Annabelle Linton picked up the knife and traced it lightly across her own fair arm. Though she only grazed the surface a few times, the skin broke, and blood began to well up.

"Ah!"

Wendy King was so terrified that she let out a loud scream and fainted.

Annabelle Linton watched her dispassionately, coldly spitting out a single word: "Boring."

She tossed the knife aside, her enthusiasm gone. It seemed she had lost interest in this game—or perhaps her interest had never been focused on Wendy in the first place.

Her gaze shifted to Charles King, her lips curling into a smirk. "I think you know what I want to find out, President King. There’s no need for me to spell it out, is there?"

Charles King lowered his gaze, thinking for a moment before saying, "I know who wanted to frame you. But what’s in it for me if I tell you?"

Knowing how to bargain at a time like this, Charles King truly proved he was a clever man seasoned in the world of business.

Annabelle Linton raised an eyebrow. "I’ll let you live."

Charles King sneered. "That’s it?"

Annabelle Linton gave him a scornful look and let out a cold laugh of her own. "What more could you want? I almost died that day. Did you really think I’d roll out the red carpet, treat you to fine food and wine, and even pay to send you out of the country?"

And that was, in fact, exactly what Charles King had been thinking.

Annabelle Linton scoffed and glanced at Wendy King. "I’ve still got two people here who can talk. No matter how tight your jaw is, secrets always get out. I’m sure I can find a way to pry one of you open, right?"

Charles King realized she was right.

’Where there’s life, there’s hope,’ he thought.

Besides, Celestia was no longer safe for him. He still had a sum of money on hand, enough to live lavishly for a while. He had to get out of the country!

He pursed his lips and said, "I’ll talk."

Annabelle Linton’s gaze sharpened, the icy glint in her eyes as piercing as a thousand arrows. "We both know full well who the real mastermind is. You have one chance. Feel free to try lying."

Charles King was shaken by the sheer force of her presence. "I wouldn’t dare," he promised.

Annabelle Linton glanced at the surrounding bodyguards and gave them a subtle look.

Understanding the signal, a bodyguard immediately stepped forward with a digital voice recorder.

Charles King began in a low voice, "The mastermind behind this kidnapping is Vivian Yates. She’s the one who stood to gain the most. She’s had it out for you for a long time, so she decided to get rid of you using a ’borrowed knife.’ What’s more, before we grabbed you, she contacted Wendy King and insinuated that you were the one who had schemed against us.

"And before that, she contacted me. She gave me three million and demanded that I make sure you died. She said no one could ever know. That’s why I wanted to kill you the moment I saw you that day, but Faye Sheffield stopped me. To keep them from noticing anything was wrong, I agreed to hold off." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Oh, and the account number she used to send the money is 98724****. You can check it. The money was transferred the day before the kidnapping. The original deal was for five million—three million up front, and the remaining two million after the job was done. But since you didn’t die, I only ever got the first three million."

When Charles King finished, the recording stopped.

The bodyguard respectfully presented the recorder. Annabelle Linton took it and played back the recording, her expression unreadable. Once she confirmed everything was in order, she put the device in her purse.

Charles King watched Annabelle Linton. He couldn’t believe it. ’She’s so young, yet her methods are this sophisticated, her planning so meticulous.’

A thoughtful expression crossed his face as he weighed his options. "Miss Linton... you’re not planning to use this recording to go after Vivian Yates, are you?"

’He certainly knows how to press his advantage,’ she thought.

Annabelle Linton didn’t call him out on his intentions, simply asking coolly, "And why couldn’t I?"

Charles King pursed his lips. "You really can’t. And it would be dangerous for you if you did. Get me safely out of the country, and I’ll tell you why, so you can prepare for what’s to come."