Chapter 516

Mabel finally emerged from her self-imposed confinement. Leaving her room, she entered the living room, a space utterly unfamiliar to her. Her previous home had required navigating a corridor and stairs to reach the living room. This apartment, despite its reputation for spaciousness, felt cramped.

She scanned the living room, but Glenda was nowhere to be seen. Her gaze fell on Lanny, who seemed unusually despondent. Approaching the refrigerator, she grabbed a bottle of water and casually asked, "Dad, where's Mom? When is she coming back?"

Lanny opened his eyes, briefly met her gaze, and then closed them again. "She'll come back when she wants to," he replied.

Mabel frowned. "What do you mean? Where did she go? Did she travel far?"

Lanny offered no further explanation. Mabel sensed something was amiss but couldn't pinpoint it. She pressed further, "When will the villa renovations be completed? I don't want to live here anymore."

Immediately regretting her impulsive words, she nervously watched Lanny's reaction. Surprisingly, he remained completely indifferent. His apathy struck her as deeply strange. Awkwardly, she retreated to her room, water bottle in hand.

Once there, she messaged Kaelyn, venting about Lanny's unsettling behavior. Kaelyn's reply arrived after a short while: "Aren't you aware? Didn't your dad tell you?"

Mabel replied, "Nope. He didn't say anything."

Kaelyn's next message was immediate: "That's strange. He should have told you your mom has been held hostage by Jayden."

Mabel stared at her phone, stunned. "You mean Mom's imprisoned? Why? Why would Dad hide something so important?"

"I don't know why, but you can ask him yourself if you don't believe me, though I doubt he'll tell you the truth. You should go directly to Jayden."

Shaken, Mabel gripped her phone. Then, slowly, she returned to the living room where Lanny sat on the sofa. "Dad, I need to know. Where did Mom go?"

After a pause, he answered, "She went out to have fun. She'll be back before you know it."

Mabel immediately called Glenda, but her phone was switched off. Trembling, she said, "Dad, her phone's off. Why would she turn it off if she was having fun?"

Lanny calmly fabricated another excuse: "She was probably having so much fun she forgot to charge it. Try again later."

Mabel could take no more. She erupted, "Dad! Tell me the truth! Where is she? Is she being held hostage by Jayden? I demand an answer!"

Lanny froze, then glared at her, demanding harshly, "Where did you get that information?"

"It doesn't matter! What matters is I know. So tell me—is Mom being held hostage by Jayden? Tell me now!" Mabel screamed.

His silence and indifference were unbearable. Hysterically, she cried, "Dad! Mom was captured, and you just sit there? Are you going to leave her and do nothing? Did you even love her?"

"Shut your mouth! This is none of your business! Stay in your room and don't leave until I say so!" he thundered, pointing to the door.

Mabel found his behavior utterly unbelievable. His wife was imprisoned, and he did nothing, yet dared to order her around? Her hatred was palpable. "Mom spent her whole life by your side. She never imagined her husband would be such a coward. It's been days, and you show no concern, yet you tell me to stay out of it?"

Scoffing, she added, "I won't be a coward like you." . . .