The Villains Must Win-Chapter 79: Alexander Vale 29

Celeste found herself surrounded by armed men in what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. Even in such a dangerous situation, she couldn’t help but wonder how she had been kidnapped from a well-guarded hospital. She had been in the VVIP ward, for crying out loud!

Where were the guards?

She mulled over it briefly before shrugging as she was tied to a chair. Maybe it was just her destiny to get kidnapped in this storyline. No point stressing over it now that it already happened.

Celeste already had a very strong suspicion about who was behind this. Riley. The woman was the only one with enough motive to pull something like this.

And sure enough, when Riley finally stepped forward, Celeste wasn’t surprised. What did surprise her, however, was just how much the woman had changed.

Gone was the lively and cheerful female lead from the original story—what stood before her now was a woman with a dark expression, exuding the energy of someone ready to commit at least one felony before dinner.

Great.

Why was the female lead turning into the villain again?

Celeste sighed and decided to at least attempt diplomacy before things escalated. "Before you do anything drastic, I’ll give you a chance, Riley," she said calmly. "While everyone is still alive—including you—let me go before things get worse."

SLAP!

Celeste’s head snapped to the side from the force of the hit. Her cheek stung. Well, that went well.

"That’s for stealing Ethan from me!" Riley spat.

SLAP!

"And that’s for stealing Alexander!"

Celeste resisted the urge to groan as she turned back to glare at Riley. "What the hell are you even talking about?! I didn’t steal anyone from you! You broke up with Alexander, and as for Ethan? I don’t care about him! You can have him, gift-wrapped with a bow on top!"

"Shut up!" Riley shrieked, eyes blazing. "If you weren’t here, Alexander would still be chasing me! Ethan would still be mine!"

Oh boy. This woman had gone crazy.

Celeste inhaled deeply, collecting herself. It was clear now—Riley had completely lost it. And the worst part? Celeste hadn’t even done anything on purpose! Sure, she’d been playing the game to win, but she hadn’t expected this level of fallout.

She genuinely didn’t want another Rui Hua. Why couldn’t she be happy with Ethan and leave them alone?

She decided to try one last time. "Listen, Riley. While Alexander is still not here, let me go. No one has to get hurt. I won’t even report you or any of your little goons to the police. You can all walk away—alive and unharmed."

Riley scoffed. "The only one getting hurt—or dead—tonight is you."

Before Celeste could respond, a male voice cut in.

"What’s she talking about, Riley?"

Celeste turned to look at the newcomer and immediately noted the resemblance. Riley’s older brothers, she presumed.

"Oh?" Celeste’s lips curled into a smirk as she saw Riley’s face twitch with hesitation. "You didn’t tell them, did you?"

"What is she talking about?" another man asked, his expression shifting to concern. "Tell us what?"

Celeste leaned back in her chair as much as her restraints allowed and gave them an almost lazy smile. "You see, the person you just kidnapped? I happen to be the woman of Alexander Vale. A very powerful and dangerous man. One you definitely shouldn’t have messed with. I’d wager he’s already on his way right now—with an army of armed men. The military, police, NBI, CIA, mercenaries, hell, maybe even the navy for good measure." She paused for effect, letting their anxious glances at one another sink in. Then, with a tilted head and an easygoing tone, she added, "If I were you, I’d start praying, and let me go."

The kidnappers exchanged uneasy glances, their faces twisting with uncertainty.

Got them.

Time to seal the deal.

"Look, if this is about money, I’ll pay you." Celeste’s voice turned sweet, persuasive. "I’ll double whatever Riley offered."

The shift was immediate. The men’s expressions flickered with greed, and Celeste knew she had them—until Riley suddenly snapped.

"Don’t listen to her!" she hissed. "She has no money!"

Celeste rolled her eyes. "I do have money, and Alexander does too."

Riley scoffed. "The one Alexander loves is me! You’re just a passing indulgence. Once you’re out of the picture, he’ll come back to me—you’ll see." fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

Then, with a mock-surprised expression, she added, "Oh, wait—you’ll be dead by then, so I guess you won’t see it. Too bad. But maybe in hell, you’ll get see."

She turned to the men. "Kill her. You’ll get the rest of what I promised you."

Celeste’s heart slammed against her ribs. Okay. That escalated fast.

"Wait!" Celeste blurted. "I have the money! I’ll triple what she offered!"

The kidnappers hesitated again, glancing at one another.

Riley snarled, desperate now. "She’s lying! She doesn’t have anything—she’s just trying to stall! Kill her already, and you’ll get everything I promised and more!"

Celeste swallowed hard when the kidnappers approached. Shit.

And that’s when everything went to hell.

A sharp clink echoed through the warehouse—small, metallic, rolling across the concrete floor. Celeste barely had a second to react before hissing white smoke erupted from the canisters, spreading like a dense fog.

Gas.

The realization hit just as her vision blurred, the edges of the world warping and twisting. Her lungs burned. She coughed, the acrid scent clawing at her throat. Around her, the kidnappers were stumbling, hacking, eyes darting in panic.

"What the—?!" someone choked out before dropping to their knees.

Then, all at once—chaos.

Shouts. Gunfire. The deafening crack of bullets slicing through the air.

Figures in black tactical gear stormed in, moving like shadows through the smoke. Red laser sights cut through the haze, painting targets on chests. The kidnappers barely had time to react before they were slammed down, weapons ripped from their hands.

Celeste felt hands on her—rough, strong hands. Her chair was tipped backward, ropes sliced clean off, but she was too weak to struggle. Her body was going numb, her limbs refusing to cooperate.

Sleep gas.

She fought against the weight dragging her down, blinking rapidly to keep her consciousness from slipping, but the world was already fading. Shadows clashed, bodies fell, screams turned distant, swallowed by the thick fog in her mind.

And then—darkness.