Chapter 776

To test his theory, Charles drove in the opposite direction according to the result he obtained.

Despite having the utmost trust in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s investigation skills and Cedrick’s discoveries, Charles wanted to test the reliability of Dark Netz’s information.

Moreover, the person who sold him the information provided detailed insight into Gwendolyn’s situation, compelling Charles to seriously consider its validity.

He yearned for a chance to be with her, if only once.

On the road, Charles couldn’t shake the thought of Gwendolyn’s smile. Despite the risks, he was determined to give it a try, even if it meant jeopardizing his own safety on this journey.

Charles’ heart raced, and he felt inexplicably nervous.

At the height of his sensitivity, his phone rang.

It was a call from Whitney.

After Gwendolyn’s disappearance, Charles had not returned to the Newton residence for many days.

Despite Whitney’s efforts to reach out through texts and calls, Charles never responded to any of them.

After the phone call ended, Charles’ scattered thoughts settled, and his determination to find Gwendolyn only intensified.

However, he received a call from Jasmine immediately after.

He chose not to answer the call either. Once the phone stopped ringing, the Bluetooth system in his car automatically played the voicemail.

Jasmine’s voice played through the voicemail, scolding, “Charles, where have you been? You just got married, but you left your wife alone at home and won’t return. No husband should behave like you.”

Her criticisms annoyed Charles slightly.

As Charles was about to reject the call, Jasmine continued, “Whitney is ill. She had stomach flu and was in loads of pain. Lucas and I sent her to the hospital for emergency treatment. She hasn’t been discharged yet and is still receiving an IV drip. Are you not going to visit her, Charles?”

She’s fallen ill? How did fall sick when she’s only been at home?

Charles stared ahead silently, but Jasmine’s words began to make him waver.

In the voicemail, Jasmine sighed heavily. “Charles, I’m running out of excuses for your absence. It’s fine if you don’t care about sending your sick wife to the hospital, but you’ve been away for days and won’t reply to messages. What could possibly be more important than your wife’s health?”

Charles immediately tightened his grip on the steering wheel and slowly pressed the brake. The luxury car slowed down on the road, but he didn’t come to a complete stop.

Undeniably, he hesitated.

He considered the possibility that Cedrick had already found Gwendolyn and apprehended the culprit in Quawak. Perhaps his trip would be in vain, and the person who sold him the information could have deceived him with false details.

Amidst his doubts, Charles couldn’t ignore the chance that the information might be true. It presented a perfect opportunity for him to save Gwendolyn if he acted on it.

Charles couldn’t ignore the chance to rescue Gwendolyn and possess her as his own. The possibility, no matter how slight, compelled him to try.

Overwhelmed by his dilemma, Charles found it hard to breathe. He pulled over to the side of the road, giving himself a moment of respite, and fell into deep contemplation.

Charles considered the possibility of continuing forward and silently finding Gwendolyn. Even if it ended in failure, he believed it would provide closure to the decade of feelings he held for her.

Nevertheless, he couldn’t ignore the responsibility he had toward his arranged marriage with Whitney.

Her illness made it all the more crucial for him to be there for her as a husband.

As dusk approached, the red sky reflected off Charles’ conflicted blue eyes.

Time was running out.

Charles clenched the steering wheel firmly, then loosened his grip before tightening them again, the repetitive motion mirroring the turmoil inside him.

In the end, Charles took a deep breath and made a resolute decision. He slammed on the accelerator, his gaze filled with determination and obsession.

Upon arriving in Quawak, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s team wasted no time. They immediately launched a large-scale search operation in the area, meticulously conducting a census and registering the identity of every resident.

Cedrick refused to remain idle and decided to search for the old fisherman at the creek bank.

However, when he arrived at the man’s residence, he was taken aback by the change in the old man.

Despite the old man’s hunched back and limping gait remaining the same, his appearance and aura had undergone a noticeable transformation.

Cedrick quietly approached the elderly man from behind, grabbing his collar discreetly. With warmth and politeness, he inquired, “Sir, how many years have you been fishing here?”

The old man tensed up when he heard Cedrick’s voice.

Cedrick chuckled. “What are you afraid of?”

“N-Nothing. I…”

Without waiting for the elderly man to finish explaining, Cedrick forcefully tugged his collar backward and threw him onto the grassland.

The man fell to the ground with a thud. He let out a pained howl, clutching his back in agony.

All of a sudden, the man hissed again, this time from the pain of having his beard forcibly removed.

“Do you really expect me to believe that an elderly man like you needs a fake beard? Maybe I should check if your skin is fake too!”

“N-No! Please don’t, Mr. Jenson. I was forced to do this!” the man begged, abandoning the jaded voice he had used during his pretense.

With a cold and indifferent expression, Cedrick narrowed his eyes and demanded, “Where is Joe?”

The man appeared stunned. “Joe? Who’s that? I really don’t know him.”

Emanating a murderous aura, Cedrick kicked the man’s stomach with force.

“Mr. Jenson, I swear I don’t know the person you mentioned! Our boss, Hamish, left, and everyone else in Quawak was taken away. I was the only one left behind. I’ve never heard of anyone named Joe.”

Once again, the culprit was one step ahead of them.

He sure moves fast. He was pretending to negotiate with me while secretly making his escape. It’s almost as if he has a spy in the bureau…

Cedrick’s gaze turned darker, and he delivered a swift kick to the man’s groin. “He took everyone with him and left a useless weakling like you here. It’s clear he’s using you as a scapegoat, and you’re still willing to cover up for his crimes?”

The man’s screams filled the air as he waved his hands frantically. “I won’t! I know the punishment will be less severe if I confess. I’ll tell you everything I know!”

“Where’s that woman he kidnapped?”

“Which one?”

Joe captured Gwendolyn, so there could not be any other women.

Infuriated, Cedrick kicked the man once more, warning through gritted teeth, “Stop playing dumb!”

The man’s memory was jogged after Cedrick terrorized him with threats. He exclaimed, “She’s at the mountain outside the county. Boss kept her in a tree hollow. Let me bring you there!”

As they approached the tree hollow that the man had mentioned, Cedrick’s hands trembled unconsciously, and he felt very nervous.

It had been five days since he last saw Gwendolyn, and he missed her terribly.

However, the sudden longing did not override his rationale.

Joe managed to escape and disappear without a trace just one hour before we arrived. As a result, Team Four has already been dispatched to pursue him.

However, his years of experience in counter-surveillance made it unlikely that Team Four would be able to find him easily.

Besides, Joe wouldn’t risk leaving without his hostage if he believed his location was exposed.

Something feels… amiss.

Cedrick came to a sudden halt, prompting Swain and Team Ten to do the same. They swiftly raised their guns and took up defensive positions.

The man at the forefront, leading the way, was taken aback and visibly shaken as he saw the guns being raised at him.

He squeaked, “M-Mr. Jenson?”

“He left one hour ago. Within this time frame, he could have taken the hostage with him. Leaving behind such an important bargaining chip is not his style.” Cedrick spoke, his tone icy.

He smirked and drew the pistol from his waist, loading it with bullets. Cedrick pointed the gun at the man’s head and asked once more, “Are you absolutely certain that the person held captive in the tree hollow on the mountaintop is the one I want to find?”