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My wife has been missing for twenty–four hours, while I’m comfortably soaking in a hot bath at our mansion.
A few minutes later, I receive a call from the kidnappers.
“Mr. Shaw, we have your wife. Prepare five million dollars immediately, or we’ll kill her.”
The kidnapper’s tone is extremely arrogant.
I unhurriedly dry myself off, then calmly turn off my phone and go. to sleep.
Early the next morning, a courier delivers a blood–stained box.
Inside is my wife’s severed hand, dripping with blood.
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“Bram, please, I’m begging you to save our daughter. She’s your lawfully wedded wife, for God’s sake!”
My father–in–law, supporting my mother–in–law who was on the verge of fainting, fell to his knees before me, repeatedly kowtowing.
I sat at the dining table, elegantly having my coffee, regarding him with cold eyes.
“Sorry, the ransom is too high. It would disrupt the company’s
normal operations.”
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My father–in–law trembled with rage at my words.
“Bram, your company is one of the Fortune 500 for crying out loud! Can’t you spare a measly five million? Or are you just not planning
to save her at all?”
His eyes were ablaze with fury.
Five million dollars was indeed a drop in the ocean for me, but suddenly withdrawing such a large amount in cash would still be a
bit of a hassle.
And if there’s one thing I despise in this life, it’s hassle.
Irritated, I fished out a credit card from my pocket and tossed it in
front of him.
“There’s a million on this. Figure out the rest yourselves.”
My mother–in–law, now lucid, jabbed her finger at my face and berated me.
“Bram! How can you be so cold–hearted? They’ve already cut off
one of Xanthe’s hands!”
Heart–wrenching sobs echoed throughout the vast mansion.
But I didn’t even spare her a glance, silently putting on my AirPods and cranking the volume to max. “I’ve done all I can. Whether she lives or not is up to fate now.”
My nonchalant attitude seemed to infuriate Xanthe’s parents. They hurled insults at me non–stop.
Thankfully, these bluetooth earbuds had decent noise–cancelling. I could only see their lips moving.
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Just then, another call came in from the kidnappers.
I frowned and put it on speaker.
“Mr. Shaw, if I don’t get the money by tonight, I’ll chop off your darling’s other hand too.”
“Whatever.”
My impatient tone must have pushed the kidnapper over the edge.
Suddenly, Xanthe’s heart–wrenching cries came through the phone.
“Ahhh!!! It hurts so bad!”
“Honey, please save me!”
The kidnapper hung up abruptly.
I put down the phone and emotionlessly put my earbuds back in to keep listening to music.
The latest hip–hop hits were on repeat, and I couldn’t help swaying to the beat.
My mother–in–law stumbled and nearly lost her balance,
half–leaning on the couch for support.
My father–in–law was in no state to look after her. He staggered towards me.
I heard a loud thud. This once–proud man who used to view money as worthless now knelt stiffly before me.
“Mr… Mr. Shaw, consider this money a loan from our family. Please,
save Xanthe.”
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“I don’t know what conflict exists between you and my daughter, but that’s a living, breathing human being. No matter how angry you are, you can’t just let her die.”
The servants in the mansion, witnessing this scene, were visibly uncomfortable, wanting to speak up but hesitating.
But I remained silent.
At this point, Kellan, who had been quiet since entering, began to
berate me.
“Bram, Xanthe is your wife. Are you really so cold–hearted that you’d stand by and watch her be murdered?”
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“The wedding ring on that severed hand – you put it there yourself! How can you be so heartless?”
“Even if Xanthe isn’t your darling, even if she were just a stranger,
shouldn’t act like this!”
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Kellan unleashed a torrent of angry words at me.
I didn’t even bother to lift my head.
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