Finn had someone take the kitten back to his ce and then raced back into the city. He intended to confront Poppy directly, but as soon as he arrived, he heard a shocking piece of news circting among the city''s elite.


    Poppy had been kidnapped.


    It had happened half an hour ago. Flora Fawkes had discovered it when she went to Poppy''s house. She hadn''t dared to raise a general rm, keeping it from Helena and Clyde, and had gone straight to Soren.


    At Fawkes Manor, Flora was pacing frantically.


    "Soren, it has to be Evangeline," she insisted. "Poppy just got back to the country. She hasn''t offended anyone here. Besides, everyone knows about your rtionship. Who would be crazy enough to kidnap her? This is obviously an attack on you!"


    "Everyone in Serenity City respects our family. It has to be Evangeline. She''s jealous of Poppy and knows you''d go easy on her, so she did this!"


    Soren sat on the sofa, his brow furrowed as he stared at the ransom note on the table. It was simple: a message stating Poppy had been kidnapped, a demand for thirty million in cash, and a car. It was printed on standard A4 paper in a generic font, offering no other clues.


    With their engagement party just two days away, the timing of Poppy''s kidnapping was highly suspect.


    Still, Soren asked calmly, "What would be her motive?"


    "To sabotage your engagement with Poppy, of course!" Flora shot back. "She''s still jealous that Poppy gets to be with you. I told you she sent people to investigate Poppy overseas just a little while ago!"


    Soren''s attention sharpened. "When was this?"


    Flora immediately produced a set of photos and handed them to him. She exined that she had noticed Poppy seemed worriedtely but wouldn''t say why. During a visit, Flora had snuck into Poppy''s study and found evidence that she knew Evangeline was investigating her past. Worried Soren would believe her, Flora had then tailed Evangeline herself for two days, sessfully snapping pictures of her secretly exchanging something with a stranger.


    "Why else would she be so secretive if she wasn''t up to something malicious? I''m telling you, she nned this to ruin the engagement and humiliate Poppy."


    Soren stared at the photos, but for some reason, his first instinct wasn''t to believe Flora.


    His gaze darkened. "What was she investigating?"


    Flora hesitated for a few seconds. She wasn''t entirely sure, but she assumed it was something Evangeline could use to nder Poppy.


    "Let''s go find Evangeline now!" Flora urged. "We can beat the truth out of her, and then we''ll know everything!"


    She started to get up, but Soren stopped her. "I don''t think it''s what you believe."


    Flora stared


    at


    him in disbelief.


    "Soren, how can you still be


    defending her? She''s the only one


    with a motive! Even if the motive sn''t perfectly clear, she''s the only one who would dare toy a hand on Poppy..."


    Before Soren could respond, his phone rang He nced at the caller ID and his brow tightened. It was the men he had assigned to follow. Evangeline, who were supposed to report in at scheduled times A call now meant something had happened.


    Could it be true? Had Evangeline really done something to Poppy? Was she truly behind the kidnapping?


    With that thought weighing on him, Soren answered the call.


    "Mr. Fawkes, something''s happened to Evangeline."