Chapter 2

"Michael Cardin, you dare trick me?" Brad suddenly bellowed in fury while showing me my phone screen.

To my shock, I saw that my bank account balance was zero!

But I had clearly checked it just this morning, and there had truly been 500 thousand in there!

Before I could explain, Jennifer called.

"Michael, I've already transferred all the money in your card to Rick, but it's still not enough. Stop shopping and quickly cough up the rest of your savings!"

I inhaled sharply at her words.

"Jennifer Surton, do you have no conscience? Nathan and I have been kidnapped, yet you actually transferred that life-saving money to another man!"

That instantly triggered Jennifer. "This act again? Do you realize how annoying you're being? If you truly had been kidnapped, would you have been able to answer my call?"

Brad squeezed the phone tightly. "Ms. Surton, I have your husband and son. If you don't want them to end up as corpses, then you need to—"

"That's enough! For the sake of a bit of money, you've even hired an actor to aid in your act? If you have so much free time, why not go to the event hall and decorate it for the party to celebrate our son's first month?

"Oh, that's right! You don't need to bother going there anymore. I'll have the hotel return us the money for the party and transfer it all to Rick!"

Just like that, the call was abruptly cut off.

Brad's sinister gaze swiveled to me before he raised his fist and smashed it against my temples.

"You two have truly lost any use to me!"

He had a massive fist, and with that blow, I was knocked unconscious.

I only regained consciousness a few minutes later.

Through my bleariness, I heard Nathan's thoughts, his mental voice filled with anxiety and urgency.

[Why isn't Daddy waking up yet!]

I struggled to open my eyes, my eyelids feeling like they were weighed down by lead.

Finally, I was able to lift my eyelids, only to see Brad waving his hand impatiently.

"Still alive, huh? Kill him, then chop off one of the baby's fingers and send it to Jennifer Surton."

One of his subordinates grabbed a knife and approached me. The sight caused a cold sweat to break out on me, swiftly drenching my sweater.

The nearby window was wide open, and I could see a flurry of snowflakes fluttering into the room. On the floor was Nathan, his lips turning blue from the cold.

[Daddy, I'm so cold. I would've frozen to death in my previous life if it weren't for Mommy arriving in time with the money to save us. However, one month later, due to Hendrick getting killed by his debtor, she sets a fire and burns us both to death. Mommy is a terrible mommy, but thankfully, I got such a wonderful daddy before I died…]

No! I had to think of something! No matter what, I had to ensure that both Nathan and I survived this!

"I don't have any money left, but I can borrow from others. Jennifer's parents absolutely adore Nathan, so there's no way they wouldn't pay the ransom!"

Brad's eyes gleamed at my words, and he licked his lips in greed. "The Surton family only has this one grandchild, so your son is definitely not worth just one million. Bring his phone over!

"Michael, you know what you have to say. If you dare tell them to call the police, I'll immediately kill you both!"

This time, I made a video call instead. The instant my father-in-law, Brian Surton's stern face appeared on the screen, I said, "Dad, Nathan and I have been kidnapped. Quickly pay the ransom and save us!"

Brad moved the phone so that the camera would show the wound on my thigh and Nathan on the floor.

"Mr. Surton, do you think your son-in-law and grandson's lives are worth three million?"

Nathan immediately wailed loudly, all while his cries echoed in my mind.

[Granddad, Granny, save me!]

My mother-in-law, Petunia Grant, appeared on the screen, an anxious expression crossing her face, but Brian pushed her aside.

"Michael, you've truly gone too far this time! Luckily, Jen called us earlier and told us about what you were up to. Otherwise, we would've definitely believed your act, thought that you had been kidnapped, and tossed three million down the drain just like that!"

I widened my eyes in disbelief. "Dad, you don't believe me?"

"I want to, but Jen told me that you're going to great lengths to ask for money, all so you can buy a newly released sports car! Just what did we ever do for us to have such a big-spending son-in-law?

"Do you think Jen's money grows on trees? Do you have any idea just how many pieces of factory equipment three million can buy?"

He grew increasingly incensed as he spoke.

Trembling, I set aside my dignity to plead with him. "Dad, we really have been kidnapped. The kidnappers are threatening to kill me if they don't get their money, and they also want to chop off Nathan's finger! Please, save us!"