?”


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    Celine scoffed. “Of course I can’t just walk away. But I have Harlee and Rhys’s child. That gives me the power to go wherever I want.”


    “What do you mean by that?” Sk asked, startled.


    “It means the ransom is only for Lonnie’s release. Harlee and Rhys’s child will remain my hostage—indefinitely.” With that, Celine ended the call abruptly. She was someone who had once brushed with death—she would never make a move without fully exploiting her opponent’s weaknesses.


    Harlee was distraught. Rhys had only just calmed her enough to sleep, and he refused to let anyone disturb her rest. So Sk, concerned and unsure, sought his guidance.


    “Rhys, we can’t let anything happen to Felix. What’s our n?”


    Rhys’s expression was grim as he whispered, “Sk, stay calm. My team is closing in on Celine’s location. Just wait patiently at home.”


    At that moment, Brenton arrived from overseas. Without hesitation, he jumped into action once he grasped the situation. “I’ll handle the ransom. You take care of everything else.”


    Soon after, Kareem returned and reported, “The military is fully backing us.” His eyes reflected the same murderous resolve as Rhys’s.


    Fleming added, “I’ll leave the rest to you. Clint, Fletcher, and I will guard the house.”


    Rhys gave a slight nod, then nced toward the second floor. “I’m going to check on Harlee again. Please make sure she’s looked after.” With that, he headed upstairs.


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