Chapter 278

“Yes, madam.” Ben swiftly summoned three bodyguards, who dragged the three bound kidnappers into the room, pushing them roughly before Juan. Juan recognized their faces, his expression turning as cold as ice. “You captured them?” Despite his best efforts, he hadn’t been able to find any trace of these kidnappers. He hadn’t expected Debra’s people to have beaten him to it.

“I did,” she replied, casting a sidelong glance at Shelia, who stood trembling, her face pale as a sheet. “Miss Miles, you’re capable enough to find skilled assassins to come after my life. I’m truly honored.”

Juan’s gaze shifted to Shelia, his eyes filled with disbelief. “You did it?” Shelia was a student he had sponsored. At best, she had been a scheming girl who wouldn’t have dared hire killers.

Shelia quickly shook her head, her eyes wide with desperation. “No, it’s not like that. Juan, let me explain.”

“It’s her. She’s the one who paid us to kill Mrs. Nichols,” one of the kidnappers confessed, cutting off Shelia’s explanation.

Shelia glared at the kidnapper. “Who put you up to framing me? I’m just a student. How could I afford to hire you? How could I even find killers like you?” She turned to Juan, her fingers digging into his arm as she desperately tried to convince him of her innocence. “Juan, you know me. I wouldn’t even kill an ant, let alone commit murder. I admit I like you, and I made a mistake, but I wouldn’t kill anyone.”

Juan looked at her, his eyes filled with a chilling unfamiliarity, as if he were seeing her for the first time. He knew that with Shelia’s connections, she wouldn’t be able to find professional killers.

BONUS

Few people would dare to kidnap Debra and demand ransom. It was a risky move, requiring considerable resources and courage.

“Is what you just said true?” Juan asked.

“Yes, it’s true. All of it. I have a recording,” the kidnapper said, turning to Debra. “I’ve already given the recording to Mrs. Nichols. We know we offended someone we shouldn’t have and won’t hide anything.”

Shelia’s heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t believe they had recorded their conversation. Debra turned to the three kidnappers. They had confessed everything after Marion brought them to her. She nodded to Ben, and he immediately played the recording.

Shelia looked anxious, her eyes darting nervously as her voice echoed through the room, a damning testament to her guilt.

“It’s one million dollars, right? As long as Debra is killed and I become Mrs. Nichols, I’ll have more than enough money.”

“I’ll give you 100,000 dollars as a deposit. If you manage to kill Debra, I’ll pay you the rest once I become Mrs. Nichols.”

“Think about it. Juan and his wife have long been at odds. As soon as you take care of her, I can leverage my pregnancy to become Mrs. Nichols. How much more money would that bring you? I promise you, once I marry Juan, I’ll give you not just one million dollars, but two million.”