How the Ice King Became my Doting Billionaire Husband
Chapter 473

Adelaide and her crew were hiding out in an old, rundown neighborhood. The outside world was in chaos, all of it focused on replaceing Morwenna. Some of the thugs were getting jittery, thinking of skipping town, but they hadn't been paid yet. Adelaide couldn't reach Yara, so she knew she had to come up with a plan on her own. Forcing a calm demeanor, she declared, "Why panic? Everyone's looking for Morwenna, which only proves how valuable she is. With just a small share of the Hetfield family's 20% stake, you'd all be set for life."

Despite their nerves, Adelaide's confidence seemed to steady the group. They were used to living on the edge, and danger was part of the job. They figured they might as well seize this opportunity for a big score.

The tattooed thug, who seemed to be the leader, looked at Adelaide and asked, "So, what's the plan?"

Adelaide's expression hardened. "Since we can't replace help, we'll do it ourselves. Wake her up. As long as Morwenna's in our hands, we're going to leverage her for something worthwhile."

"She's unconscious. How are we supposed to wake her up? We're not doctors," one of them pointed out.

Adelaide shot them a scornful glance, hiding her disdain for their incompetence. "You know we're not doctors, so why bother with the rules?"

With that, Adelaide approached Morwenna and slapped her hard across the face, twice. Morwenna's fair skin quickly showed the red, swollen marks, evidence of Adelaide's full force.

Even in her unconscious state, Morwenna winced from the pain, but she still didn't wake up. Adelaide's excitement was almost palpable; she had long wanted to get back at Morwenna, and now she finally had her chance.

The other thugs were uneasy. It didn't seem right to hit someone who was already out cold. But Adelaide wasn't done. She fetched a half bucket of cold water and doused Morwenna without hesitation.

The shock of the icy water finally roused Morwenna, and she blinked her eyes open, disoriented and unsure of her surroundings. At first, she didn't recognize Adelaide.

With a chilling smile, Adelaide said, "See? She's awake now."

While Brian and his crew would have been concerned enough to call a doctor if Morwenna had fainted, Adelaide was different. If the cold water hadn't worked, she was prepared to break Morwenna's leg to wake her up.

Morwenna lay on the wooden floor, not even afforded the decency of a bed or couch. Adelaide looked down at her, nudging her with her foot. "Now that you're awake, stop playing dead."

Morwenna finally recognized her captor, her voice weak and hoarse. "Adelaide?"

The name seemed to hit a nerve. Adelaide's face twisted with rage. She touched her gaunt face, her expression a mask of hatred. "I look nothing like I used to, do I? It's all because of you. You ruined everything!"

Unable to contain her anger, Adelaide began kicking Morwenna repeatedly. The thugs quickly intervened, with the tattooed guy pulling Adelaide back. "Enough! You can't kill her, or we won't get anything out of this."

Taking deep breaths, Adelaide regained her composure.

"Morwenna, you have two choices. First, you give us a portion of the Hetfield Group's shares. We don't need it all, just half will do. Second, if you refuse, I'll trade you for something else. I'm sure Phineas will be more than happy to offer a hefty reward for your return."