Just then, another man's voice reached Melon through the phone, and the call abruptly ended.

Holden immediately remembered the man he saw with Ariana at the mall the other day.

His presence at Ariana's house, coupled with his close ties to Melon, sent an unsettling shiver down Holden's spine. Nevertheless, the primary objective was that they had to find Ariana.

Sensing the urgency in his boss's demeanor, Shawn activated the discreet search network of the Fredrick family. It didn't take long for them to uncover a lead.

"Mr. Fredrick, the most recent location we have is near an underground bar," Shawn reported as he placed surveillance photos on Holden's desk. He also shared details about Tom's recent involvement in a drug scandal.

“This underground bar has connections to Rollingrock Media. Our investigation strongly indicates a kidnapping, and Carl appears to be the mastermind behind it all. He orchestrated the abduction of Miss Edwards and Tom, Our latest information points to a location near this warehouse." As he spoke, Shawn marked the warehouse's position on a digital map for Holden to see.

"Send me where it is located," Holden demanded, ready to take his leave. But Shawn caught up to him and expressed his concern.

"Mr. Fredrick, do you intend to go there?"

"Absolutely." Holden responded with a cold tone and grabbed his car keys so he could be on his way.

Shawn blocked Holden's path and cautioned, “Mr. Fredrick, it might not be wise for you to personally get involved. This situation doesn't directly concern us, and your intervention could draw unwanted attention. Also, we should put Miss Pierre's situation into consideration."

Holden paused for a moment.

He took a moment to compose himself and let go of the door handle.

Shawn had a valid point. No matter what, he shouldn't personally interfere in this issue. Acting on impulse and losing control over a woman wasn't the right course of action for him.

Inside the warehouse, Ariana and Tom relied on the faint light to keep track of time. The man who had taken them gave them no food, and their strength waned.

He had been closely watching them, and it appeared that his next move was approaching. After checking their restraints, he momentarily left to get himself some food.

Ariana knew they couldn't allow this chance to go to waste. She signaled to Tom to pick up a sharp shard of debris from the floor, and they commenced cutting each other's bindings.

Fortunately, the warehouse's floor was covered in gravel, and after some strenuous effort, they successfully freed themselves from the ropes. But they had a single exit - a metal door which was firmly locked.

Ariana looked around the room and pointed to the only window in it.

It was barred with welded bars.

With Tom's assistance, she climbed up and began to hit the window with a stone. Ultimately, they managed to break the glass.