Chapter: 202

At that moment, Owen was making merry with the funds Ashley had handed over, and thunderous music erupted in the background as soon as she connected the call.

"Hello? Miss Willis! What's going on?" Owen shouted over the noise.

Ashley grimaced and pulled the phone from her ear.

Irritated, she ended the call and quickly sent him a text. "Get somewhere quiet and call me back! It's about money."

The mention of money had Owen hustling out of the room with his phone in tow.

Lately, nothing thrilled him quite like money did.

When he called back, the background was significantly calmer.

"Miss Willis, what's the task?"

“Ever heard of Kaitlin Gilbert? Track her down. Make her squirm, and you're paid!"

Ashley's voice was frosty, her frustration with Kaitlin evident.

Owen paused. Kaitlin's reputation had reached even him.

"Isn't Kaitlin Gilbert linked to Mr. Hewitt? If I cross her, Mr. Hewitt will easily connect the dots back to me. The risk outweighs the reward," Owen said.

He vividly remembered the rage on Alan's face. Staying out of Ashley's way meant safety.

Yet, meddling with someone Alan valued was another matter entirely.

His life wasn't worth the potential payoff.

Ashley's expression grew stormy. “What are you implying? Are you turning me down?"

Eager not to alienate this important client, Owen chuckled nervously, trying to sidestep the issue. "It's mot that. I'm just being careful. Besides, ruffling her feathers might upset her temporarily. What real gain is there for you?"

Ashley, though visibly angry, conceded his point had merit. “So, you're suggesting we should do something more severe than just bothering Kaitlin?"

Owen's laugh was noncommittal.

“What if you kidnap her? Alan might pay a significant ransom. You could take the cash and flee the country. With that kind of money, you could vanish. The Hewitts wouldn't be able to touch you overseas,"

Ashley suggested.

Owen hesitated for a moment, his eyes glinting with avarice as he licked his lips.

“This is your chance to change your life. No more risky jobs. With this money, you could be the one giving orders." Ashley interpreted his silence as interest.

Though she could hire other kidnappers, involving Owen whom Alan thought was her husband made perfect sense for orchestrating Kaitlin's kidnapping.