Chapter 3

However, it was a misfortune for Ella, for Liam could see her every move. The tracker he had slipped into her handbag earlier gave him the upper hand. There was no escape for her. True to his nature, Liam quickly processed the situation and adapted, devising new strategies and instructions to shut down every possible escape route Ella might attempt. Liam pulled his phone out and dialed a number, saying, "Use every resource you have to bring as many men as possible to the Lunar Hotel within 15 minutes. Block all exits. No one leaves." It was 2:00 am, and only a skeleton crew was on duty at the hotel. Knowing he was dealing with a sharp, resourceful woman like Ella, Liam had called for backup as a precaution. "What's going on, Liam?" Mason Xander had been half asleep when he picked up Liam's call. However, the urgency in Liam's tone woke him up immediately. Moreover, it was rare for Liam to request his help on such a grand scale. "Do you have someone you need to catch, Liam?" "A woman," Liam answered casually. Since he needed Mason to catch Ella, he'd need to provide him with some information. "A woman?" Mason's voice shot up several octaves in surprise but quickly turned into excitement as he asked, "What kind of woman is she, Liam? Is she your girlfriend?" Still, Mason couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. When Liam abruptly ended the call without saying another word, Mason was left hanging, frustrated and curious about who this woman could be. But Liam's silence wouldn't stop Mason. He could always check the CCTV footage himself—he wasn't about to miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! "Mr. Jones, I had someone check the CCTV footage, but it seems like they were all destroyed," Jasper reported back to Liam after completing his task. Despite his efforts, he had been a step too late. Liam's expression tightened upon hearing that. It had only been two minutes since Ella had slipped out of his suite, meaning she had the CCTV footage erased during her escape. "Has the costume party Mr. Langley organized been dismissed yet?" Liam asked, recalling the event Ethan Langley had arranged on the third floor. He noticed the tracker was now indicating movement on that very floor. "Not yet," Aidan responded, though he didn't understand the question's relevance. "Alright," Liam responded, his mind clicking into place. Ella was planning to blend in at the party. It was a smart move, considering the chaos and anonymity the costumes would offer her. It seemed like Liam had finally caught a little fox—a particularly arrogant and cunning one. If Ella were to sneak into the party, she would need to change and leave her handbag behind—an issue since Liam had planted a tracker inside it. Liam hurried into the elevator, heading straight for the third floor. Just as the doors were about to close, he gave his orders. "Keep watching the elevator entrances. Don't let anyone leave." Liam was clearly pulling out all the stops to keep Ella from escaping the hotel. Though Casey had some reservations, he said nothing more and simply agreed. Liam then ascended to the third floor. With Ella heading to the party, Liam knew exactly where he was going—straight to the party itself to catch her. Ella had indeed made her way to the costume party on the third floor, already in disguise with a fox mask. She knew she couldn't leave alone under the current circumstances, so she was searching for someone to help her. Ella's gaze swept across the dimly lit hall, searching for a familiar face. Despite the masks, she spotted her target immediately—Hunter Quinn. Hunter was infamous for his ruthlessness and manipulative nature, but he was also Oscar Quinn's cousin. Since Ella was betrothed to Oscar, she could turn to him for help. Though she dreaded aligning herself with someone like Hunter, she knew enough about the Quinn family's secrets to use them as leverage. That knowledge would force his hand to help her, even if it meant dealing with the man she wanted to avoid. She walked up to him and said, "Hunter." Hunter stopped and glanced at her with indifference, clearly thinking she was just another woman trying to get his attention. Ella didn't flinch at his response. She met his gaze and said, "Mr. Quinn, I assume you've handled all of the recent affairs for the Quinn family if you're here enjoying yourself so freely?" Ella paused, inching closer to Hunter before she slowly added, "Like your cousin, Darius, who intentionally ran over two people with his car, killing them. "Oh, and like the mistress your father got pregnant, who mysteriously died in an accident just a few days ago. Also..." Ella understood Hunter's façade of cynicism. Despite his outward appearance, he still cared deeply for the Quinn family. His expression darkened with anger as he grasped her wrist, demanding, "Who are you?" Ella merely smiled in response. "What do you want?" Hunter's eyes narrowed, his sharp instincts telling him she wasn't here by accident. "Help me leave the hotel," Ella replied, her calm smile masking the anxiousness gnawing at her inside. No matter how desperate the situation, she never let it show. Hunter furrowed his brows, taken aback by her unusual request. "Is it really that hard to leave a hotel?" Ella nodded slowly. "Given my current circumstances, it's incredibly difficult for me to leave. I need your help, Mr. Quinn." With Liam blocking all exits, escaping was a daunting task for her. Meanwhile, at the ballroom entrance, Liam arrived, only to be stopped by a security guard. "Sir, this is a costume party. You'll need to wear a mask." Without hesitation, Liam grabbed a mask and headed inside. He moved quickly to where the tracker had indicated, but Ella's abandoned handbag was all he found. She was gone, having changed into her costume and disappeared into the crowd. Realizing he was a step behind, Liam knew finding her now would be much more difficult. But he was determined. He'd find her, no matter what it took. "Alright, I'll help you," Hunter said, his tone shifting to one of intrigue. He looked at Ella with curiosity, wanting to know more about the mysterious woman before him. "Let's go." Hunter grasped her wrist, pulling her toward the exit. He didn't seem to find her request particularly difficult, and Ella exhaled softly in relief. Things were going more smoothly than she had hoped, and she followed closely behind him. But suddenly, she felt a firm grip on her waist. Before she could react, she was pulled into a powerful embrace. Ella's breath caught in her throat as she looked up, meeting another man's eyes. Her heart sank. The gaze staring back at her was tranquil, indifferent, but she felt a dark, underlying threat. Though the dim lights and the mask obscured his face, Ella didn't need a clear view to know who he was. The palpable sense of danger radiating from him left no room for doubt—this man had to be the same one she had handcuffed to the bed.