Upstairs, Jessica stared in shock at the unfolding scene.


    She hadn''t expected Stanley to show up. She had warned Wendy a thousand times not to tell anyone else about this -how had Stanley found out?


    Stanley looked at Wendy with concern. "Are you okay?""


    Wendy shook her head. "I''m fine. You came just in time."


    She picked up her phone and sneered, "You must be wondering why Stanley showed up. I called him."


    Jessica froze. What?!


    Wendy continued, "When we talked on the phone, you kept warning me not to tell anyone else. You meant Stanley, right? You didn''t want him to know. Well, I told him anyway. That way, I turned the tables and took control."


    Jessica was speechless. Wendy, doing what she had warned her not to do, had managed to ruin her ns.


    She felt frustrated. Every time she tangled with Wendy, it seemed she lost.


    Wendy''s clear eyes scanned the private winery. "Stanley''s men have already surrounded this ce. You''d better pray you don''t get caught."


    As Wendy hung up the phone, Jessica went into full panic mode upstairs. The winery was nowpletely surrounded by Stanley''s men. Tonight, Wendy had simply yed along with the n, setting a trap for her.


    Jessica realized it was over, and she had to find a way out. With that thought, she disappeared.


    Downstairs, Stanley reached out and buttoned Wendy''s ck coat.


    "The mastermind is somewhere inside this winery. We have to catch her tonight," Wendy said.


    Stanley nodded. "Got it."


    Wendy gave a small sigh of relief. "But here''s the good news-Be and Mrs.


    Ang are both safe. The mastermind is too busy watching her own back to harm them. They''re her bargaining chips her insurance. She wouldn''t dare move against them."


    Stanley''s gaze hardened. "The winery is surrounded. My men are searching thoroughly. We''ll catch her for sure."


    At that moment, one of the sleazy men they had caught recognized Stanley and pleaded, "M-Mr. Hawk, please spare us we didn''t do anything!"


    Stanley stepped forward and, with a single powerful kick, struck the man square in the chest. The man flew backward, coughing up blood.


    Stanley''s voice was cold and sharp. "You darey eyes on my woman? You''re begging for death."


    The man gasped, "Sh-she''s your woman? We had no idea!


    Stanley pulled Wendy close, wrapping an arm around her slender waist. "You all


    "Enough, Mr. Hawk," Wendy interrupted. "Teaching them a lesson is enough. We need to focus on catching the mastermind tonight."


    The sleazy men dropped to their knees, bowing and thanking them profusely. "Thank you, thank you! We swear we''ll change."


    Stanley kicked one again. "You''re lucky tonight. Now get out of my sight-I don''t want to see any of you!"


    The men were dragged away. They had been caught in a group scandal, and Stanley was ready to throw them all in jail. They would have to suffer before they learned their lesson.


    Stanley tightened his hold on Wendy. "If you hadn''t stopped me, I swear I''d have gouged out their eyes."


    Wendy blinked in surprise and looked up at him. "Why? What did they ever do to you?"


    Before she left the office, she and Stanley had already nned this-a coordinated effort to flush out the thief from both inside and outside.