The Billionaire Ex-Wife and the Beggar He Became novel Chapter 235

At the brink of life and death, Winona made her decision in a split second.

She tossed her phone to the ground, then used the toe of her shoe to scrawl the letters "SOS" into the dirt. The marks weren't clear, but even a faint clue was better than nothing.

She worried the men might trample over her message, erasing her only hope, or spot her discarded phone and catch on to her plan. Without hesitation, she charged toward the group of foreign men rushing at her.

They froze for just a moment, startled.

Then they grabbed her arms and legs, hoisting her into the back of their van.

One of them slapped tape over her mouth; another pulled a black hood over her head. They bound her hands and feet tightly.

Would they dump her in the river, leave her for dead? Or were they going to sell her off somewhere, to one of those lawless borderlands where people simply vanished?

Desperate and terrified, Winona's mind spun with a thousand awful possibilities.

Meanwhile, Zane was still waiting at preschool for his mom to pick him up. Night had fallen, and all the other children were gone. He was the only one left.

Tears welled up in his eyes. "My mom… she's never lied to me… not ever…" He began to sob.

His teacher was just as bewildered. She called Winona's phone again and again, but there was no answer.

Left with no other option, the teacher called Mia.

Mia answered, immediately sensing something was wrong. Panic twisted in her gut, but she couldn't bring herself to tell Helga what was happening.

She acted quickly, deciding to pick Zane up from school first.

When she got home, she handed Zane over to Helga. "Gran, there's been a major problem on Julian's project—this is what Nona's been waiting for. They're working through the night to fix it, so Nona might not make it home tonight. Watch over Zane for me, okay? I'll bring Nona some dinner at the site."

Helga nodded obediently. "Alright, sweetheart. You and Nona both try to come back early, don't wear yourselves out."

"Got it, Gran!"

As Mia dashed out the door, Helga shuffled into the kitchen.

"Claud Gallagher!"

At the sound of his name, Mia exploded. "You bastard! The hell is wrong with you?! Just because I looked at you twice doesn't mean you get to kidnap Nona! I never even slept with you! Why would you take her? You and the Nicholsons are all scum! I swear, if you want to live, you'd better let Nona go right now!"

"Winona… she really was taken?" Claud's voice was heavy, troubled.

"Are you kidding me?" Mia raged. "If you were here in front of me right now, I'd bite your damn head off!"

Sure, Mia was boy-crazy—she could fall head over heels for any handsome man, but if anyone dared hurt Nona, she'd fight them to the bitter end.

"Let her go now! Or I'll march naked up to your precious Gallagher estate and scream to the whole neighborhood that you, your father, and your brother all slept with me!" Mia was so furious she didn't care what she threatened—even if it meant humiliating herself.

Claud was torn between laughter and exasperation at her tirade.

But his tone was somber as he replied, "It really wasn't me. I've been following her all night. I noticed a van tailing her, and I think she saw it, too. She suddenly turned down a side street, and the van followed. I was stuck in traffic and couldn't turn with them. By the time I looped back around, she was gone."