Chapter 715

She gently closed the door, shutting out the last sliver of light.

Darkness swallowed the room once more.

Alexander felt his consciousness slipping.

This wasn't ordinary sedatives—it was a drug designed to unleash primal desires. Evelyn's face kept flashing before his eyes—not the icy woman she'd become, but the warm, smiling wife he once knew.

Heat surged through his veins. He bit his lower lip until it bled.

Lydia actually drugged his water!

With a sharp movement, he dragged a hidden shard of glass across his palm. The searing pain brought momentary clarity. Blood dripped between his fingers, blooming crimson on the floor.

The door creaked open again.

Lydia reappeared in a white sundress, the hem swaying with each step. She leaned close, her breath warm against his ear. "Does it hurt, Alexander?"

"Genes like yours shouldn't go to waste." Her finger traced his Adam's apple. "Our child would be perfect."

He turned away, voice ragged. "You're insane! Children aren't possessions!"

"Possessions?" Lydia laughed lightly. "They're living masterpieces. Look—I even wore Evelyn's favorite style..."

She mimicked Evelyn's posture. In the dim light, the resemblance was uncanny.

"Evelyn..." Alexander's gaze grew unfocused.

Lydia seized the moment to loosen his tie. "Yes, I'm Evelyn. Say you love me—"

Her fingers barely grazed his chest when his eyes snapped open. The glass shard dug deeper into his palm, staining his cuff scarlet.

"You're not her." His voice cut like ice. "Evelyn would never do this."

Lydia's face twisted. Before she could react, Alexander lunged. The bloodied glass pressed against her throat, drawing a thin red line.

"Call my car." His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Or I'll slit your throat here."

"You wouldn't dare!" she shrieked.

The glass bit deeper. A trickle of blood ran down her neck.

"Try me."

Finding the guards absent, Alexander didn't hesitate to knock Lydia unconscious. Staggering out, every step was a battle against the drugs coursing through him.

When Alexander crashed into Hamilton Group's lobby, bloodied and disheveled, Natalie was clutching a ransom note.

"Mr. Hamilton!" she gasped.

He gripped her shoulders. "Where's Evelyn?"

Natalie handed him an envelope with trembling hands. "She and the children vanished last night. This was in their car..."

Alexander froze at the sight of the button. Bringing it to his nose, his pupils constricted.

"Test this immediately!" His voice cracked. "Evelyn left us a clue!"

Meanwhile, in an abandoned warehouse outside town...

The gang leader grinned at his banking app notification. "Five million! Easy money!"

Evelyn sat bound to a chair, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"I told you Alexander would pay." Her voice remained calm. "But are you sure five million is enough?"

The leader's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"How much is the Laurent family offering?" Evelyn met his gaze. "Let's make a deal."

The thugs exchanged glances. The leader grabbed her chin. "No tricks!"

"Ten million for my freedom. Otherwise..." She smiled coolly. "Do you really think Alexander will let his wife's kidnappers walk away?"

Silence fell over the warehouse.

After a long pause, the leader released her with a crooked grin. "Fine. Ten million. But this time, we write the note my way."

Evelyn lowered her lashes, masking her calculations.

By now, they must have found the message on that button.