The police found the kidnappers' base while the livestream was still in progress. Numerous police cars surrounded the old manor. Red and blue lights flashed in the ominous darkness while the piercing sirens broke the stillness of the night.Zoe, who was as resilient as a cockroach, roused herself before Betty, who remained unconscious on the ground. Zoe was scared out of her wits when she heard the police sirens. She was about to escape when a few familiar figures barged into her line of sight."Lauren!"Landon was the first to rush forward. In the midst of his anguish, a ray of hope appeared within his crimson, tear-filled eyes. Landon had always been fearless. Despite knowing full well that there were cold-blooded mercenaries on Shelland Island who would not hesitate to kill, he accompanied Jasper there without hesitation. But right now, his face was as white as a sheet. With shaky steps, he stumbled his way through the room. The living room offered a grim tableau—Betty
Alyssa trembled with anger and tears in her eyes as she roared, "From the moment you stepped into this manor, every move you made was being recorded by hidden cameras and live streamed. The entire country has witnessed your crimes. Preston has tricked you from the start, yet you continue to hide the truth! Will you wait until it is too late to face reality?" Zoe was stunned, her mouth agape, blood staining her lips. "I-I know! I know!"Mason, the most cowardly among them, realized he was less powerful compared to the others. Crawling to Jasper's feet with his incapacitated limbs like a wounded sea lion, he said, "Two men came and took Lauren and the other woman away! Zoe even addressed one of the men as 'Mr. Carsen,' but he ignored her completely! "Mr. Jasper, Mr. Landon! Zoe tricked us into coming here! She threatened us—if we didn't beat Lauren up, she would kill us all! We were coerced into this—ah!"Jasper's cold glare bore into Mason as he kicked him in the face. "How dare
Preston laid out two demands in his ransom call—no guns and Landon had to come alone. "Jasper, Lyse, and Cyrus," Landon said. "You guys handle the situation here. I'll go meet Preston."Without a second thought, Landon turned and headed for the door."Landon!" Jasper cried out, his heart hammering in his chest. He lunged forward and grabbed Landon's arm. "This is Preston's trap! He might kill you; you cannot go alone!""I know he wants to kill me," Landon said with a humorless smile that quickly twisted into a grimace. It was a sight that tugged at the others' hearts."Landon, we'll go with you!" Alyssa declared with determination in her gaze. "We can stay hidden and wait for an opening. That way, we can save Lauren and Angelina for sure!"Landon shook his head. "Lyse, thank you, but I can't take that risk. If giving up my life means Lauren and Angelina can come back safely, then that's a price I'm willing to pay."Alyssa's eyes welled with tears, and Jasper's heart sank furthe
Aware that this was an added challenge by Preston, Landon abandoned the fight and sprinted for the elevator a dozen feet away. He frantically hammered the elevator button. A few seconds later, the door creaked open slowly.To his dismay, inside the elevator stood five attackers, each wielding sharp blades. …Preston was relaxing in a pool lounger, smoking his favorite cigar brand. He played his favorite clubbing music from his phone, which was already out of style.Every few minutes, he would look at his watch. Then he would smack his lips with satisfaction and continue to rest his eyes.After 20 minutes, the elevator facing the entrance to the pool slid open with a ding.Preston's eyelids fluttered open a fraction before a jolt of awareness sent them springing wide. He watched as Landon stepped over the bodies beneath him with heavy but determined footsteps. He slowly made his way to the pool, as if he were the God of War, returning triumphantly after a bloody battle.Land
"Mr. Landon!" Angelina shrieked in pain from above him.Landon looked up in dread, and his pupils dilated in shock. Angelina, hands tied, stood dangerously near the edge of the 32-foot-tall diving platform at the swimming pool, with Frank pointing a gun at her head.The height of the springboard was alarming, as the pool was dry."Angie!" Landon's blood-stained white shirt was drenched in sweat. He took two steps forward but was forced back when Frank pointed the gun at him."I'm sorry, Mr. Landon…" Tears brimming, Angelina choked on her emotions.Landon cast a deep look at her. "No. You've never wronged me or owed anyone anything. Angie, it was my fault that you got into this situation. I should be apologizing to you instead."His words sent a sharp pain through her chest. She had experienced highs and lows over her years of working for Landon. Nothing fazed her, except for his apology."Where's Lauren?" Landon's desperate tone echoed throughout the pool area.Upon hearing tha
Without hesitation, Landon yelled in a hoarse voice, "I'll never make a pick! I want to save both of them!""Landon Harper, are you trying to get your hands on both of them?" Cackling manically, Preston turned to face Angelina, who was held on the springboard. "Angelina, your hard work and loyalty are worth it. Look! He's keen to make you his mistress!""You bastard! Vile son of a bitch! You'd better shut your fucking mouth!" Angelina bellowed at Preston. "If you want revenge, take my life! Release Madam!""Stay still!" Frank jabbed the back of her head with the muzzle of the gun."Tsk tsk. She's a feisty bitch." Preston shook his head.Even as pain seeped through every part of Angelina's body, she remained fueled by rage. She yelled at Landon, "Mr. Landon, don't mind me! Save Madam—you must save her!""I want both!" His eyes took on a murderous look as he reiterated his stance with determination."Landon, you own a lot. Stop being greedy. You can't have your cake and eat it," P
Surprisingly, Preston had the time to laugh at the situation. He quipped, "I'm afraid time is running out for someone here, though. My dearest nephew, haven't you made your choice?"The water in the glass tank had reached Lauren's chest."Mr. Landon!" Angelina urged him in a quivering voice. Their worried eyes met, and time and space seemed to come to a stop. He remembered saying to her, "Angie, come work for me."She had once said to him, "Mr. Landon, I will stay loyal to you no matter the circumstance."At that moment, she smiled at Landon through tears as she recalled their first encounter. The mirage of the teenage boy who made her heart flutter overlapped with Landon's handsome figure."I do not want you to hesitate. No matter what happens, always choose Madam," she gently muttered a heartfelt remark to Landon that sounded like a grand and touching farewell.She added, "You and Madam must live happily forever after.""No—"In a split second, Landon seemed to have underst
A gunshot echoed in the pool area. However, it was Preston who fell lifelessly onto the ground after being shot.The special forces flooded the pool area, firing two shots from their laser guns at the bulletproof glass. The tank instantly shattered into pieces as water gushed out.…Two members of the police sacrificed their lives in the rescue operation. It turned out that Preston had been colluding with underground forces to smuggle military artillery using his power as the executive director of Harper Group. Since he possessed heavy artillery, it made the rescue operation more challenging.Thankfully, the micro camera that Landon carried with him recorded the gory and ruthless battle. Thanks to him, Cyrus managed to equip his men with advanced weapons to break the tank and save the hostage.However, Lauren was on the brink of death when she was sent to the ICU. Her pulse was weak, and she was in critical condition after drowning and suffering organ injuries from the beatings.