His Housewife Had Secret Identities novel Chapter 322

But Jonathan’s eyes kept scanning the room, searching for something—or someone.

“Prescott…”

He had just spoken when a man’s voice cut in from nearby.

“Looking for someone?”

The voice wasn’t exactly familiar, but it wasn’t a stranger’s, either. Jonathan had just spent the better part of an hour listening to it back in the conference room.

“Want a hand?” the man—Jarrett—offered, but Jonathan didn’t answer. Not a word.

Suddenly, the blaring alarm fell silent.

Jarrett wandered off, chatted with a staff member, and returned at a leisurely pace. “They checked everything,” he reported. “False alarm. No real fire. Either a prank or a faulty machine. Apparently, the smoke machine for the wedding let out way too much smoke, set off the fire alarm.”

Prescott let out the breath he’d been holding, pressing a hand to his chest in relief.

Meanwhile, Jonathan quietly pulled out his phone. A WhatsApp message from Niamh popped up: *Something came up. I had to leave early.*

Jonathan frowned, thumb hovering over her name, about to call. Before he could, a video call buzzed in.

He answered without thinking. Daniel’s sickeningly smug face filled the screen.

“Well, Mr. Thomas, long time no see!”

Jonathan’s gaze turned ice-cold. He noticed Daniel was in some dilapidated apartment—the wallpaper yellowed and peeling in strips.

“Time’s short when you’re a wanted man, so let’s get to the point…” Daniel sneered. “Put together ten million for me, or the woman dies.”

Then he just shrugged and let out a cold laugh. “I know she’s your first love, Jonathan. Even if you’re married now, you never really got over her, did you? So I’m being generous—ten million, that’s all I want. If I’d gotten your wife too, I’d be asking for twenty. But since she’s off with another guy, I’ll cut you some slack. Ten million, in Bitcoin. I’ll send you the account. You have two hours. If I don’t get it, or you try calling the police, or pull any tricks…”

He crushed the cigarette out right on Marina’s shoulder.

She howled behind the tape, her body shaking with pain.

“Daniel!” Jonathan roared.

Daniel pulled back, grinning. “Whoops, my bad. Slipped.”

He ripped the tape from Marina’s mouth, almost theatrically, as if inviting Jonathan to listen to her cries.

Marina, gasping for breath, managed to shout, “Jonathan, don’t you dare pay him! Don’t do it!”