CHAPTER 284: SHE HAS GONE MISSING

By a small store in a discreet street, a black Bentley was parked.

Inside the store, the staff members ran about, bringing exquisite boxes to the front table, one after another.

Every time they shifted more boxes to the table, they eyed the man sitting there.

Wrapped in a classic black suit and looking completely otherworldly, Adrian sat on a small bench by the wall, his eyes scanning across the boxes that were neatly arranged in front of him.

In all the boxes, there were various crocheted flowers, vibrant and beautiful.

Adrian slowly looked at each of them, his face not revealing the slightest shift.

It was hard to understand what Adrian was thinking, but Ji Yan surmised that the man did not like anything in this dilapidated store.

Hence, he leaned forward and whispered, "Second Master, if you don’t like anything here, why don’t we get Miss Yu some real flowers? I think girls like that better..."

"She doesn’t,’’ Adrian calmly said, his brows tugging together.

Ji Yan fell speechless.

It was already bizarre enough that his Second Master had stopped by a small store to buy flowers for Ella.

But now, he was insisting on buying crocheted flowers for her. Were all couples this unpredictable?

"Sir, are these not to your liking?" The store owner was a middle-aged man.

One look at Adrian, and they all knew that he was no ordinary man. Hence, the store owner and the staff members were extra cautious as well.

"Sunflowers," Adrian suddenly said, his indifferent gaze tracing across the crocheted roses.

"Sir wants sunflowers! Quick, go!" The store owner perked up as he ordered his people.

Right after, he turned to Adrian, "Sir, you are in luck. Our craftsmen recently crocheted a beautiful box of sunflowers..."

Once the box was presented, Adrian took one glance at it and slowly nodded, satisfied.

Holding the box carefully, Adrian left the place, followed by Ji Yan.

Inside the car, Ji Yan peeked at Adrian from the rearview mirror. And even though it wasn’t obvious, one could feel the spring air wrapped around the man as he held the box of crocheted sunflowers close to him.

Relieved, Ji Yan opened his mouth to ask, "Second Master, where to...?"

Adrian paused, "Eve Mansion.’’

"Yes," Ji Yan had just stepped on the accelerator when—

’Ringggg’

Ji Yan answered the call and in no time, his face paled.

"S-Second Master, when Miss Yu was leaving the Eve Mansion earlier this evening, the hidden guards found her actions a bit suspicious..."

Adrian’s gaze lifted from the box of crocheted flowers as he looked up at Ji Yan.

"So, they went against your orders and followed her to ensure that nothing was wrong. They couldn’t see the driver but the cab was very suspicious and soon..."

"Speak," Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

"The car disappeared." Ji Yan gulped, "Miss Yu is missing!"

...

Behind the underground garage of King Empires, a queue of mysterious men strode towards a small door.

The door opened, revealing a vast IT room hidden behind it.

The moment the door closed, the people looked at each other and saw the same confusion on each other’s face.

"Do you think somebody is breaching the security walls of King Empires?"

"It’s not possible..."

"They have an IT team designated to deal with those trifles."

"We wouldn’t be summoned at this hour if the matter was not as contrived."

"The President will be here anytime soon..."

Just as the person had finished speaking, the door was slammed open.

Adrian stepped inside, wrapped in a storm. His eyes were the darkest shade of red, and his entire aura reeked of a bloodthirst.

Ji Yan hurriedly stepped forward, "The Second Master wants you to track someone down, right this instant!"

Every minute was like a torment from there. There seemed to be an invisible pressure building upon everyone from that moment.

Adrian did not say anything yet it seemed like he would tear the place down.

Still, the team of professionals got on with their jobs while Ji Yan stepped to the side, making calls to inquire the people in the Eve Mansion.

Suddenly, Adrian turned to leave.

"Second Master!"

Adrian’s footsteps did not falter even as Ji Yan called out to him. And from where he stood, Ji Yan caught the faint glimmer of cold metal shifting in Adrian’s hand.

A gun!

Ji Yan was about to chase after the man when the men in the room shifted.

"Secretary Ji, the network is inconsistent but we have managed to track the person!" One of the men from the secret IT team stood, "However, if we delay too long then I am afraid their location would shift again. Tracking them down wouldn’t be as easy..."

Ji Yan immediately turned to the monitors and looked at the spot where Ella was tracked.

But the moment he saw it, his brows tugged together, "This place..."

At this moment, Ji Yan’s phone exploded. The moment he stepped aside to answer the call, his face paled.

"What? Second Master has summoned all the elite teams stationed in every country?!"

...

Adrian drove aimlessly, recklessly through the huge roads.

In one hand, he gripped his gun. While his other hand was positioned on the steering wheel.

He stopped the car near the Yu Mansion, his gaze monitoring every detail before he concluded that Ella wasn’t there.

Then the Hill Manor.

Ambrose Mansion.

Every place they had been to, together.

Every place Ella was connected with, Adrian went there.

She is gone...

She is gone...

Someone took her away...

The words slithered in his brain like poisonous arrows and his heart twisted.

Adrian stepped on the accelerator, taking a sudden turn. And right at this moment, the ringing of his phone pierced through his car.

"Second Master..." Ji Yan’s panicked voice rang out inside the car, "Please come back soon. It’s not safe for you to be alone out there. In a few days, the King Empires’ Annual Event will be held. Vermilion City is not safe..."

"Where is she?" Adrian cut the man off, his voice frosty.

There was a pause on the other side before Ji Yan said, "Miss Yu has been located, Second Master. I am heading there but please retract the elite forces... We cannot..."

...

’Beep beep beep’

After Ji Yan informed Adrian of Ella’s location, he couldn’t get through to the man no matter how many times he tried to call him.

Ji Yan glanced at his phone as he pulled the car in front of the secluded beach.

The place was enshrouded in darkness. If not because of the information provided by the secret team, Ji Yan would not have believed Ella would be here in a place like this.

Ji Yan crossed the sidewalks and stepped into the beach.

At a little distance, some warm lights caught his attention.

When he approached the place, he spotted Ella standing in the center.

There was a round table in front of her, sheers flew around the beautiful arches, the sound of a distinct piano floated in the distance...

And in the center of the round table, there was a small cake... A birthday cake...

"Why is it you?" Ella stood up from the chair the moment she spotted Ji Yan.

Yet the moment she saw Ji Yan, Ella realized that something was amiss.

Ji Yan looked terrified and his face was abnormally pale as he rushed towards Ella, "Miss Yu, what is this?" He pointed at the decoration around Ella.

Ella blinked slowly, "It is Adrian’s birthday today so..."

When Ji Yan heard that, he nearly lost his balance.

"Miss Yu, the Second Master never celebrates his birthday. On this day, he doesn’t like to hear anyone even mentioning it!" Ji Yan trembled as he spoke, "The Second Master would be here in no time. I will help you take these arrangements down..."

As he spoke, he started yanking the sheers down...

"Wait!" Ella bypassed the man and stood in front of him, "What do you mean by taking it down? It has taken me days to prepare for this! You can’t just take it down...’’

Ji Yan almost burst into tears when he heard that, "Miss Yu, you don’t get it... If the Second Master saw this..."

"Days?"

A deep voice overshadowed Ji Yan’s panic, making both the people freeze.

When Ella turned, she spotted Adrian standing at a little distance. His eyes resembled a shade of crimson and his body emanated a cold aura.