Unmasking Mrs. Newton's Secret Identities novel Chapter 2016

The thin man tried once again to use Lucy as a hostage, but she swiftly raised the shovel, prepared to defend herself.

Without hesitation, Taylor aimed his gun at him. "Stay where you are!"

"I'm not moving, I swear!" The thin man raised his hands in surrender, his voice quivering as he crouched down. "Bullets don't have eyes, buddy. Please, don't let your hand shake!"

Taylor shot him an icy glare before turning to Lucy. Without a word, they exchanged a silent, knowing nod.

Together, they bound both the thin man and the tall man before making their way to reunite with Germaine.

…

Outside the warehouse, Zac's men received the go-ahead to carry out the hit. One of them grabbed a farming rake and rushed inside, positioning it beneath Jenson.

Jenson stared at the sharp metal, swallowing nervously. From his height, a fall would likely impale him instantly, delivering a fatal blow.

The man gave him a brief glance before calmly walking to the pillar to loosen his ropes.

"Wait!" Jenson shouted. "Let me go, and I'll give you money!"

The man showed no reaction, clearly uninterested in the offer. A little cash wasn't going to make a difference.

"Is half a million enough? How about one million Ameridia dollars?" Jenson pleaded.

The man paused for a moment, as if considering the proposal.

Seizing the moment, Jenson pushed forward. "Alright, here's the deal—I'll offer you two million dollars, flat out. That's how much my life is worth. I'm the head of SK Group and the younger brother of the CEO of Destiny Corporation. I can get you the money, I swear."

The man hesitated, his brow furrowing. Two million was an enormous sum, equivalent to over ten million Cathayan dollars—a fortune most could only dream of earning in a lifetime at Base X.

"If you're worried about Zac coming after you, I can help you get into Destiny Corporation," Jenson pressed, his voice tinged with desperation. "They offer full benefits, and it would really boost your reputation. Take your time and think it over before making a decision!"

Jenson's words hung in the air—his last-ditch effort to avoid a painful end.

"Death is one thing, but being riddled with holes? I can already hear the other ghosts mocking me for leaking air—how embarrassing. It would be a disgrace, even in the afterlife!" he thought.

"You wouldn't understand. Base X has been struggling financially for years, and enemies are always causing problems. It's been over six months since we were last paid.

"The guys are barely scraping by, and a lot of them want to leave, but they're too afraid of the consequences. So, they've just been holding on.

"After everything I've been through, I've come to realize that nothing beats a stable job in this world. If I took your money, wouldn't you just hold a grudge and make life difficult for me later on?"

"Yeah, I get it." Jenson chuckled nervously, wincing at the thought of losing over ten million bucks. After a long pause, he sighed deeply. "You guys really have it hard."

"Tell me about it!" the man said, his mood matching Jenson's. The atmosphere thickened with a shared sense of frustration.

Just then, the door slammed open with a loud bang.

Germaine stormed in. Upon seeing Jenson hanging from the ceiling, she tightened her grip on the wooden stick in her hand.

"Sweetheart, you finally showed up!"