Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

"Honey, you never call me first. What's up today? Miss me?" Ellin's voice was as flirty as ever, but Richard wasn't in the mood for games. He asked coldly, "Where did you take Abby?"

Ellin chuckled softly. "Yeah, I took Abby. I wasn't planning to hide it from you, but I can't give her back."

Richard was surprised she admitted it so easily. Her calmness made him uneasy; she seemed ready to go all out.

Richard pulled the car over and asked, trying to keep his anger in check, "What do you want?"

Ellin laughed again, but this time it was bitter. "What do I want? Don't you know? I just love you."

Sophie, sitting in the passenger seat, watched Richard's furrowed brow closely.

She couldn't hear what Ellin was saying on the phone. She knew Ellin didn't like her, but she had no idea what Ellin planned to do with Abby. She was really worried.

"If you want to see her, I'll be at the hotel, but you have to come alone. I don't want to see that woman." Mentioning Sophie, Ellin's previously sweet tone turned sinister.

"Fine," Richard said, and hung up.

"What did she say?" Sophie asked anxiously.

Richard glanced at her and restarted the car. "Don't worry, I'll bring Abby back safely."

As they entered the city, he slowed down and said to Sophie, "There's a café across from the hotel. Wait for my news there."

At the hotel entrance, Richard watched Sophie reluctantly enter the café before heading to the hotel.

He went straight to the room Ellin had specified. The door was slightly open.

Richard pushed the door open. The dark room was silent. As he stepped inside, someone lunged at him from the darkness, wrapping their arms around his neck. Ellin said, "Richard, you finally came!"

Richard quickly pulled her away and asked coldly, "Where's Abby?"

In the darkness, Ellin looked at the man she loved through the faint light, feeling utterly disappointed.

He couldn't even pretend to care about her anymore.

She pressed the switch on the wall, and as the luxurious suite lit up, Ellin's disappointment was masked by her signature smile.

"I never said I brought Abby here, but don't worry, she's safe." Ellin casually flicked her wavy hair, swayed to the sofa, sat down, and took a sip of red wine, looking at him innocently.

"I know you're mad at me for taking Abby. You might even hate me. If I let Abby go so easily, would you let me go?"

Richard had already guessed that Ellin wouldn't hand Abby over so easily. Seeing her feigned innocence, he remained calm.

He stepped forward, grabbed her chin, and lifted it. "Name your price, or tell me what you want."

Seeing the ruthlessness in his eyes, Ellin felt a bit intimidated. But then she realized that from the moment she decided to take the child, there was no turning back.

So she had to take a gamble.

If she couldn't have his heart, she would at least try to keep him physically close.

Ellin then flashed a seductive smile.

"I want you to marry me." As soon as she finished speaking, she felt a tight grip around her neck.

Richard's hand was already choking her.

"You're threatening me?" Richard's voice was full of gritted teeth.

Ellin grabbed his hand but couldn't budge him. Instead, he pinned her down on the sofa.

The color drained from her face, and her breathing became increasingly difficult. She struggled to speak in broken sentences, "Only I know... where Abby is. If you kill me, you'll never find her."

Just when Ellin thought she would die at his hands, his grip loosened.

Gasping for air, Ellin coughed uncontrollably, taking deep breaths.

Seeing the hatred in Richard's eyes, she forgot that he had almost strangled her. She threw herself at him, hugging him tightly, tears streaming down her face.

"Richard, don't hate me. I did this because I love you so much. Will you marry me?" Ellin looked at him, hoping for an answer but also fearing it.

Before he could respond, she quickly said, "I can give you time to think."

She quickly released her embrace, took two steps back, and grabbed her bag from the sofa.noveldrama

Ellin spoke, "Trust me, I'll take good care of her until you give me an answer."

Ellin ran out with her bag. Richard didn't stop her or follow.

Because he had already arranged everything at the hotel entrance.

Sophie sat by the window in the café, staring intently at the hotel entrance, not daring to blink for fear of missing something.

Seeing Ellin come out of the hotel wearing a mask, Sophie immediately ran out of the café and followed her.

Richard had told her to wait in the café, but thinking about Abby, she couldn't just sit still.

Ellin took off, and Sophie chased after her like a madwoman, nearly getting hit by cars as she crossed the street.

Ellin darted into a nearby restaurant, and Sophie followed, along with a few men who seemed to be searching for someone too.

But the place was huge, and as soon as Sophie got inside, she lost sight of Ellin. Desperate, Sophie searched everywhere, upstairs and downstairs, even barging into private rooms, earning herself a bunch of angry shouts.

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Richard's call came through, and she ran out of the restaurant. As soon as she saw him at the entrance, she grabbed his arm, almost in tears. "Richard, I saw her go into this restaurant, but she vanished in a blink."

At that moment, the men also came out of the restaurant, looking downcast in front of Richard.

"She must have slipped out the back door," one of them said.

Sophie started crying, trembling with fear at the thought of Abby being in danger.

"Richard, what does she want? Why is she doing this? If she hates me, I can disappear. I just want Abby back."

"Abby is safe for now," Richard said.

"But Abby is so timid. Without familiar faces around, she'll be terrified," Sophie sobbed.

Seeing her so heartbroken, Richard felt a complex mix of emotions.

All the hardships Sophie had endured over the years seemed to be his fault. He felt he owed her a lot.

So he couldn't mess up anymore!

He then said, "Let's call the police!"

Concerned about Abby's safety, the police couldn't make a big scene searching for her.

To locate Ellin and Abby, the police had Richard call her. During the call, they used technology to pinpoint her location.

"Richard, you're calling me. Have you made up your mind?" On the phone, Ellin sounded anxious and hopeful.

Everyone could hear the conversation.

The police signaled Richard to stall for time. He understood and said calmly, "I've made up my mind."

"Richard." Ellin interrupted, as if afraid he would say something she didn't want to hear.

"I know she's your child. Don't worry, I'll treat her like my own. I actually like kids a lot, and I'm willing to have children for you in the future," Ellin spoke with deep affection, full of longing.

Richard said, "Ellin, I was impulsive earlier. I shouldn't have treated you that way."

Hearing his sudden soft tone, Ellin got a bit excited.

Ellin asked, "Richard, will you marry me?"

Richard replied, "I will."

Ellin said, "Really? I can hardly believe my ears." Her happiness was genuine, but there

was always a bit of unease behind it.

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complete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you!

The look in Richard's eyes when he choked her still haunted her.

Everything was changing too quickly.

Sophie bit her lip, listening silently, not daring to make a sound.

Hearing the "I will," even though Sophie knew it was fake, her heart ached realistically.

But right now, nothing was more important than getting Abby back.

"Is Abby there?" Hearing Richard suddenly ask this, Sophie immediately perked up.

"Don't worry, I said I would keep her safe until you give me an answer," Ellin said.

Richard glanced at the anxious Sophie and said into the phone, "I want to hear Abby's voice."

Ellin spoke, "Okay, hold on."

After a moment, Abby's crying voice came through the phone. "Daddy, Mommy, I'm scared!"

Sophie covered her mouth, stifling her sobs.

Ellin explained, "She cries a lot. I didn't do anything to her, but she keeps crying."

"Abby, be good. Don't be scared. Aunt Ellin is nice. She took you out because she likes you," Richard comforted Abby, talking to her continuously.

Ellin didn't interrupt, folding her arms and staring absentmindedly at the muted TV

screen.

It was playing a cop movie she had starred in, where she played a female police officer. There was a scene where the kidnappers took a hostage, and to find their location, the police used the communication between the hostage's family and the kidnappers to pinpoint their position.

Thinking of this, she glanced at Abby, who was talking to Richard on the phone, and then recalled Richard's sudden change in attitude. She finally realized something was

wrong.

She quickly walked to the window, looking at the bustling street below.

She thought she heard police sirens, though she wasn't sure if it was just her

imagination.

She walked back and snatched the phone from Abby's hand.

Ellin asked, "Did you call the police?"

The police had already located them. Seeing that Ellin had figured it out, they feared she would run with the child again, so they immediately prepared to take action. Before the signal was cut off, Ellin left one last, heart-wrenching message. "Richard, I loved you so much, and you did this to me. If that's the case, don't blame me for being ruthless. I'll make sure you never find her."

The call was quickly disconnected.