Chapter 61
“Ryan,” Mrs. Rose called, “when are you getting married to Bella?”
“Getting married to who?” Ryan asked, incredulous. “I’m only responsible for the child, not Bella. I can’t marry Bella.”Bella’s eyes went dim and cold at Ryan’s words.”Don’t dare me, Ryan. Don’t. You will have to marry Bella and take care of her, and that’s final. What is this? I heard about you almost choking her to death. Are you mad, Ryan? Do you want to kill a pregnant woman?” Mrs. Rose barked.
“Get married to Bella or have me to deal with,” she said
. Ivy looked at Bella, a deep-seated dislike brewing within her.”I won’t and can never marry Bella, and that is final. My wife is still out there missing, and you are asking me to marry Bella? Mum, do you even have a heart?” Ryan asked, his voice filled with pain.
“Mind your tone and how you speak to me, young man I won’t warn you again,” Mrs. Rose said.
“You might as well take Bella to live with you if you don’t want me to kill her anytime soon,” Ryan said, leaving the room.”Ryan! Ryan!” his mother called, but he didn’t respond.
“Don’t mind him, Bella. He won’t do anything to you. Just relax and don’t stress my grandchild,” Mrs. Rose said. Ivy watched the entire scene unfold before her eyes, her feelings towards Bella growing colder.
“Ivy, talk to your brother,” Mrs. Rose said.NôvelDrama.Org © content.
Ivy rolled her eyes and relaxed on the couch, watching her mum and Bella chit-chat before Mrs. Rose finally left the house.
Ryan sat in his study, his mind racing. The thought of marrying Bella repulsed him, but he knew he needed to keep a clear head to find Iris.
He picked up his phone and dialed Luca’s number.”Luca, I need your help. We need to come up with a plan,” Ryan said.”I’ll be right over,” Luca replied. Ryan hung up the phone and took a deep breath.
He couldn’t let his emotions cloud his judgment. He had to be strong for Iris.
Ryan and Luca sat in the study, pouring over the details of the case. They needed a breakthrough, something to point them in the right direction.
Ryan’s study was dimly lit, the soft glow from the lamp casting shadows on the walls.
Luca sat across from him, tension evident in his posture.”We need a plan, Ryan. This isn’t just about the documents anymore. They’re playing a dangerous game,” Luca said, leaning forward.
Ryan nodded, his mind racing. “I know. But we need to keep calm and think this through. We can’t afford any mistakes.
“Suddenly, Ivy appeared at the door, her face a mask of concern. “Ryan, can we talk?”Ryan looked at Luca, who nodded and stood up. “I’ll give you two some privacy. We’ll continue this later,” he said, leaving the room
. Ivy closed the door behind her and walked over to Ryan. “Ryan, I need to know everything that’s going on. I can help,” she said, her voice steady.
Ryan sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Ivy, it’s complicated. I don’t want you getting involved. It’s too dangerous.”Ivy placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m already involved, Ryan. I’m your sister. I care about you and Iris. Please, let me help.”
Ryan looked into her eyes, seeing the determination there. “Alright. But you need to promise me you’ll be careful.”Ivy nodded. “I promise. Now, tell me everything.”
As Ryan began to explain the situation, Ivy listened intently, her mind working quickly. She knew she had to play her cards right to get what she wanted.
Bella paced in her room, frustration bubbling inside her. She needed to find a way to secure her place in Ryan’s life, especially with the baby on the way.
Her phone buzzed, and she saw it was Mrs. Rose calling again.”Hello, ma,” Bella answered.”How are you feeling, Bella? Any news?” Mrs. Rose asked.”I’m feeling better, but Ryan is still obsessed with finding Iris.
He won’t listen to me,” Bella replied, her voice tinged with annoyance.”Don’t worry, dear. We’ll handle this.
You just focus on staying healthy for the baby. Ryan will come around,” Mrs. Rose assured her.”Thank you, ma. I hope so,” Bella said, ending the call.
She knew she needed to take matters into her own hands. She couldn’t rely on Mrs. Rose forever.
Later that evening, Ivy slipped out of the house and headed to a secluded cafe downtown. She needed to meet someone who could help her.
As she walked in, she spotted the man she was looking for sitting at a corner table.”Thank you for meeting me,” Ivy said, taking a seat across from him.
The man nodded. “Of course, Miss Kendrick. What can I do for you?”
“I need information on the people who took my sister-in-law and her mother. I need to know everything,” Ivy said, her voice low.
The man raised an eyebrow. “That’s a tall order. It won’t be easy or cheap.”
“I don’t care about the cost. Just get me the information,” Ivy replied, her eyes cold and determined.
The man nodded. “I’ll see what I can do. Give me a few days.”Ivy nodded, standing up. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”As she left the cafe, Ivy felt a sense of satisfaction.
She was going to get to the bottom of this, no matter what it took.
Back at the house, Ryan received another call from an unknown number.
His heart raced as he answered it.” Mr. Kendrick, time is running out. We need those documents, or your wife and her mother will suffer,” the voice said
. Ryan clenched his jaw. “I need more time. I don’t have the documents with me.”
“You have 24 hours. No more delays,” the voice said before hanging up.
Ryan threw his phone down in frustration. He needed to find those documents and fast. He couldn’t let anything happen to Iris.
The next morning, Ryan and Ivy sat in the study, going through piles of papers and files, searching for the documents the kidnappers wanted. Ivy watched Ryan closely, her mind working on a different plan
.”Ryan, I think I found something,” Ivy said, holding up a file.
Ryan took it from her, his eyes scanning the contents. “This is it. These are the documents.”
“We need to come up with a plan. We can’t just hand these over without a strategy,” Ivy said. Ryan nodded. “You’re right. We’ll figure something out.”
As they continued to strategize, Bella knocked on the door and walked in. “Ryan, can we talk?”
“Not now, Bella. We’re in the middle of something important,” Ryan replied, not looking up
. Bella’s eyes flashed with anger, but she masked it quickly. “I need to talk to you about the baby. It’s important.”Ryan sighed and stood up. “Fine. Let’s talk.”As they left the room, Ivy’s phone buzzed with a message.
She glanced at it and smiled. The man from the cafe had sent her a lead. She needed to follow it up quickly.
Ivy met with the man again later that day. He handed her a folder filled with information. “This is everything I could find. Be careful, Miss Kendrick. These people are dangerous.”
“I will. Thank you,” Ivy said, taking the folder. As she read through the documents, a plan began to form in her mind. She knew she had to be careful, but she was determined to get what she wanted.
Ryan couldn’t sleep. He paced back and forth in his study, the weight of the documents in his hands feeling heavier with each step. The phone call had been a stark reminder of the danger Iris and her mother were in.
He had to act, and quickly.
Meanwhile, Ivy was in her room, examining the folder the man from the cafe had given her. She read through the information, her mind racing.
The documents detailed various criminal activities and connections that linked back to someone she hadn’t expected: a man named Victor.
Ivy had heard whispers about him before, but she never imagined he would be involved in something like this.
The next morning, Ryan met with Luca in his office. “We need to be careful, Luca. This isn’t just about the documents anymore. There’s someone else involved.”
“Who?” Luca asked, leaning forward.”A man named Victor. Ivy found some information about him. He’s dangerous,” Ryan explained
. Luca’s eyes widened. “I’ve heard of him. He’s not someone to mess with, but come to think of it, don’t you think we have just been moving around in circles with still no positive results.”
Don’t you think the people involved know what they are doing? They keep texting you and calling you to different locations, all invalid. We need to tread carefully.”
Ryan nodded. “I know. We need a plan. Let’s get Ivy in here. She might have more information.”
Ivy walked into the office, her expression serious. “Ryan, Luca, I have something to tell you. The man I met with gave me a lead. There’s a man named Victor involved in all of this. He’s the one pulling the strings.”
Ryan and Luca exchanged glances. “What do you know about him?” Luca asked.”Not much, but he’s connected to a lot of criminal activities. Drugs, arms dealing, you name it. He’s dangerous, and he’s after those documents,” Ivy explained.
Ryan clenched his fists. “We need to find him. He’s the key to getting Iris and her mother back.”