Chapter 128 Live Broadcast
Right now, everyone in the studio was watching the scene with stunned expressions.
The woman who’d been hailed as a hero during the fire was actually a murderer who’d let someone die? What was happening?
And who’d even switched the footage playing on the screen? Where were Sonya and the kidnapper now?
Curtis snapped back to reality. Pulling out his phone, he quickly dialed the police. “Hello? I need to report a kidnapping…”
Suddenly, someone in the audience gasped, “It’s live! Oh my gosh, it’s a live broadcast!”
Everyone else seemed to realize that at the same time and pulled out their phones. Sure enough, they found the kidnapper’s live stream.
The platform hadn’t blocked it yet, and viewers were already pouring in.
“What’s going on? People have no shame these days, trying to get famous like this,” a commenter wrote.
“They’re faking this for a show. They’ll get banned for sure!” another added.
“Are kidnappers really this bold now? Don’t they worry about getting caught?”
“What’s happening? Can someone explain?”
Chloe squinted at the kidnapper on the screen, finding his figure strangely familiar.
Brian leaned in and whispered, “Do you recognize him?”
“His figure looks familiar, but I can’t remember where I’ve seen him before,” Chloe admitted.
“It seems the text message the reporter at the orphanage event received wasn’t just a rumor. Something’s off about Sonya’s heroism,” Brian said. “Maybe he’s the one who sent that message to the reporter.”
Chloe was taken aback. The blurry figure from the event at the orphanage was now unmistakably merging
with the image of the kidnapper on the screen.
She pursed her lips, a nagging feeling telling her she’d missed something crucial earlier.
Frantically, Chloe pulled out her phone and began searching for the information desperately.
Meanwhile, a wave of panic swept over Sonya.
Why… Why did this man have that recording? Who was he?
“… Don’t go… Sonya, don’t leave… because of you… I’ll…”
The kidnapper continued playing the recording of the harrowing screams, filling the studio with a sound
so chilling that it made everyone shiver.
YMCaucast
23
It was the agonizing cry of someone being burned alive. The chilling screams went on for what felt like an eternity until they finally faded into silence.
It was clear to everyone that the voice belonged to someone who’d been burned alive. There was no video, but the audio alone was enough to make people imagine the unimaginable agony of being consumed by fire.
And the person in the recording had clearly cried out Sonya’s name. Could it be that the so–called hero had let someone die?
“No! This isn’t true! The recording is fake!” Sonya shouted.
She couldn’t admit it. If she did, her reputation would be destroyed forever.
“Fake?” A person on the other end scoffed. “Haha, what’s wrong? Don’t tell me you can’t even recognize your old colleague’s voice. He was your mentor when you first joined AeroQuest Airlines. He helped you, gave you chances, and recommended you. And this is how you repaid him?”
Sonya’s face grew even paler.
The voice pressed on. “Once this recording is tested, you’ll see it isn’t fake. It’s your old colleague’s real voice. The timestamp matches with when the fire broke out at the border.
“At that moment, he was on the phone with his son. When the flames caught him, his phone fell to the ground, and by sheer chance, his son recorded everything.”
Sonya’s body trembled. “There must… there must be some mistake!”
She thought Curtis must have realized by now that she was missing. If he’d reported it to the police, they would be on their way to rescue her. All she needed to do was stall until they arrived. Then, she would be safe.
“Misunderstanding?” The kidnapper suddenly yanked Sonya’s hair and raised his hand, striking her hard across the face.
The blows came one after another, each harsher than the last.
Sonya’s cheeks swelled rapidly, her lips split open, and blood trickled down her face.
“Do you have any idea what your old colleague’s son felt when he heard his father’s final screams over the phone that day? Why didn’t you save him? Why? There was a fire extinguisher right there so why didn’t you use it to put out the flames?”
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about! I… I was separated from him. I wasn’t there! I don’t understand why he kept shouting my name. Maybe… maybe he was just delirious from the fire…”
“Delirious?” The person abruptly released her, and Sonya crashed to the floor with a heavy thud.
A moment later, something cold splashed over her. On camera, the kidnapper stood holding a white
plastic bucket, pouring liquid all over Sonya from head to toe.
Chapter 128 Live Broadene
Sonya shrieked, “No… no! What are you doing?”
“What am I doing? I’m going to let you feel what it’s like to be burned alive. Let’s see if you start hallucinating while the flames consume you!” The kidnapper sneered. He pried open another white plastic bucket and poured its contents over Sonya.
“It’s oil! Oh my gosh! He’s pouring gasoline!” someone in the studio shouted.
Curtis‘ chest tightened as he stared at the screen, feeling helpless. There was nothing he could do now except pray the police would track the kidnapper down before it was too late.
“Damn it!” Curtis crushed Sonya’s phone in his grip. “Why does this have to happen to her?”
He turned to Chloe, hatred burning in his eyes. “This is all because of you, Chloe. If anything happens to Sonya, it’s on you!”
“On me?” Chloe frowned. “Curtis, what are you saying?”
“You!” Curtis stepped forward. “If you hadn’t played that recording during the interview and teamed up with the others to single Sonya out, why would she have bolted back to the dressing room? Why would she have gotten in this mess? You’re the reason Sonya was kidnapped.”
Chloe laughed, furious. “Curtis, you haven’t changed. Whenever something goes wrong, you always point fingers. You say I pushed Sonya away, so why don’t you blame yourself? Weren’t you the one who left with her? Why weren’t you there to protect her?”
“I…” Curtis snapped. “Stop arguing, Chloe. I’m telling you, if anything happens to Sonya, I won’t let you get away with it!”
The moment Curtis finished speaking, Brian kicked him, sending him crashing to the ground.
