Chapter 141

After receiving Victoria's call about Thalia's disappearance, Asher immediately suspected Tom Malfoy. Since returning to Britain, Malfoy's whereabouts had been erratic; he used forged identification and prepaid mobile phones registered to others. Asher had no way to contact Malfoy and could only wait passively. But he couldn't wait—not even for a second. The thought of Thalia in mortal danger blurred his vision, a dull ache filled his heart, and his breathing labored. Forcing himself to remain calm, Asher called Arno Jones.

Just as he ended the call, an unknown number appeared. His intuition told him it was Malfoy, and he answered immediately.

"Good evening," a voice, amused and mocking, addressed Asher as "brother." Asher's heart tightened.

"Did you kidnap Lia?"

Malfoy laughed, repeating, "Lia." After a pause, he drawled, "It seems I've got the right person. You're still in love with her, after all."

Asher snapped, "If you have an issue with me, come at me directly! Don't hurt Lia!"

Malfoy chuckled softly. "Patience. I took her to get to you."

"Where are you?" Asher demanded.

Malfoy gave an address, adding, "Eight o'clock tomorrow morning. Come alone. If you dare call the police, I'll make you disappear from this world forever."

The next day, at an abandoned construction site in a provincial border area, originally intended as an entertainment complex, stood testament to a failed development. Locally famous, it had become a popular filming location.

The previous evening, after Thalia had been forced into a car, they drove for about half an hour before stopping. Her mouth was gagged, and a black hood placed over her head. She felt herself being pushed up several steps, and the sound of helicopter rotors confirmed her suspicions. After an indeterminate time, the helicopter landed. Thalia could see nothing and had no idea where she was. After leaving the helicopter, she was pushed into another vehicle. She felt the car speeding, the turns threatening to throw her about had she not been wearing a seatbelt. After a period of high-speed driving, the car stopped abruptly. The door was yanked open, and Thalia was roughly pulled out, still hooded and nearly falling.

"Boss, we've brought her," a voice Thalia recognized from the previous day announced.

Hearing "Boss," fear sent a tingle through Thalia's scalp. The man who had nearly taken her life. Asher had warned her he was a psychopath, devoid of feeling or humanity. Even before Malfoy spoke, Thalia's heart constricted, and fear consumed her.

Would she die here today?

Suddenly, the hood was removed. The sudden sunlight, after a long night in darkness, made Thalia dizzy and unsteady. Her body swayed, but she fought to maintain her balance.

"Miss Winters, we meet again," Malfoy said softly, the menace barely concealed.

Thalia recovered her senses and looked at the man, hesitating. She had seen him before—dining with Lucy Jenkins, after paying the bill, she'd encountered a strange couple. The man had greeted her then; she'd assumed he was a friend of a friend and hadn't given it much thought. She never expected to see him here.

Thalia quickly scanned her surroundings. The two men who had kidnapped her were standing respectfully before this stranger, who appeared to be the leader. Someone had called him "Boss"—could he be Tom Malfoy?

He was Tom Malfoy!

Fear caused Thalia to instinctively step back, her face paling. This man had repeatedly tried to kill her! He was the culprit who had nearly murdered her father! Facing such a madman, she couldn't remain calm.

"Afraid of me?" Malfoy's almond-shaped eyes gleamed with amusement, his voice deceptively gentle. Malfoy's mother, Fiona Malfoy, had once been a great beauty in the entertainment industry, and his father, Andrew Blackwood, a handsome young heir in London society. Malfoy perfectly inherited his parents' good looks, resembling his mother more than his father. His features were refined, almost alluring.

Before seeing Malfoy in person, Thalia had imagined a rough-looking, burly thug with a fierce face. She never expected this—when he smiled, he seemed almost harmless.

Thalia nervously swallowed. "Kidnapping me is useless. Asher and I are completely estranged. You can't use me to threaten him."

"Oh, is that so?" Malfoy stepped forward, his eyes fixed on hers, his voice silky but threatening. "Whether that's true or not, you'll find out soon enough."

Looking into Thalia's eyes, a faint smile curved Malfoy's lips. "Miss Winters is indeed a rare beauty. No wonder both Asher Blackwood and Drake Ashcroft remain obsessed with you."

Thalia took another step back, suspicion flashing in her eyes. "You know Drake Ashcroft, too?"

Malfoy shrugged indifferently, his tone sweetly venomous: "He's merely a dog I keep. Sometimes I take him for a walk when I'm bored. It's quite amusing."

Thalia frowned. From his words, it seemed Drake was working for him. No wonder the Ashcroft Group, on the brink of bankruptcy, had miraculously revived. Malfoy had been pulling the strings. How had they met? Hadn't Malfoy been abroad all this time?

As Thalia pondered the relationship between Malfoy and Drake, she wasn't paying attention to what Malfoy was saying. A flash of impatience crossed Malfoy's eyes, and his tone grew icy despite his gentle delivery. "I'm speaking to you."

Thalia snapped back to attention, recalling Malfoy's earlier words about finding out soon enough. Her eyes filled with concern. "You've already contacted Asher?"

"What's this? You're worried about him?" Malfoy eyed her obliquely, his voice soft but chilling. "Didn't you just say you and he were completely estranged? Why are you so concerned about him?"

Malfoy, hands in his pockets, asked with a deceptively pleasant smile, "Afraid he'll come to die?"

Thalia feigned composure. "I simply don't want to be responsible for anyone's death. Even if it weren't him—if it were anyone else—I wouldn't want them risking their life."

"You think I'll believe that?" Malfoy looked at Thalia with amusement, his voice dangerously gentle. "You two really enjoy your little performances. Since you're so fond of acting, put on a good show of true love for me. If I'm entertained enough, I might consider leaving Asher's body intact."

Thalia couldn't bear such cruelty. She felt chilled to the bone, her fear growing stronger. Although Asher had hurt her, and she had resolved to move on from his world, she couldn't accept him dying. She only wanted Asher to be safe, even if they never spoke again. But if he truly lost his life trying to save her, she would live in that shadow forever.