Gloria Galloway put down her knife and fork, suddenly looking at her with a pathetic expression.
Eleanor Hollis certainly knew what she was thinking; she just wanted to meet Julian Sterling once.
But she wasn’t familiar with Julian Sterling, and who knew when they’d see each other again.
"Eleanor, next time take me with you, okay? Talk to Hugo, let me meet Julian Sterling."
Gloria continued to plead, clutching her sleeve with both hands.
"I’ll talk to Hugo about it. As for whether he agrees or not, that’ll depend on his mood."
"Eleanor! You’re truly my best friend!"
Gloria suddenly beamed with joy and took a few big bites of her meal.
"What amazing friends I have, giving me the chance to meet Julian Sterling, my goodness! It’s something I wouldn’t even dare to dream about!"
The two continued talking here for a while, and only after the lunch break ended did they slowly return to their respective offices.
Eleanor Hollis sat in her chair, feeling uneasy. She flipped through some documents but couldn’t focus, dawdling until it was time to get off work.
This morning, before leaving, she told Marcus she’d pick him up.
Seeing that the time was almost up, she immediately drove over to the school.
It was right around the time students were getting out, so the road was crowded. She parked the car at the school gate and started waiting for Marcus there.
She did see several of Marcus’s classmates, but she waited until the very end and still didn’t see Marcus.
Eleanor Hollis furrowed her brow and then called the homeroom teacher.
"You said Marcus left a long time ago?"
A hint of worry flashed in Eleanor’s heart. Marcus hadn’t brought his phone today, and she didn’t know how to contact him now.
After thinking for a while, she finally made a call to Hugo Quinn.
Hugo, hearing her concern, quickly reassured her.
"I’ve asked Lan Yancy to retrieve the surveillance footage over there, don’t worry, I’m on my way!"
Hugo had been working late at the company but immediately headed over upon hearing that Marcus was missing.
Lan Yancy was quick, and the surveillance video showed that it was a woman who took Marcus, but she was wearing glasses and a hat, making it impossible to see her face clearly.
"Track this car, commence a citywide search immediately."
Hugo’s voice was calm and steady, and he coordinated with the police department to review footage from every intersection.
The woman’s modus operandi was clearly not very proficient, leaving traces everywhere, and she hadn’t considered the surrounding surveillance at all. So it was easy for them to trace that car’s whereabouts.
However, by the time they arrived, the vehicle was already halfway burned; it seemed the suspect abandoned the car and fled.
"Hugo, what do we do..."
Eleanor, somewhat at a loss, anxiously grabbed his sleeve.
"Continue the investigation, Lan Yancy, seal off all exits and announce an important suspect with a child has escaped, urge everyone to search thoroughly."
Hugo was also unsure about the kidnapper’s motives for taking Marcus.
If it was only for money, then it was manageable; at least Marcus wouldn’t be harmed.
Marcus, being such a smart kid, why would he casually follow a stranger?
Soon, Eleanor’s phone rang with a call from an unknown number.
Her heart jolted, instinctively feeling it was the woman who took Marcus, so she answered immediately.
"Eleanor Hollis, I knew you’d be concerned about this child. I’m telling you, if you want him unharmed, come to the top floor of Grandeur immediately!"
The person turned out to be on the top floor of Grandeur. After going through such a roundabout way, they actually brought the child back there, showing some wit.
"She’s on the top floor of Grandeur."
With Grandeur being so tall, if someone fell from there, they wouldn’t even have a whole body left.
Both Hugo and Eleanor exchanged a grave look and immediately rushed to Grandeur.
Upon reaching the top floor, Eleanor finally recognized who the woman was—it was Alice Warren, someone they hadn’t seen in a long time.
This person had turned gaunt and red-eyed; previously, she looked like a strong woman, but how did she become so suddenly...
Alice had already taken off her hat and glasses. Seeing Eleanor, she burst into hysterical laughter.
"Eleanor Hollis! You’re truly ruthless!"
There was confusion in Eleanor’s eyes; why was Alice saying this? She hadn’t done anything recently.
Next to Alice was the tightly bound Marcus.
Marcus was already unconscious, laying on the edge of the floor, with a rope tied around his waist, and the other end of the rope was in Alice’s hand.
All it would take was for her to let go, and Marcus would be done for.
Following behind, Hugo had a dark expression; his son, cherished in his hands, was being treated by someone!
Yet Alice’s current emotional state was clearly unstable. If she were really provoked, she might just let go of the rope in her hand.
"Alice, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I haven’t even seen you recently."
After Alice resigned, Eleanor hadn’t heard any news from her.
Alice’s face was filled with a sarcastic smile. Of course, Eleanor hadn’t seen her; she’d only sent people to torment her, to make her addicted to drugs, to self-harm, leaving her inhuman, not even ghost-like!
"Eleanor Hollis, don’t pretend in front of me. I know exactly what kind of person you are! Today, between you and this child, only one can live!"
Alice saw the panic in Eleanor’s eyes and felt a sense of satisfaction.
Eleanor’s heart trembled, fearing Alice would loosen her grip on the rope, in which case Marcus would surely die.
"What do you want to do?"
Nothing she said now would help; Alice just wanted to drive her into a corner.
"Eleanor Hollis, the suffering you’ve caused me recently has been terrible! Look at me now; I’ve become , while you’re thriving at Grandeur, even favored by the President. It’s so unfair. A woman like you deserves to go to hell!"
As Alice spoke, she threw a rope at Eleanor’s feet, with the other end still gripped in her own hand.
"Tie the rope around your waist and stand on the edge of the building; I want to see who the President will choose between you and the child."
She began to laugh maliciously, suddenly looking at Hugo, who had been silent.
This man had fired her for the sake of Eleanor, despite her years of hard work, beaten by a woman who only knew how to warm the bed!
The harm she endured was something she wanted the other party to suffer as well!
"President Quinn, you harmed me terribly for Eleanor Hollis! After leaving Grandeur, no company wanted me, saying it was all your doing. You really went all out for Eleanor."
Hugo’s eyes narrowed slowly; after firing Alice, he hadn’t instructed anything further. Who had used his name to make all companies reject Alice?
After all, people who left Grandeur were in high demand elsewhere.
But no matter what he said now, Alice wouldn’t believe him, so he chose to remain silent. The most update n0vels are published on 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚⚫𝙣𝙚𝙩