Thorns Grow After Betrayal (Celeste and Chester) novel Chapter 186

Fordham Group.

Chester had just wrapped up a marathon three-hour international conference. As soon as his assistant handed back his phone, he was startled to see an unusual number of missed calls from Celestine.

A knot formed in his stomach. The last time Celestine had called him so many times in a row, she'd ended up in the hospital.

A shadow flickered across his face. He immediately dialed her back, but no one picked up.

A creeping sense of unease began to spread inside him.

"Find out what time Celestine's flight is today," Chester ordered.

His secretary quickly pulled up the information. "Mr. Fordham, Mrs. Fordham's flight back to Oceanview City is at 1 p.m. She should be landing around 3:30."

Chester glanced at the clock. At this hour, she was probably still in the air.

Thinking fast, he sent her a message. He'd barely finished typing when a call from an unfamiliar Portside City number flashed on his screen.

He answered without hesitation.

"Mr. Fordham, your wife Celestine is in our hands! Get fifty million dollars in cash ready. Meet us at Oceana Park, South Section, at five o'clock sharp. If you're late, you can forget about seeing her again!"

The voice was male, distorted by a voice modulator.

Chester's expression hardened. "How do I know you actually have my wife?"

A twisted chuckle sounded on the other end. "Check your messages. We've just sent you a photo. Whether you show up or not, that's your call."

"Oh, and Mr. Fordham, everyone knows you run things around here. But if you call the police or try anything clever, I promise—your wife won't live to see the morning."

A multimedia message popped up. Chester opened it—his blood ran cold. The image showed Celestine in a dark, damp room, bruised and battered, a streak of blood matting her hair. She looked like she'd just been dragged out of a pool of her own blood.

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