Chapter 232 If You Die, I Won't Live Alone
A fancy cruise ship was cruising smooth on the big ol' ocean.
Out on the open deck, the wind was howling like crazy.
Juniper groggily opened her eyes. Her hands and feet were tied up tight with thick rope, and the fierce sea breeze snapped her awake real quick.
A familiar middle-aged male voice echoed above her, "Juniper, you're finally awake!"
"Alexander? Weren't you supposed to be dead?"
"Surprised I'm still kicking? You are so heartless; I'm your father. Juniper, why do you look so shocked? It's like you're bummed I'm not six feet under."
Juniper sneered, "Yeah, I'm pretty bummed you're not dead. You weren't my father seven years ago. What’s your game now?"
"You bitch!" Alexander shouted.
He raised his hand and slapped Juniper hard across the face.
Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, and her head snapped to the side.
She was thrown near the railing of the deck. With a slight turn of her head, she could see the deep blue sea churning up white waves.
The deep sea was a clean and beautiful.
But for Juniper, it was endless torment.
Her breath hitched and her face turned pale, and she quickly closed her eyes, turning her gaze away.
She looked up at Alexander, "Why did you kidnap me?"
"I had Isolde call you, asking you to come back to X City to see me one last time. But when you heard I died violently in prison, you were even indifferent! Juniper, how could I have raised such an ungrateful daughter! Since you wouldn't come to see me willingly, I had to have someone bring you to me!" Alexander answered.
Juniper glared at him fiercely, "Now that you've seen me, what do you want? Where is this cruise ship heading?"
Alexander squatted down to look at her, smiling coldly, "In a little while, this ship will enter international waters. You betrayed me for Magnus, Juniper. Don't you want to know if he is as devoted to you as you are to him? How about I help you test him?"
Juniper's heart trembled, "What are you planning to do? You're right, I betrayed you. What does our grudge have to do with Magnus? We broke up a long time ago! He won't care whether I live or die!"
Alexander's call to Magnus was still in progress.
He turned on the speaker and brought the phone close to Juniper.
Alexander said loudly, "Hear that? Juniper is still alive! Bring five million dollars to international waters to ransom her!"
"If you harm Juniper, I'll make sure you die a horrible death." Magnus's voice was cold and menacing on the phone.
Alexander sneered, "Don't worry! I won't touch a hair on her head before you get here! But I advise you to hurry, My patience is wearing thin. It's five o'clock now. You better show up before ten tonight! For every hour you're late, I'll cut off one of her fingers!"
Juniper's face was pale, but she screamed at Magnus, "Don't listen to him! Even if you bring the money, he'll still throw me into the sea! Alexander isn't alone! I saw they all have guns! Magnus, you mustn't come!"
Another slap landed hard on Juniper's face.
Alexander frowned, "Shut up!"
Juniper hit the railing, causing her to feel dizzy.
On the other end of the phone, Magnus vaguely heard it and angrily shouted, "Alexander, I warn you! If you harm Juniper, I'll cut pieces off you to feed the great white sharks!"
Alexander, now backed by the Shadow Syndicate, wasn't sweating Magnus's threats.
He yanked Juniper's hair, forcing her to look up.
Alexander, worried Magnus might bail, said menacingly, "Magnus, if you don't show up, Juniper's gonna face more than just a death. There are plenty of strong young men on this cruise, and Juniper is so beautiful. Can you imagine what they'll do to her if they get angry? Will they play with her until she dies?"
"Alexander Beaumont!" Magnus's voice was dark and furious.
Alexander chuckled lightly, "As long as you come, Juniper will be fine."
Juniper shouted into the phone, "Magnus, don't listen to him! He kidnapped me to lure you! If you come, he'll kill both of us! They all have guns!"
In the lawless sea, might made right.
Killing in these waters was normal.
She didn't want Magnus to risk his life for her, especially in such a dangerous situation.
Magnus's deep, calm voice came through the phone, "Juniper, don't fight them before I get there. Make sure you stay alive."
Juniper's eyes were red, her tears dried by the sea wind, "Magnus, I'm begging you, Alexander is still my biological father, he won't really kill me. Don't believe him! If you come, he will kill you!"
She tried to deceive him.
If Magnus really came, he would die..
But despite Juniper's efforts, Magnus firmly said, "Juniper, listen to me. If you die, I won't live either. So before I get there, you must stay alive."
Juniper's eyes reddened.
"Promise me, Juniper," Magnus added.
Juniper tried hard to hold back her tears but still cried out, "Magnus, I'm not worth you risking your life. If you come, what about Jenny?"
"Doesn't Ophelia love Jenny? She and Robert aren't planning to have their own kids. If something happens to us, they'll treat Jenny as their own."
"No..."
Magnus chuckled lightly, "Or do you not trust Robert and Ophelia to treat Jenny as their own?"
He knew that wasn't what she meant.
"But Jenny will be very sad," Juniper tried to use Jenny to keep him from coming.
But Magnus said, "Juniper, when you jumped into the sea before, I jumped in after you, too. At that moment, I didn't even think about Jenny. The year you were gone, living was harder than dying."
On this end of the phone, Juniper was already sobbing uncontrollably.
Magnus paused, his voice clear, "Juniper, I can't lose you. If I don't have you, I don't want Jenny either."
He used the calmest voice to say the most resolute words, just to force her to stay alive.
Juniper had no choice but to promise him, "Magnus, you must be careful."
As soon as she finished speaking, Alexander hung up the phone.
He said, "If Magnus doesn't come, Juniper, don't blame me for being ruthless! If you hadn't betrayed me for him, I wouldn't be in this situation!"
Juniper mocked with bloodied lips, "If Magnus comes, will you let us go?"
Dead or alive, it was all the same.
Alexander pretended to be sincere, "Don't blame us, blame Magnus for messing with the Shadow Syndicate. No one can save someone the Shadow Syndicate wants to kill! As for you, you're still my daughter. If Magnus dies, I'll try to ask the Shadow Syndicate to spare you."
It was the first time Juniper had heard of the Shadow Syndicate.
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