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CHAPTER-41 From Ashes to Light

ESTELLA'S POV

It is early evening when we arrive at the club, well ahead of the scheduled meeting time. Ian takes a seat at the bar, while Charlotte and I find a booth from where we can easily keep an eye on him. Ian specifically chose this club to meet Alex because it's easier to blend in and avoid suspicion in a crowded, lively place.

As I carefully observe Ian from a distance, I hear Charlotte ordering drinks. "Bring me something strong. One vodka and one fruit punch," she tells the waiter. When he leaves, she turns to me, noticing the look on my face.

"What?" she asks, a bit defensively.

"Charlotte, we're here to catch the culprit, not for some enjoyment," I reply seriously.

"Estella, chill," Charlotte says, rolling her eyes. "I just ordered one drink to pretend."

"Pretend what?" I ask, bewildered.

"Think about it, innocent Estella. If we sit here at this top club in Los Angeles without ordering anything and just keep staring at Ian, someone will definitely find us suspicious. So, order a drink and act like you came here to enjoy the club."

I shake my head, amazed at Charlotte's logic. A few minutes later, the waiter returns with our drinks. She takes her vodka and hands me the fruit punch, then shouts, "Enjoy, Ella-bella!" I smile at her actions. Charlotte is truly a free-spirited person who doesn't let anything stress her out and believes in enjoying every moment.

I refocus on Ian and signal to him with my eyes, asking if there's any sign of Alex. Ian shakes his head in response, indicating there isn't. After a few more minutes, two men, one in a grey suit and the other in a black suit, approach Ian. They sit on either side of him, whisper something in his ear, and then lead him to an upper floor.

Grabbing Charlotte's hand, I whisper urgently, "Come on, we need to follow them."

We quickly make our way to the upper floor and, from a distance, watch as Ian is led into a room by the two men. They look like shady characters, and Charlotte and I start to worry. Panic begins to set in.

"What should we do?" I ask, my voice trembling. "Should we call the police? Gosh, I hope Ian is okay."

Charlotte takes a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "We need to be smart about this, Estella. If we call the police now, we might blow Ian's cover and endanger him even more. Let's just wait a bit and see what happens. If things get worse, we'll call for help."

I nod, though the anxiety in my chest remains. We hide behind a large decorative plant, trying to stay out of sight while keeping an eye on the door Ian entered.

Minutes feel like hours as we wait. My mind races with worst-case scenarios. What if Ian is in trouble? What if these men are dangerous? I glance at Charlotte, who is nervously biting her lip, clearly worried despite her calm exterior.

Suddenly, the door opens, and Ian steps out with the two men. He casually shakes their hands and says, "Thanks, dude." The two men go back into the room, and Ian approaches us with a calm and composed demeanor. Soon, we hear the sound of a man shouting and some scuffling from the room. Ian motions for us to leave. "Come on, let's go," he says, moving forward. We follow him, still hearing the sounds of beating coming from that room.

Once outside, Charlotte can't contain her curiosity any longer. "Anderson, speak up. What the hell happened inside?" she asks.

Ian replies nonchalantly, "Alex thought he could use his idiot brain. He hired some goons to intimidate me, but I paid them four times what Alex offered and made them give him a little treatment instead. I got Ember's current address and phone number. Tomorrow, we'll go there."