Adrian's heart sank. He hadn't thought Bennett would uncover his identity so quickly and send out so many men to track him.

Adrian held his breath and slipped into a secluded hideout, waiting for those people to leave. Once they had left, he emerged cautiously.

Faced with the current dilemma, Adrian knew he couldn't use his original escape route, assuming the gate was probably blocked.

Desperate, he changed direction and headed toward the back garden of the beast's den, where he had been hiding for the past few days. He had been familiar with this place by now.

Among the vines, he had found a hidden pathway leading to the mountains behind.

Uncertain of how many knew about this passage, Adrian saw it as his only choice.

Staying within the manor controlled by Bennett would be increasingly risky. But once he reached the mountains, he believed he would be safe.

To ensure the mission's success, Holden's men had already positioned themselves in the mountains and made thorough preparations. Even if Bennett pursued Adrian into the mountains, Holden's people would still have an advantage.

Adrian evaded his pursuers skillfully and quickly found the entrance to the secret passage. He pushed aside the vines concealing the entrance and entered.

The situation was so urgent that he didn't have time to survey his surroundings. Little did he know, a concealed surveillance camera in the corner recorded his move as he entered the passage.

The secret passage was even darker than Adrian remembered. He pulled out his mobile phone for some light and tried to contact Holden via a wireless headset.

Adrian had been too preoccupied to update Holden earlier. Now, he intended to inform Holden that he had diverted his path and was now heading towards the back mountains through the secret passage.

Despite several attempts, he couldn't reach Holden and reluctantly gave up.

He believed this was likely due to the lack of signal in the secret passage. So he decided he would have to wait until he was outside.

Holden had his men stationed throughout the villa, so Adrian felt it shouldn't be too concerning. He hoped that by the time he reached the back mountains, he could find both Holden and Ariana there.

Comforted by this thought, Adrian continued onward.

After a considerable walk, he finally noticed a faint light ahead.

However, Adrian didn't rush towards the light. Instead, he grew more cautious, finding a spot to hide and covertly observe the area. He didn't dare to emerge until he was certain no one was at the exit.

Unexpectedly, just as he stepped out, a hand reached from behind and tapped his shoulder.

Meanwhile, Holden and Ariana had already left the main villa in their car, speeding towards the back mountains.