Husband With Benefits-Chapter 782: A Rescue Attempt

"Why is there no news of her death or even of her being missing? Shouldn’t they be looking for her?"

The woman paced the floor as she muttered to herself, her anxiety growing as she stared at the flickering news on her phone and the muted television. The world outside seemed to carry on as usual, but within her, a storm of dread brewed. It had been more than a day since she had received the money from Kael, and despite that, Isidora Sterling had remained missing without a trace. Shouldn’t Kael, who had so casually handed over a staggering hundred million as if it were mere pocket change, have been worried? After all, this was a woman he had deemed worth such a fortune. One would expect that he would be desperate to find her, that he would mobilize every resource at his disposal to uncover her whereabouts. But instead, all remained ominously quiet. Why?

She glanced at the papers strewn across the table, though her mind remained elsewhere. Was he still looking for the kidnappers, or had he shifted his focus solely to searching for Dora? Either way, there should have been something on the news—any hint of action, any indication that Kael was stirring the pot. Perhaps heightened security at airports and places where one might want to escape or even photos of Dora circulating in case someone had spotted her. But there was nothing. No alerts, no reports, no increased surveillance. Just silence. And that, more than anything, unsettled her.

She paced a few more steps before stopping abruptly, her heart racing as she considered the possibility. What if something had gone wrong? What if Kael had found out more than she anticipated? What if he was playing her, letting her think everything was under control, all while quietly closing in on her? Her chest tightened at the thought. She had been so careful, so meticulous. But now, that lingering silence felt like a trap, slowly tightening around her. She ran a hand through her hair and forced herself to take a deep breath.

With a sigh, she wondered if she should leave. If something had really gone wrong... then leaving now was the best option.

"Leaving now would only make him sure that it was me," she muttered under her breath, her voice thick with frustration. "And that would only create more trouble." She glanced back at the papers on the table, her fingers brushing over them as if to reassure herself. These were the key to her freedom. Once Prince Rafe had signed them, she would be able to leave Petrovia, if need be, without fear of being caught, without the threat of any consequences. It would be the end of her years of struggle, her constant need to look over her shoulder.

As she reached for her phone, preparing to make arrangements for her meeting with Prince Rafe, a sudden vibration interrupted her thoughts. Her heart skipped a beat. A message.

She hesitated, her thumb hovering over the screen as she unlocked it. Her eyes scanned the text, and the world seemed to tilt. It was from him. The pit in her stomach deepened as she read his words, her pulse quickening with every line."I rescued her. What should I do now?"

Her fingers tightened around the phone, her knuckles white with tension. What was the menaing of this? She’d arrange for his escape. She’d made sure that he should have been half way around the earth by now. Why then was he with Isidora in a hospital? And what did he mean by sending this message to her? Was he trying to blackmail her?"

Without thinking, she dialed his number, each ring heightening her anger. When he finally answered, his voice was cool, mocking, as if he had already won.

"What is the meaning of this?" she spat, barely able to contain her fury. "You were supposed to disappear. Why didn’t you stick to the plan?"

"Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing," he replied smoothly. "But I see you’re still in your comfortable little palace, while I’m about to become a ghost. Was that your plan all along, dear partner? Grab the money and continue to live without any tensions while I become the person who orchestrated the kidnapping, received the money and disappeared?"

"I’ve done everything according to plan. If you had followed through, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I am going to leave soon enough," she snapped, her voice sharp.

"Ah, but plans change, don’t they?" His tone was sickeningly sweet, grating on her nerves. " See, the thing is, I don’t want to be your scapegoat anymore. And I want some more money of course."

Her blood ran cold. She knew she couldn’t trust him, but now he was leaving her no choice. She couldn’t afford to let him turn on her, not when she was this close to freedom. But she also couldn’t let him win. For now, she would have to stall him and pretend to agree to his demands.

She clenched her jaw, forcing herself to speak in a calmer tone. "Fine. I’ll givt you more money. But you need to follow through and disappear completely. This is not the time for games. And bring Isidora to me."

A beat of silence followed on the other end of the line before his voice returned, laced with satisfaction. "That’s more like it. I knew you’d see reason. But you better hurry, because I’m not waiting around forever. Also, I’ve already contacted the Prince. So whoever comes first..."

She gripped the phone tightly, the words burning in her throat. " Give me time and send me your location. Once I see Isidora, you pass her to me and I transfer the money to you. Until then, be quiet. No more contact. And do not even think of contacting Kael. I will not let you go, if you do that."

A low chuckle came through the line, making her stomach twist. "Don’t worry. I’ll be waiting... but not too long."