Chapter 445
Isabella noticed the sudden intensity in Nathaniel’s gaze when she asked her question. It was as if he were wrestling with something dark and complicated. She rarely saw him look so conflicted. “What’s wrong? Is it that difficult to talk about?”
“No.” He snapped back to the present, his eyes locking onto hers with fierce protectiveness. “Isabella, I need you to promise me something.”
“Hmm?” She tilted her head, curious.
Nathaniel’s voice was low and serious. “There might be… complications ahead. Things that could test us. I need you to trust me completely. No matter what you see or hear—trust that I will handle it. Don’t let anyone plant doubt in your mind.”
His expression was so grave it made her chest tighten. Was this about the incident five years ago? Had he uncovered something disturbing? Something that might hurt her?
A soft smile touched her lips. “You don’t have to worry. When I choose someone, I don’t waver. If I did, it wouldn’t be love.”
His eyes darkened at her words. Love. Did she really love him? He hoped so. He needed to clean up the past—fast.
After he left to deal with some documents, Isabella watched him go, her mind racing. She quickly sent a message to Maxwell. [Ask the Uncles if they’ve found anything new about Nathaniel’s incident five years ago.]
Maxwell replied almost instantly. [Will do. But there’s something more urgent.] [Tiffany is secretly trying to sell her shares. They could be gone within two days. She also just showed up at the office. Looks like she’s pushing a big project.] [We scouted Uji Quin’s compound. The place is covered in infrared sensors. The terrain is a nightmare. Even my best men can’t guarantee we can extract Robert safely.]
Isabella’s expression tightened. So Tiffany was getting desperate.
If Maxwell’s team couldn’t handle it, the mission was borderline impossible. That meant she had to go herself.
It wasn’t that she was more skilled than they were. But her body was smaller, more flexible. At the training base, she’d always been the one who could slip past detectors without setting them off. It was her specialty.
After a moment’s thought, she typed back. [Keep monitoring Tiffany. Proceed with the plan. How is Robert? Is he hurt?]
[Not physically. But it’s complicated. Robert doesn’t realize he’s been kidnapped. Uji Quin has him convinced that fasting unlocks gaming potential. The idiot hasn’t eaten or drunk anything since he got there.]
Isabella almost laughed. Robert was so sharp in some ways, so painfully naive in others. If she didn’t act soon, he might actually starve.
She glanced toward the dining room where Oliver was. Then she replied. [Prepare the jet. I leave for Kansas at midnight.]
The flight from Westchester to Kansas would take two hours. If she moved quickly, she could be back before dawn.
Tiffany didn’t return home after leaving Whitmore Plaza. She went straight to Jordan Group and demanded an emergency board meeting.