Chapter 265

"Alright, you don't need to keep that stern face."

"I knew you wouldn't agree. I was just throwing it out there. If you had agreed, I would've been shocked."

Christina gave a faint smile at his words.

"It's good you see it that way. Honestly, I can't give you an answer right now."

"And I've got unresolved stuff back home. I just see you as a really good friend."

The Duke's friend happened to overhear Christina's words.

He had intended to catch some juicy gossip but was taken aback by the harsh reality he heard.

"Alright, you don't need to say more. I get it. If this is the way you want to go, then let's do it."

"As a friend, I'm honored to help you."

Christina fell silent again, knowing the Duke's words were true and feeling grateful for his care during this time.

Later, Christina returned to the cabin and told the Duke to let her off once they reached their destination.

"I didn't realize your situation was this bad. At first, I thought you two were just too shy to confess to each other."

"But I didn't expect it to be one-sided."

The Duke spread his hands.

"Some things are beyond our control. Christina is incredibly charming, so I don't know how to respond to what you're saying."

"You all know what's happening now, right?"

They nodded quickly.

"Yeah, we not only know but completely understand you. We won't bring it up again."

"We get your sadness and know things haven't been easy for you."

They didn't say much more, as the current situation overshadowed everything else.

Several hours later, they finally reached their destination.

Meanwhile, Parker suddenly opened his eyes.

He had just had a nightmare where Christina hadn't died and had come back for revenge.

When he told the person next to him, they scoffed.

"You must have really had a bad dream. How could Christina come back?"

"If I remember correctly, you tied her feet with rope and stones. Even if she had the strength to break free, how could she swim out of that vast ocean alone?"

Parker sighed in relief.

"You're right. Sometimes I get too obsessed. I don't think Christina could escape."

"But we still need to be cautious. Things aren't as we imagined."

"No matter how cautious we are, things are different now. We just need to take care of ourselves."

On the other side, Christina disembarked with the Duke.

Once they returned to their residence, Christina finally relaxed.

"At least I'm still your friend. Why are you so tense around me?" the Duke teased.

Christina shook her head.

"This has nothing to do with you. I'm just trying to sort out my thoughts."

"At first, I didn't think much of it. I didn't expect things to turn out this way."

"People's hearts are unpredictable. I didn't consider how eager those behind this would be."

Christina had been curious about who was behind these actions.

But now, it seemed more complicated than she thought.

"Take your time to think it through. Once you have a plan, come to me, and I'll help you."

The Duke left Christina to her thoughts.

But Christina grabbed his arm.

She looked up at him seriously.

"I know you're right, but I need you to stay and help me sort this out. Things are different now."

The Duke sighed.

He instructed the butler to bring them hot coffee.

"I think this is a tense moment. You should rest. No matter what their intentions are, if you can't take care of yourself, what will happen next?"

"I know, but I can't calm down. I know you're looking out for me."

Christina spoke earnestly, and the Duke sighed again.

"Alright, I can't argue with you."

They continued their discussion.

Soon, Christina had a clearer idea.

"If Parker knows about this, it means my suspicions were correct."

Before being kidnapped, Christina had only a few clues.

She didn't know the details and was looking for more information.

She hadn't expected Parker to be so ruthless.

He had her tied up directly.

That's how everything unfolded.

"I understand what you're saying, but I think these people have more in mind than what we see."

"They might have other plans, so you need to be extra careful."

Christina sighed.

"That's why we need to be more vigilant."

Meanwhile, besides Parker, Mira also had a nightmare.

After waking up, Mira called Parker to ask if everything was handled cleanly.

"Don't worry, I've taken care of it. Even if they find out, there won't be any progress in such a short time. Everything is fine."

He spoke seriously, and Mira sighed.

"I hope so because William is already looking for Christina."

Yes, William had tried to contact Christina but couldn't reach her.

It had been a long time, and Christina's phone went from unreachable to completely off.

Although William tried to calm Harper, Harper seemed to have a psychic connection with Christina and had been crying for the past two days.

William was anxious and used his connections to search for her. When he finally found out Christina was missing, he was furious.

"You better give me a reasonable explanation. Why isn't she with you?"

He went to the last place she was seen. Although he didn't need to go personally, Christina was more important to him than his own life.

He had to find her, and the response he got made him sneer.

"You think you can brush me off by saying she just had a meal here?"

"Do you not know my capabilities, or do you think the entire Cavendish Corporation can't bring down your restaurant?"

"Mr. Cavendish, what do you mean by that?"