After Charlie left, Aunt Carol followed Charlie's instructions diligently. She attempted to call Serena's phone, but it went unanswered, adding to her growing unease.

As they drove towards the SGC company building, Aunt Carol's anxiety mounted. She knew time was of the essence. Determined to reach Serena, she also called Serena's secretary in a desperate attempt to convey the urgency of the situation.

"Hello, may I know who's speaking?" the secretary answered.

"This is Aunt Carol. Can I please speak to Miss Serena? This is urgent," Aunt Carol replied, her voice trembling with urgency.

"I'm sorry, but Miss Serena is currently in a very important meeting and instructed not to be interrupted," the secretary explained.

"Miss, please, this is important. You'll regret it if you don't let me speak with her," Aunt Carol pleaded.

"I'm sorry—"

"Just tell her it's urgent. It's about her girlfriend, Charlie, and Mr. Cornelius!" Aunt Carol pressed, desperation evident in her tone.

The secretary's eyes widened at the mention of Charlie's name. She knew damn well that Charlie was Serena's top priority, surpassing even the most critical business matters at SGC.

"Y-you should've told me it was about Ms. Charlie first... I'm sorry. I'll inform her right away," she stammered, realizing the gravity of the situation.

Meanwhile, Serena, unaware of the unfolding events, was engrossed in an investment meeting with the Churchills—one of the country's most influential conglomerate families. She hoped to secure a deal that would allow her to separate from Robert's company without suffering significant financial consequences.

Serena's irritation peaked as the meeting was disrupted. She frowned, shooting a stern glance at her secretary. "I explicitly instructed not to be interrupted, especially during this crucial meeting," she reprimanded, her tone sharp.

The secretary, visibly flustered, stammered out an apology. "I'm terribly sorry, Miss Serena. It's just that... it's about Ms. Charlie... Aunt Carol said she must speak to you immediately," she began tentatively.

Serena's expression changed drastically, her heart skipping a beat at the mention of Charlie's name. Instantly, she knew something must be terribly wrong.

"Excuse me, I have to take this call..." Serena said hastily, her urgency evident as she grabbed the phone from her secretary's hand.

Cato, sensing the gravity of the situation, nodded understandingly. "Okay, go... I've got this," he reassured her as she hurriedly left the meeting room, her mind racing with worry for Charlie.

"Hello, Aunt Carol, what happened?" Serena's voice quivered with concern.

"Miss Serena... Miss Charlie is on her way to meet with Sir Cornelius... Miss Charlie asked me to tell you not to worry and that she would contact you as soon as she knows where Sir Cornelius will be taking her, and then you have to take the police with you... she said this is the last chance you have to catch Cornelius..." Aunt Carol explained, her tone urgent.

"W-what?!" Serena exclaimed, her heart pounding with worry.

'Why would you go alone with him?' Serena's mind raced with anxious thoughts, imagining all the possible dangers Charlie might be facing.

"Okay, Aunt Carol... I'll try to contact Charlie.." Serena's voice trembled as she ended the call, her fingers shaking as she attempted to dial Charlie's number.

As each attempt went to voicemail, Serena's anxiety heightened, her pacing growing more frantic.

'Please, Charlie, pick up...' Serena silently pleaded, her heart aching with fear for her girlfriend's safety.

With no success reaching Charlie, Serena dialed James' number, her voice urgent as she instructed him to pick her up from SGC immediately.

"Okay, Miss..." James' reassuring voice came through the line.

As Serena prepared to leave, her heart sinking with worry, the door burst open, and Celia strode into her office with a smirk.

"Hey sister, miss me?" Celia's teasing tone grated on Serena's nerves.

"Miss Serena, I'm sorry... I tried to stop her but she said she's your sister and she started barging in..." Jane, Serena's secretary, apologized nervously.

"It's okay, Jane... Thank you. Please, give us a moment," Serena replied, trying to maintain her composure despite the turmoil raging inside her.

Serena's gaze bore into Celia with a mixture of desperation and anger.

"Where the hell did your husband take Charlie?!" Serena demanded, her voice sharp with urgency.

Celia's smirk widened at Serena's evident distress. "Getting right to business, are we?" she chuckled, relishing Serena's unease.

"I don't have time to play games with you, Celia. Just tell me where they are," Serena snapped, her patience wearing thin.

Celia's grin grew wider, enjoying the power she held over her sister. "Come on now, sister... It was only Charlie that could bring out the expression on your face... It makes me want to play with you more..." she taunted.

Serena's grip tightened, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "Just tell me what you want," she demanded through gritted teeth.

Celia's eyes gleamed with malicious delight. "Give me 100 million dollars and a plane for me to escape, and in exchange, I'll tell you where Charlie is," she announced with a chilling grin.

"Are you crazy?! How am I supposed to get that kind of money without raising suspicion?" Serena retorted, her voice rising with incredulity.

Celia's smile turned sinister. "You're the CEO of SGC, sister. You can make it happen. And don't forget, time is ticking. Cornelius won't wait forever," she warned, her tone laced with menace.

Reluctantly, Serena agreed to Celia's demands, knowing she had no other choice if she wanted to find Charlie.

As Serena dialed her bank to arrange the transfer, James burst into the room, interrupting the tense exchange.

"Miss Serena... I've located where Miss Charlie is!" James announced, his voice filled with urgency.

Serena's heart skipped a beat at the news, relief flooding through her veins. "Are you sure? How?" she asked, her voice trembling with hope.

"I've put a tracker on Miss Charlie's phone," James admitted, his expression apologetic.

Though Serena was conflicted about the invasion of privacy, she was grateful for the breakthrough.

Celia, realizing she was losing her leverage, grew frantic. "Serena, the money!" she urged, desperation creeping into her voice.

But Serena's attention was focused solely on James. "Put a trace on it. Let's go get her," she instructed, determination burning in her eyes.

As James hurried to carry out Serena's orders, Celia's face fell, realizing her plan had unraveled before her eyes.

"S-Serena, the money!" Celia pleaded, her voice tinged with panic.

But Serena's resolve was unyielding. "Oh, Celia... looks like I won't be needing you anymore," she declared, her voice steely with determination.

"JANE! Call security and tell them to hand Celia over to the police... she's a fugitive, after all..." Serena's command was sharp and decisive.

"W-what?! You b—" Before Celia could finish, a resounding slap cut through the air, striking her across the face.

It was Serena.

"I've been wanting to do that for so