I realized that I was coughing blood, but I forced myself to sit up straighter as I looked at the man coldly.
My voice was steady as I asked him, “How much would it cost to save my life? I’ll pay you double whatever Adeline gave.”
The man froze for a moment, then his lips curled into a grin. As I suspected, these men were indeed people ordered by Adeline. He quickly stopped with his act, boldly saying, “Your sister wants you dead. But we only care about the money.”
My hands shook as I pulled out my cracked phone. I called a trusted friend and wired two hundred million on the spot. The kidnappers checked the transfer, then cut the ropes around my wrists.
I walked out without looking back, hailed the first taxi I saw and headed straight to the airport.
Right before boarding, my phone buzzed. One billion appeared in my account. A message from my friend followed.
[Brian was fooled. Two days later, their stocks would crash and they would lose their critical technologies.]
I stared at my phone screen. A faint smile tugged at my lips. My revenge has officially begun.
