“Ten seconds,” Kade announced, glancing at the men surrounding him. “Get your cars off the road and leave. If you’re still here when the time runs out, don’t blame me for what happens next.”The leader stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter. The other men joined in, apparently amused by the audacity of someone who was outnumbered and standing unarmed before them.“Listen to this bastard!” the leader sneered. “He thinks he can threaten us? Since you refuse to hand over the car, we’ll destroy you along with it. Let’s see how cocky you are when we’re done with you!”Inside the Lamborghini, Elara watched the confrontation anxiously. She had already witnessed Kade handle himself against Ricardo at the auction house, but these men were carrying weapons, and there were far too many of them. She reached for her phone, ready to call the police if things got out of hand, but Kade’s earlier instruction to remain inside kept her from opening the door.“Stop wasting time!” the le

Elara’s hands trembled as she held the phone against her ear, struggling to control her breathing. The unknown caller’s threat had left her terrified, but the thought of her parents being in the hands of strangers was unbearable.“Please, tell me who you are!” she pleaded. “What do you want with my parents? If this is about money, just tell me how much you want. I’ll find a way to pay you, but please don’t hurt them.”The man on the other end remained silent for a moment before speaking in a cold, emotionless voice.“You will receive a location shortly. Come alone, and do exactly as you’re told. If you bring anyone with you or contact the police, your parents will pay the price.”“Wait! Please, let me speak to them first. I need to know they’re safe. Please, I’m begging you!”The call ended.“Hello? Hello!”Elara stared at the screen in disbelief before frantically calling the number back. The call wouldn’t connect. She tried again, but the result was the same. Her parents were missin

Kade looked at her for several seconds before finally speaking.“I’ve saved you several times, Elara. Even when the odds were against us, I came for you and brought you back safely. Yet you still doubt me?”She faltered, but he continued.“I saved you from Daniel Knox. I went to Skull Island and brought you back when you were in danger. When Mark Knox tried to force his way into your life again, I dealt with him. Every time you’ve needed me, I’ve been there. I’ve never abandoned you, no matter how difficult the situation was.”His expression remained composed, but his words carried a weight that made it difficult for her to look away.“And now, when your parents are in trouble, you think I’ll simply stand aside and let something happen to them? You think I would make a promise like this without intending to keep it?”Elara’s anger faded as she absorbed his words. She lowered her gaze, rubbing her forehead as she tried to collect herself. The truth was that she knew how many times Kade

Diana and Ronald exchanged horrified looks. Until that moment, they had been afraid for their own lives. Now, the thought of Elara walking into the hands of these men frightened them far more than anything that could happen to them.“Please, don’t do this,” Diana pleaded, struggling against the ropes. “Whatever Mark wants, leave our daughter out of it. If you need someone to punish, punish us instead. Just don’t let Elara come here.”Ronald nodded desperately. “You can demand whatever you want from us. Money, property, anything we can give you. But please, don’t hurt our daughter. She has nothing to do with this.”The man stared at them for a moment before breaking into another round of laughter.“Ew! You two are too old. I doubt the boss would have nearly as much fun with either of you as he would with a pretty young woman like your daughter.”Diana’s stomach turned with disgust. She had been pleading with him to spare Elara, but he had twisted her words into something vile. She look

Back at the warehouse, Diana and Ronald sat helplessly in their chairs as their captors continued mocking them. The leader checked his watch before looking at the elderly couple with a cruel smile.“Well, well, well. It looks like your precious superhero ex-convict isn’t coming after all. Almost an hour has passed, and there’s still no sign of him. I thought you said he would protect your daughter. Where is he now?”His men laughed, with one of them raising his bottle in mock celebration.“Maybe he’s too busy running away!” another man shouted. “Perhaps he heard how many of us are here and decided his life was more important than saving his in-laws.”The warehouse erupted in laughter.Ronald lowered his head, his face pale with worry. He had never trusted Kade, and he had often agreed with Diana whenever she complained about the man. Yet now, with their lives hanging in the balance, he desperately wished Kade would appear. They had no one else to turn to, and the thought of dying in t