When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 270: The Mastermind

Chapter 270: The Mastermind

Back in the present, Samuel was jolted awake by the sharp ringing of his phone. Groaning, he reached for it. Timmy’s name flashed on the screen.

"Timmy," he muttered, his voice heavy with sleep. "What is it?"

"Sir, Lily has news. She found the mastermind," Timmy said urgently.

Samuel sat up instantly. "She’s sure?"

"Yes. She double-checked everything. She’s waiting for us at the café near her place."

Samuel ran a hand through his hair. "What time is it?"

"Just past five. We need to go now."

Samuel sighed, already swinging his legs off the bed. "I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Tell her I’m coming. And Timmy..."

"Yes, sir?"

"Make sure she’s safe."

"I’ve already arranged it."

"Good," Samuel said, ending the call. The urgency drove away any trace of fatigue as he got up and started getting ready.

---

Twenty minutes later, Samuel pulled up to the café. He spotted Timmy pacing outside.

"She’s inside," Timmy said, approaching him.

Samuel nodded. "Let’s go."

---

Inside, Lily sat at a corner table with her laptop open. She looked up as they approached and motioned for them to sit.

"Samuel," she greeted.

"You’ve got something?" Samuel asked, sitting down.

She nodded, turning the laptop toward him. "This is the man behind everything—Frank Hale."

Samuel stared at the screen. The image of a cold, middle-aged man filled the display. "Who is he?"

Lily leaned forward. "Frank Hale isn’t just some random enemy. He’s tied to your family in ways you won’t believe."

Samuel’s gaze hardened. "What are you talking about?"

"He’s the man your grandfather arranged to marry your Aunt Jane—James’s mother."

Samuel frowned. "Arranged marriage?"

"Yes," Lily continued. "But when your Aunt Jane ran off with another man, Frank couldn’t handle the humiliation. He orchestrated an accident that killed the man she loved."

Samuel’s jaw tightened. "And my grandfather?"

"George found out. He sent Frank to prison. But Frank was released three years ago. His family disowned him after the scandal and sent him abroad to avoid further disgrace."

Timmy crossed his arms, his face grim. "Then why come back now?"

Lily sighed. "While abroad, Frank learned about James—Jane’s son. By then, James had already gone missing and was presumed dead. Frank became obsessed with finding him to exact revenge. When he couldn’t locate James, he started looking for people who resembled him."

Samuel’s expression darkened. "What for?"

Lily’s voice dropped. "To make them act like James. To torture them. It became his sick way of finding relief—seeing the face of the son of the woman he once loved in pain and despair."

Timmy shook his head in disbelief. "That’s twisted."

"It gets worse," Lily added. "Frank isn’t just after revenge. He’s targeting Lucas Realty Group and your entire family’s legacy."

Samuel leaned forward, his tone cold. "How is he planning to do that?"

Lily looked him directly in the eye. "When he found out about your upcoming wedding, it gave him the perfect chance. By orchestrating James’s return, he aims to destroy your relationship with Zinnia and destabilize the company. He’s working with Bart and Billy—the two independent directors on your board."

Samuel’s eyes narrowed. "Bart and Billy? They’ve always been loyal. Why would they turn on me?"

Lily hesitated. "Their families are being held hostage by Frank’s men. He’s forcing them to comply."

Timmy cursed under his breath. "This guy’s a monster."

Samuel rubbed his temples, his mind racing. "So Frank’s endgame is to take everything—my family, my company, Zinnia."

Lily nodded. "Exactly. He’s calculated, Samuel. He wants to tear down everything your grandfather built."

Samuel’s voice was sharp. "Does he know we’re onto him?"

"Not yet," Lily replied. "But we can’t waste time. Every second we wait, he’s getting closer to his goal."

Samuel stood, his expression resolute. "Then we won’t wait. We’ll stop him."

Timmy straightened. "What’s the plan, sir?"

Samuel’s voice was firm. "We start with Bart and Billy. If we can get their families out of danger, we’ll cut off Frank’s leverage."

Lily closed her laptop and stood. "I’ll keep digging into Frank’s current location."

"Good," Samuel said, turning to Timmy. "Make the arrangements. We move tonight."

Timmy nodded. "Understood, sir."

As they got up to leave the café, Lily’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen, her face tightening.

"Wait," she said, holding up a hand. "I just got another clue."

Samuel stopped mid-step, turning back to her. "What is it?"

Lily quickly scanned the message, her eyes darting over the text. "Frank... he’s living abroad. In the same country where Zinnia and I studied."

Timmy frowned. "Abroad? Where exactly?"

"The outskirts of the city where our university was," Lily replied, her tone serious. "He has a mansion there."

Samuel’s brow furrowed. "A mansion? And?"

She hesitated before meeting his gaze. "The message says the mansion has a secret underground laboratory."

"Laboratory?" Timmy repeated, his voice incredulous.

"Yes," Lily confirmed. "That’s where he’s holding the people who look like James. And... Bart and Billy’s families are being kept there too."

Samuel’s expression darkened instantly. "Are you sure about this?"

Lily nodded. "The source is reliable. Frank’s been using that place to carry out his twisted plans."

Timmy crossed his arms, shaking his head. "So he’s been operating from outside the country this whole time. That explains why we couldn’t track him locally."

Samuel’s jaw tightened. "How many people are we talking about?"

"I don’t have exact numbers yet," Lily admitted. "But it’s more than just Bart and Billy’s families. He’s collected others—anyone who even slightly resembles James. He’s been experimenting with them."

"Experimenting?" Samuel’s voice was low, controlled, but the anger beneath it was clear.

"It’s not just physical experiments, it’s more on psychological. Torture, manipulation, forcing them to act like James. He’s breaking them mentally just to satisfy his own vendetta."

Timmy let out a sharp breath. "This guy is worse than I thought."

Samuel ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing. "How do we get there?"

Lily held up her phone. "I can arrange a flight. It’ll take a few hours to prepare, but we need to act fast before he moves anyone."

Samuel nodded. "Do it. I want everything ready by tonight."

Timmy looked at Samuel. "What’s the plan once we’re there? We can’t just walk into a mansion with a secret lab."

Samuel’s voice was cold and determined. "We’ll figure that out once we’re on the ground. Right now, the priority is getting there before Frank realizes we’re onto him."

Lily stood, grabbing her bag. "I’ll handle the travel arrangements. You two prepare for what’s next."

Samuel looked at Timmy. "Make sure we have backup. I don’t want to risk anyone else getting hurt."

Timmy nodded. "Understood, sir."