It was a typical “save the damsel in distress” scheme, all so Jason could win her over. They’d gotten this act down pat.

Around ten minutes later, Danielle began to stir. Her head still swam as she opened her eyes, but she quickly realized her hands and feet were bound, and she was stuck in a place that made her really uncomfortable.

Danielle kept her cool. She tugged at the ropes, but they were tied too snugly and dug painfully into her skin.

A man sat on a wooden chair across from her, spitting out swear words as he played a mobile game.

He glanced at her when she woke up, then ignored her.

Danielle broke the silence. “How much ransom do you want?”

The man smirked. “Look at that, rich girls know the score.”

To sell the fake kidnapping, Tim in Basterel actually received a ransom demand. The caller wanted 300 million dollars.

Since he couldn’t involve the police and Lightspring City was too far away to reach quickly, and with the kidnappers insisting on a tight deadline, Tim had no choice but to gather the money.

Lightspring City was in chaos after the earthquake. Most of his local contacts had fled, leaving him with no one to turn to for help. His worst fear was that they’d kill Danielle if he didn’t pay up.

Tim was beside himself. She was his only daughter. Losing her would be unbearable.

“Mr. Shelly, don’t worry,” his assistant said. “I heard both Jean brothers are in Lightspring City. They’ll keep Ms. Shelly safe.”

“Reach out to them and see what’s going on.”

“Got it.”

Ross was impossible to reach. Tim’s phone didn’t even ring.

That set off alarm bells for Tim. But at least he managed to get through to Jason.

Tim wasn’t blind to Jameson’s agenda. Jameson kept hinting that Jason, though younger, had more drive than his oldest son Ross and that Jason was sure to surpass him.

Tim had met Jason, who was young but mature and made a solid first impression. Still, in Tim’s book, he wasn’t quite up to par for his daughter.

Ross was a different story. He had it all. But then he broke up with Danielle and got caught up in a celebrity scandal, which put Tim off.

What was worse, Danielle was still pining for Ross, adding to his irritation. Finding out Ross was in Lightspring City was a shock, but now he was completely out of touch.

When Jason heard about the ransom call, he said, “Mr. Shelly, keep them talking. I’ll get Dr. Shelly back to Basterel safe and sound.”

“If you bring my daughter back unhurt, consider it a debt owed,” Tim said.

“I don’t want a debt,” Jason said, his plans for Danielle clear as day. “I want your blessing to marry Dr. Shelly. That’s the only thing I want.”

The fact that Jason had followed Danielle to Lightspring City and put up with god knows what showed he was dead serious. He’d been rejected before but never backed down. Tim thought for a beat. “Only if you bring her back.”

He thought, ‘If Jason pulls this off, I wouldn’t mind arranging the marriage. After all, when someone saves your life, marrying them is the traditional way to repay the debt.’

Chapter 311

We’re big on gratitude. Right now, nothing matters more than Danielle’s safety.

Still, he was puzzled and couldn’t shake the thought, ‘Is Jason overconfident, or does he have inside info?’

Tim turned to his assistant. “Still no word from Ross?”

The assistant shook his head. “His phone’s still not picking up.”

Tim was silent for a moment, reaching for his phone to call Shermaine when his assistant said, “Mr. Shelly, Mr. Joshua York from York Group is here.”

“Send him in,” Tim said.

Meanwhile, Natalie wore a calculating smile. By the end of the night, her son Jason would have Danielle, and Ross would be out of the picture for good.

Neither she nor Jason had a clue that Shermaine had seen through their elaborate scheme shortly after they set it in motion.

In the abandoned factory, screams rang out nonstop.

The man never dreamed the gold chain around his neck might be his undoing. Now he was choking, lips turning purple, begging the polished man in front of him, “Sir, I messed up. Please let me go.”

Appearances were clearly deceiving. The wealthy guy he thought he could take down with one punch was a demon there to claim his life.

Ross asked again, dead serious, “Where is she?”

“Sir, I have no idea.” The man was stalling, sweat pouring down his forehead, lips trembling, but still holding out.

“No idea, huh?” Ross picked up a knife from the ground, twirling it. “Last chance. Talk, or I’ll blow your leg off.”

“I swear I don’t know.”

The knife came down in an instant.

Ross didn’t hesitate for a second.

If Danielle saw him now, she’d be shocked. This wasn’t the Ross she knew. He was savage, full of ferocity, a total stranger.

Ross had quit this life years ago and sworn off violence, but for Danielle, he’d broken every vow. His hands were bloody again.

The man’s screams were ear-splitting.

Ross pinned his hand to the floor. “One more time, where is she?”

‘Jesus Christ! This psycho is terrifying,’ the man thought, watching in terror as Ross aimed for his fingers.

He couldn’t take the torture. “I’ll tell you. She’s at Lightspring Dock.”

“If you’re lying to me, I’ll end you.” Ross yanked him up and dragged him outside, where Alex stood stunned.

One look at Ross, and he found no trace of the wealthy guy left. “Mr. Jean, are you all right?”

“To Lightspring Dock,” Ross barked.

“Ms. Jean told me Dr. Shelly was there 40 minutes ago,” Alex said. “Our team should have arrived by now.”

Chapter 311

“Then let’s go get Dr. Shelly.”

Convinced the man wasn’t lying, Ross threw him to the ground. “Have someone stay and handle this.”

In the dock warehouse, Danielle heard scuffles outside. Minutes later, Jason staggered in, bloodied. Her eyes fell at the sight of him–not Ross.

“Dr. Shelly, I came to save you,” Jason panted.

Danielle felt no surge of emotion but managed a sincere “Thank you.”

Jason untied her ropes, then held out his hand. “Let’s go. This place isn’t safe.”

She didn’t take his hand, standing on her own.

As they reached the door, a violent tremor hit out of nowhere. In the decrepit warehouse, the wall cracked wide open in an instant, and ceiling beams groaned overhead.

Another earthquake struck Lightspring City–powerful this time. Aftershocks rocked the area.

Lightspring Dock, a coastal zone, had long been a red-alert danger zone.

This was exactly what Shermaine had dreaded most.