The Warehouse of Betrayal

The cool night breeze greeted them the moment they stepped outside of lounge.

The laughter and music from Black Eclipse Lounge faded behind them as the heavy metal door swung shut. Outside, the alley was dimly lit, with only a flickering streetlamp casting pale yellow light across the cracked pavement. A cold wind swept through the narrow passage, carrying the scent of damp concrete and engine oil.

A black car was waiting at the back door, the driver smoking inside.

The glowing tip of his cigarette briefly illuminated his expressionless face. When he spotted the bearded man dragging an unconscious Zyan Ashbourne toward the vehicle, he calmly flicked the cigarette onto the ground, crushed it beneath his shoe, and started the engine without asking a single question.

The rear door opened.

Together, the two men shoved Zyan into the back seat like discarded luggage before climbing inside themselves.

The black sedan rolled away from the lounge without attracting attention.

It merged into the quiet midnight traffic before gradually leaving the bright streets of Silverhaven City behind.

Towering buildings disappeared one after another.

The roads became emptier.

Streetlights grew farther apart until only darkness stretched ahead.

According to feel-good novel settings.

No matter the big city, there would always be suburbs with abandoned warehouses.

This city was no exception.

Several minutes later, the black sedan turned onto an old industrial road surrounded by abandoned factories and overgrown weeds. Broken fences lined both sides, while rusted warehouses stood like silent giants beneath the moonlight.

The place looked completely deserted.

Even the wind seemed unusually quiet.

The two found an abandoned warehouse and tied Zyan Ashbourne up, throwing him on the ground.

His back slammed heavily against the cold concrete floor.

Dust rose into the air.

Frayed ropes dug tightly into his wrists and ankles, ensuring there was almost no room to move.

Zyan Ashbourne remained unresponsive after being thrown to the ground.

He lay motionless with closed eyes, his breathing slow and steady, giving every appearance of someone who was still unconscious.

The bearded man glanced down at him before letting out a mocking laugh.

"This was too easy to kidnap, no wonder Steffan only sent the two of us."

There wasn’t a trace of caution in his voice.

To him, this assignment had been laughably simple.

The second man walked around the warehouse, checking the surroundings through broken windows before returning with a satisfied smile.

"Once this kid is dead, Steffan will get his hands on the Ashbourne family’s eldest daughter, and their assets will be his. We’ll rise to the top with him."

His words carried obvious excitement.

The future they imagined seemed close enough to touch.

The bearded man chuckled.

"That’s right. As long as we finish this cleanly, we’ll never have to worry about money again."

The two exchanged knowing smiles before bursting into laughter.

Their voices echoed eerily throughout the empty warehouse.

After a few laughs, the bearded man’s phone rang.

The sudden ringtone broke the silence.

He quickly took out his phone and glanced at the caller ID.

His expression immediately became respectful.

He answered without delay.

"Steffan... Got it, you want us to kill this kid?"

He listened quietly for several seconds.

A cruel smile slowly spread across his face.

"Don’t worry, we’ll make sure there’s no trace left."

After saying those words, he ended the call.

While he was on the phone.

Zyan Ashbourne had actually woken up long ago.

He had regained consciousness in the car.

The first thing he had noticed was the rough vibration beneath him and the ropes binding his hands.

His mind instantly sobered.

Realizing he was kidnapped, he chose to feign unconsciousness to understand the situation.

He slowed his breathing and kept every muscle relaxed, not daring to reveal the slightest reaction.

Upon hearing their conversation.

He was shocked to the core.

Steffan?

Wasn’t that Steffan, who was recently treating his father?

His father had spoken highly of him more than once.

He had praised Steffan as an extraordinary young talent and even encouraged Zyan to learn from him.

Yet the very man his father admired...

Was plotting to kill him.

A chill spread through Zyan’s entire body.

His heartbeat quickened uncontrollably.

This guy dared to target him?

And then seduce his sister to seize the Ashbourne family’s assets?

Was he planning to wipe out the family?

The more he thought about it, the colder his blood became.

He had always believed Steffan was an ally.

Never once had he imagined the smiling doctor was hiding such terrifying ambitions.

But at this moment, he couldn’t escape.

His wrists strained slightly against the ropes.

They barely moved.

Even if he somehow managed to break free from the bindings, he wasn’t a match for the two men.

Both kidnappers were stronger than him.

Charging them head-on would only end with his death.

His only hope now...

Was an opportunity.

Any opportunity.

After the call ended.

The warehouse became frighteningly quiet.

The bearded man slowly slipped his phone back into his pocket before looking toward his companion.

Zyan was terrified, cold sweat dripping from his forehead, heart racing as if death was beckoning him.

Every passing second felt unbearably long.

His palms were soaked despite the cold air.

He forced himself not to open his eyes.

Not yet.

One mistake would cost him his life.

The bearded man took a slow breath before speaking in a calm voice.

"Steffan said we can proceed."

The second man nodded.

Without another word, he reached toward his waist.

Just as the bearded man finished speaking, police sirens suddenly blared outside.

"Woo—Woo—Woo—"

The piercing sound shattered the stillness of the night.

Bright red and blue lights flashed through the broken warehouse windows, illuminating the dusty interior.

The sudden arrival caught both kidnappers completely off guard.

The sound startled them.

"What?"

"Police?"

The two men exchanged stunned looks.

Neither understood how the authorities had found this place so quickly.

When several police cars stopped at the warehouse entrance.

Heavy footsteps echoed outside.

Doors slammed open.

Commands were shouted.

Everything happened in an instant.

Zyan Ashbourne knew his chance had come and shouted for help.

"Help! I’m in here! Help!"

His desperate voice echoed throughout the warehouse.

As soon as he yelled for help.

The two men didn’t dare to act recklessly and hurriedly fled towards the back door of the warehouse.

"Damn it!"

"Forget him! Run!"

Without looking back, they disappeared into the darkness behind the warehouse before the police reached them.

Not long after they escaped, a group of police officers burst through the warehouse door.

"Police!"

"Don’t move!"

Flashlights swept across the abandoned building until they found Zyan tied on the floor.

Several officers quickly rushed over.

"Sir, are you alright?"

"It’s okay now."

"You’re safe."

One officer immediately cut the ropes around his wrists while another checked whether he had suffered any serious injuries.

After being successfully rescued, Zyan Ashbourne explained the situation at the police station and then rushed home.

When he returned home.