?Chapter 404:


    Elora turned her head, staring at her father in shock. She couldn’t grasp that her doting father would speak to her like this.


    In the past, no matter how unreasonable her demands were, he always nodded and showered her with praise.


    But now, he refused her request to deal cruelly with Katelyn, speaking with an unusual seriousness. It left her confused and frustrated.


    Was it possible that her father, like Bartley, had also fallen under the spell of that wretched woman?


    As her thoughts spiraled, Elora’s fury grew even stronger. She couldn’t stop herself from cursing Katelyn, the woman who not only stole her fiancé but now seemed to be taking her father’s affection as well. A woman so wicked deserved to burn in Hell.


    Elora remained lost in her thoughts, never once stopping to consider what Katelyn had done to deserve such intense hatred from her.


    Breck looked at his daughter and quickly guessed what she was thinking.


    “I’ve checked into that woman’s background. She’s the famous designer, Iris. We can’t handle her in such a crude manner.”


    Realizing his point, Elora asked eagerly, “Then what should we do instead, Dad?”


    “For someone of her standing, it’s better to use her to our advantage first. If we mishandle her, given her current influence, any scandal could trigger an investigation into our dealings.”


    Even though authorities often turned a blind eye to these ck-market activities, they couldn’t be done out in the open.


    The more high-profile the target, the more careful they needed to be. One wrong move could lead to disaster and spell their doom.


    Elora’s eyes lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically in agreement.


    “I trust you, Dad. I know you can handle this,” Elora said.


    A cruel smile spread across Breck’s lips.


    Anyone who dared to trouble his daughter deserved to disappear from this world.


    Meanwhile, Katelyn had no idea about the danger creeping up on her.


    Even in Yata, Vincent remained overwhelmed with work. Not wanting to disturb him, Katelyn changed into casual clothes and decided to take a walk outside the hotel. But as she approached a nearby coffee shop, a group ofrge, intimidating men in ck suddenly blocked her path. They were tall, muscr, and each had a tattoo that resembled a scorpion.


    Katelyn immediately turned to leave, but she found her way blocked from the other side as well.


    It was mid-afternoon, and the streets were crowded.


    She turned her attention to the man leading the group.


    “Who are you, and what do you want from me?”


    The man wore a sinister smile as he approached her. In broken English, he said, “Miss Bailey, our master wants to see you. Pleasee with us.”


    His words were polite, but his tone made it clear she didn’t have a choice.


    Katelyn frowned, a sense of unease growing inside her as she heard him mention his “master.”


    She began to wonder if another noble figure was behind this “invitation.”


    Katelyn counted eight men. They all looked strong. Outnumbered, she realized fighting them wasn’t an option.


    Left with no choice, she reluctantly epted their invitation and stepped into the car.


    A blindfold was ced over her eyes, likely to prevent her from recognizing the route.


    Katelyn tried to send a distress signal to Vincent, but they swiftly took her phone away.


    “Sorry about that, Miss Bailey. Please cooperate, and we won’t have to get rough,” one of the men said.


    They bound her hands behind her back, and she stayed silent throughout the ordeal.


    Without her sight, her other senses became heightened. She concentrated on the movements inside the car, counting every turn and estimating the time between them.


    If she couldbine these details with their starting point, she might be able to figure out where they were once she was safe again.


    The car came to a halt after what felt like countless twists and turns.


    They pulled Katelyn from the car and pushed her forward, ordering her to move faster.


    Despite these crude methods, she clenched her teeth and continued walking.<fn37cf> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n f?ndnovel</fn37cf>


    They walked for a long time, and Katelyn sensed they had traveled a significant distance before she heard the distinct click of a lock being opened.


    She could also make out the gentle sound of water flowing from a garden fountain and felt a soft breeze against her face.


    After what seemed like forever, they finally stopped. A voice she didn’t recognize spoke above her.


    “How dare you handle my guest with such disrespect?”


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