**Audrey's POV*

My words hung in the air, met with total silence. Only the wind rustling through leaves broke the stillness of the night.

In the darkness, I couldn't make out Blake's face clearly, but his breathing grew noticeably deeper.

*He's angry. But this is exactly the effect I wanted."

1 shifted on the tree stump, maintaining my distance. The night had forced us into unwanted closeness - his arms around me as we fled,our bodies pressed together in that hollow tree. All of it had been purely out of necessity.

*Earlier it was just the kidnapper and those drugs making me weak. That's why I needed his help.*

*Now that the danger's over and I've got my strength back, there's no reason to be near him, let alone create some intimate moment.*

*He helped me, and I'll repay him. That's all that can exist between us now.*

"Business concessions?" Blake finally broke the silence, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You think Knox Corporation has enough to repay what I did for you tonight?" he pushed, his tone hardening.

After another beat of silence, I turned toward him with a practiced smile.

"That depends on what you want," I said evenly. "When you were helping me, you must've had a price in mind. Name it. As long as it's reasonable,both our companies will agree."

**Blake's POV**

Her words hit me like a slap. I stared at her, my gaze sharp in the dim light,trying to read the woman sitting beside me.

*This woman has Audrey's face but speaks nothing like her!*

The businesslike tone, the cold negotiation - none of it matched the woman I knew. Even at her most distant, Audrey had never treated our interactions like a transaction.

*The Audrey I knew would never talk like this!*

I narrowed my eyes. Her features were identical to Audrey's, but the person behind them felt like a stranger.

She must have felt my scrutiny. Taking a deep breath, she stood up.

"Let's head toward the exit," she said, brushing off her dress. "The kidnapper might be gone by now."

I stayed seated, watching her silhouette against the night sky.

*This woman gives me the strangest feeling.*

*One second she seems exactly like Audrey, the next she's a complete stranger who happens to have her face.*

It wasn't just what she said that confused me - it was her instinctive reactions, how she'd relaxed against me in that hollow tree, yet now maintained this cold distance.

*I can't figure her out. Never been this confused by someone before.*

After a moment, I stood and followed her.

"Mrs. Knox, how long have you known Mr. Knox?" I asked, keeping my tone casual.

"Six years," she answered after a slight pause."′Wmet at school."

She turned slightly, her voice softening artificially. "Adrian ran the mountaineering club. I was a member."

"He organized a climb where I broke my leg," she said, her voice growing gentler. "He felt responsible, so he visited me in the hospital, took care of me. Over three months,we fell for each other."

"Enough," I cut her off. "Just asking casually. No need for all the details."

*Hearing Audrey's voice describe falling for another man is unbearable.

I quickened my pace, pushing ahead on the narrow path.

"Suddenly interested in my relationship with Adrian?" she called after me.her tone mocking.

I didn't look back. "I'm not."

**Rachel's POV**

Ten black SUVs cut through the night, headlights illuminating the winding road. I followed in the white car at the end, knuckles white on the steering wheel.

"It's just ahead!" Michael's voice came through the radio. "Sir's last cufflink is at the forest entrance two kilometers ahead."

"Ghw it. E'll keep up," I responded.

Kom the backseat, Astrid shouted at Adrian beaide her,′′I′m juat here for my Atend's cat? Give Snow back and f'll shut upl"

I checked the marview mirror, seeing Astrid's angry face and Adrian's stiff profile

"I know your wife's missing and you're worried, but - " Astrid continued.

The radio erackled, "Miss Hayes, everything okay there?" Michael asked,obviously hearing the commotion.

"We're fine. No major problems." I assured him.

"At least Astrid's staying within bounds," I thought. "Making nolse about the cat but not interfering with the search."

Adrian shifted in his seat, "Miss Wilson. I've said this already - I'm not giving Snow to anyone but her rightful owner."

His eyes narrowed. "Parker's not even bothering me about the cat anymore.What gives you the right?"

"T'm the cat owner's best friend!" Astrid snapped. "And I've said what I need to say."

′′IFyou don't return Snow today. I'm not leaving, You find your wife,I follow you home, You sleep at the hotel, I camp outside your door. I'II keep this up until you hand over that catl"

Adrian rubbed his face, clearly frustrated, then adjusted the radio.

"The vehicle ahead is likely the kidnapper's. Everyone be careful." he commanded,

"Yes!" the security team responded in unison.

I stopped behind the lead SUVs as they surrounded a beat-up panel van.Security approached with guns drawn.

I got out and saw a man on the ground, several weapons pointed at him.His face was bloody, terror evident in his eyes.

Adrian walked over. kicked the man's face, and grabbed his hair.

"Where have you hidden Evelyn?" he demanded, voice frighteningly calm.

The man's eyes widened before he laughed maniacally and pointed at me."Looking for your wife? Too bad, she ran off with her fiancé!"

Adrian's grip tightened, but the man kept taunting.

"You two - one looking for his fiancée, one for his wife? I drugged them both. They slept together in my truck!"

"After that, they realized they were each other's true love and eloped!" the man continued gleefully. "You've both been dumped! Why look for them?You two should hook up instead..."

Adrian's fist connected with the man's face. "Stop lying. Where are they?"

"They eloped!" the man insisted through bloody teeth.

At Michael's signal, a security member kicked the mnan's back. He howled but maintained his defiance.

"Let's see how many teeth you have left," Adrian said, striking him again. "After I knock them all out, will you tell the truth?"

The man spat blood, his earlier bravado gone.

"I'll tell you!" he begged. "They escaped into the forest! I saw them go in but was afraid of wild animals,so I came back!"

Adrian released him, wiping blood from his hands with a tissue. "Did you hear?"

I nodded, still processing what I'd witnessed. "I heard. Let's check the forest."

*After what Adrian just did, that man definitely isn't lying.*

Michael organized the team. "Two stay with him. The rest follow me!"

Adrian tossed away the bloodied tissue and looked toward Astrid and me."Let's go too."

I nodded, ready to head into the forest when Astrid grabbed my wrist.

"I'm coming with you." She leaned in close, whispering in my ear. "This Knox guy is freaking me out."

She glanced nervously at Adrian's back. "Why would you give Snow to someone like that? The man's a monster."

I opened my mouth to respond when Adrian spoke without turning around.

"Scared of me?" His voice was flat as he walked toward the trees."Don't worry. I save that treatment for people who hurt my wife or daughter."

He paused. "And I don't hit women."