“Fuck off!" Lying on the ground, Zayden screamed, "I really can't reach them! But it's not too late. We haven't been at this for long, there's still time to stop them! If you keep torturing me, it'll be too late!"

Theodore's expression eased, and he lifted his foot. Simultaneously, he flashed Horace a signal with his eyes.

Getting the message, Horace hoisted the battered Zayden, dumping him into the car.

Slamming the door shut, he hit the accelerator, the car roaring towards the manor.

In the Blue Night Manor, Ariana clutched her phone, attempting to get a signal. She experimented with different angles and heights, scouring every corner of the room, but to no avail.

Her heart sank, and a vague suspicion crept into her mind.

Even if the signal at the power room was poor, it seemed unlikely that she couldn't even make emergency calls. The men outside must have been hired by someone, perhaps equipped with a signal jamming device.

“Bitch, open the door quickly," their voices penetrated the door, accompanied by crude and menacing words.

"We can make you happy. Otherwise, when we come in, you won't be able to afford it!"

Unfazed by their threats, Ariana dismissed their words. Few people frequented this area at this time of night, and even if she made more noise, no one would come to her aid.

It was wiser to conserve her energy.

Fortunately, the fire door was sturdy, and it was unlikely that they possessed the tools necessary to breach it. They wouldn't be able to break in for a while, ensuring a temporary respite of safety within the room.

Now, it became a test of patience.

In this moment of relative calm, Ariana regained her composure. She found a flat surface to sit on and contemplated the identities of the people orchestrating this assault.

Initially, she had assumed they were common thieves seeking money or intending to harm her. If they couldn't capture her, they might abandon their pursuit.

However, the situation appeared more complex than that.

Furrowing her brow, Ariana pondered.

Could Jasper and Brielle have sent them? But this assault didn't align with their previous behavior.

If it wasn't them, who was behind it? Who was their target? The Anderson family or herself?

Regret flooded through Ariana as she suddenly wished she hadn't left Theodore's men behind. Their presence would have provided some sense of security.