Chapter 453 - 456: Personal Interrogation

Two days later.

Aston.

The grogginess from being forcibly transported slowly dissipated. Laura Lawson’s eyelashes trembled, and she struggled to open her heavy eyelids.

Warmth instantly enveloped her. The room was softly lit, the air conditioner kept it at a constant temperature, and the soft, comfortable bed was laid with clean cotton. A faint, elegant fragrance drifted through the air.

Her entire body was sore and weak, and a dull ache throbbed at the back of her head from being knocked unconscious.

Laura Lawson pushed herself up with her arms and slowly sat up in bed, her gaze sweeping blankly across the unfamiliar, exquisite room.

’This place is clean and warm. It doesn’t seem like a place to hold someone captive...’

The memory of what happened before she was knocked out lingered in her mind.

Claire Bennett had sent people to silence her—to kill her!

Just as her life hung by a thread, a car had suddenly appeared. Several people got out, swiftly dealt with Claire’s men, and knocked them unconscious.

Laura Lawson thought she had escaped death, that she’d been saved. She never expected to fall into another, deeper trap.

She didn’t know who had captured her, or why.

Just as Laura Lawson’s mind was in turmoil, her thoughts a chaotic mess, the door opened from the outside with a soft CLICK.

A maid in a neat uniform walked in carrying a tray with warm porridge and side dishes.

The maid’s expression was indifferent, her attitude neither cold nor warm. Without saying a word to Laura Lawson, she placed the tray on the nightstand and turned to leave.

Laura Lawson hurriedly spoke up, her voice hoarse and trembling with the panic of just having woken up. "Please, wait."

The maid turned back, her face expressionless. "What is it?"

"Excuse me, where... where is this? Why am I here?" Laura Lawson asked, trembling.

A flash of coldness appeared deep in the maid’s eyes. After a moment of silence, she said, "This is Aston."

"Aston?!"

Laura Lawson shuddered, the color draining from her face in an instant. Her eyes filled with incredulous panic.

"I... I was clearly abroad! Who brought me back?"

"The Lancaster family." The maid’s tone was calm and flat. She glanced at her. "You should just stay here quietly. Don’t try to run, or you’ll face the consequences."

"The Lancaster family?!"

Those words struck her like a clap of thunder. Laura Lawson’s limbs instantly went cold, a layer of cold sweat broke out on her back, and she couldn’t stop herself from trembling.

The Lancaster family had captured her. It had to be because of the car accident.

On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, her husband had lost control while drunk driving and crashed into the Lancaster family’s car. Adrian Lancaster was seriously injured and almost died...

Under Claire Bennett’s threats and coercion, she had no choice but to leave Aston and go into hiding. She thought that with plastic surgery and a new name, no one would recognize her.

She never thought the Lancaster family would capture her so quickly.

’It’s over. I’m not going to make it out of this alive.’

A huge sense of fear, like an airtight net, enveloped Laura Lawson completely, making her so flustered that even her breathing became ragged.

In a flash, Laura Lawson suddenly remembered her two children, and her heart sank to the depths.

Her eyes instantly reddened. She clutched the bedding, her fingertips digging into the fabric, and her voice broke with a sob.

"Where are my two children? It’s fine if you capture me, but please, don’t hurt my children! They’re still young, they’re innocent!"

The maid’s expression remained completely unchanged. She shook her head faintly.

"I’m only responsible for your room and board. I know nothing about anything else."

"Impossible." Laura Lawson completely lost control. Her voice rose, trembling with terror as tears streamed down her face.

"If you were able to find me and bring me back to Aston, how could you not know about my children?"

"Please, tell me where they are. I’m begging you..."

The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became, her body trembling uncontrollably.

The Lancaster family’s power was overwhelming. Her own death was insignificant, but her children were innocent. If they were implicated because of the adults’ mistakes and suffered the same miserable fate as her, she wouldn’t be able to rest in peace even in death.

Extreme fear and heart-wrenching worry twisted her insides, causing her unbearable pain.

Laura Lawson looked at the maid, almost pleading. "Please tell me, my children are okay, right? They’re fine, aren’t they? The Lancaster family won’t hurt children, will they?!"

Faced with Laura Lawson’s breakdown, the maid remained unmoved, merely maintaining her indifferent attitude.

"No comment."

With that, she didn’t linger and turned to walk straight out of the room.

The door closed softly with a faint CLICK, completely cutting her off from the outside world and trapping the on-the-verge-of-collapse Laura Lawson inside.

The warm room had now become a cold cage in her eyes.

She slumped against the headboard, her body limp, as tears fell more and more freely.

More than the Lancaster family’s revenge, she was afraid of implicating her children and ruining their lives.

Her heart was filled with endless regret, panic, and worry. She was completely submerged in boundless despair.

An unknown amount of time passed.

Tears still stained her cheeks, but Laura Lawson didn’t bother to wipe them away. A frantic thought popped into her head.

’Run!’

She couldn’t just sit here and wait to die, nor could she wait for the Lancaster family to take their anger out on her two children.

’If I can just escape, maybe there’s still a chance.’

A strong will to survive supported Laura Lawson. She threw off the thin blanket, and her bare feet hit the cool floor as she staggered toward the door.

Her trembling hand gripped the doorknob. With a forceful twist, the door, unlocked, swung open.

A sliver of hope had just ignited in her heart, but the moment she looked up, all of it was shattered.

Standing ramrod straight outside the door was a tall, stern-faced bodyguard in black. His sharp, icy eyes were fixed on her, his entire being exuding an unquestionable vigilance.

The bodyguard made no move, nor did he reprimand her. Just by standing there, he blocked all her paths of escape.

Terrified, Laura Lawson retreated back into the room, leaning against the door and gasping for air.

After a moment, not giving up, she quickly walked to the window, pulled back the curtains, and looked down.

Everywhere she looked, there were bodyguards in black.

Every exit, every pathway, was heavily guarded. There was no escape.

Laura Lawson’s legs gave out, and she nearly collapsed to the floor.

Despair surged up from the soles of her feet like a tidal wave, drowning her entire body.

She stumbled back two steps, her back hitting the wall hard. The panic in her eyes turned completely into a dead, silent terror.

’This time, I really can’t escape.’

...

The sky gradually darkened.

The entire courtyard sank into a silent darkness, as cold as an isolated cage.

As Laura Lawson was escorted across the courtyard by two bodyguards in black, the evening wind was bone-chilling, making the hair on her skin stand on end.

She kept her head down the entire way, not daring to let her eyes wander. Her feet felt light and unsteady, each step like walking on the edge of a cliff in the clouds, ready to fall at any moment.

The wait, more than ten hours from dawn till dusk, had already shattered her nerves.

She had cried, been afraid, and despaired. The only thing keeping her going was her worry for her two children.

The more she worried, the more her panic surged. She didn’t know when the Lancaster family’s judgment would come, nor what kind of fate awaited her.

The heavy iron door of the secret room closed behind her.

CLICK. The sound of the lock engaging echoed clearly in the enclosed space. It wasn’t loud, but it struck Laura Lawson’s heart like a heavy hammer.

The room had no windows, no breeze, and not a single sound. There was only a cold, white light shining straight down from above, so harsh it made one’s eyes hurt.

The light was focused on an empty space in the center, while the surroundings were plunged into heavy shadow. The stark contrast between light and dark created a suffocating atmosphere.

Laura Lawson stood alone under the light, her back already soaked in cold sweat. Her clothes clung to her skin, uncomfortably cold and sharp.

Her hands were clenched so tightly her knuckles were white, and every nerve in her body was stretched taut like a string about to snap.

Her panicked gaze darted around at the long, empty table, the hard chairs, and the cold walls. Every detail exuded a silent pressure.

It was too quiet here, so quiet it was terrifying.

Laura Lawson could clearly hear her own chaotic, rapid heartbeat, so loud it made her eardrums ache.

She didn’t know what judgment awaited her, nor did she know what methods the person about to appear would use to deal with her...

The agonizing silence stretched on, each second feeling like an eternity.

Just as her legs began to tremble and she felt she could no longer hold herself up, a hidden alloy door on the inner wall of the secret room slid open without warning.

There was no sound, no warning, but his aura preceded him.

A powerful, oppressive feeling—composed, cold, and in complete control—was the first thing to surge through the opening.

It swept through the entire secret room, instantly paralyzing Laura Lawson, stopping her movements and her breath.

The next second, a tall, slender figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

Adrian Lancaster was dressed in a pure black, custom-tailored suit, pressed without a single wrinkle. Its sharp, clean lines accentuated his tall figure, broad shoulders, and narrow waist, making him look even more distinguished and imposing.

The leanness from his recent recovery did nothing to diminish his aura. Instead, it stripped away all traces of gentleness, leaving behind the profound coldness of a man who had faced death and now held the world in his hands.

His steps were exceedingly steady, his pace unhurried. Each footfall was light and silent, yet carried the weight of a thousand pounds.

The light slanted across the sharp, defined line of his jaw. His nasal bridge was high and severe, and his thin lips were naturally downturned, colored a faint, cold white. He showed no anger, no agitation, not a trace of superfluous emotion.

But what was most intimidating were his eyes.

They were pitch-black and deep, like a bottomless, frozen pool—devoid of any ripple, terrifyingly calm.

It wasn’t the fierceness of rage or the savagery of malice. It was the detached scrutiny of someone in a high position looking down on an ant, someone with everything under their control.

It was as if the panicked, near-breakdown Laura Lawson before him was nothing more than the subject of a final judgment whose outcome was already decided, waiting only for the evidence to be presented.

Adrian Lancaster had survived a near-fatal car accident, endured a long and painful post-operative recovery, patiently laid his plans for days, and was now calmly closing his net, one calculated step at a time.

This extreme composure and shrewdness were a hundred times more terrifying than any roaring rage.

Adrian Lancaster didn’t approach immediately. He simply stopped at the border of light and shadow, half his body submerged in darkness, the other half bathed in the cold light. In this interplay of light and shadow, his aura was both fractured and perfectly unified. Layers upon layers of pressure wrapped tightly around Laura Lawson, rendering her unable to even move a fingertip.

His special assistant, who had followed him in, stood silently in the shadows with bated breath and downcast eyes. The entire secret room had become Adrian Lancaster’s personal courtroom.

Laura Lawson’s mind went completely blank.

In that instant, any lingering hope, any secrets hidden in her heart, any self-deceiving excuses were utterly crushed, leaving nothing behind.

She had seen the rich and powerful, been exposed to scenes of debauchery and splendor, but she had never met a man like this.

Restrained, calm, profound, a master strategist.

Even just standing there silently, without a word, he possessed the aura of a superior being who could crush all others, inspiring a bone-deep reverence and fear that came from the very soul.

Fear flowed backward through her veins, instantly freezing her to the core.

The next second, her knees buckled, and all strength drained from her body.

THUD. She collapsed pathetically to her knees on the cold, hard floor.

Her legs had completely given out. Her body trembled violently and uncontrollably, her back hunched and tense. Her head drooped instinctively, stray hairs plastered to her sweaty forehead. She didn’t even have the courage to look up.

Cold sweat dripped continuously from her temples.

The dead silence spread once more.

Adrian Lancaster watched her in silence.

He didn’t question, didn’t pressure, didn’t scold. He simply let his all-seeing black eyes rest quietly on Laura Lawson’s trembling back and her fidgeting, panicked hands.

A top-tier interrogation never required threats or intimidation.

His greatest skill was using his absolute aura to dominate, patiently playing the game, breaking down his opponent’s psychological defenses bit by bit, until they collapsed, confessed, and submitted of their own accord amid endless panic and self-doubt.

An unknown amount of time passed. Just as Laura Lawson’s spirit was about to shatter, right at her breaking point...

Adrian Lancaster lifted his foot and slowly walked to sit formally behind the long table.

His movements were elegant and unhurried, composed and dignified. Even in a secret interrogation room, he maintained the posture of a superior in complete control.

His fingertips were lightly interlaced, his posture relaxed, but his gaze grew deeper and sharper. It was like a torch, piercing straight through all pretense and pinning Laura Lawson in place.

"You’re the truck driver’s wife, Laura Lawson."

"Why don’t you dare to look up?"

Laura Lawson trembled all over, her scalp tingling. She remained frozen in place, lips quivering, throat tight and dry, unable to utter a single complete sentence.

Adrian Lancaster’s eyes were sharp and cold.

"On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, your husband was driving drunk. He crashed into my car. Inside, besides the driver and me, were my wife and child."

"Your husband died on the spot, leaving no one to question. You took your children and left Aston that very night, vanishing without a trace."

"You went abroad, immediately got plastic surgery, and changed your name, thinking you could hide and live out your life in peace."

Adrian Lancaster paused, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold arc.

"Your husband was the one at fault. Why did you run? What are you guilty of?"

"I..." Laura Lawson’s voice shook. "I... I didn’t want to hurt anyone... I don’t know anything."

Adrian Lancaster ignored her answer and asked sharply, "Who helped you from the inside and out, and sent you abroad?"

"No... no one." Laura Lawson didn’t dare to admit it, didn’t dare to confess.

Adrian Lancaster’s falcon-like black eyes stared at her, a murderous intent gradually emerging.

"Even now, you’re still trying to argue, thinking you can get away with it. You should give up that fantasy right now."

Laura Lawson fell silent, too frightened to speak.

"The person you’re covering for tried to kill you to silence you. If they can’t kill you, they’ll shift their target to your children. When that happens..."

Adrian Lancaster hadn’t even finished speaking before Laura Lawson’s defenses crumbled, her eyes filling with tears.

"Mr. Lancaster, please, don’t hurt my children! They’re innocent, I’m begging you..."

A child is a mother’s greatest weakness.

Adrian Lancaster continued to apply pressure impassively. "If you want your children to live, then honestly explain everything that happened on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival. I want to know the whole truth."

"Otherwise, you will never see your two children again for the rest of your life."

Extreme fear and despair completely overwhelmed Laura Lawson.

She couldn’t hold on any longer. With a shattered, broken sob, she nodded repeatedly, tears and cold sweat rolling down her face as she began to speak in a trembling voice.

"I’ll talk... I’ll tell you everything..."