Thorns Grow After Betrayal (Celeste and Chester) novel Chapter 187

But when she dialed the customer service number the seller had left, Celia realized in shock that it was a fake—an empty line, not a soul on the other end.

Panic rose in her chest.

No way… Mom is always so chatty—what if she annoyed those thugs so much that they locked her up and turned this into a kidnapping?

Clutching her phone with her last conversation with her mom still open, Celia climbed the stairs in a daze, her mind scattered.

She wasn't paying attention and walked straight into Raymond.

"Celia, are you even looking where you're going? You're going to hurt yourself being so careless." He had just finished scolding her when he noticed her eyes brimming with tears.

"Hey, what's wrong? I was only kidding—it's not that big of a deal."

Her voice trembled between sobs. "Raymond, it's over. Mom's in real trouble."

She could barely get the words out, face twisted in fright and panic.

Raymond froze in place.

"What happened? What do you mean—what's wrong with Mom?"

...

Chester arrived at the south end of Oceana Park just as instructed.

Following the kidnappers' directions, he trailed the red ribbons tied along the road until he reached a narrow cliff overlooking the sea. Waves crashed below, and the only way forward was the winding path he'd come down.

He was already making plans—calculating how to catch the kidnappers when they tried to escape.

A speedboat appeared, slicing through the water toward him.

Onboard, tied up and battered, was Celestine—her spirit broken, her body covered in bruises. Next to her was Joanna, hair tangled and clothes torn to shreds, looking utterly defeated.

Both women were bound to wooden crosses.

Chester's footsteps felt leaden.

"You—!" he shouted, but the words caught in his throat.

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