Chapter 122
The Institute of Architectural Standard Design might not be huge, but it covers a vast area, with towering buildings and renowned designers gathered there.
Victoria stood at the corner of the bus stop, scanning the area for any sign of Lachlan.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps passing by her side.
She turned her head and was shocked to see Wayne.
What was he doing here?
Could it be a coincidence?
Victoria thought she was seeing things and blinked hard, but it was definitely Wayne.
She quickly bent down, pretending to tie her shoelaces, and sneaked a glance at Wayne.
Wayne seemed unaware of her presence and walked straight into the building with his assistant.
Victoria breathed a sigh of relief.
The building had security, requiring either a pass or someone inside to let you in. Wayne was clearly let in by someone inside, as a group of people greeted him as soon as he entered.
From her distance, Victoria couldn't make out who was welcoming him.
She pretended to be a passerby, sneaking a few glances inside.
She thought she was being discreet, but Wayne had already noticed her every move.
Victoria waited at the entrance for a long time, but Wayne didn't come out. Feeling the urge to use the restroom, she headed to the nearby public bathroom.
As she approached, she saw a middle-aged man in shabby clothes anxiously looking around.
When Victoria walked by, the man nervously approached her. "Miss, can you help me?"
"Help?" Victoria looked at him, feeling something was off.
The man hesitated, then blushed and handed her something. "Miss, my daughter is in the last stall. She just got her period. Could you please give her this sanitary pad?"
He handed her the pad, smiling awkwardly.
Victoria was momentarily stunned but then understood. This was a common situation for girls, and she had experienced it herself.
She took the pad and smiled at the man. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."
"Thank you so much."
"No problem." Victoria walked into the last stall with the pad.
As soon as she opened the door, a spray hit her face, and she lost consciousness.
William knew Victoria wouldn't just sit around, so he had Harry assign someone to follow her early in the morning.
When he learned she was heading to the Institute of Architectural Standard Design, he suspected trouble and immediately rushed there with Harry.
The bodyguard protecting Victoria saw her enter the women's restroom but didn't dare to follow, waiting outside instead.
Unexpectedly, she didn't come out for a long time, and the middle-aged man who had asked her to deliver the pad was gone.
The bodyguard, worried, entered the restroom, only to find it empty.
Panicked, he called William to report.
William's face darkened as he ordered the bodyguard to keep searching the area.
With a cold, menacing aura, William called for surveillance footage from the area.
Minutes later, he received a crucial lead. After Victoria entered the restroom, someone left through the back door with a large suitcase and got into a black van.
The van's license plate and current location were sent to William, who immediately drove there.
When William and Harry arrived, the van was parked in a remote area, but the occupants were gone.
Harry, a former special forces member skilled in tracking, examined the surroundings.
He quickly found some clues.
Worried about Victoria's safety, William couldn't wait for backup. After calling for a helicopter, he and Harry headed into the wilderness.
Victoria slowly regained consciousness, her head throbbing.
As she became more aware, she realized she was in a dilapidated house, the air thick with dampness and mold.
The place seemed abandoned for a long time, with water stains and moss on the walls and cobwebs in the corners.
Fear gripped her, and she trembled uncontrollably.
She struggled against the ropes but couldn't break free.
Victoria knew fear wouldn't help. She had to stay calm.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady her breathing and began to survey her surroundings for an escape route.
Just then, her captors entered the room.
They wore masks, revealing only their cold, menacing eyes, staring at Victoria like she was prey.
One of them approached, grabbed her hair, and yanked her head up. "What were you doing at the Institute of Architectural Standard Design?"
Victoria winced in pain but held her ground. "I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Don't play dumb! You better start talking!" The man slapped her hard, making her head spin.
"Last chance. Tell me why you were at the Institute of Architectural Standard Design, or else!"
Victoria bit her lip, knowing she had to say something.
"I was looking for Lachlan. I wanted to ask him about my dad's design plans from years ago."
The man frowned, thinking it over, then pressed her again. "Really?"
"Yes, absolutely."
The man scrutinized her, seeing sincerity in her eyes, and believed her somewhat.
He asked, "How did you find Lachlan?"
Victoria didn't want to involve Maximus or William.
Her instincts told her these people would harm William.
She shook her head, trying to stay calm. "I was looking for inspiration online and found out Lachlan is now the director at the Institute of Architectural Standard Design, so I went to see him."
Her explanation seemed plausible, and the man believed most of it.
He then asked, "One last question. What does William, the man keeping you, know?"