bChapter 216 /b

    After ba /bmoment’s hesitation, Sebastian walked around bto /bthe other side bof /bbthe /bcar and slid into the back seat.

    After watching their car drive away, the police officer adjusted his cap and headed back into the room behind him.

    Neither of them spoke as they sat in the car. Sensing something serious had happened, Charles kept sneaking nces at his boss bin /bbthe /bbrearview /bbmirror /bwhenever they stopped at a red lightb, /btrying to read his mood and wondering if he bshould /bsay somethingforting.

    “Charles,” Sebastian said abruptly.

    Charles jolted in surprise, his grip tightening on the wheel so much he nearly switched on the wipers. He straightened babruptly /bband /bbreplied /bin a booming,

    almost military tone, “Yes, sir!”

    “Keep your eyes on the road,” Sebastian said wearily, massaging his temples.

    Realizing he’d been caught in the act, Charles’s face flushed visibly red. After fidgeting awkwardly for a momentb, /bbhe /bsat bup /babruptly, gripping bthe /bbsteering /bwheel with white–knuckled intensity, sitting as rigidly as a nervous student taking his road test.

    Maxine suddenly sighed. “If only I’d managed to get out a little earlier…b” /b

    Maxine thought, ‘Then Brian wouldn’t have been taken away alone. I wonder if he’s scared right now… Will those people even give him anything bto /bbeat/bb? /b

    ‘Even though Brian has been precocious since childhood and has said some harsh things, after allb, /bhe’s still my child.

    ‘Maybe he doesn’t even realize it himself, but I see it so clearly, every time he makes a mistake, he inches closer to me, studying my expressionb, /bbthen /btries to say something to make amends, always looking a bit embarrassed.‘

    Maxine closed her eyes wearily.

    “Maxine, this isn’t your fault,” Sebastian said gently.

    When the incident urred, they had already arranged for a few thugs to cause a disturbance at the front entrance. This drew the manager and the bfront /bstaff away to handle themotion. Meanwhile, the security guard on duty, who had been bribed, disabled the surveince system.

    “They had this all nned out from the start,” Sebastian said, looking at her. “Whether it was Brian or you, they would have carried out their n regardless. There’s no way they’d leave empty–handed.”

    Even if Maxine had rushed out immediately, she might not only have failed to bring Brian back, but could have ended up being captured by those people

    herself.

    Maxine looked at him and said firmly, “Let me go and exchange myself for Brian.”

    Maxine thought, ‘After all, I’m a grown–up, and I might even uncover more clues. Brian’s situation there will only get more dangerous iby /ithe minute.

    “No,” Sebastian said without ba /bmoment’s hesitation.

    After saying that, he realized his tone had been too harsh and quickly added, “Maxine, it’s absolutely impossible for you to go and trade yourself for Brian. Their goal was never money to begin withb, /band with Hamlin backing them up, holding one hostage or two makes no difference to them.b” /b

    Maxine fell silent.

    Sebastian looked at her. Deep down, he couldn’t bear the thought of Maxine facing danger alone. If he could, he’d much brather /bbgo /bbin /bher ce.

    They arrived back at the mansion, exhaustion written all over Maxine’s face. Sebastian looked at her and said gentlyb, /bb“/bbWh/b, bn’t /bbyou /bbget /bsome rest bfirst/bb? /bI’ll go to the hotel and pick up your things for you.”

    Maxine nodded. “I’ve already called Cleo. Could you pick her up when you go thereb?/bb” /b

    bThat /bbce /bbwasn’t /bsafe anymore. If those people came onceb, /bthey’de again. Cleo already bhad /bbto /bleave her home bbecause /bof bher/b. If banything /bhappen to her this time, Maxine would never forgive herself.

    bCleo /bbsat /bbin /bbthe /bbustling bcafé /bdownstairs from her office building, yawning out of sheer boredom. She had ino /iidea what was going bon/bb. /bMaxine had suddenly texted her, telling her to wait in a crowded spot for Sebastian to arrive. Cleo couldn’t help but think, ‘What on earth bis /bbhappening /bnow?

    She didn’t even dare go back to the hotel.

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