Watching the two lecherous men approach her, stripping off their clothes as they came, Eve Vaughn was terrified.

She trembled uncontrollably. With her mouth sealed by black tape, all she could do was let out desperate whimpers and shake her head frantically.

Her mind was filled with Mason Lawson.

But even if Mason was incredibly powerful and well-connected, he probably wouldn’t make it in time to save her.

She wondered if Mason saw the video they were going to send him, a video of her being violated by two disgusting men, would he find her filthy and repulsive afterward?

But Eve Vaughn thought that if they really succeeded, she would have no reason to go on living.

Just as their grubby hands reached her face, Eve Vaughn heard a dull THUD.

Immediately after, both men collapsed in front of her, unconscious.

Eve Vaughn lifted her head in disbelief. A man stood before her, clad in a black leather jacket, a baseball cap, a black mask, and sunglasses, his identity thoroughly concealed.

She couldn’t make out his features at all.

The man then crouched down and quickly untied her ropes and removed the tape from her mouth.

Her mouth now free, Eve Vaughn immediately asked, "Are... are you the person Mason Lawson sent to save me?"

The man said nothing, continuing to untie the ropes around her feet.

Eve Vaughn had a feeling he wasn’t one of Mason Lawson’s men.

But there was something familiar about him, as if... they knew each other?

"Do... do we know each other?"

Eve Vaughn asked, her brow furrowed.

The man replied coldly, "No."

That voice...

Just then, Eve Vaughn suddenly glimpsed the back of the man’s hand and saw a conspicuous scar.

"Dad!"

Eve Vaughn cried out immediately.

She wasn’t mistaken. That scar... it was the one she had given her father with a toy when she was a mischievous child.

Even its shape was identical to the scar on her dad’s hand.

Eve Vaughn’s eyes widened in shock as tears welled up. "Dad, you’re not dead? You’re my father, right?"

She asked excitedly, her voice trembling.

But her rescuer was clearly flustered. He chopped the side of her neck with his hand.

Eve Vaughn’s vision went black, and she fell unconscious.

...

Following the instructions from the mysterious phone call, Mason Lawson waited at the pier.

He didn’t hold out much hope. He found it hard to believe someone would help him for no reason, without demanding any reward or transaction.

But since the caller had said so, Mason Lawson clung to that sliver of hope and came to the pier.

Finally, at dawn, a dilapidated fishing boat sailed toward them.

"Mr. Lawson, look! That boat is headed right for us!"

After speaking, Neil Kane, fearing a trap, immediately ordered the bodyguards behind him, "Get over there and protect Mr. Lawson!"

Mason Lawson’s dark, profound gaze remained fixed on the boat.

He didn’t know if it was an ambush, a death trap, or his Evie.

As soon as the boat docked, it was immediately surrounded by the men Mason Lawson had brought.

Neil Kane called the boat’s owner down—a man dressed as a fisherman.

At a signal from Mason Lawson, two bodyguards boarded the boat and, just as expected, found Eve Vaughn.

"Mr. Lawson, it’s Miss Vaughn!"

The moment the bodyguard finished speaking, Mason Lawson rushed in and carried the unconscious Eve Vaughn out.

He could hardly believe that the mysterious caller had really rescued Eve Vaughn.

Meanwhile, the fisherman was dragged out by Neil Kane, scared out of his wits. "Wh-what are you grabbing me for? I already brought the person to you. My job is done!"

Mason Lawson frowned. "Why is she unconscious?"

The fisherman said nervously, "She was already unconscious when he handed her over to me. But he said she’d wake up soon, that it was nothing serious!"

Mason Lawson pressed, "Who handed her over to you?"

The fisherman shook his head, looking clueless. "I don’t know either. I was passing a big ship when he gave me twenty thousand to transport this girl to the pier. But his face was covered, so I couldn’t see his features."

Mason Lawson glanced out. The sea was vast, and there were many boats.

To find the boat used to kidnap Eve Vaughn, they would have to lock down the entire sea.

But Mason Lawson had always been meticulous. He didn’t release the fisherman immediately. Instead, he had Neil Kane question him in detail about the time he received Eve Vaughn and the direction of the ship that had handed her over.

Perhaps they could still find some clues.

Mason Lawson left everything there in Neil Kane’s hands and rushed back with Eve Vaughn without a moment’s delay.

He didn’t entirely trust the fisherman’s story.

After all, he still didn’t know who had made the mysterious call, or whether they were friend or foe.

Why would the kidnappers, having taken Eve Vaughn, release her without achieving their goal?

Countless questions and worries swirled in Mason Lawson’s mind.

He was afraid those people had done something to Eve Vaughn.

So, he first took her to the hospital for a full check-up.

The results showed that Eve Vaughn was physically fine. There was nothing abnormal.

Only then did Mason Lawson feel relieved enough to take the young woman back to The Sovereign Pearl.

Laying her on the soft bed, Mason Lawson finally let out a small sigh of relief.

He sat on the edge of the bed, gently tidying her messy hair. Then, he took a wet wipe from the side and cleaned the dust from her face.

Mason Lawson’s thoughts began to drift.

’If I really had to trade Tanya Thorne for Eve Vaughn as they demanded, what would I have done?’

Mason Lawson didn’t dare to dwell on it, afraid he would have made that cruel choice.

Fortunately, Evie had returned to him, completely unharmed.

Just then, Eve Vaughn seemed to be having a nightmare.

She was restless in her sleep.

Then, she suddenly awoke with a scream.

"No! Don’t come any closer!"

She shot up, her forehead covered in a cold sweat.

Mason Lawson quickly steadied her. "Evie, it’s me."

Eve Vaughn stared blankly for a few seconds before finally remembering what had happened before she passed out.

Overwhelmed with the joy of having survived her ordeal, she burst into tears.

Mason Lawson immediately pulled her into his arms, holding her tight and stroking her back over and over. "Evie, it’s okay now. You’re okay."

She had been through a terrible fright and couldn’t stop crying in his arms.

An ache filled Mason Lawson’s heart. He felt more and more that he had wronged her.

Because he had hesitated. Or rather, he had never even considered trading Tanya Thorne for Eve Vaughn.

He said in a low voice, "I’m sorry..."

Eve Vaughn thought his "I’m sorry" was for failing to protect her.

She sniffled, shook her head, and comforted him instead. "You don’t have to apologize to me. This isn’t something you wanted to happen. You must have been worried sick after I was kidnapped, right?"

"Yes, I was very worried."

Of that, Mason Lawson was certain.

At that moment, Eve Vaughn suddenly remembered her rescuer.

A flash of alarm appeared in her eyes. She gripped Mason Lawson’s hand tightly and said, "Right, do you know who rescued me? Did you see the person who saved me?"

Mason Lawson frowned. "What about you? Did you get a clear look at him? Or his identity?"

’Although, I doubt the mysterious person would expose themselves so easily.’

But he couldn’t rest easy until he found that person and the gang that had kidnapped Eve Vaughn.

Unexpectedly, Eve Vaughn looked at him and said, word by word, "That person... was my father!"

A look of shock crossed Mason Lawson’s face. He stared at her in disbelief. "What did you say?"

’Could it be? Simon Vaughn isn’t dead?’

’Simon Vaughn, the man who used my mother for experiments... he’s not dead?’

Mason Lawson thought Eve Vaughn must have been so traumatized that her thoughts were muddled.

But Eve Vaughn was certain. "That person was definitely my father! His voice, and the feeling I got when he was near me—it was just like my dad. And what a coincidence, he had a scar on the back of his hand exactly like my dad’s, the one I accidentally gave him with a toy when I was little."

By the end, her eyes were red with excitement, and she repeated, "This is wonderful, my father is still alive! He’s still alive!"

Back when her father had his drowning accident, even the police had declared him dead. But when his body was pulled from the water, it was several days after the incident, and his features were unrecognizable.

She was only in middle school then; one glance was enough to make her faint from fright.

Although Eve Vaughn didn’t know why her father wouldn’t come home if he was alive, she was just thankful that he was alive at all.

At least now she had hope of finding him.

Just then, Eve Vaughn looked at Mason Lawson and noticed his gaze was inexplicably grim, his expression dark.

"Mr. Lawson?"

she called out softly.

Mason Lawson snapped back to reality, his gaze softening slightly. "What is it?"

Eve Vaughn looked at him with pleading eyes. "Can you help me find my dad? Please? I... I don’t know where to even start looking by myself. You know so many people and have so many resources. If you help me look, I know we can find him."

Of course Mason Lawson was going to look.

Even if Eve Vaughn hadn’t asked, he would have searched for him!

After all, only by finding Simon Vaughn could he uncover the secret of what had happened to his mother all those years ago.

It was just that the news of Simon Vaughn being alive was a tremendous shock to Mason Lawson.

After all, when he first discovered that dilapidated lab at the Vaughn Company, he had Neil Kane investigate everything about Simon Vaughn.

Even the police had concluded the cause of death was drowning.

Mason Lawson looked at Eve Vaughn and asked seriously, "Evie, are you absolutely sure it was your father?"

"I’m sure!"

Eve Vaughn reasoned, "Think about it. Those people went to all that trouble to kidnap me, so why would they just let me go? Only my father would save me."

Mason Lawson thought her reasoning made sense.

It answered the question that had been nagging him: Why would the mysterious person help him rescue Eve Vaughn without asking for anything in return?

If this mysterious person was Simon Vaughn, then everything would make sense.

Mason Lawson nodded. "Alright, I’ll help you find your dad. You just rest for the next few days. Don’t go to school. And don’t let your mind run wild, okay?"

Eve Vaughn clutched her pounding heart. "I can’t sleep. Just thinking about my father being alive... not dead... I’m too excited to sleep."

"You still have to."

Mason Lawson carried her into the bathroom. "How about this: first, you take a bath, and then I’ll stay with you while you sleep, okay?"

Nestled in his arms, Eve Vaughn was very obedient.

And Mason Lawson really did just help her bathe, doing nothing more. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

After the bath, he tucked her back into bed, then got in himself and held her as she slept.

"Eve Vaughn, close your eyes."

He watched her bright, dark eyes blinking and couldn’t help but feel a little exasperated.

’After being kidnapped and held for a day and a night, this girl somehow doesn’t even feel tired.’

Eventually, Eve Vaughn fell asleep.

Mason Lawson quietly got out of bed and went to the living room.

Neil Kane was already waiting there.

"How did it go? Any useful leads?" Mason Lawson asked.

Neil Kane reported, "The fisherman’s identity checked out. He’s just a fisherman, likely hired on the spot by the mysterious person. Based on his description, the rescuer is about five-foot-nine and has a slender build. We’ve also identified a few ships that could have been used in Miss Vaughn’s kidnapping and are investigating them now."

Mason Lawson’s expression was grave. "Simon Vaughn may still be alive. The person who rescued Eve Vaughn was very likely him."

Neil Kane asked in shock, "But didn’t Simon Vaughn... long ago...?"

Mason Lawson shot him a look, signaling him to keep his voice down.

After all, Eve Vaughn was still sleeping in the bedroom.

Neil Kane fell silent, but his eyes still held a look of utter disbelief.

Mason Lawson gave his orders. "For the next few days, don’t go to the Lawson Group. Put company business on hold for now. Go to the police station, look into Simon Vaughn’s records, and see if they match the fisherman’s description. Also, continue investigating those suspicious ships. I’d rather you detain the wrong one than let the right one get away!"

Now that Eve Vaughn was back by his side, he could investigate the kidnappers’ whereabouts without restraint.

...

Over the next few days, Regina Shaw and Mia Kendall took turns visiting Eve Vaughn, and Hamilton Hale and the others also came to see her once.

Regina Shaw asked, "Evie, who on earth kidnapped you? Has Mr. Lawson found anything out yet?"

Mia Kendall chimed in, "Exactly! They have to be caught, or this is just too dangerous. It’s not the theft you worry about, it’s being a target!"

Eve Vaughn shook her head. "Those people covered their tracks well, and the kidnapping happened at sea, so they’re hard to find. But Mason Lawson is still investigating."

"But why did it happen?" Regina Shaw asked, confused. "There must have been a reason they kidnapped you, right? Was it for money, or something else?"

Eve Vaughn was just as confused. She realized that she had been so lost in the joy of her father being alive, her mind completely preoccupied with where he might be, that she had completely forgotten to question the kidnappers’ motives. And how was her father able to get so close to them and rescue her so easily?

"Evie?"

Seeing her lost in thought, Mia Kendall gave her a little nudge. "Did you hear what Regina just said? Oh, right, after you were kidnapped that day, I think Mr. Lawson got a call from the kidnappers."

Regina Shaw remembered it too and nodded. "That’s right, there was a call, but none of us heard what the other person said. Did Mr. Lawson tell you? Did they kidnap you to demand a ransom from him, or was it for some other reason?"