His Toxic Addiction-Chapter 407: Is your neck bare?

As Nicklaus stepped into his hotel room, exhausted from the long flight and grueling business meetings, he couldn’t wait to kick off his shoes, collapse onto the bed and speak to his wife.

However, before he could even set down his briefcase, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

He pulled it out, expecting it to be one of his assistants or perhaps a text from Arissa. But instead, the caller ID displayed a number he didn’t recognize.

"Nicklaus," he answered, his voice firm and authoritative.

"Mr. Nicklaus, we have your wife," a low, gravelly voice said on the other end of the line.

Nicklaus’s eyes narrowed at the caller’s straightforwardness. "Who is this?" he demanded.

"You don’t need to know who I am, Mr. Wyatt. What you need to know is that we have Arissa, and if you want to see her again, you’ll do exactly as we say." A frown could be heard from his voice. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

Nicklaus’s grip on the phone tightened, his knuckles white with tension. "What do you want?" he growled.

"We want you to back off the deal with the China Corporation," the voice replied. "Give your shares to Mr. Rhodes and Edward. Back off, and we’ll return your wife to you unharmed."

Nicklaus’s eyes flashed with anger, but he kept his cool, knowing that losing his temper would only put Arissa in greater danger. "I’ll do what you say," he lied, stalling for time. "But I need proof that Arissa is safe."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, Nicklaus wondered if he’d lost the connection. But then, he heard Arissa’s faint voice in the background, calling out his name.

"Nicklaus...."

His heart skipped a beat as he recognized the fear and desperation in her voice. He knew he had to act fast to save her.

"I’ll do it," he repeated, trying to keep his tone neutral. "Just don’t hurt her." This time, he meant every word he said.

"Arissa," he called. "Arissa, can you hear me?" Nicklaus shouted, when Arissa didn’t answer to her name. His soul left him for a minute.

"Yes," Arissa replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Arissa, I need you to stay calm, okay? I’m going to do everything I can to get you back safe," Nicklaus said, choosing his words carefully.

Arissa sobbed lightly. She placed a hand on her bloated stomach, and her voice cracked as she spoke, "I’m sorry, Nicklaus. I was so stupid. I shouldn’t have..."

"Arissa, stop. This isn’t your fault." Nicklaus interrupted, trying to reassure her. "I’m coming," he whispered.

Nicklaus sent a quick message to his team, and instructed them to track the blue pendant necklace he had given her, which had a secret tracker embedded in it.

"Is your neck bare?" he questioned, swallowing lightly as he inwardly prayed she didn’t take off the necklace.

Before Arissa would reply, the phone was taken from her. Nicklaus clenched his fist when he heard her slight yelp. His heart beat aggressively in his chest, and it was as if the world was closing in on him.

"We’ll be in touch," the kidnapper sneered, before hanging up the phone.

As Nicklaus stood in his hotel room, his mind racing with thoughts of Arissa’s safety, he suddenly heard a knock at the door. He hesitated for a moment, wondering who it could be, before cautiously making his way to the door.

He peered through the peephole and frowned lightly when he saw two men standing in the hallway. One of them was Victor, bodyguard to a business rival he had been dealing with for months. But it was the other man who caught his attention.

He was tall, with a menacing presence, and half of his face was badly burned. Nicklaus recognized him.

Logan! He presumed Logan dead after a fire ravaged his warehouse. Taking in a low breath, Nicklaus joined the door.

Logan’s eyes seemed to bore into Nicklaus’s soul as he smiled, revealing crooked teeth. "Nicklaus," he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "It’s been a long time."

Victor stepped aside, a smug look on his face, as Logan pushed his way into the room. Nicklaus backed away, his eyes fixed on the gun that Logan was now pointing at him.

"You’ve been a thorn in my side for far too long, Nicklaus," Logan sneered, his burned skin twisting into a grotesque grimace. "You’ve ruined my business, destroyed my reputation... and now, you’re going to pay the price."

Nicklaus kept his eyes locked on the gun, his mind racing with thoughts of Arissa and the baby. He knew he had to stay calm, to think of a way to get out of this situation alive.

"It’s over, Nicklaus," Logan spat, his finger tightening on the trigger. "The moment I kill you, everything will be mine. Your business, your wealth... your wife."

Nicklaus’s eyes flashed with anger at the mention of Arissa, he sighed, knowing that one wrong move could be fatal. He was trapped, with no clear way out.

He has come a long way with Arissa to just end it all by dying here.

Nicklaus eyes him. "You’re not here to talk, are you?" His eyes moved over to Victor, "What’s your errand?"

Logan’s eyes seemed to gleam with a malevolent intensity as he pointed to the burnt part of his face. "Do you remember when you asked Adam to do this?" he spat, his voice dripping with venom.

Nicklaus’s eyes locked onto Logan’s, his gaze steady and unwavering. But as he opened his mouth to speak, his voice caught in his throat. He cleared his throat, and said, "I had no idea,"

For a moment, his composure slipped, and a flicker of emotion danced in his eyes. It was a subtle crack in his usual nonchalant facade, but it was enough to reveal the turmoil brewing beneath the surface.

Logan’s eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing as he searched for any sign of weakness. But Nicklaus quickly regained his composure, his mask of indifference slipping back into place.

"I’m sorry to hear that, Logan," Nicklaus said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "But I’m not responsible for Adam’s actions. You know as well as I do that he was a loose cannon."

Nicklaus’s tone was bold, his words laced with a hint of disdain. But his eyes told a different story. They betrayed a glimmer of concern, a hint of fear that he couldn’t quite conceal.

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