Chapter 622 Hateful but Miserable
“Hurry! Someone! Retrieve the money!”
That was the first thing David said after he snapped back to his senses.
Then, three hours later, he drove alone to an abandoned factory located south of the city.
The employees had packed ten million cash in two suitcases, and he used a lot of effort before he finally managed to drag it to the second floor of the building.
“Daddy!” Celina was bound to the chair and stood up in excitement upon seeing him, but Edwin forced her back into her seat with a knife. “Don’t move!”
Edwin pressed the knife’s sharp edge against her neck, and if it just got a little closer, it could cut through her delicate skin at any time.
As David loved his daughter dearly, he was awash with panic. “Stop! Don’t hurt Nana!”
“Hmph!” A sardonic laugh escaped Edwin’s lips. “Don’t worry, David. Nana is the woman I love the most in my life. How can I ever bear to hurt her?”
“Love? Is this what you call love?” David was furious as he tossed the suitcases on the floor.
“There are many ways to love a person. Just because you haven’t experienced it before doesn’t mean that it’s not love. For example, Nana wanted to leave the hospital and I took her away. Is this not true love?” Edwin asked casually.
“I’m not interested in your twisted reasoning,” David retorted and kicked the suitcases toward him. “I’ve brought you ten million. Now, let her go!”
“Don’t be in such a rush.” Then, as Edwin held the dagger in his hand, he paced around Celina and said lazily, “I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you to bring the money to me so that I can check it with my own eyes.”
“There’s no need for that,” David sneered. “Ten million for my daughter’s life is nothing to me.”
“Of course, of course. Nana’s life is worth much more than me,” he said sarcastically. “However, regardless of our relationship, money is money, so it’s better to be safe than sorry, no? Besides, I don’t think you would like this to happen a second time, am I right?”
David didn’t rise to his provocation. Edwin was currently shouldering a large sum of debt and was now an outlaw who would do anything just for money.
Nana is in his hands now, and I can’t trigger him, David thought.
At the thought of this, he restrained his temper, carried the suitcases again, and dropped them about two feet away from Edwin before retreating to a safe distance.
Edwin waited until David was a distance away before he went forward to open the two suitcases, and his jaw dropped when he saw the amount of cash. Ten million; never before had he seen this amount of money, and now, all of it belonged to him!
He could pay off all of his debts, start another business, and make a comeback with this money. At that time, who would dare to look down on him again?
“You have your money. Now, keep your end of the bargain and let Nana go!” David urged.
Edwin’s face sank as he heard David’s commanding voice, but he still had feelings for Celina and didn’t actually want to kill her. “You can go now,” he said expressionlessly.
Celina immediately sprang to her feet and bolted toward David when she heard that. “Daddy!”
In a few seconds, David undid the ropes on her person, and she sobbed. “Let’s go, Daddy! Let’s go home! I don’t want to stay here any longer.”
“Just a minute.” David assured her, turned to Edwin, and said indifferently, “Take this money as your parents’ funeral expenses, and our families shall never be in contact ever again. I won’t pursue the matter with you this time, but if you dare to harm Nana again in the future, I’ll make sure everyone in the Haymond Family pays for what you’ve done!”
Edwin gritted his teeth in a fury, and the veins on his forehead popped. How dare he curse my parents! Yet, even at this point, he still does not fear me at all!
“Oh, Daddy! Don’t waste your breath on him anymore. It’s just ten million, merely enough for me to buy a few outfits. We’ll just take it as getting rid of a beggar. It’s so dirty and dusty here. I want to go home right away!
“Alright, alright…”
Celina threw a spoilt tantrum yet again, and David was utterly unable to handle her when she was in such a state. Hence, he threw a warning look at Edwin before leading her down the stairs.
However, Edwin was triggered by the phrase ‘getting rid of a beggar’, and he clenched his fists tightly. Then, when he looked out the window, he caught sight of the gas in the corner of the wall instead—he had prepared that to taunt David, but he ended up not using it.
At that moment, it was as though that can of gas had tempted him, drawing him closer to it.
Meanwhile, Celina and David had just reached downstairs when Edwin caught up with them.
“Celina Saunders!” Edwin shouted as he opened the gas can and splashed the contents at her.
“Watch out, Nana!” David immediately stepped sideways and placed himself in front of Celina. So, the gas splashed onto him instead, completely drenching him.
David lashed out angrily as he thought it was just some dirty water, “You worthless piece of sh*t! I spared you your life, but you’re asking for death instead. Just you wait. I swear I’ll change my name if I cannot ruin your life and career!”
However, all that answered him was Edwin’s maniacal laughter instead of panicked blubbering. After a few seconds, he raised the kerosene lighter in his hand and flipped open the top.
David realized the dangerous situation he was in and spun around to escape upon seeing the brightly lit lighter. However, Edwin threw the lighter directly at the puddle of gas beneath his feet, and the fire started to spread instantly, engulfing him in flames.
“Ah, Daddy! Help! Somebody, help!” Celina shrieked, terrified.
“Save me! Help! It hurts!”
Despite falling to the ground, that action put out not one bit of the flames on his body, burning through his skin little by little.
Heart-wrenching howls resounded throughout the place and jerked Edwin back to his senses. Then, as he watched David roll around the floor in excruciating pain, his knees buckled, and he slumped to the ground. However, he quickly scrambled to his feet, ran into the room earlier, and escaped with the ten million in his hands.
Celina watched in vain with widened eyes as David burned to a crisp in front of her own eyes. As she kneeled in despair next to the corpse, tears flowed down her face, but she remained silent amidst her misery.
…
At Tissote University, after Martin and the rest had left, leaving the student to self-study in the classroom, Elise took out her phone to get some things done. However, a piece of news popped up in her notifications all of a sudden, and it was even a piece of society news at that.
Initially, she wasn’t interested in this type of news, but the words ‘President of Saunders Corporation’ that flashed past her gaze caught her curiosity, and she tapped on the headline.
‘This afternoon, an arson incident took place in an abandoned factory in the south of the city. The victim was the president of Saunders Corporation, David Saunders. After conducting an investigation, it was reported that the suspect, Haymond, was the husband of the victim’s daughter. In order to extort money, he kidnapped his wife for a huge amount of ransom. During the transaction, a dispute broke out between both parties, resulting in Haymond attempting to burn his wife alive with gasoline in a fit of anger. Unfortunately, as David Saunders protected his daughter, he died in the gasoline-fueled flames. Details of the case are currently under investigation…’
A picture from the scene also accompanied the news. From the burned pile of black mass on the floor, it wasn’t hard to make out the shape of a person, and it went to show just how tragic the scene was at that time.
Elise couldn’t help but let out a sigh. She didn’t expect that of all people, David, who was always making money through illegal means, would give up his life for his daughter.
This incident truly showed that despicable people were still human at the end of the day.
