His suspicions were right when several crocodiles surfaced, staring at him.
Obviously, Zayden had planned this as a trap.
He must have set it up well in advance.
A wooden bridge was above the water, providing a direct path to the warehouse door.
Holden paused for a brief second before stepping onto the bridge.
As Holden set foot on it, Zayden emerged on the warehouseâs upper level, megaphone in hand, and yelled, âStop! Let the game begin.
â
Zaydenâs appearance had taken on an even more sinister cast.
He stood on the rooftop with one foot daringly poised over the edge and a cigarette dangling from his lips.
His hair looked longer and unkempt, and his expression was dark.
As the sun peeked through the clouds, it cast shadows on Zaydenâs face, making him look gloomy.
A faint stubble grazed his chin, adding to his rugged demeanor.
Although his posture hinted at melancholy, his eyes sparkled with an unmistakable excitement at the scene before him.
The rooftop, as high as six stories, was bordered by a dilapidated fence that exposed the crumbling concrete beneath his feet.
Each step Zayden took caused pieces of cement to tumble into the water below, agitating the crocodiles lurking within.
Yet, the prospect of falling did not seem to concern him.
Instead, he was in a good mood to chat with Holden.
âYou know, back when Aldus was still around, we got on rather well, my dear cousin.
Do you remember what your favorite animal was back then?â Zayden asked with a smirk.
âNo,â Holden responded curtly, clearly uninterested in reminiscing.
âYou want to get back at me, right? Let the children go.
Take whatever you want, even if itâs my life.
â
âWhat?â Zayden exclaimed, amused by Holdenâs suggestion.
Leaning perilously over the edge, he mocked, âAre you serious? Itâs too late, Holden.
Youâve already forced my hand.
You should have considered the consequences before provoking me.
â
âIs it too late?â Holden looked at Zayden calmly.
âIf I die, the inheritance could go to your unborn child.
â
âSo, youâre certain the child Sadieâs carrying is mine.
â Zayden squinted.
âYour story has too many loopholes, and your acting is subpar.
â
Holden scoffed, âI canât even pretend to not know the truth.
â
As the two stood in silence, Zayden looked down at Holden with cold eyes.
âHolden, do you think Iâm stupid?â he sneered, flicking ash from his cigarette and exhaling a plume of smoke.
âIf you die, your heir is Melon.
You have no legal ties to Ariana, but I suspect youâve made secret arrangements, havenât you?â
Holden pressed his lips together, realizing Zayden was smarter than he had anticipated.
âSo, if both of you were gone, no one could stop me.
â Zayden laughed, spreading his arms wide.
Holdenâs expression darkened at the implication.
Suddenly, Zayden snapped his fingers, and crane arms extended from either side of the rooftop.
Adele and Melon were tied to the arms.