Chapter 1623
Before Stella could process the situation, the kidnapper angrily hurled the phone into the river. "You lying bitch! How dare you
trick me?!"
Stella panicked. "I didn't lie to you! I wouldn't dare to deceive you when you're holding him hostage!"
Vermont was still on his way. The approaching vehicle was clearly not him.
'We're in the middle of nowhere. Who would venture here in the dead of night? Could it be that the police had tracked our
location?'
As the vehicle drew nearer, the kidnapper grew increasingly agitated. He held onto Keegan tightly, and his hands were trembling.
It was evident he was terrified that the approaching car might belong to law enforcement.
Keegan had lost a lot of blood at that point. He was ghastly pale and barely able to stand on his own.
Stella's heart ached for him. She feared that the kidnapper might impulsively push Keegan off the bridge. "I swear I didn't lie to
you! Please release him. He's too injured to escape. Use me as your hostage. Please..."
Keegan could not bear to hear her pleas. The last thing he wanted was to witness Stella bending over backward for him, and yet,
it had happened twice on this very day.
All of the kidnapper's attention was focused on the approaching vehicle. He stared intently at the illuminated area until the car
reached the bridge, and its engine fell silent.
Instinctively, he pressed down on Keegan's shoulder, preparing to act at any moment. At that critical moment, a woman's voice
sounded from the car. "Landon Havoc!"
The kidnapper's body tensed up, and he was in disbelief.
Shortly after, the door of the car swung open. A woman clad in a down jacket and slippers stepped out of the vehicle. She was
none other than the man's ex-wife.
By her side stood Marshall, donned in a black windbreaker, nearly blending into the night.
Hope ignited within Stella, and her eyes welled up with tears.
Marshall's gaze darkened when he saw the blood on Stella, and he instinctively felt guilty.
Landon grew increasingly agitated upon seeing Marshall and his ex-wife together. "You wretched woman! I knew you were in a
hurry to divorce me because you were cheating on me with another man!"
"I wasn't cheating on you!" The woman appeared genuinely afraid of him and spoke in a fearful manner. "I wasn't... He's my
lawyer. I only asked him to help me with the divorce case. I've told you many times that he's just my lawyer, but you didn't believe
me."
"Nonsense! You always come up with excuses to pacify me whenever you're with another man. Do you think I can't tell what's
going on? You've clearly been lying to me!"
Landon grew more and more restless. "Did I not treat you well? You've cheated on me ever since I fell ill. People now think I'm a
loser who can't keep his woman in check!"
"Why do you always trust what others say and not me?" The woman was growing emotional. "You believed them when they told
you I was involved with other men. You wouldn't even listen to my explanation. Which one of those so-called friends of yours
actually treats you with sincerity? They're all just using you for favors. How many of them came to visit you when you fell ill and
got demoted? They only think of you when alcohol is involved. They don't really care about you. You're just a form of
entertainment to them! They'd be thrilled to see you miserable!
"Look at you now. What have you become? They reveled in your misfortune the moment your situation came to light on the news
today. They even called my parents with feigned concern. They could not wait to learn how the once mighty man was reduced to
a wretched state!" the woman continued.
"Bullshit! I saw you coming out of a hotel with another man with my own eyes. Are you telling me that's fake?" Landon raged.
His ex-wife explained, "My friend came to Rivera for a business trip. He and his mentor are researching a topic related to your
condition. I was simply seeking his advice!"