Chapter 5 - The Cell of Betrayal
The air in the subterranean holding cells was damp and cold, a stark contrast to the luxurious ballroom above. Cordelia Vance sat shivering on a steel bench, her pristine white lace wedding gown now smeared with dust and grime from the stone floor. Her blonde hair hung in messy strands across her tear-stained face.
The heavy iron door swung open, and Casper stepped into the dim light, his face an impenetrable mask of pure ice. Willow stood just behind him in the corridor, refusing to leave his side.
Cordelia leaped from the bench, rushing toward the iron bars. "Casper! Please, you have to listen to me! I was blackmailed! The Vitiellos forced me to hire him!"
Casper didn't blink. He stood inches from the bars, looking at the woman he had almost bound his life to. "You have exactly one minute to tell me where Viktor Volkov planted the trap, Cordelia. If you lie to me again, I will leave you in this cell to rot."
"I don't know!" she screamed, her voice cracking in desperation. "He went rogue! He said the honeymoon plan was too slow for his bosses. He mentioned... he mentioned something about the family departure schedule!"
Willow stepped out from behind Casper, her brow furrowed in deep thought. "The departure schedule? The only person scheduled to depart the estate today before the honeymoon was..."
Willow and Casper slowly turned to look at each other, the realization hitting them simultaneously like a physical blow.
"Uncle August," Casper breathed, his blood running cold. "He was scheduled to take the private family helicopter from the south lawn to the airport thirty minutes after the vows."
Cordelia sobbed, sinking to her knees. "Volkov knew the elder was leaving! He said if the head of the family burned, the uncle would fall with him!"
Casper pulled his phone from his pocket, dialing frantically. "August! Where are you?"
May you like
"I'm walking out to the south lawn helipad now, Casper," the elder's voice replied cheerfully over the line. "I figured I should head to the airport before the storm hits."
👉 Read PART 6 to see the heart-stopping race to save Uncle August from the rigged helicopter!
