A cool breeze blew through the silent night as the dim moonlight shone on the rugged mountain paths.
Suddenly, a rush of heavy footsteps resounded.
A dishevelled woman appeared with a baby in her arms.
While looking back from time to time with horror and despair in her eyes, she stumbled in the quiet night.
Tightening her grip on the child, she panted heavily.
Just then, there were hurried footsteps echoing behind her.
"That b*tch must be around here somewhere, Franklin. Let's look around."
"Okay."
Upon hearing the voices, the woman immediately crouched down behind the bushes and held her breath.
Her hands were shaking slightly.
Glancing down at the infant in her arms, she bit back her tears and gently stroked its cheek.
As if sensing the tense atmosphere currently, the baby fluttered her eyes open.
Looking around, she pouted and her tiny lips began quivering.
At once, a bad feeling crept up the woman's chest.
Waaah!
A loud cry abruptly filled the air in the silent night.
Panicked, she listened to the sound of footsteps that were getting closer and closer to her before suddenly straightening up from her hiding spot to make for a run.
However, she had barely taken two steps when she found herself suddenly faced by a man and a woman.
The man was Franklin Riley, her husband for five years. Next to him, stood a woman who was her bestie for over ten years. They were the people she had once trusted the most.
Yet, they were also the ones who were currently forcing her to her doom.
"Keeping running, huh! Why did you stop?" Daphne West crossed her arms around her chest and raised her eyebrows. "Violet, you'd better know what's good for you."
Biting her lips, Violet Rees held the child tightly in her arms. Meanwhile, the child seemed to be affected by her surroundings and had stopped crying.
At that moment, she was looking around in fear.
As Violet stared at Franklin who was holding Daphne intimately in his arm, she could see the clear disgust in his cold gaze when he stared back at her.
Feeling her heart rupturing in pain, she suppressed all her emotions and lowered her eyes to hide the deep hatred in her eyes.
"I can surrender all my share of the company." She said flatly.
Upon hearing her words, Daphne leaned into Franklin's arms and glanced at her.
Her lips curled up into a hateful sneer. "You're still so naïve, Violet. Did you think that we had gone through all this trouble to lure you here just to get the company shares in your hands?"
"I promise to disappear as long as you let me my daughter and me go," As Violet pleaded quietly, she dug her nails so deep into her palms that her knuckles had turned white.
Daphne merely flickered her gaze at Franklin lazily. "Babe, are you thinking of being soft towards her now? Don't forget that you also are involved in that incident! If you let her go this time, you'll have to face the consequences yourself."
Franklin's face darkened instantly, and he took a big step towards Violet.
He glowered in a low voice, "Please, Violet!" As he stared at her unblinkingly, he took out a sharp fruit knife from his pocket and offered it to her. "I know you love me, and you'll definitely do anything for me. You'll never want to see me suffer, right? All you have to do is stab yourself with this knife and you'll be off to meet your parents. Don't worry, I'll take good care of our daughter and lead your father's company into much greater heights."
"Ha... Hahaha..."
Shaking her head frantically, Violet shrieked like a mad person, and her lunatic laughter echoed throughout the bleak woods creepily like the howl of a ghost.
At the same time, impatience flashed in Daphne's eyes.
Immediately after, she snapped, "Why are you wasting your time with her?" Firmly, she grabbed the fruit knife from Franklin and screwed Violet with her cruel gaze. "Accept your fate, Violet! You only have two choices now."
"You'll commit suicide, and I'll force myself to bring up this illegitimate child of yours for you."
"Or, your daughter dies with you now."
"Be a good girl, Violet. Just take the knife. I promise it won't hurt." There was deep icy cruelty hidden beneath Franklin's gentle gaze.
