Take My Breath Away

"Don't play dumb with me! Thanks to your husband, I'm wanted by the police! Don't you know that?" Napier yelled on the other end of the line. Evelyn had to take the phone away from her ear briefly. She could feel the coldness in his voice.

"Why are you wanted by the police?" 'Could it be?' A terrible thought flashed through her mind.

"It's all your fault!" It sounded like Napier had smashed something. Evelyn heard the sound of glass shattering on the other end.

She covertly took the phone away from her ear and pressed the record button. Then she asked calmly, "So, you were the one who killed my ex-boyfriends?"

"Yes!" he admitted frankly.

"Why?" she asked, dreading the answer.

"You can't be serious. You're really asking me why? Hahaha... Evelyn Huo, you killed the only woman I love. Why should I let you off the hook? I knew Melody loved you more than me. I couldn't wait to kill you once I knew. What's more, she killed herself for you. But you don't even feel bad about that, do you?"

Memories flooded her mind, old friends, good times and bad. Evelyn felt as if she'd fallen into a freezer, and her blood was like ice in her veins. "Look, I know I wasn't there for Melody when she needed me, but those were innocent people you killed. They had nothing to do with her. Why would you do that? Just because you hated me?"

She tried to make her way to the door, but her legs felt weak from fear. Sheffield and Matthew were still at work, but her dad was there. She could ask him for help.

"Before they died, I told them they were dying for you. I didn't kill them. You did." Napier laughed like a devil in the dark.

Evelyn was so freaked out she forgot to knock on the door. She pushed it open and walked right into Carlos and Debbie's bedroom.

Debbie and Carlos were lying in bed, reading. Upon seeing Evelyn, Debbie was about to say something when Evelyn put her finger to her lips, telling her to be quiet.

Carlos noticed her pale face. The smile on his face disappeared and he got out of bed quietly.

Putting her phone on speaker, Evelyn took a deep breath and continued, "If Melody were alive, she'd be very disappointed in you. Did you forget what she said before she died? She asked you to take good care of me, but you didn't. Instead, you're killing off my lovers."

"Take care of you? Seriously? Can you bring Melody back? Can you do that? Melody was my love, my whole life! And she died! I have nothing to live for!"

"Then just turn yourself in! If you give up right now, I'll ask my father to help you. You'll get the best lawyers, the most sympathetic judges. For Melody's sake."

"Turn myself in? Hahaha!" Napier roared with laughter, and his voice was terrible in the quiet night. "You think I'm stupid? I'm facing three murder charges. And Sheffield said if he caught me, he'd make sure I'd be executed. By gun or hypo. Besides, I kidnapped Gillian. Think the law will let me go? Am I stupid? Or are you, Evelyn Huo?"

Evelyn looked into Carlos' eyes. "So why call me?" she asked Napier.

"I need ten million. I'll leave the city for good. And ask the police to dismiss the case. Say no, and Gillian and Lea will die. Their blood will be on your hands. And as for your kid, I'll kill her too. She better stay inside that manor of yours." Napier had a bad feeling he couldn't hold out much longer. He'd eventually get found and arrested. And then it would be all over for him. If he bugged out now, he might just make it out of this a free man.

Carlos nodded silently. Evelyn agreed to Napier's request. "Okay, how do we do this? Wire transfer or cash?" she asked. His tirade had them spooked. Gwyn could be in real danger. That was why they kept her a secret for so long.

"Cash, of course. I'd get found as soon as I withdrew the money!"

"Okay. Cash, then. But I need some time to get the money. How do I contact you after I get it?"

"You have three days. Don't play tricks with me. Bring it to the graveyard. And come alone. I'll pick it up." Napier figured it was safer to ask Evelyn to do it. She wasn't a fighter, so she really couldn't try anything.

"Okay."

After ending the call, Debbie took Evelyn's hand and asked anxiously, "Napier?"

Evelyn looked at the screen as the recording app autosaved the audio. "I'm shook too. I didn't expect Melody's death would turn him into this." He didn't care about anything. He would just destroy everything she loved in the most extreme way.

"Can you send me the audio? See what you can do about getting the cash. Don't worry about the rest," Carlos said to her.

"Does this have anything to do with what you and Sheffield have been up to? It's not about mining resources, right, Dad?" Evelyn realized what was going on.

Carlos didn't deny it. "Yeah. Sheffield decided not to tell you because he didn't want you to worry. Don't blame him."

Evelyn's heart broke at his words. Sheffield had done so much for her. "I know. He loves me and doesn't want me to be unhappy."

Then she sent the call audio to Sheffield, along with a text: "Save the evidence. I need a backup in case my computer gets hacked."

As soon as he saw the message, Sheffield called her back. "You know, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"How? Where are you now?" His tone was full of anxiety.

Evelyn comforted him, "Don't worry. I'm home. He just called me to ask for money."

When he heard that it was just a phone call, Sheffield breathed a sigh of relief.

"I need you to take more bodyguards with you when you go somewhere. I don't want to chance anything happening to you. Don't leave the manor unless you have to." He was worried Napier would hurt Evelyn.

"Okay, I love you. You be careful, too!"

"Don't worry about me. Dad and Uncle Wesley have their men covertly following me. They won't let anything happen," Sheffield assured her. Carlos had gotten Wesley involved when he decided to lure Napier out.

"That's good."

Moans filled a basement somewhere in the city. The moans emanated from two people—a man and a woman. This went on for twenty minutes, and then the room was still.

Gillian had a charming smile on her face. While straightening her clothes, she asked, "What did Evelyn say?"

Napier had cleaned up nicely. He'd recovered enough of his senses to groom himself and start wearing clean clothes again. He glanced at the woman in contempt. "She agreed to my terms."

He had plans. Big plans. First, he thought about abducting Evelyn. But he abandoned that. Then he thought he might kidnap someone from the Tang family. But that too was discarded.

Then he found Gillian. She and Sheffield had known each other forever. And she despised Evelyn. So he decided to kidnap her and hold her hostage. He would bargain with Sheffield for her release.

Napier didn't expect Gillian to be such a whore. She fought bravely at first. Yes, at first. But a few beatings broke her. He wasn't sure what he expected, but she gave in surprisingly easily. Not only did she allow him to do anything he wanted, but even offered to help him.

Pretending not to see the contempt in his eyes, Gillian asked expectantly, "Take me with you?" She grew quite fond of this man! Day by day, she fell a little more in love. He was so masculine, determined. She liked him so much!

"That depends! Can you keep up with me? That's the only way it'll work." Napier didn't want to take her with him at all. To him, she was just a way to satisfy his lust. Other than that, he had no use for her.