All Chapters of Ransom at Sea: My Wife's Deadly Prank: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

"Drop that knife right now! Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Melanie Watkins' panicked shouts crackled through the radio.With the knife pressed against the rope, I let out a cold laugh. "I'm giving you two choices. Either you contact the rescue team to get me off this ship, or I cut this rope right now, and the more than 20 people escorting the ransom die with me."The other teammates who had been playing dumb finally panicked. One after another, they began speaking up for me."Melanie, everyone knows how much Mr. Zimmerman cares about his daughter, so you'll be held responsible too if the money's gone. Just tell him where the backup fuel's stored."The crates tied to the rope held the ransom for Ella Zimmerman, daughter of Starbury's wealthiest man, Hugh Zimmerman. The kidnappers gave us an hour to hand over the 20 million dollars in gold bars, or they would kill her.Hugh paid top dollar to hire our technical team to deliver the ransom by cargo ship to the border. We wer

I closed my eyes, hardened my resolve, and decided to gamble my life on one last desperate swim toward the border.Suddenly, commotion erupted from a rescue boat in the distance before a voice boomed. "Hurricane landfall imminent! Rescue team's final patrol! If you're in distress, signal with your lights!"With the last of my strength, I hauled myself onto the deck and slammed on the light switch. The rescue team spotted me and began turning their boat in my direction.Just as it drew near, the cargo ship's lights went out with a sharp click. It wasn't just the lights, but all electrical systems on board had shut down.The radio lay on the deck. Melanie's voice was colder than the sea as it came through. "Pathetic. I told you that swimming over is your only option."Refusing to give up, I mustered every ounce of strength and roared, "I'm here! There's someone in the water who needs rescue!"But the sea was too dark, and I could hear confused voices coming from the rescue team. "W

The kidnapper jeered. "I gave your daughter an extra 30 minutes to live, so you should thank me for that."If you want her body intact, bring another 20 million dollars!"Hugh was already on the rescue ship as he tearfully agreed. But the moment he turned away, he ordered the ship to leave the border.Reporters hidden on the rescue ship emerged and showed him the footage they had just captured. "We've decided on the headline. 'Tycoon nearly driven insane with fear while trying to ransom his daughter. Greedy kidnappers demand another 20 million dollars after taking the money…'"Hugh nodded in satisfaction. "Good work. Everyone gets a bonus once this hits the front page. "It looks like I'll make quite the headline this time."I stood behind him and found the entire scene incredibly tragic. All his concern and devoted father act was just a performance for the headlines.When I turned and looked back toward the compound, I saw Ella standing up from the pool of blood.I rubbed my

After everything was dealt with, Hugh looked in my direction and coldly said, "I heard you used to be a lifeguard. Do you still want to guard the sea?"You know too much, but since you were in the recent kidnapper news, I won't touch you for now. Go to the border. Better yet, disappear from my sight, or I can't guarantee what I might be capable of."Hugh had made arrangements for me, so I nodded and accepted everything.Just before leaving, I asked, "What about the kidnappers? Are you just letting them go?"With his back to me, he was silent for a long time before finally saying, "I have my own ways of handling things."I was sent back to the border waters to resume rescue work.Five years ago, I had been a lifeguard, but I sustained severe injuries after saving Melanie. My arms could no longer withstand prolonged seawater exposure, so I had to leave lifeguarding and join the technical team.I knew how cruel the sea could be, which was why I trained the team with harsh disciplin

As Hugh tightened his fingers on the trigger, a chill ran down my spine, but I steeled myself and said, "Only I know where Ella is right now. Are you sure you want to kill me?"Once I'm dead, she'll truly slip out of your control. And besides, you don't have the guts to pull the trigger in broad daylight, do you?"Hugh sneered and cocked the gun. "Stop trying to push me. I'm the law in Starbury, while you're just a hired hand. No one cares if you die, and I have the money to deal with anything."Just as the words left his mouth, sirens blared along the coastline. Ella arrived with the police and confronted Hugh head-on. "Oh? Does that include dealing with your biological daughter, too?"When Hugh turned around and saw the whole fleet of police officers and snipers, he finally panicked and slipped back to the devoted-father persona he had set up for the cameras."E-Ella! You're alive!"Come here so I can take a good look at you! You must've suffered so much!"Unfortunately, eve