Chapter 6

A tranquilizer dart sliced through the air, striking Ellen Saunders squarely in the chest.

Her vision blackened, and she lost consciousness.

When she awoke, she found herself suspended by coarse ropes over a cliff, the roaring waves crashing below. One slip, and she would be lost forever.

Not far off, Samuel Howard's brows furrowed as he shouted at the kidnappers. "Release her now, or you'll regret it!"

"Samuel, don't worry about me! Save Mrs. Howard first!" On the other side, Rosalyn woke at the perfect moment, her voice laced with just the right amount of urgency.

Ellen remained silent, her cold gaze fixed on the bodyguard behind Samuel, who aimed a gun at the kidnapper behind her.

"Sir, Miss Morris and Mrs. Howard are too far apart. We don't have enough men to save both at once," the bodyguard reported, his words clear in Ellen's ears.

Samuel's eyes darted between the two women, and without hesitation, he ordered, "Save Rosalyn first."

His voice was firm, leaving no room for doubt.

Belen and Nathan, already in tears, shrieked with childlike sharpness. "Let Rosalyn go! If anything happens to her, we'll make you pay!"

The kidnapper let out a mocking laugh. "Looks like the rumors are true. Mr. Howard doesn't care about his wife-his heart belongs to his true love."

Samuel's gaze sharpened, his tone resolute. "I'll say it one last time. Release Rosalyn. If she's harmed in any way, I'll bury you all."

"If Mr. Howard is so eager to save someone, why not try it himself?" the kidnapper taunted.

A blade flashed, and the ropes binding Rosalyn and Ellen snapped.

Both women plummeted toward the raging sea below.

"No!" Samuel's eyes widened, and he instinctively lunged toward Rosalyn, grabbing the rope at the last second. His arm strained, veins bulging, as he pulled her back to the cliff's edge.

Rosalyn collapsed into his arms, her legs trembling, her voice breaking. "Sir, I almost..."

"You're safe now," Samuel said, patting her back gently.

The children rushed over, sobbing uncontrollably. "Rosalyn, you're okay! We were so scared!"

"But what about her..." Rosalyn trailed off, glancing toward the other side as if suddenly remembering.

Everyone turned to look. The spot where Ellen had been tied was empty, the kidnapper gone.

"Mrs. Howard... is she okay? It's all my fault..." Rosalyn said, tears falling with guilt.

Belen quickly comforted her. "Rosalyn, it's not your fault. She deserves it."

"Yeah, it's better if she's gone. Then you can be our mom," Nathan added.

In an unnoticed corner, the faintest smirk curled Rosalyn's lips.

"Bad news!" Samuel's assistant stumbled toward them, panic written across his face. "Sir, the house caught fire and burned to the ground. Thankfully, no one was hurt."

"What?" Samuel's face darkened.

"That's not all. The partners we secured, led by the Floren royal family, suddenly backed out. If this continues, the company won't last long before it collapses."

The assistant's words hit Samuel like a thunderbolt.

He forced himself to stay calm, his voice icy. "Don't they know they'll face massive penalties for breaching the contract?"

The assistant gave a bitter smile. "The contract required you to sign in person this afternoon. If you don't make it within an hour, we're the ones breaching it."

"Get a helicopter here now," Samuel ordered decisively.

The assistant nodded, but a familiar voice, cold and clear, cut through from behind. "Sorry, I'm afraid you won't make it."

Bang!

A gunshot rang out, the bullet striking Samuel's calf with precision.

He grunted, dropping to one knee, his sharp gaze snapping toward the voice. "Who's there?"

When he saw the figure, shock coursed through him like lightning.

Ellen stood calmly, twirling a pistol, faint smoke curling from the barrel.

Behind her, the kidnappers knelt, bound and subdued.

Samuel's bodyguards raised their weapons, but Ellen was faster.

Gunshots echoed in rapid succession, each bullet hitting a bodyguard's knee, leaving them crumpled on the ground in seconds.

The children screamed in shock. "How does she know how to shoot? And so accurately?"

Samuel, grimacing through the pain, locked his bloodshot eyes on Ellen, his voice hoarse with disbelief. "Who... are you?"

At that moment, an elderly, authoritative figure stepped slowly from behind Ellen.

When Samuel saw the man's face, his pupils contracted, and he blurted out in disbelief, "The royal steward of Floren? Why are you here?"