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Chapter 3 Turn Me In

  • At the very moment that Madeline was busy on her laptop, Thomas Grant was in the lobby of the Imperia airport. He had on a baseball cap and was fully masked up. He was also furtively trying to hide, afraid that his mother's employees would recognize him.
  • He really wished that they would stop pursuing him!
  • He had gotten rid of all the electronic devices he carried the moment he landed in Imperia, but there were still at least a dozen people on his tail. There was nowhere for him to hide!
  • This wouldn't do at all. He had to find a way to shake off Madeline's employees, or else he would have no energy left to look for his biological father, that scumbag who had turned his back on his wife and children.
  • All at once, an announcement coming from the video screens in the lobby caught Thomas's attention, and his eyes lit up at once.
  • "Newsflash! The prominent Quincy family has just reported a missing person case. Young Colton Quincy was last seen at the North Hill Cemetery, and his whereabouts are currently unknown. As today is the 5th anniversary of Gordon Quincy's death, the family was visiting the grave to pay their respects when Colton went missing. The family has offered a one million dollar reward for the boy's safe return. The authorities urge anyone who has information about this matter to come forward."
  • A picture of Colton flashed on the screen immediately after the announcement.
  • Thomas froze in his tracks and stared in disbelief. Why did the young Quincy boy look exactly like him?
  • Was it possible that they were actually related by blood and had the same father?!
  • Thomas immediately went to search for information about the Quincy family, but the only thing he could find out was that Colton's father was a certain Noah Quincy. Unfortunately, there were no photographs of the man.
  • Could this Noah person be the scumbag he was looking for?
  • If that was the case, then he should get to work immediately. If he managed to sneak into the Quincy house somehow, he would be able to investigate further into his exact relationship to Noah. Not only that, but he would also be able to hide from his pursuers, killing two birds with one stone!
  • Thomas narrowed his eyes and stared intently at the face on the screen that was exactly the same as his own. Abruptly, he grinned.
  • I'm sorry, Colton, but I have to borrow your face and identity for a little while!
  • Without further hesitation, Thomas pulled down his mask and took off his baseball cap before trotting confidently toward the airport's information desk. He flashed his cutest, biggest smile at the young lady on duty, batting big innocent eyes at her. "Miss, don't you think I look like the little boy on the screen over there?"
  • Hahaha! I'm young Colton Quincy now! Hurry up and turn me in, then you can claim the reward!
  • Noah's employees spent all day searching the entire cemetery, as well as the hill, but came up empty-handed. The only thing they found were faint traces of bloodstains near the parking lot by the cemetery.
  • Angie sat beside Noah on the couch, long legs curled up under her. The black dress hugged her exquisite figure, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of her pale collarbones. Her eyes were swimming with tears as she murmured with worry and self-reproach, "I'm so sorry, Noah, this is all my fault for not looking after Colton properly! With his condition, if…" She was unable to hold back her tears, sobbing, "If anything happens to him, I…"
  • Noah radiated hostility as he sat there. Reaching up, he jerked his tie free and pulled it off. With unprecedented harshness, he snapped, "Stop bawling like an idiot!"
  • Angie was so shocked she stopped sniveling at once. She wanted to explain further, but Wayne burst excitedly through the door at that very moment.
  • "Sir, we finally have some news! The surveillance cameras at the cemetery were all damaged, but we did manage to find a clue. One of the drivers parked near the cemetery parking lot managed to catch something on video. It was the mysterious woman we saw on the hill! When she left the cemetery, she was carrying a child in her arms. She was also the one who visited Mr. Gordon's grave and left the bouquet of lilies there!"
  • Noah stood up at once, his cold eyes darting to Wayne's face. "Are you certain of this?"
  • Wayne nodded. "I am. The woman's identity is a mystery, but we managed to discover her car at the Imperia Community Hospital. Young Colton was very badly injured; he's there now, but thank goodness he's out of danger!"
  • Noah scowled and ordered, "Let's go!"
  • Angie was thrown into a panic. Since it was already too late to stop Noah and Wayne, she gasped instead, "Is that true? How is Colton? Noah, I want to go to the hospital with you and see him!"
  • Where did this mysterious woman materialize from?! Furthermore, how was Colton still alive after she had pushed him off such a high cliff on the hill?
  • She wanted to follow Noah, but he had already left, giving her no chance to stall him.
  • In Colton's room at the hospital, Madeline had not been able to trace her wayward son, but she did stumble upon the Quincy family's missing person report.
  • However, she had not been able to make out Colton's features with any degree of certainty due to how battered his face was at present.
  • Before she could do anything more to ascertain his identity, though, an unwelcome guest stormed into the room!
  • She had not expected Noah to arrive so soon. In an instant, the entire place was filled with black-garbed bodyguards. Wayne ran straight to the bed; when he saw the boy's injuries and his groggy, befuddled state, his anger boiled over. "Colton…"
  • It was common knowledge in Imperia that Colton Quincy was autistic and had never spoken since birth. Nonetheless, he was still the apple of the Quincy family's eye! This woman, whoever she was, had dared to kidnap the boy and cause him such grievous harm. As far as Wayne was concerned, she had a death wish!
  • Noah's bodyguards surrounded Madeline in a tight cluster but parted to let Noah through.
  • Noah stalked through, a tall, broad-shouldered figure with his black coat swirling behind him like the wings of an avenging angel. His handsome features were half-hidden in shadow; his dark eyes bored into Madeline as if he would swallow her whole.
  • In an icy voice, he snapped, "So you're the one who hurt my son?"
  • Madeline stood her ground, straight-backed and unafraid. Keeping her temper with an effort, she met his gaze without flinching and retorted coldly, "I did nothing of the sort!" Anger sparked in her eyes.
  • The two of them locked gazes, neither willing to back down.
  • Madeline was no weakling. She was no longer the timid, pitiful young thing she had been five years ago, and she was not worried that anyone might recognize her. For the last few years, she had disguised herself through the use of cosmetics, and no one had ever seen her real face.
  • However, Noah had caught a glimpse of Colton's battered, bleeding form on the bed, and his face turned as black as thunder. "If it wasn't you, then why were you at Gordon Quincy's grave? Why is my son lying there right now when he was perfectly fine at the cemetery earlier?!" His eyes glittered viciously, and his voice took on a frightening edge as he snarled, "You won't live today out, given you've dared to harm my son!"
  • This woman had brushed past him on the way to the cemetery, of that he was certain. It was not that he had no recollection of the encounter; it was merely that he never paid attention to anyone who was not of immediate importance. However, he had never expected that she would have come prepared to kidnap Colton!
  • Madeline ignored Noah's threats. Flatly, she stated, "It wasn't me!"
  • Noah was just about to escalate matters when a sudden cry of astonishment and delight came from outside the door. One of the bodyguards rushed in, carrying a boy in his arms.
  • "It's Colton! He's been found, sir, he's right here!"