CHAPTER 46: THE RESCUE PLAN

Sophia’s heart rang with alarm bells!

She immediately ducked her head, hiding behind Harper.

Crap. She was doomed.

"Sophia—don’t you dare use me as a shield! I’m just as scared of Lucas as you are!"

Harper tried to force a smile at Lucas, but it looked worse than crying.

"Move. Now."

Harper shuffled sideways in tiny, awkward steps.

With deafening music pounding through the club, the fact that no one else was moving made the air even heavier.

Lucas’s gaze lingered lazily on the two of them as he advanced. Everywhere he stepped, people instinctively cleared a path.

Panic shot through Sophia. She pinched the soft flesh at Harper’s waist. "Hurry up!"

"Ow!" Harper yelped, stumbling forward.

She hastily pulled on the jacket tied around her waist, clearly intending to bolt.

Sophia caught her arm in time, narrowing her eyes. "Where do you think you’re going?"

"Sophia, let me go!"

"Are we sisters or not? When your sister’s in trouble, you don’t run—you stand your ground!"

Lucas’s polished leather shoes stopped right in front of them.

Harper stiffened her spine in a last-ditch burst of bravery. "Lucas, we were just out having fun. Don’t tell me you actually have a—"

His eyes hardened, cutting her down in an instant.

Her bravado crumbled. She stammered, "...a problem with it?"

"Sophia. Out. Now."

She stayed frozen behind Harper, pretending she wasn’t even there.

"I’ll give you three seconds. If you don’t come out... deal with the consequences."

"One."

"Two."

"...Lucas, are you threatening me?"

The moment Sophia peeked out, her collar was seized and she was yanked forward.

"Lucas! In front of all these people—you wouldn’t dare lay a hand on me! They won’t stand for it!"

He gave a short, cold laugh. "Them?"

He swept his gaze across the crowd. Not a single person met his eyes.

Cowards. A minute ago they’d all been bold enough to flirt with her, and now? Nothing.

"Let go of Mommy!"

The six kids, returning from their patrol around the club, saw the scene and rushed over.

"All six of you," Lucas said coldly, "are getting punished too."

Charles squared his shoulders. "If you’re going to hit someone, hit me! Just don’t hurt Mommy!"

Sophia’s heart squeezed. "Charles, Mommy doesn’t love you for nothing."

Lucas sneered, hoisted Sophia over his shoulder like she weighed nothing, and strode out of the club with her kicking and protesting.

"Harper Auntie, hurry and go home! We’ll save Mommy!" the kids shouted, dragging Harper with them as the chaos broke out.

Sophia was tossed into the car like a sack of grain.

"Lucas! Are you insane?!"

"Since you know, shut up. Otherwise, don’t blame me for what happens next."

The kids scrambled in, slamming the doors before he could kick them out.

The car roared away.

Behind them, Alex rubbed his neck in relief. Thank God the boss hadn’t remembered him standing there.

Back at Blackstone Manor, Sophia shrank into the corner of the car.

"Out," Lucas ordered.

"I’m not moving."

"Now."

"No!"

He reached for her. Sophia shrieked at the top of her lungs, "Help! He’s going to kill me! Murder! Theft! Somebody save me!"

"Keep screaming, and I’ll cut out your tongue." His voice was low, deadly.

She met his glare—and screamed even louder.

"Sophia! You’re pushing me past my limit!"

She ignored him.

Suddenly, Lucas opened the doors, shooed the kids out, and locked her inside.

"If you won’t get out, then stay put."

He turned and walked away without another glance.

Inside, Sophia clawed at the window in outrage.

Angela looked back, her tiny fists clenched tight. I’ll come back for you, Mommy, she swore silently.

The children exchanged uneasy glances—then, unbelievably, followed Lucas upstairs like obedient little soldiers.

Sophia froze. Wait—her kids had been snatched away?!

Lucas headed upstairs, pausing only to throw them a warning look. "Don’t even think about pulling tricks. Go to your rooms, clean up, and get to bed."

The six little ones scurried back like startled hamsters.

"Angela, what do we do? Mommy’s locked in the car—she might suffocate!" Faye pressed her face against the window, peering down.

Sophia’s own face was plastered against the car glass below, pitiful as could be.

"Mommy looks so sad."

"Faye, we need to steal—no, borrow his car keys."

"Borrow?" Faye turned, wide-eyed. "Daddy’s not stupid. He’ll never just hand them over."

"That depends on how we play it." Billy’s mind was already whirring, laying out their next move.

Upstairs, Lucas lay by the bed, a parenting book in hand—but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t focus.

He’d even switched off the AC on purpose. Inside that sealed car, the temperature would rise fast. Would Sophia pass out in there?

No—if she did, it would be her own damn fault.

Sneaking into places like that... flirting, laughing, dragging six kids along? If he didn’t teach her a lesson, she’d think he was soft.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

"Who is it?"

"Daddy~"

The voice was soft, sweet, and babyish. Faye peeked in, flashing a sugary smile. "Daddy."

"What are you doing here?"

"I can’t sleep."

Barefoot, she climbed right onto his bed, curling up beside him. Her icy little toes pressed against his stomach, making him flinch as goosebumps rose.

"What are you reading?" she asked.

Lucas shoved the parenting book under his pillow, face dead serious. "Confidential files."

Faye grinned. "Daddy, I’m not three anymore. I’m five. I can read lots of words, you know."

Lucas didn’t even blink. "Oh. Weren’t you scared of me?"

"That’s only ’cause I didn’t know you’d be my daddy. Daddy, when Mommy gave birth to us, she almost died. She has claustrophobia."

His brow twitched. "Claustrophobia?"

"Mm-hm. She’s really strong, but when it gets bad she can’t breathe... sometimes she faints. But if you give her time, she bounces back."

No lights in the car. No ventilation. Was Sophia—

"Daddy? What’s wrong?"

He instantly grabbed his phone, typing:

[Do people with claustrophobia have trouble breathing inside a car?]

Faye caught a glimpse, and her smile quickly slipped away.

Outside, Sophia lounged across the seat, nibbling fruit Eric fed her.

"Mommy, hurry, eat up. If Daddy finds out we’re here, we’re doomed."

"Eric, Mommy never knew you had such a talent for picking locks! But listen, you must never use that on anyone else, okay?"

She thought she was stuck spending the whole night in the car—until the kids appeared out of nowhere. With a tiny hairpin, they popped the lock and swung the door open.

Then—

Footsteps echoed from inside the villa.