Chapter 785


    The crimson hues of the sunset outside retreated, giving way to the twilight.


    The light atop the mountain gradually dimmed, and a chilly evening wind blew.


    With an unperturbed demeanor, Charles stood unmoving on the mountaintop, bracing against the


    breeze.


    The engine roars of five helicopters grew increasingly loud, deafening, and intimidating. Yet, Charles


    remained stationary, silently awaiting the helicopters tond.


    Soon, the cabin door opened, and Cedrick, d in a dark military coat and boots, descended the cabin


    stairs with a stern look on his face.


    Almost instantly, the two men locked gazes from afar.


    Immediately afterward, Nico also disembarked from the helicopter. He breathed a sigh of relief upon


    seeing Charles. Luckily he didn’t flee and obediently came to meet us. I suppose there is more to the


    situation than meets the eye. Thank goodness. I don’t have to endure punishment when we get back.


    “Mr. Jenson, don’t you think this is a little over the top, leading over a dozen armed subordinates here?


    Others who don’t know better may think I’m a criminal.” Charles smirked.


    Cedrick red at Charles, not bothering to beat around the bush with thetter, and cut to the chase.


    “Is Gwendolyn here with you?”


    Charles smiled faintly and corrected him halfheartedly. “This is not my territory. All I did was locate her.”


    Toward the end of his statement, he spoke in a knowing tone and arched his brow mischievously.


    “Cedrick, I got lucky this time, finding her before you did. If she chooses me this time, will you let go of


    her?”


    Cedrick frowned with murderous intent and rage churning in his eyes.


    Striding forward in his military boots, he angrily grabbed Charles’ shirt cor and uttered furiously, “If


    you dare covet her, I don’t mind giving you another taste of the unbearable life in a high-security


    prison.”


    Charles met his gaze, and the two entered a stalemate for a few seconds before Charles gave in by


    shing a smile. “I’m just kidding. Don’t take it seriously, Mr. Jenson. If I had genuinely wanted to


    possess Gwen, I would’ve destroyed all means of contact, cut all ties with all of you, and prepared a


    large sum of money to take her overseas to a less developed nation. Once we’re out of the country,


    even Federal Bureau of Investigation, with its mighty abilities, would find it challenging and time-


    consuming to track us down. Don’t you agree, Mr. Jenson?”


    Cedrick narrowed his eyes and fell silent.


    Seeing Charles voluntarily receiving the helicopters, he knew Charles didn’t have the guts to hide


    Gwendolyn.


    Moreover, Charles used to be the director of Central Intelligence Agency. If he had truly wanted to go


    into hiding, it would indeed be tough to track him down.


    Nevertheless, Charles harbored selfish motives, so Cedrick still thought poorly of him.


    “You should’ve contacted me as soon as you found her and brought her back safely rather than


    keeping it a secret. Charles, I know exactly what tricks you’re trying to pull.”


    Charles didn’t refute.


    He admitted he indeed had selfish intentions, wanting to seek closure for his decade-long obsession.


    However, that was provided Gwendolyn was willing to give him a chance to do so.


    Initially, he nned to take her away as long as she was willing to ept him, even if it meant bearing


    a criminal charge, being surrounded and intercepted by Federal Bureau of Investigation, and having to


    live as an absconder for the rest of his life. He wanted to gamble that once. What a pity.


    Suppressing the hint of disappointment shing across his eyes, Charles said with a double entendre,


    “I wanted to bring her back, but I could only do that if she’s willing toe with me.”


    Cedrick knitted his brows. “What do you mean by that?”


    “You’ll understand when you see her.” Charles smirked again with an inscrutable, profound look in his


    eyes. Gwendolyn is different now. She’s reluctant to choose me, but I think she won’t necessarily pick


    Cedrick either.


    The rest of the armed personnel were ordered to stay put. Charles led Cedrick and Nico down the


    mountain path.


    Cedrick noticed the billowing smoke from a cooking fire rising from a simple tiled house a hundred


    meters away. Err… Have Gwendolyn and Charles been spending time alone in that house?


    Fury surged within him instantly. His wrath burned more fiercely than the stove inside the humble


    house. He reached to his lower back and drew his sidearm in one swift motion.


    Cedrick loaded the magazine, chambered a round, and pressed the muzzle against the back of


    Charles’ head.


    Hearing the noise, Charles stopped short and turned around. Instead of cowering at the sight of the


    gun, he merely felt confused. “What are you doing?”


    Cedrick clenched his jaw and uttered threateningly through gritted teeth, “I’ll give you onest chance


    toe clean. Are you sure you didn’t do anything to Gwendolyn during the four days you’ve spent


    alone with her in this isted ce?”


    Charles chuckled. “You’re falsely using me. I didn’t get the chance to spend time alone with her.


    Hurry up and put away your gun. Hide it better to avoid frightening them.”


    His words implied there were other people in the house.


    Cedrick’s hardened expression rxed significantly. He holstered his gun, hiding it behind his waist


    under his shirt. Then, he pulled his coat closer, concealing the weapon perfectly.


    In less than two minutes, the three men stood outside the courtyard of the hut.


    Through the low mud wall, Cedrick immediately spotted a familiar slender figure sitting under the eaves


    on a low stool. She held a pea pod in her delicate, fair hands, carefully and gracefully picking out the


    green peas from inside. Due to her innate elegance, she appeared captivating even in simple attire.


    Her exquisite countenance bore a casual smile as she chatted leisurely with an older woman by the


    entrance.


    At that moment, tears welled up in his reddened eyes. I’ve finally found her, the woman I’ve been


    missing dearly and had disappeared for the past ten days.


    Intense emotions washed over him, but the feelings quickly turnedplicated. She’s not hurt, so why


    didn’t shee home? She didn’t contact me either. Is she nning to abandon her family? Is she


    casting Benny, Zendy, and me aside?


    Pangs crept into his heart, and the pain spread throughout his body, causing even his fingers, hidden


    beneath the sleeves of his coat, to tremble.


    Nico took in the changes in Cedrick’s mood. He sighed inwardly with worry.


    Charles appeared the mostposed. He pushed open the small wooden gate of the courtyard.


    “Megan, Gwen, I’m back.”


    Megan, the older woman, and Gwendolyn both turned around in unison.


    However, Gwendolyn immediately noticed the distinguished man beside Charles first. The tall man was


    d in a military uniform and had a strikingly attractive appearance.


    The dim light of the setting sun perfectly concealed the dark circles under his eyes, formed due to days


    of unrest.


    Gwendolyn stared at him in a daze. Even from a distance, she could see the man’s red-rimmed and


    teary eyes, making him look as if he was sumbing to an indescribable sorrow.


    Her heart inexplicably ached for him. She lowered her eyes to hide her slight astonishment.


    When she looked up again, a faint smile spread across her countenance. Gwendolyn turned to Charles


    and said teasingly, “So, this is the guests you were talking about? They’re quite handsome. The sight of


    you three standing together is quite pleasing to the eyes.”


    As soon as Cedrick heard that, his pupils constricted and his chest tightened. A sense of suffocation


    overwhelmed him. Gwendolyn doesn’t recognize me?


    Nico was equally surprised but more concerned about his boss’ condition. He hastily grasped the


    latter’s arm to support him as he was afraid that Cedrick would copse from the shock and built-up


    weariness.


    Seemingly having expected their astounded reactions, Charles arched his brow and stepped into the


    courtyard, replying to Gwendolyn with a smile, “Yes. However, I still think I’m the best-looking one.”


    Gwendolyn propped up her chin with one hand, her eyes flitting between the three men as she


    scrutinized them. In the end, she rested her gaze on Cedrick. “It’s not the same. You’re good-looking.


    He’s stunning.”


    She had said something simr in the bar at Faike once. That day, she also mentioned that if she


    had to choose between Cedrick and Charles, she would pick Cedrick.


    The two men remembered that incident.


    As if he was enjoying the drama, Charles raised his eyebrows again and probed further, “In that case,


    do you prefer the stunning or good-looking one? If you had to choose one of us as your future


    husband, who would you opt for?”


    Cedrick clenched his fists, feeling his blood run cold and a chill traveling down his spine.


    He riveted his reddened eyes on Gwendolyn’s face.


    Nervousness and unease churned within him.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Still, he couldn’t help but anticipate her answer.