Chapter 311 - Terrifying Experience

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Karine James hadn’t been that terrified when facing Diane Taylor. After all, it was her word against the other’s.

She would simply deny it, and with Linda James helping her, nobody would be able to put the blame on her. But things were different now that Bruce Jones had appeared.

She had lost all rationality because of hate and had hired someone to kidnap the young girl in hopes of killing her. However, these were two different things.

“Are you very surprised to see me, Ms. James?”

Karine James was the only one who knew what she had done. Nobody else in her family had any idea about it, and that was why they were confused by Karine James’s behavior.

“I don’t know you. Why should I be shocked?” Karine James had no other choice but to pretend to be ignorant. ‘I’ll deny it as long as you’re unable to take out any evidence against me.’

Bruce Jones fumed as he observed Karine James.

But just as he was about to speak up, Finn Taylor waved him off. “There’s no hurry. Why don’t we take a look at the surveillance cameras from our house?”

“Surveillance cameras?”

The James family wasn’t the only one that was shocked; even Linda James was.

“Mom, this is Number One Pacific Heights. Do you really think we wouldn’t have any cameras?” Finn Taylor picked up a teddy bear by the television and shook it gently. A remote control then fell into his hands.

Everyone’s faces fell.

Finn Taylor connected the remote control to the television. He then selected the footage from the day he had gotten drunk.

From the footage, it was clear that Karine James was the one who had started the fight. It also showed how Diane Taylor had tried to protect herself. Following that, the James family—including Linda James—had ganged up against Diane Taylor, smashed her phone, and even chased her out of the house.

Finn Taylor stopped the video and turned to the James family. “It seems like I was too kind and didn’t nip the problem in the bud the last time.”

Finn Taylor was referring to Lucy Williams’s birthday when Linda James had brought the whole family to Los Angeles. It had ended with Karine James kidnapping Yvette Larson.

At that time, Finn Taylor had already warned the James family but had chosen to leave them a way out on his mother-in-law’s account. However, they hadn’t appreciated his kindness, and they were now acting as though nothing had happened.

“Bruce Jones, why don’t you tell everyone about your encounter with Ms. Karine James?”

“Alright.” The man took a step forward and started, “Ms. Karine James paid me 5,000 dollars and instructed me to kidnap Ms. Diane Taylor. She said it didn’t matter what I did to Ms. Taylor, but I couldn’t let her go before she gave me instructions.”

‘Kidnap Diane Taylor?’ The James family was obviously shocked. ‘Did Karine not learn her lesson from kidnapping her cousin the previous time? Did she already forget what Finn Taylor did to her that time?’

Everyone turned their eyes to Karine James, yet the latter remained calm and collected.

She shrugged and denied everything. “Finn Taylor, where did you find this actor from? I don’t know him. Do you have any evidence apart from his statement?”

Of course, Finn Taylor had already expected her denial. Since he had chosen to bring this to light, he wouldn’t let anything fall through.

“You transferred 5,000 dollars to Bruce Jones. How do you explain this?”

Karine James smiled. “There’s nothing to explain. My account was hacked a few days ago. In fact, he should return me my money.”

Nobody could get more shameless than Karine James—she didn’t even hesitate before giving that explanation.

“Alright, let’s take it that your account was hacked. I’m sure that you don’t know the rules people like Bruce Jones have.” Finn Taylor deliberately paused for a moment.

For some unknown reason, Karine James’s heart pounded, and she had an ominous feeling about this.

“Bruce, play the recording.”

‘Recording?’ Karine James was stumped. ‘Bruce Jones recorded our conversation?’

“You don’t have to look at me like that, Ms. James. In our line of work, we’re always scared of people going back on their word, so we always keep evidence when we work.” With that, Bruce Jones played the recording.

“Bruce Jones?”

“You’ve got the wrong number.”

“A friend gave me your number.”

“You’ve got the wrong number.”

“5,000.”

“You’ve got the wrong number.”

“San Diego Bus Station, 5,000.”

“You’ve got the wrong number.”

“I’ve sent you the photo. Catch her and do whatever you want to her; don’t release her before I tell you to. I’ll give you another 3,000 after everything is completed.”

“Which friend?”

“Friends in heaven.”

“Deal.”

“Deal.”

Finn Taylor wanted to see how Karine James would deny everything in the face of solid evidence.

Everyone’s eyes turned toward the latter.

Her forehead was dripping with sweat, and her lips were trembling. She couldn’t even force a word out.

Eventually, she gave up and shut her eyes.

To everyone else, it seemed like she had admitted to it.

“Karine James, you made a foolish mistake!” Lucy Williams was incensed. ‘I gave no care to my own dignity to beg for the family’s jobs in the Larson Corporation, yet Karine has ruined everything.’ 

“A life for a life—you have to pay for what you owe. Why don’t you tell us how your family intends to pay us for this?”

Not a single person in the James family dared to speak up.

“Why don’t we do as Karine James says and kidnap all of you? Diane will have full say over when you guys are released, and we’ll let your captors do whatever they want to you. What do you think about that?”

The James family was scared stiff.

They knew just how vicious Bruce Jones and his gang were. Who knew what they would face and how they would die at the hands of those men?

Of course, Karine James was the most terrified amongst them since she had once experienced that life in Los Angeles. At that time, Finn Taylor had handed her to people like that too.

That had been the darkest period of her life. Even now, she would have nightmares from time to time.

It was a terrifying and painful experience that would stay with her for the rest of her life.