Chapter 609

Though terrified, the driver executed a flawless, rapid U-turn.

The police officer who had started walking toward them was briefly distracted by a colleague calling his name.

Seeing this, Elissa's heart hammered in panic.

This was her best chance to escape without dragging Rowan into a death trap.

The doors and windows were locked. Unable to roll the glass down, she threw herself at the window, ignoring the rough grip on her arm, and slammed her palms against the glass!

Bang, bang, bang-

But two seconds later, a forceful yank pulled her violently backward.

Pain shot through her.

Elissa fell back against the leather seat, tears springing to her eyes from the sheer force. "If you can't get out of the city, Rowan will find you! It's only a matter of time!" "You're all going to die when he does. You might as well let me go right now!"

Specs knew she wasn't just bluffing.

The whole reason they needed to leave Vistapeak City immediately was their terror of Rowan's local influence.

Trying to take Rowan down on his own turf was practically a death wish.

If Rowan didn't die.

They would.

"If I let you go now, I'm dead anyway."

Seeing that they had slipped out of the police's line of sight, Specs spoke with menacing calm. "Since the outcome is the same either way, why wouldn't I take the gamble?"

Elissa opened her mouth to argue, but Specs suddenly raised his hand and struck the back of her neck.

Before she could even raise her arms to defend herself, the world went black, and she slumped forward unconscious.

At the top floor of Murphy Group.

Frank paced relentlessly, shooting Rowan an incredulous look. "We're just going to sit here?"

Rowan sat in absolute silence, staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows, occasionally glancing at the phone resting on his desk.

Unable to stay calm, Frank glared at him. "I thought you cared about Elissa. Now that she's in trouble, you're just going to "

That single sentence ignited all the explosive rage Rowan had been suppressing.

He snapped his head toward Frank, his eyes burning with lethal darkness. "If you hadn't pulled your pathetic little stunt, do you think anyone would have had the chance to take her?"

Frank choked on his words.

Yes.

Ultimately, this was his fault.

If he hadn't clung to the antidote to force her hand, no one would have found the vulnerability to exploit.

But he had never wanted to put Elissa in danger.

Thinking of the horrors she might be facing right now, Frank felt his chest tighter until he could barely breathe, "Now isn't the time for this. Once we get Elissa back safely, whatever you want to do to me, I'll take it."

"She's pregnant. If anything happens to her..."

Did Frank really think Rowan didn't know that?

Did he really think Rowan wasn't losing his mind?

But the enemy was too cunning; even Nash hadn't been able to pinpoint their exact

location yet.

Knock, knock-

lan suddenly burst into the office.

"Boss, Nash just tracked a Maybach

heading toward the highway

entrance, but the license plates don't

match the one that took Elissa."

"That doesn't matter."

Frank interjected quickly. "It's definitely my car. They just swapped the plates."

After all, there were only two cars of that exact model in the entire city.

Rowan didn't care about the details. "Did they leave the city?"

"No."

lan shook his head. "That's what's so suspicious. They suddenly pulled a U-turn

right before the highway checkpoint."

"Where are they headed now?"

"Back toward downtown. Ten minutes ago, they pulled into a hotel parking garage.

Evan is taking a team there right now," lan reported.

Rowan thought for a split second. "Tell him to stand down."

"What?"

"Tell Nash not to bother with the hotel."

Rowan's jaw was clenched so tight a muscle ticked in his cheek. He ordered coldly, "Have Nash lock onto every single vehicle leaving that

parking garage during that timeframe!"

Frank instantly caught on. "They went there to swap cars."

These guys were seasoned professionals.

lan immediately contacted Nash. Then, looking back at Rowan, he asked, "By the

way, the Wilkinson family called to ask if you're attending tonight's Gala?"

Normally, the answer would be an absolute no.

But given Elissa's ties to the Wilkinsons...