I chose to decline the call, but Elena kept calling. After hesitating for a long time, I finally answered.


    "Serena, you finally picked up." On the other end, Elena''s voice was tearful. "Even if you don''t like Julian, you didn''t have to do this to him."


    "What did I do?" I was utterly confused.


    "Wasn''t it you who had Julian kidnapped?" Elena''s tone carried an usatory tone.


    "He was thrown into an abandoned factory by the people you sent, left without food or water for three whole days. Were you trying to kill him?"


    The gravity of the situation hit me instantly, but I forced myself to stay calm. "Start from the beginning and exin everything clearly."


    Elena let out a bitterugh, her sobbing voiceced with smugness.


    "Julian only pestered you a couple of times, and you actually had him kidnapped? Those kidnappers told him to stay away from you right to his face. We''ve already called the police. If I''m not mistaken, Alex must have done this for you, right?" Hearing Alex''s name dragged into this, my heart immediately went on high alert. "It wasn''t Alex. You''re making false usations."


    "Oh? So you''re admitting it?" Elena jumped on my words.


    I instantly realized she was trying to trap me, so I forced myself to stayposed.


    "I already told you, you''re making false usations."


    "Whether it''s false or not, the police will find out soon enough." Elena''s tone turned sinister. "Serena, you won''t get away this time. The kidnappers mentioned only one name-yours."


    A headache hit me like a hammer. I had no idea if she was telling the truth. If it was real, I needed to know who was behind it, why they did it, and whether this was actually aimed at Alex.


    After calming myself down, I pulled out my phone and called Alex, but no one answered.


    A surge of panic shed through me, and I immediately dialed Oliver. "Oliver, where''s Mr. Hastings?"


    Oliver picked up quickly, but his tone sounded a little off. "Serena? Why are you calling? He''s in a meeting."


    "Where? With whom? When will it end?"


    "Uh... At thepany... with the shareholders... It should... should be over soon."


    His tone sounded normal, but something about it felt off. "Oliver, you''re lying. You''ve never revealed his whereabouts to anyone before no matter who asked."


    Silence fell on the other end. My heart pounded, and my head felt like it was going to explode.


    "Tell me the truth. Mr. Hastings... Has he been caught up in Julian''s kidnapping case?"


    "You already know?" Oliver sounded surprised and then fell into another long silence. "Before the police took him away, Mr. Hastings''st instruction was not to let you know about this."


    Tears welled up in my eyes and spilled over uncontrobly. "What do we do now?"


    Oliver''s voice carried a trace of helplessness. "Julian is adamant that Mr. Hastings was behind this Mr. Hastings even told the police not to involve you. Serena, the only one who can save him now is MIO


    Hastings Senior."


    I nodded, choking back my sobs as I asked the final question. "Oliver... Did Mr.


    Hastings really know nothing about this?"


    Oliver took a deep breath. "He''s a<pw-abiding man. And if he had nned something like this, he would''ve asked me to do it. I never did anything like that. Serena, you should believe in his character."