The Billionaire's Maid Bride novel Chapter 653

Pete ended the call, surveying the aftermath at the Cloud Nine Apartments. Vincent, one of his less fortunate lackeys, lay groaning on the floor, clearly the target of a severe beating.

Pete walked over, signaling his crew to ease up. "Keep it clean, fellas. We don't want a murder charge. Just make sure this guy can’t talk to the cops ever again."

His men nodded, familiar with the routine, as they towered over Vincent, who sensed his fate was sealed. Regret gnawed at him. If only he had stayed put at the Azure Bar instead of wandering around town, he wouldn't be in this mess.

Now, he was beyond saving. No one would come to his aid, not even Abbey, his girlfriend, who was nowhere to be found. A fresh wave of pain washed over Vincent as darkness overtook him.

Satisfied, Pete instructed his men, "Make it look like an accident and keep it quiet. Don’t kill him—just leave him breathing."

David, his boss, had warned him to avoid killings, and Pete wasn’t one to ignore such advice. With the job done, Pete left the Cloud Nine Apartments.

One of his goons caught up with him, brow furrowed. "Boss, that Vincent guy has a girlfriend, Abbey, right? She wasn’t there when we hit the place. Should we handle her too?"

Pete shook his head. "She’s with one of Konnor’s guys now. Let her be. Just keep an eye on Vincent."

Meanwhile, Abbey was battling her guilt. She and Vincent had a lot of history, and it wasn’t without fond memories. Sure, Steven could offer her a better life, but she still had feelings for Vincent deep down.

Guilt weighed on her for leaving Vincent behind, especially since she had no idea what had happened to him. That evening, she quietly returned to the Cloud Nine Apartments, keeping it a secret from Steven.

As she opened the door, she gasped, covering her mouth in shock. The place looked ransacked. The coffee table was shattered, glasses were scattered across the floor, and ominous red stains marked the carpet.

Abbey’s heart raced as she pieced together the scene: Vincent had been taken after a brutal beating. Panic-stricken, she bolted from the apartment, heading to the place Steven had rented for her, not too far away. She realized it was Steven who had betrayed Vincent, not to reconnect, but to find his location and get him out of Azure.

Miranda Lindberg-Cruz had called Lucian twice, insisting he come home for dinner. Reluctantly, he agreed.

Penelope had arrived early, bringing a homemade honey cake as a personal touch to the family gathering. Carter Lindberg descended the grand staircase, greeted by Penelope's polite "Hello, Carter."

Carter nodded, "Penelope, how are you feeling?"

"Much better now," she replied. She had taken a good seven to eight months to recover from the miscarriage.

"That's good to hear," Carter said warmly. "You're young; there will be other chances. The main thing is you're healthy again."