Her Marriage: The Night is Still Young-Chapter 186: Pet

Josephine did not think much, bending down to sit in the car.

She closed the car door.

Anna pointed at the business car behind them through the window, signaling Jimmy and the others to follow.

A few bodyguards immediately boarded the car behind.

Four luxury cars drove out of the parking lot one after another.

The street view outside the window gradually broadened.

The sky over Zarathos was as blue as a clear crystal, with extremely harsh sunlight.

The air was filled with dry heat waves, and even the wind carried a scorching temperature, piercing the skin like fine needles.

Josephine took out her phone, preparing to return Julian’s call.

"Is this Miss Thompson’s first time in Zarathos?" Anna in the front row turned back, her face lit up with an enthusiastic smile.

Josephine was interrupted, "No, I’ve been here a few times before."

Anna said, "It’s really hot here this season, but the scenery is particularly good. Especially Arecace Island, from the sky it looks like a giant palm tree, and at night when the lights are on, it’s very beautiful."

Josephine smiled slightly, her eyes turned back to the window.

Zarathos is actually not suitable for recuperation.

She had previously said she would send her grandpa to a nursing home in Vessia.

Grandpa was feeling better, Auntie Lena told him she’d never been to Zarathos for a trip.

So, Grandpa specifically brought Auntie Lena on vacation.

Although Grandpa and Auntie Lena never married.

But for so many years, Auntie Lena had carefully taken care of Grandpa’s daily needs, she could be considered her half-grandmother.

"Miss Thompson, look over here."

Anna pointed to the right side of the window, her tone carrying a hint of excitement: "That’s The Zenith Spire, the world’s tallest building. The light show at night is particularly stunning, many tourists specifically wait to see it."

Josephine looked in the direction she was pointing.

The giant tower of concrete and steel pierced the sky, its top nearly disappearing into the bright blue sky, with sunlight reflecting a dazzling luster off its glass facade.

She nodded lightly, lacking the mind to appreciate the view.

"Which hotel are Grandpa and Auntie Lena staying at?" she retracted her gaze and asked Anna.

"They booked a suite at The Sail Tower Hotel, Grandpa said the sea view there is good, Auntie Lena will definitely like it." Anna replied with a smile.

"They arrived this morning, just sent a message asking if you had arrived yet. They said you should rest at the hotel first and have dinner together in the evening."

Josephine responded with an "Uh-huh," her fingertips pausing on the phone screen, ultimately not dialing Julian’s number.

His grandmother was likely still in surgery.

At this time, it was better not to disturb him.

The car turned a corner.

The distant view of The Ostarine Gulf came into view, the sea as blue as a giant sapphire, blending with the sky, indistinguishable where one ended, and the other began.

Looking at the sea, Josephine suddenly remembered a time long ago. Nathaniel had also brought her to the seaside, he said then: "If you like the sea, I’ll bring you here every year."

Thinking about it now.

Only endless sighs and melancholy remain.

She gently pinched her brow, pushing down the memories surging up.

What’s in the past is past.

Like a book written to its final Chapter.

The curtain fell.

The car drove slowly around the city island.

Gradually deviating from the main city area.

Josephine frowned slightly, feeling something was off, "Anna, are we going to that hotel now?"

Anna turned back, smiling at her, "Didn’t I just tell you? We’re going to The Sail Tower Hotel."

Josephine’s frown deepened, she had stayed at The Sail Tower Hotel several times.

This route was completely wrong.

"...Uh~, driver, please stop for a moment. I’m feeling carsick, my stomach isn’t right."

She realized something was wrong.

But she dared not reveal it, only managing to keep calm by finding an excuse.

"...Sorry, we can’t stop here."

"If you’re carsick, I have some medication here."

Anna said, taking out a spray from her pocket.

Smiling, she turned to offer it to Josephine.

Josephine felt her chest tighten, continuing to make excuses, "I can’t use that, just stop for a bit, and I’ll be fine once I get some air."

After saying so.

She instinctively glanced at the rearview mirror, wanting to see if Jimmy and the others in their car had followed.

This glance made her even more flustered.

The car carrying Jimmy and the others had already been shaken off.

Two cars were now following, but they were not the ones that departed from the airport.

Boom!

Josephine’s brain exploded with awareness, instantly becoming alert.

She had been careless just now.

At the airport, she hadn’t checked Anna’s identity carefully, hastily getting into her car.

Of course, it wasn’t her neglect entirely.

When she talked to Grandpa on the phone, he also mentioned the person coming to pick her up was called Anna.

The name and car model, all matched.

"Uh, Anna, I’m really not feeling well, please stop quickly..." Josephine instinctively reached for her bag, intending to pull out a concealed weapon for self-defense.

Anna opened the spray in her hand, "This will make it better with just a spray."

Before Josephine could do the same.

Anna pressed the spray head several times.

A mildly fragrant scent wafted towards her.

Josephine barely sniffed it and hurriedly held her breath.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

It was a medical-grade anesthetic, just a single spray would knock someone out.

Josephine’s consciousness blurred, and she limply collapsed onto the car seat.

Anna’s expression changed, she immediately reported through her earpiece.

"We’ve successfully picked up Miss Thompson, expect to reach Arecace Island, Villa 9 in 15 minutes."

"Very good."

"Call the tail car, you can lose them now."

"OK."

Jimmy and the other four’s car.

Was just running, suddenly broke down.

The hood was emitting white smoke, stopping by the roadside.

"The car’s caught fire, get out quickly."

Jimmy immediately kicked the car door open, shouting to the three companions behind him.

The four had just stumbled out of the car when a muffled "boom" sounded from under the hood.

Flames shot up along with the white smoke, crackling in the dry hot wind.

"Damn it! It’s deliberate!" Drew punched the car door, his eyes anxiously looking toward the convoy ahead, "President Thompson and the others have already gone far!"

Jimmy stared hard at the black car carrying Josephine ahead, and the two strange vehicles following closely, his temple veins throbbing.

He quickly fished out his phone.

However, the signal became intermittent at this moment, the screen’s "calling" prompt flashing for ages.

He couldn’t reach Josephine’s phone at all.

"Location! Quickly check the real-time location of President Thompson’s car!" he shouted, his fingers swiftly sliding over his phone screen.

Drew had already opened the tracking software, but his expression was increasingly grim: "Signal cut! Blocked!"

Jimmy felt his heart sink, cold sweat instantly soaking his back.

When they left the airport, he already felt Anna’s smile seemed somewhat forced.

However, as soon as they exited the airport, they saw Anna and the others holding a sign to pick someone up.

Moreover, she seemed very familiar with Josephine and Elder Thompson’s affairs.

Anyone would think she was sent by Elder Thompson.

In hindsight.

From the convoy’s formation to the route deviation, to the car suddenly catching fire, it was clearly a well-planned trap.

"Contact the Zarathos police, and Mr. Grant!" Jimmy gritted his teeth and ordered.

"We’ll split up, you two stay here to handle the fire and cooperate with the police investigation, while Drew and I will catch a cab to chase! Even if we can’t catch up, we must let them know we haven’t been shaken off!"

The flames had already licked up to the car body, the heat wave rolling in fiercely.

Jimmy glanced one last time at the business car burning bright red, turned to the roadside to flag down a car with his palm clenched so tightly it was white.

He knew, President Thompson was probably already caught in the trap. And who was the one orchestrating all this? An opposing business rival targeting the Thornton family, or...he dared not delve deeper, only feeling his throat tighten, and every step as if treading on the tip of a knife.

In the distant traffic.

The car carrying Josephine sped up toward Arecace Island, its windows tightly shut, completely isolating the firelight and scorching heat outside from the world within.

...

Two hours later.

Josephine groggily awoke from her fainting state.

"Cough cough..."

Her mouth was very dry.

Her mind a blank, dizzy and aching.

"Cough, cough, water... so thirsty!"

Josephine Thompson took a while before she finally woke up.

She opened her heavy eyelids.

Above her was a luxurious chandelier with foreign elements.

"...Where is this place?"

Her brain exploded as she struggled to sit up.

She pulled back the quilt to get out of bed, and found her clothes had been removed.

"Ah~"

"Where are my clothes?"

Josephine froze, blood seemed to rush to her head, and in the next moment, it froze.

She instinctively pulled the silk sheet tightly around herself.

She looked around.

This was an extremely luxurious bedroom, beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows was azure seawater. Sunlight poured through the large windows, casting glaring spots on the floor.

But at this moment.

Even the most beautiful scenery became a death knell, swelling her fear like a tide.

"Where’s my bag? My phone?" Her voice trembled, her eyes scanned the room frantically.

The vanity was empty, and the bedside table held only a cup of cold water.

The phone and documents she put in her bag last night, along with the micro taser for self-defense, were all missing.

"Is anyone there?!" She shouted, her voice echoing in the empty room, yet there was no response.

She staggered to the door, grabbed the handle and twisted it forcefully.

The door was locked.

"Open the door! Let me out!" She pounded on the door with her fist, her fingers hurt badly, but the heavy wooden door remained unmoved.

Fear wrapped around her heart like a vine, tightening ever more.

What kind of person was Anna?

And Grandpa... would Grandpa and Auntie Lena also be in trouble?

Just as this thought emerged, she forcefully suppressed it. No, Grandpa is so cautious, he definitely wouldn’t be easily fooled like her.

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

Panicking now is useless, she had to find out where this place was and what the kidnapper intended.

She turned to look at the floor-to-ceiling window, only to realize it was specially made, impossible to open from the inside.

The door wouldn’t open.

She hesitated for a few seconds, then immediately turned and ran to the window.

She must leave this place quickly!

She just reached the window.

She anxiously searched for a window.

"Roar--"

A lion, entirely snow-white, suddenly appeared outside the window.

"Ah--"

Josephine screamed, instinctively retreating several steps.

The white lion stood outside the window, with its mouth agape, watching her closely. Its throat emitted a low growl, a warning full of intimidation.

Sunlight highlighted its snow-white mane, emitting a soft glow. But the sharp claws and subtly grinning mouth exposed the beast’s ferocity.

Josephine’s back pressed against the cold wall, her heart pounding like a drum, forgetting even the rhythm of her breath.

She’d never seen a lion up close, let alone such a rare white lion.

This was no pet, clearly her guard.

"Why is there a lion..." She was still frightened, and her fingertips felt cold.

More worried about whether the glass wall could withstand the lion.

And those who could keep such beasts in a private villa.

Their power and means were beyond her imagination.

All around the room, the walls were floor-to-ceiling windows.

She instinctively retreated to another wall.

A pitch-black panther growled at her with bared teeth.

"Hiss--"

Josephine’s heart twitched again, panic-stricken, pounding chaotically.

She turned to face yet another wall.

Sure enough.

More fierce beasts were kept there, two robust Bohemian Wolfhounds.

Clearly!

No matter where she ran, it was a dead end!

"What kind of place is this, someone, someone!"

"Bang bang bang!"

She used all her strength to bang the door, getting more frantic.

Unfortunately...

No matter how she shouted, no one responded, and no one came by.

"Someone, who are you? What do you want to do?"

Her mind was in chaos.

She didn’t know who had kidnapped her?

"Who could it be? Might it be Nathaniel Gallagher?"

Then again, it seemed impossible!

They met on the plane.

He looked at her like a stranger.

How could he possibly have exhausted his efforts to kidnap her here?

...

Night fell.

Finally, footsteps were heard at the door.

A servant dressed in the Khasran attire came in with a tray.

On the tray were food and water.

"Where is this place?"

"Who are you?"

The servant seemed unable to understand her, simply putting down the food and prepared to leave.

In desperation, Josephine reached out to stop him, her fingertips barely touching the servant’s sleeve.

The other jerked back as if burned, retreated quickly with head down, and the door clicked locked again.

The food on the tray was exquisite, the roast lamb glistening with oil. Complemented by colorful vegetable salads and a glass of bubbling fruit juice.

But seeing this, Josephine felt her stomach turn.

She had no appetite now, her mind was filled with the fierce beasts outside, and the safety of Grandpa and Auntie Lena.

Night deepened.

The villa’s exterior lights turned on, casting the shadows of the white lion and panther long against the glass like a bizarre painting.

"I can’t just wait for death." Josephine took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

She began to carefully inspect the bedroom, her gaze sweeping over the bookshelf, paintings, even the carpet’s patterns, trying to find anything useful.

The bookshelf was filled with foreign books, mostly on finance and architecture, seeming quite old.

She took down a heavy hardcover book.

Thinking to try and break the window, but weighing it in her hand, feared the noise would attract the beasts outside and put it back.

The mural on the wall depicted The Khasran desert scenery, she knocked at it, heard a solid dull sound, obviously no hidden mechanism.

When she was almost desperate.

Her eyes landed on the glass of water on the bedside table.

The crystal glass bore a small logo, a letter "G" entwined with vines.

That logo...

Josephine’s heart skipped fiercely.

She had seen the same mark in Nathaniel Gallagher’s private study.

It was the mark of a top winery he invested in abroad, only on his private use utensils.

Could it really be him?

This thought burst forth, only to be forcibly suppressed. No way, he seemed to ignore her on the plane, how could he suddenly do this?

But besides him, who else could have such financial resources and means, to buy such a villa on Arecace Island, keeping lions and panthers as guards? And who else knew her schedule, setting up such a meticulous trap?

Josephine clenched her fists, nails dug deep into her palm. If it truly was Nathaniel Gallagher, what did he want? Revenge on her, or...

Footsteps sounded again outside the door, heavier and steadier than the servant earlier.

Josephine stiffened into a corner, eyes glued to the door.

The sound of the unlocking door was exceptionally clear in the silent room.

The door was slowly pushed open.

A tall figure stood against the light from the hallway. Features obscured, yet carrying a familiar oppressive aura.

The person stepped in, the living room lights revealing cold hard contours on his face.

Dark eyes, straight nose, thin pressed lips...

It really was Nathaniel Gallagher.

Josephine’s breath abruptly ceased, heart seized as though by an invisible hand, fingertips turning cold.

He was dressed in a black shirt, sleeves rolled to the forearms, holding a wine glass.