"Denise! You came! I knew my daughter would save me!" My mother's tear-streaked face lit up with relief.
I set the bag down and looked coldly at the kidnappers. "Five million, not a cent short. Now release her."
After checking the money, they untied her. My mother stumbled forward and clung to me—but the next words out of her mouth made my blood run cold.
"I'll have you all arrested! My daughter is the wife of the Holmes Group's president! My son-in-law won't let you off!"
My heart sank instantly.
The last thing I needed was for them to know who I was.
Sure enough, the leader's eyes lit up at the name. He looked me over, his expression twisting with greed.
"Holmes Group's president's wife? No wonder you could hand over five million so easily. I bet Mr. Holmes would pay ten times that for his precious wife and unborn child. How about it, Mrs. Holmes? Let's make it a hundred million this time."
"Bastards! You're all liars—greedy scum!" my mother screamed. "When my son-in-law finds out, he'll—"
Before she could finish, I grabbed her hand and ran for the exit while they were distracted. My people were waiting downstairs—if we could just make it there, we'd be safe.