This was a classic case of getting in over their heads. The kidnappers were kicking themselves, realizing their stupidity. Their kidnapping had gone off without a hitch—they'd grabbed Tiffany easily, assuming she was a helpless girl. They never imagined she could escape a group of men like them.

But they were wrong. Not only could she escape, she could fight like a professional. From the start, Tiffany had been acting.

The kidnappers tried to fight back; some even tried to run, but Tiffany quickly subdued them, and Zoe swiftly tied them up.

Zoe, feeling pleased with the outcome, asked Tiffany about the missing kidnapper, clearly trusting Tiffany's judgment.

Tiffany informed Zoe that the other kidnapper wasn't returning. This reassured Zoe but devastated the three bound kidnappers. They finally understood—Tiffany had deliberately been picky about the food to get one of them to leave. They'd hoped their accomplice would return, but now they knew it was over. What a disaster!

"Tiffany, are we leaving now?" Zoe asked, uncertain about their plan.

"No need to hurry. Someone will be coming for us," Tiffany replied calmly.

"Okay, then I'll grab a bite," Zoe said, heading for the snacks. She was so hungry that manners were forgotten. The abandoned factory still had some supplies.

Tiffany sat, watching the captive men. Suddenly, she smiled chillingly. "Do you know where your friend went?"

"Don't tell me… you…" They couldn't finish, but they understood. Tiffany's earlier statement about their accomplice's non-return was clear: he was gone for good.

Tiffany raised an eyebrow. "Let's be straight. What did Stan promise you? Don't lie, or you'll end up like your friend."

The kidnappers were shocked that she named the mastermind, Stan. Her certainty was unnerving.

Fearful, they quietly confessed, "He gave us $10,000 upfront, and promised another $20,000 if we succeeded."

Only $30,000 to take my life? Absurd! Tiffany thought, determined to make Stan pay.

She said indifferently, "Since you took the money, it'll be easier to prosecute you. Do you know the potential prison time for kidnapping and extortion?"

"Miss Kelley, please go easy on us!" they pleaded. "We weren't thinking straight! We swear we'll never do this again!"

"Weren't thinking straight"? What a convenient excuse," Tiffany sneered inwardly. They'd gotten greedy, committed a terrible crime, and now expected easy forgiveness.

Tiffany smirked. "If broken promises were dollars, you'd be billionaires."

She then changed tack. "I'll give you a chance to make amends. Follow my instructions, and I won't push the kidnapping charges."

"Of course, Miss Kelley. Anything you say!" The kidnappers eagerly agreed, unaware of how easily Tiffany manipulated them.

Zoe tossed a bag of chips to Tiffany. "Here, try these."

"Thanks," Tiffany said, then asked, "Zoe, are you good at makeup?"

Zoe blinked. "Huh? Yeah."

"Great. Finish eating, then let's get started," Tiffany said mysteriously.

The clock struck 8 PM. Tiffany had been held for over four hours.

When Charlie received the kidnappers' call, he rushed to the bank to withdraw ten million dollars in cash. This was a massive amount; even counting it would take time, and the bank didn't have that much readily available.

Charlie was terrified for his daughter but feared making a noise because the kidnappers threatened to kill her. He remained silent, even from Thalia and Eric.

Seeing Charlie's worry, Owen tried to calm him. "Try not to stress. If they want money, they won't hurt Tiffany. We need to get the cash."

"Do you think someone's targeting me through Tiffany?" Charlie asked, connecting it to problems with the bidding project.

Owen almost revealed Stan as the true culprit, but his phone rang. He stepped out of Charlie's office. "Hey Tiffany, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Uncle Owen," Tiffany replied calmly. (The lines about searching FindNovel.net have been removed as they are unrelated to the story and promotional in nature).

Owen was the only one aware of Tiffany's plan. He'd initially opposed it, but reluctantly agreed after placing a tracker on her phone. He'd also arranged for the food-buying kidnapper's apprehension.

Tiffany signaled to Owen, whispering, "Uncle Owen, it's go time."

"Alright, but be careful!" Owen cautioned.

Owen then excitedly barged into Charlie's office. "Charlie, you'll never guess! Tiffany just called!" (The lines about searching FindNovel.net have been removed).