Adam answered the call, and a rough male voice came through. "Mr. Alvarez, good evening."
Adam held the phone, his face unreadable. "Who are you?"
"Mr. Alvarez, my identity doesn't matter. All you need to know is that the person you're looking for is with me."
Lucy's eyes widened in alarm. "He's the one who took Carly! Mr. Alvarez, we have to save her!"
Adam's tone remained cold. "Carly is with you?"
"That's right. Here, I'll let her talk to you."
A moment later, Carly's voice came through, panicked and desperate. "Adam, help me! Please! I'm so scared!"
Adam's lips pressed into a thin, icy line. "What do you want?"
"Mr. Alvarez, I want money. Get one billion dollars ready immediately."
Adam let out a short, mocking laugh. "You kidnapped someone and are now extorting me for one billion? That's more than enough to lock you away for life. You'll never see the outside world again."
The man on the other end of the line wasn't the least bit intimidated. "Mr. Alvarez, don't try to scare me. I wasn't raised to be afraid of threats. Is one billion dollars too much for one person's life? What if I make it two?"
A sharp glint flashed through Adam's eyes. "Two people?"
At that moment, Perry rushed over. "Mr. Alvarez, bad news. Celine is missing."
Dr. C had been scheduled to make her appearance, but when Perry went upstairs to check, she was nowhere to be found.
Celine had disappeared.
Adam froze for a brief moment before gripping his phone even tighter. "Celine—is she with you too?"
Somewhere in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city, Celine's eyes fluttered open.
Celine quickly scanned the surroundings before raising her voice. "Adam, we're in a warehouse on the wet side of the city—"
The scarred man hadn't expected her to spill their location. His face twisted with rage, and he swung his hand hard across Celine's face.
With a loud smack, her head snapped to the side, her delicate features stinging from the blow. A bright red handprint quickly appeared on her cheek, swollen and glaringly visible.
Back on Adam's end of the call, he had heard both Celine's voice and the unmistakable sound of a slap.
His expression darkened instantly. His voice dropped to a dangerously low register. "Stop. If you lay another hand on her, you won't live to see the sunrise."
The scarred man let out a loud, amused laugh. "Oh? Mr. Alvarez, you seemed quite protective of your ex-wife. One slap, and you're already this upset?
Adam's voice sounded razor-sharp as he said, "One billion dollars. I'll give you what you want. Send me the location, and I'll bring the money. You give me the hostages."
The scarred man grinned. "Now that's the spirit, Mr. Alvarez. I knew you'd be reasonable. But there's one condition. You need to come alone."

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Divorce Prescription (Celina and Adam)
Such a wack writer....
And now we're onto another sets of characters that weren't included from the beginning....
Nathan and Michelle???...
Thought Celine got pregnant before Hailey…..how come Celine is 3 months and Hailey 7?...
if there is already a surveillance video as evidence for the poisoning of Hailey, why go all the trouble of pretending? Celine is also pregnant right? What is happening to them, and what about Adam's headaches ......
Why is this writer like this! Seems it’s going to be a never ending story!!! Rebecca or Melody, why is she here again!!! Don’t these female characters move on!!! Goshhhhh...
A man with a team of invisible bodyguards that only appear on orders and disappear in time of troubles. Hmm😆🤏...
When will Hailey show that she is Adam's cousin and be ruthless? Joanne needs to be put in her place and realize Jonah does not want her. Ewan is just as bad as she is. Hailey needs to get help from Celine or Adam if she doesn't want Jonah to find out what's happening....
If the focus has to go on other characters in the book, at least make it more interesting! They were separated for three years, and still having love rivals! Especially one from the past!!! Why can’t Ewan and Joanne move in together and move on!!...
Imagine the long read if they decide to switch back to Adam and Celine. Not reading this with the same enthusiasm from the beginning....