Chapter 4
662 Words
Mandy's shrill pleas came through the phone. "Please! Don't throw me into the sea! Mom! Save me, Mom!"
Her screams cut into my heart like a knife, and my body was shaking uncontrollably.
"Charlotte! This is murder, and murder is a capital crime!"
Enraged, I clenched my fists tightly, wishing that I had the strength to tear her apart.
Charlotte's voice was ice-cold, sharp as steel. "So you do understand that murder demands a life in return. You killed my father, so I'll take your daughter's life as payment. That's not too much to ask, is it?"
Even though the viewers in the live stream were just here for the drama, they couldn't help but be shocked by what was unfolding.
A: [Hey, calm down. It's not worth throwing your whole life away over an evil stepmother like that.]
B: [Yeah, your father would never want to see you do this!]
Some people even wanted to call the police to stop Charlotte.
However, Charlotte's men had already taken Mandy to Truland, and help was too far away to stop this.
Mandy was in her hands, and she could lose her life at any moment.
Charlotte's face twisted between sobs and laughter, and it was a terrifying sight to behold.
"My mother died young, and my father was brutally murdered. If I can't even protect his legacy, what's the point of me staying in this world? I'd rather let Lana feel my pain herself."
Although knowing what she did is wrong, none of the viewers even tried to persuade her to stop this madness.
Instead, they all started pressing me to comply with her demands.
A: [Charlotte has been incredibly fair! Just return her father's group to her. She won't call the police, and your daughter will live!]
B: [Is your daughter's life not even worth as much to you as a company?]
Charlotte had run out of patience, and she gave the order to the two black-clad killers on the other end of the line. "Cut her wrist, let the sharks get a taste of blood."
They moved swiftly and sliced a deep gash into Mandy's wrist with a dagger.
The blood streamed into the sea, instantly drawing over a dozen massive sharks.
They leaped and frothed in the water, staring hungrily at Mandy who was pinned down at the water's edge.
Charlotte grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet her eyes. "One last chance, Lana! Hand over the group to me! If you don't, one word from me and Mandy will be shredded into pieces in seconds, just like my father!"
I could feel my skin crawling, and I cried out, trembling all over.
At that moment, twenty years of my hard work meant nothing to me. "Fine... The group's yours. Just let Mandy go."
Charlotte let out a horrifying, shrill laugh, and immediately slammed the equity transfer agreement that she had prepared right into my face.
"Sign it, and I will release your dear daughter."
I signed the agreement without a moment of hesitation.
"Done. Order them to release Mandy now, and I'll give you the transfer agreement!"
The equity transfer agreement was my only bargaining chip. I had to ensure Mandy's safety in case Charlotte went back on her word.
Charlotte suddenly flew into a rage and kicked me. I fell to the ground, but I was still clutching the document tightly.
"You want to negotiate terms with me? I'll tell them to feed Mandy to the sharks right now!"
She was going to kill Mandy, then steal the transfer agreement from me!
The feeling of despair welled in my eyes, and enormous fear grew inside my heart.
Just then, a voice—both familiar and strange—approached from the distance.
"Charlotte, let her go!"
A moment later, a thin figure rushed forward and landed a stinging, loud slap right across Charlotte's face in front of everyone.
When everyone saw his face, they all went pale with fright.
- Writer
