Bound by the Past, Locked by the Heart novel Chapter 127

At the engagement party, the moment Randal saw Zack return, an ominous dread settled in his gut.

He forced himself to go through the motions of the ceremony on stage.

But the second he stepped off, he sprinted out of the banquet hall. Seeing his two bodyguards standing cluelessly in the lobby, everything instantly clicked.

Willa's phone was already unreachable.

He marched over and grabbed the taller bodyguard by the collar. "Was Willa here today?"

The tall man went pale. "M-Mr. Yates, Ms. Vance said she just wanted to take a look."

Randal shoved him aside, tracked down the server stationed at the entrance, and shoved a photo of Willa in his face. "Do you remember seeing this woman?"

The server studied the screen for a second. "Yes, she came in with Mr. Sommers."

"Corbin?" Randal instantly zeroed in on the name.

The server thought for a moment. "I believe that was his name."

Randal turned on his heel and stormed back into the banquet hall.

The ceremony had ended, and guests were mingling in small groups. The room was buzzing with superficial, high-society chatter.

Spotting a single person in that sea of people was no easy task.

He grabbed the first acquaintance he saw and asked for Corbin's whereabouts. By the time he interrogated the third person, they pointed to a figure standing in the corner.

"He's over there. I think he had a bit too much to drink and is trying to sober up."

He marched over, vibrating with suppressed fury.

As he approached, Corbin seemed to sense him. He looked up, meeting Randal's murderous gaze with casual indifference.

Randal's breath hitched.

Corbin let out a soft chuckle, his eyes brimming with undisguised mockery and disdain.

He set his wine glass on the table, took half a step forward, and lowered his voice so only the two of them could hear. "Mr. Yates, a man shouldn't be so greedy. You're already engaged. Let her go gracefully."

Those words acted like a match to gasoline. Randal let out a low, dark laugh, his eyes burning with a twisted, predatory paranoia.

"Corbin, who the hell are you to tell me to let her go? She belongs to me. In this life and the next, she will only ever be mine."

Corbin raised an eyebrow, his tone dropping a few degrees. "Mr. Yates, don't write checks your ego can't cash. She is not a piece of property. You're a prominent man in Norvale. Keeping her locked down with such dirty, underhanded tactics is beneath your status."

Randal shot Corbin a venomous glare. "I don't care what tactics I have to use as long as she stays by my side. I'm warning you—stay the hell away from her. And tell your meddling sister to mind her own business. Otherwise..."

He punctuated his last few words with lethal emphasis. "I have no problem making life very difficult for the Sommers family."