Chapter 196: The plot gone wrong 

Even though James had made plans, the words hit James like a physical blow, stealing the very air from his lungs. 

This was not far from his prediction, but the thought of her being taken still shook him up. 

For a moment, the world around him ground to a halt as looked to the man with a frown. 

“What did you say?” he ground out through clenched teeth, his hands already curling into 

white–knuckled fist, 

at his sides. 

The hotel manager swallowed hard, suddenly wary of the towering, inferno of fury blazing in his son’s eyes. 

“Madam….we saw on the surveillance video, two masked men grabbing her off the corridors.” 

They actually came and they took her. He was more angry than he had anticipated he would be. Someone had dared to lay a hand on his wife. They were looking down on him. 

He took in a deep breath and rubbed his temples. He suddenly felt a headache descend on his 

skull. 

“Taken?” he echoed, his voice barely above a whisper. “How is that possible? Where could they have taken her?” 

Hi eyes were red. Anyone who saw could tell he was about to blow. 

He looked to his men who had covered the place. He knew those he had set he trap for would attempt something, but he had only thought of an attempt. 

He thought he had covered all possibilities. If they tried something, they would be caught quickly, but they actually succeeded in taking her? 

How could they take her without triggering any alert? 

He shot a look to his men and they hurried off. 

“Where did you say she was taken?” he asked. 

The manager shook his head, his expression grim. 

“The corridor, young master. But we’re doing everything we can to find her,” he answered. 

the manager was also in on the plan and was not sure how they got her so quickly. 

“Lock down the entire hotel,” he ordered, his voice commanding. “No one leaves until we find my wife.” 

The manager nodded, his face pale with worry as he relayed the order to his staff. 

Shapter 196. The plot gone wrong 

Panic rippled through the crowd as guests realized they were trapped inside the Hotel, their murmurs of confusion and fear filling the air, 

Meanwhile, James’s private security team arrived on the scene, their faces were cold as ice as they took up positions at every entrance and exit, effectively sealing off the ball room and in extension, the hotel. 

With the hotel secured, James’s anger burned like a wildfire, consuming him from within.” Where is she?” he demanded, his voice laced with fury. 

“Where did you last see her? Believe me when I say, if she is not found there will be a price of pay,” he swore. 

The manager recoiled, his eyes wide with alarm. Mr. Grey, I assure you, we’re doing everything in our power to find her. We’ll search every inch of this Hotel If we have to.” 

But James wasn’t satisfied with empty promises. 

Even though he had planned everything out, he was still not ready for the feeling of fear that rushed through his skull. 

His mind raced with a thousand terrifying possibilities as he struggled to make sense of what he would do if something really happened to Stella. 

He tried to calm himself. He had prepared men to swap her away. He had to trust his men. What he did not know was that they really thought he was using her as bait and had not swapped Stella. 

James picked took out his phone and called the captain. 

“Captain, the tracing tools we installed have to be working. If my wife is taken off this hotel, I will sink it,” he said so calmly, it made many shiver. 

All around them, the crowd had fallen into a stunned silence, no one daring to breathe too loudly, afraid that they would draw James’s attention to themselves. 

His face right now, told them that if anyone dared to protest, there would be blood. 

A collective shudder rolled through the room at the situation they had found themselves. They took could not believe someone would dare take James’s wife. Was this not trying to get killed. 

His men arrived and handed him a field radio. 

His voice was low but dangerous as he gave instructions. 

“Pick them all off one by one,” he said. 

And in that moment, not a single soul doubted the brutal truth behind his words. James Grey was a man possessed. 

He tried to remain calm, but he could not. He had miscalculated how good they would be. 

James was absolutely livid and in a state of shed pande. Stella, had been abducted right from under his nose at his own family’s annual ball, despite all his planning. 

He immediately gave orders at his private security team, who swiftly locked down the entire luxury hotel. 

A thorough search of every room and cabin, corridor and potential hiding spot began as James stood absolutely still. But his mind was all over the place at the moment from fear. 

His father, Christopher, hurried over upon hearing the commotion, his face filled with concern. “James, what in God’s name is going on?” he demanded. 

“It’s Stella…she’s been taken,” James said so calmly his father could see a chill roll off him. He knew his son enough to know he was beyond angry at this moment, 

But only James knew that he was more angry with himself. 

How could he have allowed this to happen? How could he have miscalculated? How could he had thought using Stella this way was okay? 

James’s godmother, Maria, took a deep breath and immediately began pacing in distress. 

“Yesterday was drama, but today we are being tested at our event. It seems our reputation is not what it used to be!” she said in anger. 

Her words made many look away. No one dared to retort at this moment. 

It did not take long for James to hear back from his men. He abruptly left the ball room to the 

surveillance room. 

He scanned the video feeds rapidly until he saw the chilling footage Stella being ambushed from behind, knocked out cold by an unknown assailant, and then mercilessly dragged down a hallway out of view. 

James felt raw anger burn through him at the sight. It was one thing to hear about it, it was another to see it. 

The temperature of the room dropped when this played out. 

“There is a vessel under us. It seems they plan to take her with that. They have not left yet,” the captain said. 

James pulled out his phone and made a call. 

“Have you found out where they are operating from?” James asked. 

He was distracted by Stella’s abduction. But he did not forget why she was bait in the first place. 

Jerry was already one step ahead. “I’ve found them. I am sending in a team.” 

Chacter 196 The plot gunks whong 

“Good,” he sighed. He could not face the matter at hand. 

He ended the call and called his men, “Start closing in,” he ordered. 

The ballroom on the other hand had descended into chaos in the wake of James’s anger. The family and affiliates huddled in shocked clusters whispering frantically as they tried to make sense of what was happening. 

Many of them there were affiliated to the Grey family and knew that the young master just got married. They could not believe someone actually took her. What a bold move. 

Then, the doors to the ballroom burst open with an ominous bang. 

A flood of imposing men in crisp black suits and earpieces poured into the room, their faces set in grim masks of determination. 

They fanned out, taking up strategic positions that effectively blocked every available exit. 

A hush fell over the crowd as they watched the private security forces mobilize before their