[This chapter is dedicated to Kim_Bretting_9201 for being the current top 1 fan of our story. Thank you for reading! I'm so grateful for your support.]

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"What?" He just pulled the key from the car's ignition when he heard Noah yell for his name in sheer panic.

He was about to unbuckle his seatbelt when the backseat door of the Land Rover was yanked open, and Aadir was pushed inside. He was confused by Aadir shivering and Noah scrambling to get in the passenger seat once again.

"What is happening?"

"Jess was taken!"

He shoved the key to the car's ignition and spun the steering wheel of the Land Rover too fast, that Noah, who hadn't clipped his seatbelt yet, slammed the side of his face on the passenger seat window. But, he didn't threaten to kill Markus.

"Speak up," he snarled at the shivering Aadir on the backseat, "didn't I tell you to not leave your eyes on Miss Zimmerman even if there's a gun pointed at your head?" His voice was low and cold, which made Aadir lose all the remaining colors on his face.

He watched Noah from over his shoulder calling on the phone. Probably contacting anyone that could help them find out who took Miss Zimmerman. He gritted his teeth. He couldn't do his job and because of it, Miss Zimmerman's life could be in danger.

"I did what you wanted me to do, Mr. Markus. I never took my eyes off Miss Zimmerman even when the woman who took her was very scary."

Noah, with a phone pressed on his right ear, typing on another phone in his eyes, snapped his head to Markus when he heard what Aadir said. 'Jess was taken by a woman!'

"Tell me about this woman," he said to Aadir who was twisting his hands on his lap while bouncing his knees in nervousness.

"She arrived after you left to pick up Mr. Noah to the airport. I wanted to call you but the woman took my phone and threaten to kill me and the rest of my family if I call you...Miss Zimmerman said it was okay, I should not worry and just tell Mr. Noah that Ellise was just joking and being annoying as always."

Markus slammed his foot on the accelerator and the car jumped and halted with the engine still running, he turned his head to Noah who was perplexed as he was.

"Aadir, a woman took Miss Zimmerman?"

"Yes, Miss Ellise. She's quite a beauty but has a very scary tone. Scarier than Mr. Markus."

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Noah slammed his phone on the car's dashboard. His heart that was thumping wildly on his chest the moment he heard Jess was taken, abruptly stopped from breathing and the only way to release the terrifying feeling he had was to curse.

Markus opened the door on the passenger side, got out of the car, and started kicking the tire of the Land Rover while pulling his hair.

Aadir who was confused and scared that he let Miss Zimmerman left the villa when he promised Mr. Markus that, he would never take his eyes off Miss Zimmerman until Mr. Noah arrived, as confused as he was when Miss Zimmerman, agreed to leave the villa with Miss Ellise.

His eyes shifted from Mr. Noah who was saying a lot of curse words while slapping the dashboard with his palm and Mr. Markus who was standing outside, kicking the tire of the car while pulling his year.

He understood their anger towards him because he didn't keep his promise but why does it seem like they weren't angry at him at all. He decided to shut his mouth since he didn't understand what was happening. He flinched in his seat when Mr. Noah got out of the car and approached Mr. Markus and they talked with strange expressions on their faces.

"This Ellise is the same Ellise that's Jess' friend, right?" Markus asked with clenched teeth. The adrenaline was slowly leaving his body and he didn't know if he wanted to cry or laugh at the misunderstanding of Jess being taken.

Noah nodded with Markus's questions. He couldn't find words to speak. He was bewildered by how stupid he was, jumping on a suicide mission without knowing what truly happened. All he needed to hear was 'Jess was taken' and he was ready to battle any enemy that would cross his way, only to find out that there was no idea.

Jess was taken by her friend.

She wasn't taken by the enemy but they have an enemy. The person who tried to poison Jess but definitely not the one who took her. He glanced inside the Land Rover and saw Aadir, still pale in the backseat of the car. He couldn't blame him because what he said was true. Someone took Jess, thus she was taken.

It didn't occur to him to confirm or clear anything with Aadri because he had forgotten that English wasn't Aadir's first language and he didn't probably know the strong implication of the word 'taken', especially with their current situation.

He was relieved and at the same time worried. He knew Jess was safe with Ellise but he was worried for the reason that made Ellise take Jess from his custody. And even played with Aadir, threatening the poor guy with killing his family. Why does Ellise have the same twisted mind as Markus?

He was still contemplating what to do next when he received a call from Ellise who took Jess.

"You might not like me for your friend but do you really have to give me a heart attack?" he snapped at Ellise as soon as he answered her call.

"Your heart is the least of my problems. And just to be clear, I don't give a shit on who Jess likes."

Ellise's words left Noah unsure of how or what to respond. He went quiet for a few minutes, staring at Markus as if asking him how to deal with Ellise.

"We are at the coffee shop by the way. The one where Jess likes to hang out." Ellise said because Noah became silent on the other line.

"We are on our way," he said after clearing his throat, totally confused.