Chapter 280

The narrow alleyway was shadowed by tall buildings, casting long dark shapes across the cracked pavement. At the far end, a group of men stood waiting, their figures silhouetted against the dim streetlight.

As Evelyn Carter and Vanessa Hart approached, the men shifted, their attention locking onto them.

"Which one's Evelyn?" one of them muttered, squinting.

"How the hell should I know?" another snapped.

Vanessa's eyes darted toward Evelyn, then she quickly pointed. "That's her! That's Evelyn!"

Evelyn's blood ran cold. She turned sharply, disbelief twisting her features. "Are you insane? I'm not Evelyn! She is!"

The men advanced, their heavy boots scraping against the pavement. Evelyn's pulse spiked. This was spiraling out of control.

Idiots. How could they mistake me for her?

"I'm not Evelyn!" she shouted, desperation sharpening her voice.

A sudden, brutal impact struck the back of her skull. Darkness swallowed her before she could even gasp.

Relief flickered through Vanessa—until one of the men grunted, "Take her too. Just in case we grabbed the wrong one. One of them has to be the right one."

Vanessa barely had time to think of running before rough hands seized her. The world went black.

Darkness swallowed Evelyn's vision as a rough hood was yanked over her head. Strong arms shoved her into the back of a van, the door slamming shut with a metallic clang.

The vehicle lurched forward, jolting her body with every turn. After what felt like hours, the hood was finally torn away, revealing the dim interior of a decaying factory.

Rusted machinery and broken crates littered the space, the air thick with dust and the scent of mildew.

Evelyn's pulse spiked.

She knew this place.

Three years ago, Ethan had found Vanessa here.

A sharp gasp drew her attention.

Vanessa sat beside her, wrists bound, eyes blazing with fury.

"Are you all blind?" she shrieked, thrashing against her restraints. "I'm not Evelyn! She is!"

Her voice bounced off the crumbling walls, drawing irritated glances from the men playing cards nearby.

One of them, a burly figure with a scarred cheek, stood abruptly and backhanded her.

"Shut your mouth," he growled. "You're ruining my luck."

Vanessa recoiled, stunned.

Her mind raced.

Damian hired absolute morons. How could they mistake me for her?

"Bring Damian here!" she demanded, voice trembling with rage. "He'll make you regret this!"

The men ignored her, returning to their game as if she hadn't spoken.

Evelyn stayed silent, scanning the room for any sign of weakness.

But Vanessa wasn't done.

"Listen to me, you fools!" she spat. "Do you even know who you're working for?"

Another man, this one with a cigarette dangling from his lips, sighed and flicked ash onto the floor.

"Boss said to grab the blonde. That's what we did."

Vanessa's face twisted in disbelief.

Unbelievable.

She was going to kill Damian for this.

"Damian, huh?"

The brute sneered, his lips curling into a cruel smirk. "Who the hell is Damian? That loser owes our boss a mountain of debt. He crawls at our feet—wouldn’t even qualify to lick our boots clean."

Vanessa’s breath hitched, her pulse roaring in her ears. The realization struck her like a physical blow.

"You—you’re not Damian’s men?"

"Not a chance in hell."

The leader stepped forward, the jagged scar across his cheekbone catching the dim light. The cobra inked on his forearm seemed to coil tighter as he flexed his muscles.

Vanessa’s stomach twisted.

This isn’t about Damian at all.

They had mistaken her for Evelyn.

"Then who are you?"

A phone was shoved into her trembling hands.

"Unlock it. Call your man. Tell him to gather twenty million in cash—untraceable bills. No tricks."

The pieces clicked into place.

She wasn’t just taken—she’d been sold.

Damian had traded her like collateral, and now these vultures saw a golden opportunity.

Evelyn’s name was the key to a fortune.

And Vanessa?

She was the unlucky bait.

Vanessa was genuinely terrified now—this wasn't some staged drama. She had never been in real danger before.

All she had wanted was to teach Evelyn a lesson, to make her suffer just a little. But now, she was trapped in this nightmare alongside her.

The sting of the slap still burned on her cheek, and the uncertainty of what came next made her hands tremble. Without hesitation, she snatched up the phone and dialed Ethan.

Evelyn watched, her expression icy and detached.

This is perfect, Evelyn thought. Vanessa finally bit off more than she could chew. These aren’t Damian’s men—this situation has spiraled beyond her control. At least she’s the one losing her mind right now, not me.

Outside, the sky darkened unnaturally fast. It was barely five, but winter nights swallowed daylight whole. Shadows stretched long and ominous, creeping closer with every passing second.