Chapter 9
At my insistence, I arranged for an international private medical team to care for Landon’s mother and improve her health.
She liked me very much. When she found out about our engagement, she was overjoyed.
But the day before our engagement, Landon’s mother’s primary doctor called with alarming news: she had gone missing.
At the same time, Stella Tanner sent me a message:
“If you don’t want that old hag to die, come to the underground cellar of Color Hub in North City.”
When Landon Banks and I arrived, his mother was tied to a chair with tape over her mouth.
Stella held a knife, the back of the blade slowly sliding along Mrs. Banks‘ neck.
“Stella Tanner, you-!”
Landon was about to rush forward, but I quickly pulled him back.
This wasn’t the time to provoke Stella.
Stella gave a sinister smile.
“Caroline Forbs, you got here quickly.”
“What do you want? Name your price. But if you dare harm a single hair on her head, I guarantee you’ll get nothing,” I said coldly.
“I want one hundred million. In U.S. dollars. Transfer it immediately.”
“Fine,” I agreed without hesitation.
Stella was now penniless, far from the luxurious life she once had. Of course, she wanted money.
I called my financial team right in front of her.
Stella’s face lit up with satisfaction as she checked her phone and saw the transfer notification.
You’ve got the money. Can you release her now?”
The Billionaire’s Hidden Daughter
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She shook her head.
“How could I? I haven’t finished stating my terms. Caroline Forbs, you stole over ten years of my life and ruined my family. I only got to enjoy a few years of the good life before you, this wretched woman, destroyed it. My final condition is this: you kill yourself. Right now.”
“That’s impossible!” Landon shouted angrily.
To his shock, I said,
“Alright.”
“Caroline!!!” Landon looked at me in panic.
I gently patted his hand to calm him down.
“Saving your mom is what’s important.”
Stella let out a crazed laugh.
“Who would’ve thought this old hag mattered so much to you? What are you waiting for? Go ahead
and die!”
She pulled another fruit knife from her pocket and threw it in front of me.
“Hurry up and die, or I’ll take her life instead.”
Ignoring Landon’s attempts to stop me, I picked up the knife and placed it against my neck.
“Stella Tanner, you want me to die? I’ll do as you wish.”
“But since I’m about to die, could you grant me one small request?”
Stella looked impatient.
“Don’t try to pull any tricks!”
“I’m not. I just wanted to say… this is my first time attempting suicide, and I’m finding it hard to go through with it. Could you grab me a bottle of wine from the rack to your right? A drink might help me build up the courage.”
“I wouldn’t bother you if the rack weren’t so close to you,” I added with feigned helplessness.
Thinking it wasn’t a big deal–after all, there was no wine near me or Landon–Stella Tanner agreed.
The Billionaire’s Hidden Daughter
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apte
Hah, you’re not so fearless after all. Turns out you’re scared of dying too.”
She stretched out her arm but realized she couldn’t reach the wine rack. Taking a few steps to her right, she reached for a bottle.
Just as her hand touched the bottle, I shouted,
“Cousin, now!”
Before Stella could react, the wooden plank beneath her feet suddenly split open, and she fell straight down.
The plank snapped shut instantly, leaving only her angry screams and furious roars:
“Caroline Forbs, how dare you do this to me! Let me out! I’ll kill you!”
I walked over, crouched down, and knocked on the plank with a smile.
“Kidnapping, attempted murder, extortion… you should start worrying about whether you’ll make it out of prison alive.”
Landon untied his mother and, still shaken, looked at me in disbelief.
“Caroline, what… what just happened?”
I smiled but said nothing, instead glancing toward the staircase.
My cousin leaned out, waving at Landon.
“Hello, future cousin–in–law! Let me introduce myself–I’m Lexi Pexton.”
Landon froze, seemingly piecing it all together, then turned to me.
I nodded with a smile.
My cousin, Lexi Pexton, was the owner of Color Hub.
After moving to South City, she fell in love with the area and decided to open a small bar, which had only been in business for a few days.
Because she had so much wine to store, the underground cellar actually had two levels. The one we were in was just the first level.
The spot where Stella was reaching for the wine was actually the trapdoor to the second level.
The Billionaire’s Hidden Daughter
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ace I learned Stella’s location, I called Lexi
lanned to lure Stella to the trapdoor, and Lexi would press the switch at the right moment.
To store wine more effectively, there was at least a one–and–a–half story drop between the first and second levels. Stella might not die, but she would definitely be severely injured,
In the end, Stella was taken away by the police.
Barring any surprises, she likely wouldn’t see the outside world again while alive,
And the money I transferred to her? It was returned to me in full.
heard her parents sold everything they could and fled the country, never visiting her even once.
Meanwhile, Landon and I held our engagement banquet as planned.
At the banquet, he held my hand and spoke the most touching words,
“Meeting you, falling in love with you, and staying by your side–these are the greatest fortunes of
my life. Caroline, I love you.”
I didn’t reply with words. Instead, I stood on tiptoes and kissed him.
I love you too.
(The End)
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