?<strong>Chapter 792:</strong>


    Lucian’s greed was evident. “Leave now and send someone for your daughter.”


    “And Adrian?”


    “I still need him.”


    Joelle paused to strategize before responding, “If you’re after the inheritance, think carefully. Forcing Adrian to sign away his rights under duress makes any agreement legally void.”


    “Are you trying to school me on what to do?” Lucian was on the verge of a breakdown. “I’m telling you, I’ll only release your daughter. Do you want her or not?”


    “I do,” Joelle paused briefly, gathering her resolve. “But I need to see Adrian first.”


    Lucian exploded with frustration. “Fuck, you just don’t know where to stop, do you? How dare you try to bargain at this point?”


    Joelle remained steadfast, her voice steady and forceful. “You should be thankful I’m even willing to negotiate. Do you think you’re the only one prepared to take extreme measures? I have control over your entire family right now. You might threaten Adrian and Aurora, but remember, I can just as easily eliminate your family.”


    Joelle’s resolve didn’t waver. She mirrored Lucian’s tactics, using his own family as leverage, much like he had used hers.


    Left with no other options, she asserted firmly, “But understand this—you won’t gain anything financially.”


    Silence stretched on Lucian’s end of the line, while Joelle’s threat left the Dury family trembling with fear.


    Joelle waited for Lucian’s response, but the longer he dyed, the tenser she felt. She had already exhausted almost all her resources.


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    She had considered begging Lucian when it came right down to it, but that would be herst resort.


    Fortunately, Lucian proved to be less formidable than she had expected. “Fine. I’ll show you your husband.”


    Joelle tensed in nervous anticipation, her mind consumed with thoughts of Adrian and how he was faring.


    No matter how hard she tried to remain positive, she kept imagining the worst.


    If she saw the slightest injury on Adrian, she’d kill Lucian herself.


    “You better pray I don’t see him hurt.”


    Lucian snorted. “Rx, your husband and daughter are fine.”


    In the next second, the call switched to video mode, showing Lucian in a puffer jacket with snowkes swirling in the background.


    The digital thermometer near him disyed a temperature below freezing, and Joelle worried he might not have provided Aurora with enough warm clothing.


    Then Lucian spun the camera around, showing Adrian and Aurora. Joelle’s heart leapt. The two were huddled together beside a stove, chained to it. Though they looked better than Joelle had feared, they were still in rough shape.


    Yearly, many people froze to their deaths in that ce.


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