Chapter 5

After handing over her work at the station, Celine went home and began packing.

After ten years of marriage, every corner of the house was filled with memories of them.

Photos from their trips, the scarf she had knitted by hand, anniversary gifts, his handwritten letters... one by one, she tossed them into a box. She wanted none of it anymore.

She packed for most of the day. Just as she finished dealing with everything, Adrian stormed through the front door, fury written all over his face.

"Celine! Where the hell did you hide Lydia?"

Celine looked at him, baffled. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You're still pretending?"

Adrian clamped down on her wrist so hard that bruises bloomed beneath his fingertips.

"If you hadn't said something to Lydia, why would she suddenly disappear?"

Looking at him like this, Celine felt that long-rotten wound inside her split open and bleed all over again.

So this was who she was in his eyes. Petty. Vicious. Capable of anything ugly.

"Enough!" She flung his hand away, her voice turning icy. "Adrian, let me make one thing clear. I'm a police officer! I would never do anything illegal. If your mistress is missing, you should call the police, not come barging in here to accuse me!"

"But..." Adrian started to say more.

Just then, his phone rang.

"Adrian, save me!"

The second he answered, Lydia's desperate scream came through the line.

Adrian's fingers twitched, his eyes going bloodshot in an instant. "Lydia! Where are you?!"

But before Lydia could answer, another man took the phone. "Mr. Lennox... long time no see."

The voice was hoarse and low. Celine recognized it almost instantly. It was Gideon Shaw.

He had once worked under Adrian, but his ambition had grown too large. When he tried to replace Adrian, he ended up kidnapping Celine.

For Celine, Adrian had walked into that danger alone, shown up to the meeting by himself, broken three ribs, and nearly lost his life.

It wasn't until the police arrived that the two of them were rescued.

But Gideon had still managed to get away. She had never expected him to come back again, let alone kidnap Lydia.

"What do you want?"

Adrian forced the words out through clenched teeth.

On the other end, Gideon laughed. "So I was right. This woman really does matter to you. Relax, I'm not going to do anything to her. I just didn't expect Mr. Lennox, the man who once risked his life for his wife, to go and find himself someone new. Now that... is interesting."

"What exactly do you want before you let her go?" Adrian was nearly out of patience.

"Easy, Mr. Lennox..." Gideon deliberately dragged out the words. "I'll give you one chance. If you really want to save her, trade your wife for her. I'm curious which one you'll choose."

The call ended, and all the color drained from Celine's face.

She knew better than anyone how terrifying Gideon could be.

"Adrian, don't do anything reckless. The first thing we need to do is call the police!"

Celine grabbed her phone, but before she could dial, Adrian knocked it out of her hand.

"Aren't you a cop?"

Looking into Adrian's cold eyes, Celine felt her heart sink to the bottom.

"Gideon is insane. We were lucky to get out last time. We may not get that kind of luck again."

Adrian's fingers tightened slightly. After a long pause, he spoke in a low, coaxing voice. "Celine, you've had professional training. You'll be fine. But Lydia is different. She's still young, and she scares easily. She won't be able to handle this. Don't worry. Once you've traded places with her, I'll call the police right away. Your team will do everything they can to get you out."

A bitter laugh rose in Celine's heart. So this was the man she had loved for half her life.

In the past, if she got even the slightest injury, he would pull her into his arms like it hurt him too.

And now, for another woman, he was willing to send her straight into hell with his own hands.

But Adrian was right about one thing. She was a police officer. She could not stand by and let someone die.

In the end, she only gave a small nod, her voice flat and still.

"Fine. I'll go with you."