His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex Wife novel Chapter 298

Chapter 298 Forced to Work

Tears pooled in Iris eyes. Her heart ached as if it were being sliced open. The disappointment was crushing. “Ethan, you’re talking too much and fidgeting too fauch–what are you so guilty about?”

Ethan fell silent. His face gradually lost is color.

‘No, really, you’re imagining things,” he said quickly, shaking his head. He pulled out his phone and checked the time. “I’ve gotta go–things to take care of. But if you run into any trouble, you tell me, okay? I an help you now.”

He gave her a light pat on the head, turned, and hurried toward his new luxury sedan before driving off, eaving Iris alone with her sorrow.

ris tucked the test receipt into her bag and wiped the dampness from her eyes.

Right then, she wished desperately that she was just overthinking–that her sense of smell had been vrong, that she had misread everything.

She stood by the curb waiting for her ride–share when a black car with no plates pulled up in front of her.

The doors opened and three men who looked straight out of a gangster movie stepped out. They wore hort sleeves, tattoos covering their arms and necks, their hair bleached blond, sunglasses hiding their eyes -everything about them screamed street thug.

ris took an uneasy step back.

One of them stood with his hands on his hips, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. “You’re Iris? The one who won that science prize?”

Another chimed in, “Yeah, that’s her. Matches the photo.”

The man chewing gum looked her up and down, a sleazy grin spreading across his face. “Not bad. Real young.”

ris drew a shaky breath, forcing herself to stay calm. “Who are you? What do you want?”

The one smoking spoke coldly. “Don’t worry about who we are. Our boss wants to see you. Get in.

ris glanced around. The street was empty—no pedestrians, hardly any ears passing by Panic tightened in

her chest.

But fighting now would only make it worse. Resisting could turn a “come with us into being dragged

Okay,” she said quietly, keeping her composure as she got into the car

Sandwiched between the men in the back seat, she knew she was in danger A cold sweat broke out over her skin. Trying to appear calm, she shipped a hand into her pocket, pressed the emergency button on her phone, and sent out a distress alert.

They drove for what felt like a long time before one of the men pulled out a black cloth We’re gonna need to cover your eyes.”

1

“Can I at least know who your boss is?” Ins asked.

“You’ll see soon enough

Iris closed her eyes and let them blindfold her

Resisting now would be the dumbest move.

She stayed will, waiting to see what came next.

About half an hour later, still in darkness, she was pulled from the car and led along a gravel path. She could sense trees around her.

Then they stopped.

There was a loud, rattling sound–a rolling metal door being opened.

Even blindfolded, the smell hit her immediately: harsh, chemical, and deeply unsettling.

She was guided a little farther inside.

Boss, we got Iris.”

The blindfold was removed. Iris squinted, her eyes struggling to adjust to the dim light. When her vision deared, a chill shot up from her feet and goosebumps spread across her skin.

ihe was standing in a vast warehouse, weakly lit. On a long rectangular table sat an array of lab equipment -the kind used in drug manufacturing.

One setup in particular she recognized from a DEA exhibit: containers used to extract narcotics.

On a nearby sofa sat a man around forty. His features were hard, his gaze sharp. A scar near the corner of

is eye stood out, giving him a brutal, dangerous look. Dressed in black, he radiated a cold, violent energy

Behind him stood four henchmen, each looking every bit the part of a street tough.

So you’re fris,” the man said, raising an eyebrow as he looked her over.

୮

ris nodded. “I am.”

The boss gestured toward the equipment. “I’ve got a batch that’s contaminated with chemical impurities Hired plenty of top gharmaceutical experts–none could separate it clean. Heard you’re good. Give it a

ry

Iris glanced at the lab setup, then back at him “Mind it Lask who told you about me

“Celeste,” he said casually. “Your college classmate”

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