Trapped in a Secret Marriage with a Dangerous Billionaire - Chapter 228

Chapter 228: Battered and Bruised

“Liam, get the guys to find out who owns the building. Visit the Spa again and scout the underground tunnel to see where it leads. Check the CCTV cameras around that vicinity for the cars that took Stella away,” Xander instructed Liam with a relaxed tone.

Liam nodded in understanding, bid ‘byes’ to them, picked up his briefcase and left.

Asher turned to Xander after that and asked with suspicion, “Do you think the Major knows you will be after him soon as he’s aware you had people watching Stella? Actually, I think he would be very disappointed if you don’t notice the foul play and come after him.”

“I won’t go after him. It will be impossible to infiltrate the hideout location since this is a private mission. It’s not a serious deal where we have to keep people at will,” Xander said with regret in his tone then meeting Asher’s gaze and seeing that narrowed gaze, he slapped his arm.

If only this were a secret government mission, then Xander wouldn’t hold back from taking all the men down to get in. Unfortunately, even attempting to go there armed or unarmed without the intention to kill and Major Walker’s approval will result in him being whisked away with sprays of bullets. And he wouldn’t want that.

“Be careful being so bloodthirsty around your wife this period,” Asher cautioned before swiftly changing the topic. “How will you get Mrs. Swift then? The Major doesn’t look like he will let her off soon.”

“I only need to provide all the pieces of evidence and theory that implicates him and ask him to release Stella,” Xander replied after a few calculations in his head.

He just had to provide proof of the Major’s involvement to him. That’s the only way Stella can be released.

“And he will do that?” Asher probed with doubts glinting in his eyes.

“He will,” Xander confirmed. “His daughter already hates him. He wouldn’t want her to hate him any further, even if he doesn’t care about her.”

Xander hinted subtly at using Aurora to threaten the Major. Asher grasped it immediately, smiling to himself.

“But I will take my time getting the remaining pieces of evidence I need,” Xander added, giving Asher a glance that suggested his little tricks.

A wild grin found its way to Asher’s lips, realising Xander’s intentions. “After all, it is a good thing for Stella to suffer a bit.”

Xander nodded with a playful smirk on his lips. But then, he cautioned Asher not to mention it to his wife’s hearing.

“Her soft heart won’t accept this. It’s better to help her take revenge this way before handing Stella over to the court of law to be dealt with.”

—

Underground Military Dungeon.

The cold air clung to Stella’s skin as she regained consciousness. Her wrists burned from the metal cuffs, chaining her hands above her head. The clang of the chains echoed in the desolate dungeon, mocking her helplessness.

A flickering torch cast long shadows on the stone walls. The room reeked of mould and decay, the stench of fear hanging heavy in the air. Stella’s ragged breathing broke the silence. Her face, swollen and bruised, bore the marks of her torment, one eye nearly shut, her vision hazy.

The metallic clang of a door unlocking jolted her from her stupor, signalling the commencement of her never-ending torture. Her pulse spiked with dread as she whispered hoarsely, “No… please, not again…”

The door creaked open, heavy boots closing in. Stella flinched, panic coursing through her as a bucket of ice-cold water crashed over her, shocking her into full awareness. She gasped, choking on the freezing liquid as her body convulsed, the chains rattling above her.

“Wake up,” a gravelly voice ordered, cold and merciless.

Blinking water from her eyes, Stella’s lips quivered as tears mixed with the icy water. “P-please… I can’t… I can’t take this anymore… please…” she whimpered, her faint voice trembling from starvation and torment.

A cruel laugh broke the silence. “Begging, are we? Pathetic,” sneered a figure, gripping her chin roughly and forcing her battered face upward. Stella winced as pain shot through her bruised jaw.

“Where’s all that arrogance now?” the voice taunted, leaning close. “Did you ever think the people you trampled would let it slide?”

“I-I will do anything,” Stella croaked, her voice breaking. “Just… let me go… please…”

The captor smirked, releasing her chin so harshly her head snapped to the side. She hung limp, trembling, her sobs the only sound in the dungeon.

Another figure stepped forward, uncoiling a leather whip. Stella’s blurred gaze landed on it, terror gripping her as she weakly struggled against her restraints. “No… no, no…” she whimpered, but her body was too weak to resist.

“You think you’re in any position to bargain?” The calm, venomous voice sent chills through her.

The whip cracked against her back, the pain searing through her as she screamed. Each lash tore a fresh cry from her throat, growing weaker until only shallow breaths remained. Blood dripped from her back, staining her tattered clothe.

“Remember this the next time you think about crossing someone more powerful than you,” the voice spat, retreating into the shadows.

Stella sobbed, her faint pleas for mercy unanswered. Her body hung limp, trembling in the chains. As the figures left, her cries echoed in the cold silence, her dignity shattered.

She was the respected Mrs. Swift whom most women fought to associate with but today, she was hung with chains above her head like a sack of potatoes. She was flogged mercilessly like a destitute.

And her pleas and cries did nothing to reduce her pain. No one was coming to her rescue. Her family didn’t know where she was.

One thought burned in Stella’s mind through her despair: Who had done this to her?

‘Could it be Stephanie?’ She thought, recalling her sister-in-law’s threats.

At this point, Stella thought that Stephanie was capable of doing this to her if she had found out that she had caused her brother’s death. But what could Stella do in this situation? Nothing.