Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem

Chapter 1178

Elysia was in a tough spot again.

After what felt like an eternity, she emerged from the bathroom, her eyes puffy and red.

"Mommy!"

"I'm okay, really. Don't worry about me. You guys go and play," she reassured Elliot and Evan, sending them off before returning to her booth to continue the conversation with Zane.

"It's definitely Winona in the video this time, no doubt about it," Elysia confirmed, her voice shaky.

"Yeah, I saw it too. But don't lose hope just yet. Things could be worse-she's still alive, even if she's suffering," Zane replied, trying to offer some comfort.

Elysia took a deep, shaky breath, "If we don't call the cops, how do we get Winona out?"

"Here's what I'm thinking: for her safety, we hold off on calling the authorities. We do what the kidnappers say for now. Once we have Winona safe, then we go to the police."

Elysia nodded in agreement, "Right. Winona's safety comes first. So, what are their demands?"

"They want money, and they want the Newsom family heirloom."

"How much money are we talking about?" Elysia asked.

"A billion!" Zane declared.

widened, "How

dollars. U.S.

stunned into

the figure loud and clear, and they all frowned in unison. Even with their wealth, a billion dollars was an astronomical sum. Zane was

Zane was aiming to squeeze Tarquin for the billion dollars and snag Ridley's heirloom

continued, "Dad's

so to

be willing to

com with he with a billion in cash? That

I liquidated

be enough. The only one

he's willing to help Winona out

knew Zane was trying to rope Tarquin into his

about it. If paying the ransom gets

worried something might go wrong in

her. "These kidnappers want money, not trouble. If we pay up and they still harm her, they know we'll hunt them down. It's

"Makes sense. I don't know if Tarquin can pull together that