Escape from Mr. Whitman (Emma and Theodore) novel Chapter 195

Was she really supposed to just sit here and wait for the worst? At the very least, she needed to let them know who had brought her here.

“What do you want from me?” she managed, forcing herself to sound calm.

The two men didn’t bother to answer. They just stood guard, barely a step away, watching her every move.

All she could do was wait.

She didn’t even dare to ask the obvious: “Are you after money?”

She was terrified that if she revealed she had wealth before understanding their intentions, her words might tempt their greed and put her in even greater danger.

Half an hour dragged by before anything happened.

Another group arrived, dragging in two people she recognized: her father and Cecilia.

Both of them had blindfolds over their eyes.

Emma saw them being hauled up the unfinished staircase, stumbling as the men pulled them along.

So she wasn’t the only one kidnapped?

A terrible realization began to dawn on her—this whole thing must be connected to her biological father, and their real target was Theodore. It was about money.

Which meant Theodore would definitely come. Even if Emma herself wasn’t reason enough, for Cecilia’s sake, he would show up.

Her father and Cecilia were pushed to the floor beside her, just as roughly as she’d been.

“Let us go! Just tell us how much you want!” Cecilia shrieked, her voice raw with panic.

“Well, well, sounds like we’ve got a real cash cow here! How about we double the price?” one of the men, dressed in gray, cackled.

The man in the yellow jacket—one of Emma’s original captors—frowned. “Who’s this? Who did you bring?”

“That’s Theodore’s wife!” the gray-jacketed man shot back.

“No, wait, she’s Theodore’s wife?” The man in yellow pointed at Emma. “Then who’s this?”

“How should I know?” the gray-jacketed man replied, scratching his head. “Where did you pick yours up?”

“We grabbed her from Theodore’s house—had to be his wife, right?”

“Oh yeah? Well, the one we grabbed is always out with Theodore. Isn’t she the one who’s been showing up with him in the news at the nursing home?”

“Come on, with a guy that rich, you think he only has one woman in his life? Could be a mistress too, for all we know!”

“Why not just ask them?” said the man in yellow, turning to Emma and Cecilia. “You two! Which one of you is Theodore’s wife?”

He got out alone, hauling two large suitcases.

“He actually came by himself! Guy’s got guts,” one of the kidnappers snorted.

“I’m here!” Theodore’s voice rang out from below. “Someone come out and talk!”

“Eleventh floor!” the gray-jacketed man shouted back.

Theodore hefted the suitcases and dashed up the stairs, calling as he went, “Cici! Cici, don’t be scared! I’m coming!”

The man in yellow glanced at Emma. “You’re Cici?”

“No,” Emma replied, her voice cold.

“She’s my daughter! Emma Bennett! She’s Theodore’s wife!” Julian yelled, desperate.

Emma shot him a look of utter contempt. Her own father was practically shoving her forward, frantic to make sure the kidnappers didn’t doubt she was Theodore’s wife—afraid they’d miss out on the ransom otherwise.

“Well, this just got interesting,” the gray-jacketed man chuckled.

“Cici!” Theodore’s voice grew clearer with every step, cutting through the chaos. “Cici, are you alright? Can you hear me? Let her speak!”

That last shout was directed squarely at the kidnappers.