“By the time old Mr. Fuller and Ashton returned to their country, they’d offended many illegal businessmen in the region, and the plot to assassinate the Fullers came into being. While they were being hunted, they were forced to pawn everything they owned just to make it back. That necklace belonged to Ashton’s grandmother. George Fuller kept it with him all these years. Mr. Abe learned of this and used the high sentimental value of the necklace to lure Ashton to Venria.”
I was able to venture a pretty good guess as to how the rest of the story went.
Abe used the necklace as bait to get Ashton to his territory.
The appearance of me and my value to Ashton was a stroke of dumb luck.
Ashton would never have guessed that I was here, and Abe would never have guessed the relationship between Ashton and me.
Danny rose to his feet when I did not speak. “What else would you like to know?” he asked lightly.
“What is the relationship between Armond and Mr. Abe?”
“They’re business partners.”
“Kyanine?” I asked, suddenly frightened.
“Our product is mostly exported to Western Europe,” Danny smiled coldly. “Not much to Chanaea.”
“What are they partners on, then?”
“Jades.”
I nearly forgot. Venria exported an astounding variety of gemstones.
We relapsed back into silence. At his readiness to leave, I didn’t feel like asking any more questions. As he was about to exit the room, I said, “I would like to see Mr. Abe.”
Danny nodded and left the room.
True to his word, Abe appeared the following morning.
His tall frame cast a long shadow over my bed. “You wanted to see me?” he asked, looking at me in an odd manner. It was calculating but cold at the same time.
I nodded and sat up. “You promised me once, that if I did as you said, you would let my friends go.”
Abe raised his eyebrows in derision. “Your friends?” he repeated with a laugh. “You still think your life is worth four of theirs?”
“Yes, because Ashton cares about me!” I answered, my eyes fixed upon his.
Abe grunted and absentmindedly tore up a leaf from the potted plant. “Are you his wife?” Abe asked, squinting at me. “Under these circumstances, shouldn’t you be more concerned for his life over the lives of others?”
He paused. “Unless you’re so confident in his abilities that you think he will get out of this alive.”
“No matter which it is, you can’t go back on your word,” I said fiercely.
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