Chapter 202

“Cynthia! Where are you, Cynthia?” Panic edged into Preston’s voice as he frantically searched the room, finding no trace of her. Fear intensified. He was certain Cynthia hadn’t left; she’d been there just three minutes earlier. How could she vanish?

Preston replayed Jonathan’s words in his mind. Unexplained doubt crept in. Confirming Cynthia wasn’t in the room, he rushed to find Jonathan.

But Jonathan wasn't in his room. He was on a rooftop, gazing into the distance. Checking his watch, a heavy weight pressed on his heart.

He mused, “Did Claude receive my email? I asked him to return to Roncrity for Mrs. Bennett. She might be the only one who can get them out of this.”

Jonathan thought, “If Claude flies directly, Whitney might order it shot down. Plane crash, everyone dead. Only with Mrs. Bennett on board would Whitney hesitate.”

“But Claude should have arrived by now.” Jonathan looked at the dark, turbulent sea, a seemingly endless expanse of danger.

“My silly brother, what are you waiting for?” Whitney’s voice came from behind. Jonathan wasn’t surprised. He calmly turned, saying, “Well, Whitney, you finally decided to show yourself.”

Whitney chuckled, stepping forward with a small, ornate box. “You gave me this; how could I resist?” She opened it, revealing a human tooth—Alex’s. Cynthia had knocked out one of his molars. “Where is he now?” Whitney asked casually, her expression carefully observed by Jonathan.

Since learning Alex was Whitney’s secret lover, Jonathan considered him a bargaining chip. But he wasn't sure if Whitney would take the bait.

Jonathan said, “He’s in a very safe place, one you won’t find.”

“So, why this tooth?” Whitney asked.

Jonathan replied, “Whitney, I want to make a deal for Alex.”

Whitney was direct. “Alright, but are you trading Nina or Cynthia?”

Jonathan said gravely, “Both.”

Whitney adjusted her coat. “I never lose. A fair trade is one for one.”

Jonathan’s expression hardened. Whitney turned to him. “I’ll give you a minute to think.” Jonathan instinctively looked up.

Whitney laughed. “Don’t bother. Claude isn’t coming, and he can’t find Mrs. Bennett. You’re completely alone, adrift at sea. You can only turn to me.”

Jonathan didn’t hesitate. “I’m begging you, Whitney. Let them go. They’re innocent. If you have a problem, deal with me.” Whitney’s laughter echoed eerily in the night.

Whitney said, “To me, they’re part of you. One is a woman you’ve protected since childhood, and you'll need her support. The other is the love hidden in your heart. I’m curious to see which you choose.”

Jonathan’s fingers clenched, veins bulging. “I won’t choose.”

Whitney’s voice turned cold. “If you don’t choose, both will die.”

Whitney produced a small remote, pressing it lightly. A hologram appeared, showing a private yacht. The camera zoomed in on two figures lying on the deck: Cynthia and Nina, eerily still, appearing lifeless.

Jonathan’s heart leaped. He stepped closer, seeing them clearly in their clothes from earlier. His eyes reddened, like an enraged lion. “What have you done to them?” Despite Preston’s vigilance, Whitney had exploited a weakness. Nina and Cynthia were at her mercy.

“Don’t worry, they’re not dead,” Whitney said, her eyes also on the yacht, rocking violently on the deep sea. “You need to choose quickly; a typhoon’s coming. Hesitate, and even if you decide, I might not be able to save them.”

Jonathan watched the yacht sway, a storm clearly brewing. His striking face, hidden in shadow, was flushed with anger, giving him an oddly captivating appearance.

He struggled to control his emotions. “Whitney, why do you treat me this way? For 28 years, you’ve tormented me, wishing for my death. What did I do to earn your hate?”

Whitney’s smile faded. Her pupils darkened. She remembered a stormy night, the suffocating humiliation of being forced to strip and perform, the repeated bullying, the tearing of her dignity and soul. She was only nineteen.

Whitney closed her eyes. When she opened them, madness filled them. “Why do I hate you? Because you’re filled with the world’s dirtiest blood. You’re a demon, your birth a sin, the embodiment of evil. How could I let someone like you enjoy peace?”

“This world’s beauty has nothing to do with you. As long as I live, I’ll make you suffer. I am your tormentor, and one day you’ll reveal your true self,” Whitney cursed.

Jonathan roared, “Do you think I wanted to be born? Did I have a choice? Since birth, you’ve judged me, but is being born something I could control? My family? My mother? If you despise me so much, then you shouldn’t have…”

10:59 Mon, Nov 11.

Chapter 203