Stella knew he was fibbing. At a high-profile event like this, staff would certainly be well-versed in their roles, especially those assigned to the backstage area, prepared to field any question from the guests.
Choosing her battles wisely, she let it slide for the moment. “No worries, the show’s about to start anyway. I’ll head out front to watch. And could you apologize to Mr. Archer for me?”
As Stélla and Bella turned to make their exit, the man’s demeanor shifted abruptly. He lunged forward, his hand slicing through the air toward Stella’s neck with a menacing swoosh.
Alert and poised, Stella dodged the swift attack with a nimble sidestep.
Grasping the severity of their predicament, Stella seized Bella’s hand and they dashed back along the path they had come.
Bella, overwhelmed and realizing her slower pace, pleaded with Stella. “You run ahead, Stella, and get Bennett and Sanford to help.”
Stella tightened her grip, her resolve clear. “No, I can’t leave you here by yourself. We don’t know what they’re up to, and I won’t let you face this danger alone.”
Despite their efforts, the man was too quick, his training apparent.
He closed in rapidly, his hand raised to strike again, targeting the napes of both their necks.
A sudden darkness enveloped Stella and Bella as they slipped into unconsciousness.
With alarming ease, the man hoisted both of them over his shoulders and ascended the stairs.
Lindsay crouched low, hidden in the thick bushes, her heart racing as she watched everything unfold in front of her.
She was still rattled, trying to process what she’d stumbled upon. She and Pamela had left together earlier, but somehow, they’d Lost each other along the way.
Then she’d heard a scream. Without thinking, she followed it, never imagining she’d find Stella caught up in something so terrifying.
Lindsay’s mind buzzed with questions. Could Howard, embarrassed and furious, have gone this far? Did he really send someone to kidnap Stella and teach her a Lesson?
Fueled by curiosity, Lindsay knew she had to find out the truth.
Inside a lounge, Sanford sat on the couch, his eyes following Kinsey, who was carefully setting up the tools he’d need for the hypnosis.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. A bodyguard opened it, and Sanford’s expression shifted as he saw Stella and Bella, unconscious and slumped in the staff member’s arms. Sanford jumped to his feet, his voice sharp. “What did you do to them?”
The staff member, speaking respectfully, replied, “Mr. Quimby, Stella was too smart for her own good. She sensed something wasn’t right. I had to knock them out.”
Kinsey, not bothered by this, just waved it off. “It’s fine. Bring them over here quickly. We’re running out of time.”
Just as Kinsey was about to begin the hypnosis, he felt a sudden blow to the back of his head. He didn’t have time to react before everything went black, and he collapsed.
In his last moment of awareness, he caught sight of several men dressed in black, leaping through the window. Within seconds, they took positions, ready for a standoff.
Sanford glanced at Kinsey’s limp body on the floor. Walking over to him, he knelt down and whispered, “Take it easy. Everything is falling into place.”
Sanford’s men were trained for situations like this, ruthless and precise.