Chapter 216: The live-streamed hostage situation sent shockwaves through the city. Kellan and Floyd immediately rushed to the scene.

Kellan stood outside the barricaded building, his gaze dark and stormy. "What's the situation inside?" he asked.

Sherman, looking tense, responded swiftly, "The police have secured the area, but Devin's highly agitated. The snipers are in position, but they're holding back for now. Any sudden move could endanger the hostages."

Moments later, Colton arrived, pushing through the panicked crowd. His eyes darted to the police officers; his face was etched with desperation. "I don't care what it takes—money, anything! Just save them!" he pleaded.

The officer's expression was grave. "It's not about money. This kidnapper is different. He hasn't asked for a ransom. Right now, we need the family members to remain calm. Our negotiation expert is on the way."

Incidents like this hadn't happened in Ontdale for years, and worse, Devin was broadcasting it live, drawing a crowd that whispered and murmured in tense anticipation. "Is this guy insane? He's actually livestreaming it!" someone muttered. "Apparently, Melany hired him to frame Allison, but things went sideways."

"Sounds personal," another voice responded. "I heard it involves both the Lloyd Group and the Stevens Group… This is getting out of hand."

"Just watch the stream…" The crowd reluctantly moved back as police cleared the area, but the chatter continued to buzz like a swarm of agitated bees. The spectacle had already become the city's focal point.

"Everyone, please move further back!" the police shouted as they worked to secure the area and evacuate the premises.

When the negotiation expert arrived, Devin grew even more agitated. "Cut the crap! Bring Kellan and Colton here right now, or I'll toss these two bitches into the boiling oil!" he roared, ignoring the negotiator.

Devin stood on an elevated platform, holding a knife to the ropes suspending Allison and Melany over a vat of boiling oil. One slice of the rope, and they would plunge to their deaths. The crowd gasped collectively, horror freezing the scene into silence.

"Get them here, now!" Devin's voice cracked as he menacingly yanked the knife.

The negotiator exchanged a worried glance with the officers. Kellan and Colton's presence could make things worse; they were ordinary civilians, unarmed and untrained. Allowing them in could be dangerous.

Before the expert could speak, Kellan interrupted, his voice steady but firm. "Talk him down. Keep him calm. If it's me he wants, I'll go. Otherwise, he'll only escalate."

Colton, a beat behind, clenched his jaw and nodded. "I'm going too." Though his expression wavered, he held his ground.

With careful steps, Kellan and Colton entered the building. Kellan's gaze swept over the scene, locking onto Allison. A flicker of relief crossed his face when he saw she was unharmed, but his expression remained stoic as he calculated his next move.

Melany, however, burst into frantic sobs at the sight of Colton. "Colton, please save me!" Her voice trembled; her eyes were wide with terror. She was a wreck, her entire body shaking as she dangled over the boiling oil. "Y-You're finally here," she stammered, hysteria bubbling up. "He's crazy, Colton. He threatened me with a knife—he's going to kill us both! W-woo…" Her sobs turned into incoherent babble. She tried twisting herself, but at the sight of the boiling oil, her face turned pale with fear. "Help… help me, please!" she cried.

Regret flashed across her tear-streaked face. She should never have provoked Devin. Even in her terror, she cast a resentful glance at Allison's composed face. It was all Allison's fault. If Allison hadn't humiliated Devin, none of this would be happening.

"Shut up," Allison snapped coldly. Her eyes darted between Devin and their surroundings, already assessing the situation. Melany was useless, adding noise and chaos. The real threat was Devin, whose grip on sanity was slipping further with each passing second. If he lost control completely, there would be no way to stop him. The live stream had already made them the center of the city's attention. The snipers must be positioned in the building across from them by now. Allison scanned the area and caught the faintest glint of light—the sniper's scope. They needed Devin to expose himself for a clear shot. Her eyes narrowed, calculating.

Seeing Devin's back was to them, she glanced at Kellan and silently mouthed, "Stall him."

Kellan, who hadn't taken his eyes off her, understood immediately.

"We're here, just like you wanted," Kellan said, his voice calm and measured. "If you wanted us here so badly, you clearly have something to say. I doubt you'd go through all this trouble just to kill them. You want to vent, right? So talk."

Colton sneered. "How much do you want? We can pay. Just let them go. I promise we'll ensure your safety. You can have the money and disappear. It's better than ending up as a criminal."

Kellan shot him a sharp look. Colton was provoking Devin by bringing up money. Inexperienced as he was, Colton was, simply put, a hindrance. They needed to keep Devin talking, keep him calm—not push his buttons. Any wrong word could push Devin into doing something drastic.

As expected, Devin's face twisted with fury. He gripped the knife tighter, his eyes blazing with humiliation. "Money? So that's all you think this is about, huh? Throwing money at people to get your way? It's exactly like I thought… You rich bastards think you can buy everything—even lives!" …