CHAPTER 109: CHAPTER 109: MADAM IS MISSING

Stella Grant raised her eyes, only to see the tall figure of Aiden Fordham walking out of the auditorium. She watched for a few seconds until he disappeared into the light and shadow!

Suddenly, the phone rang. She handed the interview seat back to the publicity department of The Fordham Group and turned to walk toward a secluded place.

A steady voice came through the phone: "The big fish is moving, it’s time to cast the net. We’ve arranged for someone to meet you!"

"Okay!" She turned and left.

Outside the hall, the air seemed to have frozen. The people Aiden Fordham brought were all tall and sharp-eyed.

Opposite them, Andy Lockwood’s men were no less formidable, their aura fully unleashed. Both sides confronted each other, neither backing down.

Andy Lockwood took a step forward, a provocative smile on his lips, "Aiden Fordham, hand over Stella."

Aiden Fordham stood straight, his gaze cold and stern, "Our President’s wife at The Fordham Group, President Lockwood should stop dwelling on her. Her willingness to stand by me today indicates that she has made her choice."

Andy Lockwood’s face instantly darkened, his voice filled with anger.

"Aiden Fordham, do you know what it means if her identity is exposed? That’s a consequence neither you nor I can bear! You will doom her to irrecoverable ruin!"

Aiden Fordham let out a cold laugh, but every word carried strength, "I’ll risk my life to protect her, no need for President Lockwood to worry."

Andy Lockwood’s gaze hardened, a gesture about to break through.

"Stop him!" Aiden Fordham commanded.

The two groups immediately clashed, the sounds of fists and feet mingling with dull thuds. The scene was chaotic, the tension explosive.

At that moment, Keegan Lindsey suddenly came rushing in from behind, his voice laced with urgency, "President Fordham! Madame is missing! We’ve looked everywhere, but she’s nowhere to be found!"

Aiden Fordham and Andy Lockwood’s actions halted simultaneously, both of them stunned.

"What did you say?" Aiden Fordham’s voice was slightly strained.

Andy Lockwood’s expression also changed, a trace of incredulity flashing in his eyes.

The two of them abandoned their entanglement, immediately turning to run towards the auditorium, where the crowd had not yet dispersed, a dense mass of people.

Backstage was a mess, the staff all busy, but Stella Grant’s figure was nowhere to be seen.

"Check the surveillance!" Aiden Fordham almost shouted.

The surveillance footage was quickly brought up, every corner that could be captured was checked, but there was no footage of Stella Grant leaving. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.

"How is that possible!" Andy Lockwood muttered under his breath.

Aiden Fordham’s face was rigid with determination as he found Vivi Sterling.

Vivi Sterling was anxious, pacing back and forth, "She was lost on your watch! You’re asking me for her? Are you insane? Hurry up and station people at the airport, high-speed rail, and the stations! If she was abducted, don’t let them leave Meritopia!"

Vivi Sterling stomped her feet in frustration.

Andy Lockwood’s eyes deepened, his gaze fixing on a particular spot. To be able to take someone away from The Fordham Group, unnoticed, could it be that group... His heart was weighed down with a heavy dread.

Impossible, they couldn’t possibly come so quickly.

He didn’t have time to think more, turned, and walked out!

Meanwhile, Stella Grant was sitting on the leather seat of a private jet, looking out the window as the tall buildings of Meritopia became smaller and finally blurred into a mass.

She looked at the land gradually fading away, and in her heart, she said, "Goodbye."

She would never return.

A handsome man in a black tactical suit approached her, handing her a laptop.

On the computer screen were two flashing star markers.

"Stella, currently, traces of the big fish have been found in these two regions," the man’s voice was calm, "According to the plan, we’ll first return to the Safe House to recuperate, and move once the target is locked."

She nodded, taking the laptop.

Her phone vibrated, receiving a new email. It was from Vivi Sterling.

She opened it.

"Aiden Fordham searched all over Meritopia for you, nearly going crazy, refreshing."

Below, there was another sentence.

"Andy Lockwood also left Meritopia, don’t know where he went."

Stella Grant read those lines without speaking.

The Fordham Group President’s office.

The crisis of D has been averted, one might say it created a medical miracle. However, Aiden Fordham was troubled, for after searching all day, he still hadn’t found Stella Grant!

He sat behind the large office desk, his brow furrowed. He hadn’t even had the chance to thank her personally.

Secretary Cole knocked and entered, holding an express envelope.

"President Fordham, your delivery." The envelope was marked for "Aiden Fordham."

Aiden Fordham took it, thoughtfully opening it. Unknowingly, it contained evidence of Corinne Kensington’s collusion with Andy Lockwood, which Stella Grant had mailed the day before.

"President Fordham!" Suddenly, Keegan Lindsey shouted and rushed in.

"What is it?" Aiden Fordham looked up.

"The apartment across the street! Madame’s apartment! It seems like the lights are still on!" Keegan Lindsey said, panting heavily.

Aiden Fordham was shocked, the envelope in his hand dropped to the floor. He abruptly stood up, hope rekindling in his eyes.

"Get the car ready!" He grabbed his coat and headed out.

Soon, Secretary Cole came over to tidy the desk. She saw the envelope on the floor, noted it had been opened, assumed the President had already seen it, and casually placed it into the second drawer of the desk.

Arriving at the base of Stella Grant’s apartment, Aiden Fordham looked up at the lit balcony, his heart racing.

He quickly ascended the stairs and reached the door.

He knocked several times, "Stella? Stella Grant!"

There was no response.

He turned to the bodyguards behind him, "Break the door down."

The bodyguards received the order, kicked a few times, then used tools to saw, the security door emitted a piercing cutting sound, and soon it was opened.

Aiden Fordham walked in, and the apartment was very quiet. The balcony light was on, she had left it on purpose because it was visible from his office at night.

He looked at the furniture in the living room, the coffee table, and the sofa, all draped with white cloths.

So, she had premeditated leaving Meritopia, leaving him?

He entered the study, which was neatly organized, the bookshelves lined with books, except for the books, nothing else was there.

Finally, he entered her master bedroom, also tidied very clean, and on the wall facing the bed, hung a blue curtain!

Aiden Fordham walked over and pulled it down forcefully. Behind the blue curtain was a large oil painting.

The black background occupied the entire wall, in the painting, a little girl in a red dance dress sat collapsed on the ground, tears in her eyes, looking sadly at the white paper airplane in the sky, the only light in the darkness.

Beside it, were two lines of text:

"I have stitched every crack in your life, yet I didn’t expect myself to break even earlier. The thread is used up, let the wounds expose themselves!"

The date was from two months ago, he thought carefully, yes, it was the day she was hospitalized, back then she... had a miscarriage!

Aiden Fordham reached out, his fingertips trembling, gently touching the tear at the corner of the little girl’s eye in the painting. His brow tightened, his heart in severe pain.

Sorrow seemed to flow out from the painting, instantly drowning him, he knew, this was her farewell to him.

Suddenly, his gaze fell on the small jewelry box on the vanity table.

He walked over and opened it.

What was inside, directly pierced his eyes...