When I got back to the Norton residence, Leah sent me a message. "I'm busy. I can't be with you these two days. Sorry."

I scoffed and blocked her number without a second thought.

How disgusting.

Yeah, right. Busy.

She and Dexter Caldwell were probably busy shaking my bed to pieces by now.

Well, they could have these two days. I'd use the time to pack for my trip abroad.

The next day, the maid hurried in with a report. "Mr. Norton, Ms. Caldwell is here. She's at the gate, insisting on seeing you."

I frowned, feeling like something was off.

My heartless mother never showed up unless she wanted something.

"Did she say what she wanted?" I asked.

The maid shook her head. "No. She just looks anxious. No matter what we say, she refuses to leave until she sees you."

I thought for a moment. Not planning to let my mother, Everly Caldwell, in, I walked out to the estate gate. "What do you want?"

Mom was facing away, arguing fiercely with the security guard.

As soon as she heard my voice, she gripped the iron gates and yelled, "Melvin! You finally came out! Come with me! Something serious has happened!"

I frowned. Instead of opening the gate, I took a step back. "If you need help, you should call the police, not come to me. I can't help you."

Mom shook the gate harder, her voice frantic. "No! Melvin, only you can help me! Please, open the door!"

"What happened?"

She avoided the question, only urging me to come with her.

I was done watching her performance. Just as I was about to turn away, I heard hurried footsteps approaching.

"Melvin!"

It was Leah.

Her voice was rushed, and her panic was real. "Your mom wasn't lying. This is serious, and it's complicated. Come with us, and I'll explain on the way."

I hesitated.

But when my eyes landed on Leah's uniform, I decided to trust her professionalism.

I gestured to the security guard. "Open the gate."

Leah practically wrenched me outside, terrified I might lag behind for even a second.

I stumbled into the car and asked again, "What's going on? Can you tell me now?"

Leah tensed for a moment, then brushed me off. "You'll know once we're there."

My frown deepened.

I quietly sent a few quick texts.

Finally, the car slammed to a halt in front of a run-down, unfinished building.

As I got out, the sight before me took my breath away.

A man wearing a hood was holding Dexter hostage nearby, shouting at us, "Everly Caldwell! You still owe me money! Do you have it now? I'm telling you, don't pull any tricks or I'll kill your son right now! Don't talk to me about trading stuff. I've waited long enough. Give me the money!"

I immediately realized what they planned to do.

I turned to run, but Leah grabbed me, stopping me.

Mom shouted at the kidnapper, "You know about my failed investment. I really can't scrape that much together right now! But I brought Melvin! Look, you can hold him hostage. He's worth more than Dexter. He's my son with Adam Norton. The filthy rich Norton family. His dad is loaded. You can ask for as much as you want! I'll trade him for Dexter. Let Dexter go!"

The kidnapper's eyes lit up at the mention of "the Norton family". He agreed immediately. "Fine! Bring him here. I'll trade!"

I glared at Mom in disbelief. How did she have the nerve to say that?

"Everly Caldwell, you're a fucking monster! Dexter's your son, but I'm not?"

Mom, knowing she was in the wrong, couldn't even look at me.

I turned sharply and looked at Leah, who was holding me back. With a last shred of hope, I asked, "Leah, do you think the same way? You know, if I wanted to leave, you couldn't stop me. I just need your answer."

I looked at her quietly, feeling something inside me snap for good.

Leah turned her face away. Her voice was laced with guilt and conflict as she replied, "I'm sorry, Melvin. This is the best plan I could come up with. Dexter is too scared. The knife had already cut him. He can't take much more. But you're different. You're stronger and calmer."

She paused, as if trying to convince both me and herself. "Trust me. I'm a police captain. I won't let anything happen to you. But we have to keep the kidnapper calm and swap Dexter out first. He really can't handle much more."

As she talked, she pulled me toward the kidnapper.

Something inside me snapped. I tried to pull away, but Leah leveled a dagger at me. "Behave, Melvin. Keep struggling, and this blade might slip."

We stopped a few steps away from the kidnapper. Leah spoke up. "I'll count to three, and we'll switch."

The kidnapper nodded.

Leah pulled me in front of her, pressing her hand to my back. She called out, "Three! Two! One!"

In a flash, a powerful force shoved me forward.

Dexter screamed, stumbling into Leah's arms. At the same time, I felt a grip, reeking of sweat and cheap cigarettes, seize my arm.

The cold gleam of a knife pressed against my neck. The blade sliced my skin, drawing a thin line of blood.

But Leah was too busy soothing Dexter, who was shaken. "It's okay, Dexter. Don't be scared. I'm here."

She never turned to check on me.

When Dexter's eyes scanned my bleeding wound, he raised an eyebrow at me smugly.

Then, he clung to Leah even tighter. "Leah, I'm so scared! This place is filthy. Can you get me out of here?"

Leah steadied Dexter, ready to leave.

The kidnapper barked, "Nobody moves! You think you can just leave? Call that filthy rich guy from the Norton family now. Tell him to get 100 million dollars in cash here in 30 minutes. Otherwise, I'll kill his son!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Dexter grabbed Leah's arm. His voice was trembling as he said, "Leah, let's go. I can't stand it here anymore. He's just trying to scare us. He wouldn't dare actually kill anyone. If he does, he won't get the money!"

The kidnapper's anger flared at the words, and the knife dug deeper into my neck. "Pretty boy, you think I'm a coward? Try to leave, and I'll make good on my threat. You'd better call!"

The cut deepened, and blood dripped from the blade onto the ground.

My face was turning pale from the constant blood loss. When Leah saw that, her eyes were filled with conflict.

Dexter, sensing her hesitation, let out a loud cry. His body went limp as he fainted.

"Dexter!" Leah gasped, pulling him into her arms. Her moment of doubt and struggle crumbled at once.

She clenched her teeth, as if making a decision. Supporting Dexter, she forced out a few words to me. "Melvin, I'm so—"

Just then, a gunshot echoed.

A bullet lodged itself perfectly in the kidnapper's forehead, sending the knife crashing to the ground.

Behind me, I heard a heavy thud, and the grip on me vanished.

I stood frozen, forgetting even how to breathe.

Leah was clearly caught off guard by the gunshot. The shock even caused Dexter, who had been faking unconsciousness in her arms, to snap his eyes open.

Immediately after, the figures of the special forces charged up from the first floor, and Dad was among them.

He immediately rushed to me and pulled me into his arms before shouting to the team, "Medic! Hurry! My son's neck is hurt! Stop the bleeding!"

It was only then that I belatedly realized it was probably the result of the messages I sent from the car earlier.

The wound wasn't deep. A few bandages would do.

Once I was sure it wasn't serious, I gently pushed Dad's hands away and walked toward Leah.

Leah opened her mouth, her eyes darting around, like she was finding the right words to say. "Melvin, I—"

But I didn't want to hear her explain. I slapped her hard across the face.

Her head whipped to the side, and she was dazed.

I raised my hand again and landed another slap.

The second slap was so strong it sent Leah stumbling, crashing to the ground.

Before I could strike again, the stunned special forces members and medical staff finally reacted. They rushed forward to pull me away.

Dad also came over, trying to calm me down. "Melvin, you've still got a wound on your neck. Don't let your emotions get the better of you. Let's go to the hospital for a checkup. The police brass are on their way. They'll make sure we get the answers we deserve."

I shut my eyes, trying to hold back the surge of emotions threatening to break me.

Then, I followed Dad away from the scene.

Shortly after, Leonel Marks, the police chief, looked at Leah's dejected state and pointed a finger right at her face. "Forcing one hostage to trade places with another? This is an absolute disgrace to the force! Leah, you're suspended for investigation!"

During the time I was recovering, I couldn't shake the feeling that something about this case was off.

After some quiet investigation, I uncovered that Dexter and the kidnapper had suspiciously close ties. They were likely working together.

But Dexter truly was the epitome of a "first love" to Leah. Despite the mountain of evidence, she still insisted that Dexter was innocent, claiming I was framing him. She even tried to convince me in every way possible.

I ignored her.

Then, on the morning of my departure, the police station called. They wanted me and my lawyer, Gunner Smith, to come in.

When I pushed open the door, I found Leonel, Leah, and Dexter already there.

Leonel stood, nodding to me as a greeting. "Mr. Norton, I guess the international financial regulatory authority's response should have reached you by now."

I nodded and had Gunner hand over the latest evidence.

"This is an offshore confidential account Dexter had set up. A week before the incident, a transfer of 800,000 dollars was made to the kidnapper's account. However, the total loss caused by Everly to this kidnapper, including interest, is only 500,000 dollars.

"Chief Marks, this doesn't seem to add up. I suspect that the kidnapper was working under Dexter's orders."

Dexter was so stunned, he forgot to keep crying. He never expected me to dig into that.

Jumping to his feet, he started to deny it desperately. "No, that's not true! I gave him more money because I was worried about him bothering my mom. I thought it would be safer to just pay him off and protect my mom. Is that really a crime?"

Then, he turned to me, trying to play the victim. "Melvin, I know you've always disliked me and blamed me for taking what was yours. But we share half the same blood. I've suffered a lot abroad too.

"We're brothers! Why do you hate me so much? Why go to such lengths to fabricate evidence and try to ruin me?"

I looked at Dexter's pathetic face and felt nothing but disgust. I scoffed and mocked, "Dexter, your veins run with the blood of that homewrecker you call a father. You think you're worthy of calling me your brother? Don't flatter yourself."

Dexter's hands clenched into fists, and his face flushed with shame and irritation. He clearly hadn't expected me to be so blunt.

Seeing that the emotional plea wasn't working, he cast a quick glance at Leah, who had been silent, and a new idea seemed to click.

Dexter filled his eyes with fake tears and stepped protectively in front of Leah. "Fine! Melvin, since you hate me so much, I'll take all the blame. Tell your lawyer to withdraw the charges against Leah.

"She's a police captain, with a bright future ahead. She can't be ruined because of me. Please, I beg you. Let her go!"

Then, in front of everyone, he suddenly dropped to his knees, pretending to bow and beg for forgiveness.

Leah rushed to grab his arm, pulling him back up. "Dexter, no!"

Dexter buried his face in her neck. He didn't even try to break free. Instead, he pulled her even closer. "Leah, let me kneel. I know Melvin hates me. I've dragged you into this. I can't let you be ruined because of me."

He raised his tear-filled eyes and looked past Leah's shoulder, looking at me with a pleading gaze. "Melvin, please let Leah go. She's only trying to protect both of us.

"If you're going to hate someone, let it be me. I'll take the punishment, even if it means prison, execution, or even if you want me dead right this second. I'll accept it all!"

"Enough, Dexter. Enough! I won't let anything happen to you!" Leah cut him off.

As she looked at the trembling man in her arms, her eyes were filled with pain.

Watching them play out this "true love in the face of adversity" act was utterly pathetic. I borrowed a lighter from Gunner, lit a cigarette, and casually watched the spectacle in silence.

Shocked by my cold-blooded attitude, Leah turned and screamed at me, "Melvin Norton, are you even human? Dexter's a victim in all of this too. Why are you so quick to accuse him, just because of some questionable overseas accounts? Why are you determined to destroy him?

"I was the one who tricked you into going there. I was also the one who traded you for Dexter. If you've got a problem, take it out on me!"

Her words were full of fury and blame, but I just flicked the ash off my cigarette. My gaze was as cold as ice as I looked at her. "Leah, do you think I won't hurt you because you're so sure I still love you?"

Caught off guard by my response, Leah was stunned into silence.

"Don't you think your reaction is a bit much? After all, you two have only met once. This kind of deep affection seems a bit out of place, don't you think?"

Leah opened her mouth, probably to argue, but I raised my hand to cut her off. "One last question. What's the real deal between you and Dexter? Leah, stop lying to me."

She seemed to realize the gravity of the situation and avoided my eyes. Her hands were clenched so tightly that her knuckles went white.

After a long pause, she murmured, "Classmates… We were classmates."

I let out a chuckle. Like a dam breaking, my laughter grew louder until even my shoulders started shaking.

Classmates, huh?

The anger of being lied to faded, replaced by a strange sense of release.

I crushed the cigarette I had been holding and glanced at Leonel. "Sorry, Chief Marks. My flight leaves this afternoon. I have to go. I'll have my lawyer follow up on this. I'm done here."

With that, I handed the thick file to Gunner and instructed, "Here's the full chain of evidence. Handle it well."

"Understood, Mr. Norton. I'll take care of it."

Everyone in the room froze. They hadn't expected me to have even stronger evidence.

I stood up and walked out decisively.

Leah, realizing too late what was happening, started explaining something in a rush behind me, but I couldn't be bothered to listen.

She tried to chase after me, but Leonel stopped her. "Leah, stop! The questioning isn't over. You need to cooperate with the investigation."

Two officers at the door grabbed Leah and escorted her back to the meeting room.

I opened the car door and told the driver, "To the airport."

I leaned back, closing my eyes to rest.

Dad was right. Feelings were fleeting, but money would never betray me.

…

Third-person POV

Back in the meeting room, Gunner started opening the file while glancing over at Leah with a mocking look.

"Captain Hudson, take a seat. It's not the time to get worked up just yet. Would you prefer to hear the recording of Mr. Caldwell colluding with the kidnapper, or would you rather look at the pictures of them together in bed?"