Chapter 3

"But what？"

Father-in-law stared at me intently.

I smiled slightly and slowly took out paper and pen from my bag.

"Words are cheap. You need to put it in writing. Otherwise, how can we hold you accountable if you try to back out after we save her?"

These words left everyone, including the police, slack-jawed in amazement.

After hearing this, Garrison immediately grabbed the paper and pen, gritting his teeth as he said,

"Fine, fine, I'll sign. I'll sign right now."

Just then, the doorbell rang again.

A delivery guy was standing at the door.

"Is this where Xanthe lives? Can someone sign for her package?"

As soon as I heard it was a delivery, I sprang up from my chair.

"Didn't they just cut off a hand this morning? How are they sending another one so soon?"

I muttered to myself as I walked.

I eagerly took the package from the delivery guy and signed my name.

Smelling the strong scent of blood coming from the box, I felt extremely excited.

"What's going on here? What exactly did you say to the kidnappers?"

When Officer Hudson, the lead detective, saw the severed hand in the box, he unleashed all his anger on me.

I said nothing, just took out the new severed hand from the box and placed it in front of everyone. At this moment, the kidnapper's call came through.

Following the officer's signal, I put it on speakerphone.

The kidnapper on the other end seemed a bit anxious and got straight to the point.

"Mr. Shaw, my patience has its limits. If you still can't gather the money, next time it won't be just a hand we send over!"

Suddenly, the kidnapper changed his tone.

"Mr. Shaw, you wouldn't want your unborn child to grow up without a father, would you?"

Before I could even open my mouth this time, my father-in-law snatched the phone from my hand.

"We'll pay, we'll pay! Please don't hurt my daughter anymore. I'll give you however much you want."

"Good, you'd better move fast!"

The kidnapper, being very professional, hung up after dropping this menacing line.

"Bram, did you hear that? Xanthe is pregnant! She's carrying your child!"

I sneered and pointed at the unfinished contract.

"Don't try to change the subject. Hurry up and sign it. No signature, no money."

As soon as I finished speaking, the room fell silent.

Some of the younger officers were already clenching their fists. If they weren't in uniform, they probably would've rushed over to beat me up.

At this moment, Kellan picked up the pregnancy test result from the bottom of the box and slammed it down in front of me. "Bram, do you have any humanity left in you? Even if you don't want to save your darling, the child in her belly is innocent, isn't it?"

"If you don't want two precious lives to end by your hand, I suggest you hurry up and get the money to save them!"