Chapter 354
Chapter 354:
“Take your time, Mrs. Palmer,” the man said calmly. “Tell me which daughter you want to keep alive p>
Monica answered without hesitation. “Jemma. It has to be Jemma p>
At her response, the kidnapper’s gaze shifted toward Kristine.
There was no reaction on her face at all, and the sight stirred a brief trace of sympathy in him.
Kristine sat in silence, her expression steady and unmoving. She had expected this outcome the moment the plan was set in motion. Of course Monica would reach for Jemma first — as though there had never been any other option.
That certainty made her lift her gaze toward the blade suspended above her. The knife caught the light as it swayed slightly, sharp enough to tear through flesh and bone — yet it held no power over the heart. Real pain didn’t come from steel. It came from the words spoken by people who were supposed to matter, and from the choices they made when it counted.
𝘕𝖾w 𝗐e𝗲𝘬𝗹𝗒 𝘤𝗵𝗮𝗉𝗍𝘦𝗿𝗌 𝗼𝗻
Monica no longer mattered to her. There was no reason to feel hurt.
And yet — her brows pulled together as pressure spread through her chest, as though invisible hands were closing in and stealing the air from her lungs.
“I told you already — I’m nothing like you,” Jemma said, her voice thick with ridicule. “Mom is obviously going to save me. As for you? You were never even a consideration p>
Every word carried clearly through the phone, reaching Monica without obstruction.
A sharp, unfamiliar ache settled in her chest.
Her resentment toward Kristine had never been only about Lincoln. For years, she had grown accustomed to overlooking her entirely, reserving every kindness and every advantage for Jemma alone. But now — the realization that Kristine might die because of her choice sent a sudden, unexpected wave of panic through her.
Before she could dwell on it, the kidnapper’s voice cut through the line. “You’ve already made your choice.” He turned to his companion. “Go ahead and release the knife p>
The other man lifted an axe and brought it down against the rope above Kristine. The blade dropped instantly.
Monica froze, her lungs locking up. “No p>
The knife hit the floor with a heavy thud — directly beside Kristine, but without touching her.
Relief slammed into Monica so hard she nearly collapsed, a rough breath escaping her as she registered that Kristine was still alive.
Only then did she notice Steven staring at her, his expression unreadable.
Monica turned her face away, shame burning through her, before forcing herself to speak into the phone. “What is all this p>
A low laugh came from the other end. “Mrs. Palmer, I warned you to choose carefully. Since you chose Jemma — naturally, we’ll be keeping her p>
Monica’s face drained of color. “You can’t be serious. You can’t do that p>
Jemma had been watching everything unfold as though it were happening to someone else. Even when the rope was cut, she had felt nothing. But the moment she heard they intended to keep her, panic tore through her.