「A few hours earlier.」

Nina Walsh finished reciting the pre-written lines into the phone’s camera. Then, with a trembling hand, she pressed the "Stop Recording" button on the screen.

She nervously handed the phone to Blondie. Seeing his venomous glare, she flinched in fear, shrinking her neck and lowering her eyes. "I-is this okay...?" she whispered.

Blondie frowned as he took the phone and started staring at the screen to check the video.

Nina Walsh cowered quietly on the floor, waiting for Blondie to inspect the video, not daring to breathe.

Just a moment ago, after she’d finished the sand vine cake Amy had brought her, she had been feeling drowsy and about to fall asleep when Blondie suddenly opened the door and walked in.

Without a word, Blondie had grabbed the cowering Nina Walsh and lifted her up like a helpless chick, dragging her straight out of the room. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

As Blondie hauled her along, Nina Walsh thought she was finally being taken to a hospital to have her organs harvested!

She was so scared her body went rigid. Her terrified eyes stared down the dim hallway, unable to make a sound.

’Now I finally get why actors in horror movies just stare blankly at the killer. When you’re terrified to the extreme, you can’t react at all.’

Nina Walsh felt like her heart had stopped, her blood had frozen, and her mind had gone completely blank.

But to her surprise, Blondie just took her to another empty room upstairs.

Then, Blondie gave Nina Walsh a basin of water and told her to wash her face.

Blondie told Nina Walsh that if she cooperated and recorded a video to lure her cousin, Melody Summers, out for an exchange, they would let her go.

Nina Walsh listened to Blondie in a daze, her mind fixated on one thing: they had agreed to let her go.

The wild euphoria of her narrow escape overwhelmed her. She did as Blondie said, washing the grime and dust from her face. Then, after composing her words, she took the phone and began to record.

Blondie frowned and watched the video twice. He felt Nina Walsh’s expression was unnatural.

Flynn Adler himself had specifically assigned this task, and Blondie was afraid he’d screw it up.

He really wasn’t confident, so he called over a bald man.

Blondie handed the phone to the bald man and asked anxiously, "Mr. Hale, could you please take a look? The boss specifically ordered us to make this bitch lure her cousin out. But she looks too nervous on camera. Do you think her cousin will see through it?"

The bald man he called "Mr. Hale" took the phone, watched the video once, and frowned. "Too nervous. Stuttering is one thing, but her eyes aren’t even looking at the camera. They’re just darting all over the place. Tsk... is she doing it on purpose?"

Hearing this, an angry look flashed across Blondie’s face. He turned, strode right up to Nina Walsh, and viciously kicked her hard in the stomach. "You bitch!" he roared. "Did you record it like that on purpose? Are you trying to get your cousin to see something’s wrong so she’ll call the cops on you?"

Kicked by Blondie, Nina Walsh collapsed to the ground. A sharp pain shot through her abdomen, as if a knife were twisting inside it.

The pain was so intense Nina Walsh didn’t dare take a deep breath. She could only curl up on the floor like a shrimp, clutching her stomach and forcing out a plea through gritted teeth, "I-I didn’t..."

Mr. Hale looked at Nina Walsh’s pale face, frowned, and said to Blondie, "Alright, just have her record it again."

Blondie heard Mr. Hale and knew he had to focus on the task. He pointed at Nina Walsh and barked, "Get over here and record it again, you little bitch! I’m telling you, if you try to pull any tricks, I have plenty of ways to make you wish you were dead!"

Terrified, Nina Walsh didn’t dare resist. She endured the pain in her stomach, forced herself to calm down, and recorded it again.

It wasn’t until Nina Walsh’s third take that Mr. Hale gave a reluctant nod of satisfaction. "She’s still stuttering a bit, but it’s much better than before. After all, she’s supposed to be a runaway, so it’s normal to seem a little panicked and helpless... This will have to do."

Blondie immediately nodded and flattered Mr. Hale, "Thanks, Mr. Hale. You’re the one who understands this stuff. I’ll send it to her cousin right away!"

Hearing Blondie’s praise, a trace of smugness unconsciously appeared on Mr. Hale’s otherwise cold face.

Blondie read his expression and, while carefully studying Mr. Hale’s face, continued, "You have no idea, Mr. Hale. This little bitch is a feisty one. She’s been locked up for over a week and still hasn’t broken. Once we’re done... training her, we’ll send her to you first!"

Mr. Hale looked very young. Despite his shaved head, it was easy to see he was handsome. Hearing Blondie’s offer, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

He did indeed have a preference for girls of Nina Walsh’s age and type. Blondie had catered to his tastes perfectly.

Seeing that Mr. Hale was pleased, Blondie dared to continue probing, "Mr. Hale, what if her cousin doesn’t come... or what if she tells her parents? I’m just worried that if they find out this little bitch is missing, they’ll call the police..."

Blondie wasn’t sure what the outcome of sending the video would be. He wasn’t certain Melody Summers would take the bait.

These days, any woman with a bit of caution wouldn’t just rush out the door alone.

Besides, Nina Walsh had been missing for over a week now. He was afraid her family might have already called the police.

’Mr. Hale is close to Flynn Adler, after all,’ Blondie thought. ’I should give him the full picture now. That way, if something goes wrong, it won’t be my fault.’

Mr. Hale snorted disdainfully. "Let them report it. It’s not like no one’s investigated before. They all came up with nothing, didn’t they?"

Mr. Hale’s words put Blondie’s mind at ease.

Amidst Blondie’s fawning compliments, Mr. Hale continued, "I have to go back. You keep a close eye on things here. Don’t let anything happen to these girls."

He then glanced at Nina Walsh, who was still on the floor clutching her stomach, and asked hesitantly, "This one... can you really train her?"

Blondie puffed out his chest and guaranteed, "Don’t worry, Mr. Hale. With me here, I promise I’ll train this little bitch to be completely obedient. They’re all the same, these little bitches. At first, they all act like they’d rather die, but once they get a taste of the good life, they’ll be fighting each other to be with clients!"

Mr. Hale nodded and added, "Be a little gentler with them, too. If you beat them up too badly, how are they supposed to entertain clients?"

Blondie nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, don’t you worry, Mr. Hale. It won’t get in the way of them taking clients. I’ll make sure she’s delivered to you in one piece!"

Mr. Hale nodded, turned, and walked out.

After Mr. Hale was out of earshot, the fawning Blondie’s expression immediately changed.

He spat in the direction Mr. Hale had gone and muttered, "Fucking pretty boy, always putting on airs. Dares to make me call him ’Mr. Hale’... So young, who knows if he got the boss’s favor by selling his ass..."

Even though he called the guy Mr. Hale, he was more than ten years younger than him. And with those skinny arms and legs, Blondie could knock out several guys like him with one punch!

If it weren’t for the fact that Flynn Adler favored him, there was no way he’d be bowing and scraping to a kid like that!