Chapter 540

Hannah's heart skipped a beat. Vincent? Had he already made contact with these people? She clenched her fists, steadying herself, and with a show of casual indifference, she asked, "What do you want Vincent to do?"

Brixton studied Hannah, as if he had stumbled upon a new source of amusement, and leaned in deliberately."Already flustered? Then he must weigh heavily on your heart."

Realizing her response had been too intense, Hannah drew back a few steps and turned her head,her voice calm. "I was only curious."

Brixton's smile carried knowing amusement, yet he didn't push further. He merely waved his phone at her."Don't try anything foolish. If you attempt escape again..." His eyes turned cold as steel."Next time, it won't be mere cuts."

With that, he turned and strode away, his mood oddly lightened.

Meanwhile, at a hidden airstrip along a lonely stretch of coast, Vincent stood by himself. Behind him lay a sealed box stuffed with a billion in cash, and nearby, a private jet waited with engines humming.

From the distance, a car rolled closer and stopped. Erica stepped out first, two hulking men dispatched by Brixton flanking her like shadows.

Erica walked toward Vincent and held out her phone, showing him a freshly sent video. "Look closely. She's alive, unharmed. Now, could you come with us without worry?"

Vincent's eyes locked onto the phone screen. In the clip, Hannah stood by a window with an unfamiliar sea behind her. Her face seemed pale, but what stabbed at him was the bandage wrapped tight around her left arm.

The air around Vincent chilled to ice. He seized Erica by the throat, his voice low and deadly. "What happened to Hannah's arm? Who did this to her? I said no harm must come to her!" Erica's breath hitched, her face flushing crimson as she clawed at his grip. "How would I know? I never gave that order! Why vent your rage on me?"

At once, the two men shifted, hands drifting to their waists, tension hanging like a blade in the air.

But Erica raised a hand quickly to halt them, forcing a bitter smile. "Stand down. He wouldn't dare harm me.After all, he needs me to find his beoved woman."

Vincent's eyes blazed with fury, but at last, he let go.

Erica stumbled back, coughing hard, gathering her breath again. Her glare was edged with ice. "Board the plane. Don't you want to see Hannah sooner?"

Vincent's gaze sharpened. "She isn't here?"

"Heh." A sneer curled Erica's lips. "You thought we'd let you waltz into our base? Faced with a man like you,caution is life itself. This is only a transit stop. We'll use your jet to reach where she's truly kept. Better safe than sorry-we can't afford to hand you our hideout on a silver platter."

Swallowing his rising anxiety, Vincent said nothing more and boarded first.

Erica and the two men followed close behind.

Once in the air, Vincent realized the journey was more twisted than he had imagined.

The plane never flew straight; instead, it hopped from one temporary strip to another, pausing, sometimes even swapping out crew before lifting off again.

This dance went on for two full days, time wasted in endless circles.

"Are you toying with me?" Vincent's patience frayed thin.

Across from him, Erica sipped her water with deliberate leisure. "Toying with you? There's a billion in cash by your side. Why would we? Be patient-we're almost there. In our line of work, caution is a must."

Her tone was calm, but deep within, unease gnawed. It had been far too long since Brixton's last contact,and silence often boded ill. On the third day, the plane at last ceased its restless landings and flew steadily toward a fixed coordinate.

As descent began, Erica exhaled a secret sigh of relief, pulling out an encrypted phone to reach those on the island. But just then, the device vibrated sharply in her palm. A message appeared, draining the color from her face. "Base compromised! Situation unclear! Do not return to the island!"

"What happened?" Vincent's keen eyes caught her panic instantly, his voice dropping heavy

Erica's lips trembled. "For now, we can't go there!"

Vincent's heart plunged. "Explain!"