Chapter 273: Overconfident

From his vantage point, Frank could see the men starting to infiltrate the outer grounds. His jaw clenched as he imagined them combing through his estate. They wouldn’t find anything, he told himself. The lab’s entrance was hidden so well, even someone with the blueprints of the mansion wouldn’t spot it.

"They’ll waste their time chasing shadows," he muttered to himself. "Amateurs."

The driver cleared his throat. "Sir, if this is Samuel’s doing, won’t he have the resources to—"

Frank cut him off with a glare. "Samuel is nothing but a puppet, too soft to play this game. If he’s behind this, he’ll regret it. His little games with Zinnia will cost him dearly."

Frank’s confidence didn’t waver as he leaned back in his seat, the ghost of a smirk tugging at his lips. "They won’t make it far. Let them think they’ve won."

---

What Frank didn’t know was that Samuel, Lily, and Timmy were already deep inside the hidden lab, having bypassed its heavily secured entrance. Frank’s overconfidence had left him blind to the possibility of someone finding the weaknesses in his designs.

Inside, Samuel’s team moved with precision, leading hostages out of the chilling maze of the lab. The screens displaying endless videos and images of James had been shut down, and the disturbing instructions plastered across the walls—detailing how the duplicates were to mimic James’s every gesture—were being documented as evidence.

The sight of the captives, dressed in numbered shirts and barely holding on to hope, had shaken Samuel’s resolve but fueled his determination to finish what they started.

---

Meanwhile, Frank’s fists clenched as he watched from the shadows, still unaware of just how far the raid had progressed. "You think you’ve won, but this is just the beginning," he hissed, his eyes cold and full of malice. "I’ll make you all pay for this insult."

The car slowly reversed, retreating further into the darkness as Frank’s mind was already working on his next move.

Frank leaned back in his seat, the faint glow of his phone illuminating his cold expression. The car was far from the mansion now, safely hidden from view. He dialed the first number, waiting as it rang.

Bart’s shaky voice answered, "Hello?"

"It’s me," Frank said curtly, leaving no room for pleasantries. "I have a task for you and Billy."

Bart hesitated, his voice quivering. "What kind of task, sir?"

"Listen carefully," Frank said, his tone sharp. "You will take Zinnia. Bring her to me, unharmed—at least for now. I want her as leverage."

There was silence on the other end. Bart exchanged a glance with Billy, who sat across from him, his face pale with dread.

"But, sir," Bart stammered, "if we do this and they find out—"

Frank’s voice cut through like a blade. "Do you think you have a choice? Or do you want me to remind you what will happen to your families if you disobey me?"

Billy spoke up nervously, his words tumbling out. "We understand, sir. We’ll do it. Please... just don’t harm our families."

"Good," Frank said with a satisfied smirk. "You know what’s at stake. Don’t fail me."

---

By the time they reached Lily’s apartment in that country, it was already morning. Samuel, Lily, and Timmy sat around the coffee table, exhaustion etched on their faces. The rescue operation had been successful, but the weight of everything they had witnessed still hung heavily in the air.

"Any word on Frank?" Lily asked one of her men over the phone, her tone sharp and commanding.

"Not yet, ma’am," the man replied. "But we’re tracking his movements. We’ll locate him soon."

Lily hung up and turned to Samuel. "We’ll find him. He can’t hide forever."

Samuel nodded, his jaw tight. "We need to end this before he has the chance to strike back."

Timmy leaned forward, his voice low. "What if he already has something planned? Someone like him won’t sit quietly after what we did tonight."

Before anyone could respond, Samuel’s phone buzzed. The unknown number flashing on the screen made his gut twist. He answered, his voice steady despite the unease creeping in.

"Who is this?"

A chilling laugh came through the line, followed by Frank’s smug voice. "Do you think you’ve won, Samuel?"

Samuel’s grip on the phone tightened. "Frank."

"That’s right," Frank said, his smirk practically audible. "You must think you’re so clever, raiding my mansion. But tell me, how does it feel knowing your precious Zinnia is with me now?"

Samuel’s heart dropped, but he forced his voice to remain calm. "What are you talking about?"

Frank chuckled darkly. "Your beloved woman is in my hands. Do you want to know what I’m planning? Or should I just send you a video to let you see for yourself?"

"Don’t you dare touch her!" Samuel snapped, his voice breaking through the tension.

"Oh, don’t worry," Frank said, his tone mocking. "I haven’t decided what I’ll do to her yet. But you should know this is your fault. You raided my mansion, disrupted my plans. Now, you’ll pay for it."

Samuel’s knuckles turned white as he clenched the phone. "If you hurt her—"

"You’re in no position to threaten me," Frank interrupted coldly. "If you want her back, maybe you should consider how far you’re willing to go. I’ll be in touch."

The line went dead, leaving Samuel standing frozen, the phone still pressed to his ear.

"What happened?" Lily asked, her eyes narrowing with concern.

Samuel lowered the phone slowly, his voice tense. "Frank has Zinnia."

Timmy’s face paled. "What do we do now?"

Samuel’s jaw tightened, his determination hardening. "We find him. And we get her back."

Lily stood abruptly, her sharp gaze meeting Samuel’s. "Wait," she said, her voice firm but measured. "Before we do anything else, call Bart and Billy. Tell them their families are safe now. If their families are no longer under Frank’s control, they might reconsider their loyalties."

Samuel nodded, pulling out his phone. He dialed Bart’s number, the line ringing only twice before Bart’s anxious voice answered.

"Hello?"

"It’s me, Samuel," he said curtly. "Listen carefully. Your families have been rescued from Frank’s hold. They are safe now."

Bart was silent for a moment, his breathing heavy. "What? You’re... serious?"

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read