Chapter 6

A murder case tied to Shane shot to the top of trending searches online. The post only disclosed that the victim had started working at Tessmont Manor before dying under strange circumstances. It ended with a cryptic teaser that there would be a real-name livestream at 8:00 pm to speak for the victim. The post already had over a million likes. A juicy scandal in a wealthy family, topped with a mysterious death, was just the kind of drama Havenport loved to gossip about. Meanwhile, in the Lockwood Corp building, an expensive crystal decoration shattered into pieces. Shane paced his office in a fury. "Find Holly immediately! Pull down every post about the Lockwoods online now!" Tess, sitting on the couch, looked rattled. "Shane, it really wasn't me. After you left, I had someone take her to the hospital, but I never thought she would jump out of the car..." Shane pulled Tess into his arms to soothe her. "Alright. I'll handle it. Don't worry. Holly is just a nobody—I don't believe she can stir up any real trouble!" "Will I be dragged into this? I'm scared..." He kissed her forehead and said firmly, "You won't." ... Holly hadn't expected the post to blow up like that. She was thrilled, but worry crept in. Would Shane see it? Would he stop her? She was holed up with Aaron in a small motel. As long as she got through the livestream tonight, she wouldn't be afraid of anything. At 8:00 pm, Eldora City time, Holly went live as promised. Beside her laptop sat the evidence she had prepared and an audio recording. Once the recording went public, the whole world would demand justice for her, and she would no longer have to fear Shane. She took a deep breath, held up her ID, and began the livestream. "I'm Holly Stanwick. I'm filing a real-name report against the Lockwood family..." Just then, her phone rang. It was Shane. She declined the call, but he kept calling. Then, a message popped up. "If you don't want anything to happen to Aaron, end the livestream now!" A link followed, apparently to another livestream. Dread rose in her chest as she tapped it open with shaking fingers. Aaron's small face was streaked with tears. He was tied to a chair, crying for his mom. Before the livestream, Aaron had said he wanted ice cream. She had been drafting her speech, so she handed him money. They were in the motel lobby, so she hadn't thought much of it. At that moment, a senior superintendent entered her livestream, and a major news agency began mirroring it. Viewers spiked to 100 thousand in seconds. Shane called again, and she picked up. "Holly, do you think you're right? Have you thought about Aaron?" Her voice shook. "What do you want?" He let out a cold laugh. "Aaron's life is in your hands. You have three minutes to shut it down! If you don't, don't blame me for what happens! Three minutes, starting now!" "Are you insane? Aaron is your son!" she screamed, a memory flashing of Shane holding Aaron with a warm smile. "You have two minutes left!" Holly closed her eyes as tears fell onto her script. Memories of her mother's 20 years of hard work filled her mind. "Please, don't push me any further, Shane... You're so cruel!" "One minute left!" His voice stayed cold. A piercing cry clenched her heart. She snapped her eyes open to see Aaron hoisted high as the plank beneath him slid away to reveal a massive crocodile pit. The hungry reptiles gaped their jaws, green eyes fixed on the little boy as he was lowered toward them. "Mom, help me!" Holly felt as if she were being flayed alive, the pain beyond bearing. She yielded. "Shane, let Aaron go..." She hit "End" on the livestream with over a million viewers. Shane waved his hand, and Aaron was safely lowered to the ground. Half an hour later, Aaron was brought to Holly. Shane's voice coiled in her ear. "Holly, don't try anything like that again. Tess didn't kill your mother. And this is Havenport. You'll never get out from under my hand!" He glanced at the script on the table and let out a cold laugh. Then, he tore it apart, sending white fragments fluttering through the air before they scattered across the floor. "Know your place!" Holly no longer had the strength to fight him. She locked her arms around the child she had just gotten back. She finally saw it clearly—Shane's heart belonged only to Tess. She and Aaron didn't weigh an ounce to him. Holly had backed off, but Tess clearly wasn't done with her.