They spent the entire night screening all the guests at Crimson Spring Resort, but nothing unusual was found.

When the technicians tried to repair the surveillance system, they discovered the hacker had caused permanent damage, making it impossible to retrieve any previous footage.

Mason Lawson had no choice but to return early and make arrangements for what came next.

Calling the police was out of the question.

Eve Vaughn was now a hostage in their hands. The consequences of calling the police were predictable.

On the way back, Neil Kane had already summoned a team of tech experts—a group Mason Lawson had cultivated himself, all of whom were cutting-edge international specialists.

By the time Mason Lawson arrived home, the team had already assembled. Each person had a laptop, its screen filled with complex and intricate code.

Their fingers flew across the keyboards, a flurry of activity.

"Any leads?"

Mason Lawson asked in a low voice, "Were you able to trace the source of that call?" Neil Kane replied, "The call came from overseas, but Miss Vaughn was just kidnapped. There’s no way she could have been taken out of the country this fast."

Mason Lawson knew that the caller wasn’t necessarily the kidnapper. He needed to hear Eve Vaughn’s voice to determine her location.

Mason Lawson enunciated each word. "It seems these people have been watching my mother all along. That fire didn’t dispel their suspicions after all. But one thing is certain: they’re panicking. They’re afraid of what I might find out from my mother. They’re even more terrified she’ll wake up and reveal something that could ruin them."

Neil Kane was at his wit’s end and asked cautiously, "Then... will you trade your mother for Miss Vaughn? Right now, we’re exposed while they’re in the shadows. If we don’t do as they say, I’m afraid getting Miss Vaughn back won’t be easy."

As soon as he finished, Mason Lawson silenced him with a razor-sharp glare.

"I don’t like being coerced. Not by anyone."

Mason Lawson’s voice was utterly chilling, as if it had risen from the depths of hell.

’Yes, right now he wanted to kill them.’

’They’d harmed his mother like that thirty years ago, and now they dared to kidnap Eve Vaughn to blackmail him.’

’How could he possibly stomach this insult?’

But it had all happened so suddenly. He’d been caught completely off guard. And he had no idea who was behind it.

After all, far too many people knew about his relationship with Eve Vaughn. It was impossible to narrow down the suspects.

But Mason Lawson was certain they were also testing him. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

The person on the phone had said, "If I’m not mistaken, Tanya Thorne is in your hands."

That meant they were only guessing; they weren’t certain.

If he handed Tanya Thorne over now, it would be an admission of guilt. He would lose all leverage.

Besides, when they had rescued Tanya Thorne, they had been meticulous about cleaning up all traces. There was no evidence whatsoever that could point to him.

For a moment, a thousand thoughts raced through Mason Lawson’s mind. He ultimately concluded that the other party was indeed testing him.

’Testing whether Tanya Thorne is in my hands? And testing the depths of my feelings for Eve Vaughn?’

’Who would care about both of these things simultaneously? Other than Old Mr. Lawson, I can’t think of anyone else.’

Just then, his phone rang again. It was another unknown number.

Neil Kane immediately motioned for the technicians to trace the signal’s source.

Mason Lawson answered the call, his tone remarkably calm.

But the voice on the other end was impatient and tinged with anger. "Mr. Lawson, it’s been hours. Haven’t you made up your mind? It seems Eve Vaughn doesn’t mean much to you after all!"

Mason Lawson suppressed his mounting anxiety and said calmly, "Let me hear her voice."

"Heh. What, Mr. Lawson, you don’t believe we have what it takes to snatch your little girlfriend?"

After he spoke, a young woman’s whimpers could be heard through the phone.

She must have been gagged, unable to speak, but those desperate sobs still made Mason Lawson’s heart wrench.

"Don’t tell me you can’t even recognize your little girlfriend’s voice," the man said sinisterly. "If you don’t hand over Tanya Thorne by tomorrow night, who knows if your little girlfriend will lose an arm or a leg."

Veins bulged on Mason Lawson’s forehead. He gritted his teeth. "You listen to me. If Eve Vaughn is harmed in any way, I’ll make you pay a hundred, a thousand times over! I mean what I say! And another thing... who is this Tanya Thorne you’re talking about? I don’t know who that is."

The line went dead.

A technician immediately spoke up. "Mr. Lawson, we’ve got it. The signal is coming from the sea."

Mason Lawson looked at the map and swore, "Damn, they’re clever. This area of the sea is huge and full of fishing boats. How are we supposed to pinpoint which one?"

All of Mason Lawson’s suspicion now fell on Old Mr. Lawson.

Only he had a connection to his mother, Tanya Thorne, and knew that Eve Vaughn was his.

And so, late that night, Mason Lawson set off for the old Lawson Family estate.

...

The Lawson Residence.

When The Third Madam saw him return, she was delighted, assuming he had come to apologize to Old Mr. Lawson.

"Mason, your father has calmed down a bit lately. Hurry and make amends with him, and this whole thing will blow over."

The Third Madam urged him earnestly.

Mason Lawson didn’t respond, asking instead with a blank expression, "Where’s my father?"

The Third Madam whispered, "Your father is already asleep. You can apologize to him tomorrow. He’s a light sleeper and hates being disturbed."

"I need to see him now," Mason Lawson said coldly.

’If Old Mr. Lawson was behind this, there’s no way he could be sleeping soundly right now.’

The Third Madam certainly didn’t dare disturb Old Mr. Lawson at this late hour.

She said to Mason Lawson, "Can’t it wait until tomorrow? Do you know what time it is?"

Unexpectedly, Mason Lawson walked straight past her and headed for the master bedroom.

When Mason opened the door, Old Mr. Lawson was clearly displeased.

The Third Madam quickly stepped forward to placate him. "Dear, the boy came back to apologize. For the sake of his filial gesture, please don’t be angry."

Old Mr. Lawson snorted. "He comes back in the middle of the night to apologize?"

The Third Madam wasn’t so sure herself anymore. Mason Lawson had become increasingly unpredictable, and she had no control over him whatsoever.

Mason Lawson’s dark eyes were piercing as he addressed Old Mr. Lawson. "I have something to discuss with you. Do you want to do it privately, or should we talk right here?"

The Third Madam froze. ’Isn’t he obviously telling me to get out?’

Her curiosity grew. What on earth did Mason want to discuss with Old Mr. Lawson?