?Chapter 945:


    Stomping her foot in frustration, Marisa cursed herself. “Seriously? You’re such an idiot, Marisa!”


    At that moment, the ss door of a small convenience store just ten yards away suddenly swung open. Ethan’s familiar figure emerged first, with Mnie close behind and a man who, ording to their earlier conversation, was Maia’s husband bringing up the rear.


    Marisa dove behind the nearest tree, pressing her back against its rough bark as her pulse raced.


    That had been way too close forfort. At least she hadn’tpletely lost track of them.


    Peeking around the trunk, she spotted all three with their backs to her and boldly stepped into the open to trail behind them.


    She’d barely taken a few steps when two ck vans roared around the corner ahead. The vehicles elerated hard, screeching to a halt andpletely boxing in Ethan’s group.


    Masked figures armed with wooden clubs poured out in a coordinated rush.


    Marisa’s blood turned to ice as she scrambled back behind her tree cover. Everything happened with military precision, giving Ethan and the others no chance to react or flee.


    Within moments, all three were overwhelmed and dragged, struggling, into the waiting vans.


    The entire abductionsted mere seconds before the vehicles peeled away into traffic.


    Staring at the empty sidewalk where Ethan, Mnie, and that man had stood just moments before, Marisa felt the lollipop slip from her numb lips and explode against the pavement.


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    “Oh God! They’ve been kidnapped!” Her trembling fingers flew across her phone screen, dialing Maxwell’s number.


    Maxwell bolted upright from his afternoon nap at the urgency in his sister’s voice, grabbing his jacket as he rushed toward the door.


    “Text me your exact location right now. I’m already moving… Please tell me you caught those license tes?”


    Relief flooded his voice when she confirmed she had. “That’s my brilliant sister! Send them over immediately, and I’ll put every resource in the city on this.” The moment he hung up, Maxwell was already speed-dialing Chris. “We have a serious problem. Someone just…”<fn9116> Chapters first released on Find?Novel</fn9116>


    “Snatched Maia’s brother off the street.” Chris shot a nce at Maia behind the wheel, then dropped his voice to barely a whisper. “Find them. Now.”


    Keeping this from his wife was crucial. He had to get Ethan back safely before Maia discovered what had happened.


    After ending the call, his fingers flew across his phone. “I can’t move openly right now. This is all on you. Don’t let me down!”


    Inside the van, Ethan fought against the gag stuffed deep in his mouth, every attempt to speak producing only muffled sounds. Coarse rope bit into his wrists, bound so tightly behind his back that his fingers were already going numb.


    Maia had barely stepped through the doors of Elysium Apartments when her phone buzzed with a call. A number she didn’t recognize lit up her screen.


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