Meanwhile, when Finn learned of Poppy''s kidnapping, his theory solidified almost instantly. He summoned the two bodyguards Glenn had assigned to Evangeline and,bining their intel with the information that soon arrived from Arabe, he confirmed his suspicions.


    He returned to his room, jotted down a few names on a piece of paper, and handed it to Arabe.


    "I need you to investigate the recent activities of everyone on this list."


    Arabe''s eyebrows rose as she scanned the names. "These are the people whosepanies have been hit hardest by Fawkes Enterprises recently. You think it''s one of them?"


    To speed things up, Finn sent a copy of the list to the two bodyguards, typing out a brief exnation on his phone. "I can''t be certain," he said to Arabe without looking up, "but it''s a reasonable suspicion."


    Only two possibilities made sense regarding the coordinated kidnapping of Evangeline and Poppy: either Poppy was behind it, or Soren was the actual intended target.


    He doubted Poppy had the intelligence to pull off such a self-destructive scheme, especially given the power of the Fawkes family in Serenity City. One wrong move and it could blow up in her face. It was too risky and offered too little reward.


    That left the most likely scenario: one of Soren''s enemies.


    After a moment''s thought, Finn added, "Focus on Melvin Howard."


    He had nced at Melvin''s file before. The man had once been one of Soren''s most ardent tterers, and the most vicious in his mockery of Evangeline. But rumor had it that Soren had recently broken his leg, and it was over Evangeline. The hatred born from bankruptcy and business pressure was nothingpared to the sting of betrayal. In this context, Melvin''s motive for revenge was the strongest.


    Arabe let out a soft hiss. "Melvin?"


    Sensing the subtle shift in her tone, Finn paused. "What is it?"


    She shook her head. "That Mr. Howard is known throughout Serenity City for being


    a particrly nasty piece of work. Vicious and cruel. If Evangeline has been taken by him, she could be in serious trouble."


    Finn''s gaze hardened. "If his target isn''t her, but Soren, she should be safe for now."


    This response


    Arabe found hi


    unusual. It sounded almost like


    wishful thinking. Normally, Finn would always prepare for the worst case scenario. When they were children, during the most chaotic times in the Lockridge family, he had even considered the possibility of their deaths and written a dozen farewell letters, hiding them under his bed. She had expected him to be talking about revenge, about what he would do Evangeline was hurt. Instead, he seemed to be avoiding that


    possibility entirely.


    Or perhaps, he wasn''t avoiding it. Perhaps he was simply too afraid to confront it.


    She looked at his hands, his knuckles white from clenching them so tightly, and knew her guess was right. She said nothing more, just gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze and left the room.


    After Arabe was gone, Finn''s hands tightened further.


    *Evangeline, you have to be okay*, he thought fiercely.


    Back in the warehouse, the room was eerily quiet. Evangeline moved silently behind the dozing guard, but just as she raised the brick, his eyes fluttered open Before he could make a sound, she brought the brick down hard, knocking him


    unconscious. She then swiftly dealt with the second, already sleeping guard.


    Her movements were clean and efficient. Poppy, watching from her chair, was frozen in shock.


    Evangeline, dressed in an elegant,


    alluring dress, her figure slender and graceful, how stood with a


    now


    blood-smeared brick in her handmet


    Her expression was cold and


    ruthless. Poppy felt a chi run down her spine. She had never seen this side of Evangeline before?


    As she stared, dumbfounded, Evangeline turned and looked directly at her.