Chapter 43: Severing One’s Own Finger

Flora flipped her wrist to show them the phone screen: "I've already traced the kidnapper's phone IP address."

She sent the screenshot to the family group chat, then quickly grabbed her laptop and started pinpointing the exact location.

"I just heard a truck sound on their end. That horn sounded a lot like a Model 738 vehicle."

Her face was serious and focused as her index finger rapidly tapped the keyboard, her pupils reflecting the dense data on the screen.

Before the Loomis family members could react in surprise, they heard her snap the laptop shut and say: "I found Ava's location. She's at an abandoned factory in the western outskirts of Meadowbrook City."

"This!" Yara raised her hand to cover her mouth, shock mixed with barely contained joy.

She never expected Flora to be so sharp and capable, able to quickly pinpoint the kidnappers' location in just a few minutes.

Flora closed her laptop, grabbed the bag containing five million dollars in cash, and hurried toward the door. "Let's go! Time waits for no one!"

"Right!" Owen snapped back to his senses and immediately had the butler prepare the car. The group followed Flora as they set out.

"Flora..." Robert was the first to catch up, his expression somewhat hesitant, his jaw tight as he seemed to struggle with what to say.

Flora's gaze swept past him briefly without lingering. "Save the useless stuff for later. Let's focus on rescuing her first."

She spoke extremely fast, and as soon as she finished, she got into the car, started the engine, and drove off first, immediately contacting Gavin with her left hand.

When Gavin received Flora's call, he couldn't help but smile. He spoke cheerfully, his voice gentle: "What made you suddenly think of calling me? Can't sleep because of the rain?"

The situation was urgent, and Flora had no time for flirting. She quickly explained her purpose and request: "My cousin's been kidnapped. I've tracked her down to your factory—the Ironclad Plant in the western outskirts of Meadowbrook City. I need you to help me seal off the factory so we can carry out the rescue operation."

Ava was kidnapped?

Gavin was stunned for a moment, then immediately agreed without hesitation, urging her to be careful and saying he'd head over right away.

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

"No need to be so formal between us." Gavin immediately turned his car around while calling his assistant, ordering him to seal off the factory as quickly as possible and dispatch a team of bodyguards to the scene to fully cooperate with Flora's operation.

The rain grew heavier, with large raindrops pounding madly against the car window, the wipers making intermittent squeaking sounds.

Robert stared expressionlessly at the rain streaking across the window, his mind already in turmoil. Thinking about how his daughter's fate was uncertain at this moment, his heart ached.

It was all his fault. If he had agreed to go to the charity gala with her, she wouldn't have made a special trip to see Flora, and she wouldn't have been kidnapped on the way.

An hour later, a beam of harsh light suddenly cut through the thick darkness of the night, illuminating the factory's tightly closed gate.

The rain was letting up. Flora was reporting the latest developments in the family group chat when a sudden thunderclap exploded, followed immediately by a shrill, piercing female scream.

It was Ava's voice!

Had those lunatics already hurt her?

Flora's left eyelid twitched. Countless brutal and terrifying images flashed through her mind. Her adrenaline instantly surged, and she could no longer care about strategy or planning. She grabbed the bag full of cash from the passenger seat and rushed toward the factory without a second thought.

Using skillful force, she kicked the factory door open with a few strikes.

As the door crashed down, the pale light at the entrance illuminated the scene inside.

Seeing Ava disheveled and dirty, with a bright red handprint on her right cheek, Flora shouted furiously: "Let her go!"

The kidnapper leader had a cigarette dangling from his mouth. Seeing that she dared to break into the factory alone at night, his face instantly showed mockery and contempt. He slowly released his grip on Ava's hair and laughed: "You've got guts, daring to break our agreement and come early."

"Flora..." The moment Ava saw Flora appear, she instinctively shrank back, feeling humiliated. She sniffled, trying to swallow the blood from her nose, but the metallic taste surging in her nasal cavity rushed to her throat, and her emotions instantly collapsed. As soon as she opened her mouth, tears rolled down uncontrollably.

Cool rainwater slid down her hair and across her cheeks. Flora blinked her wet lashes, her face cold as she unzipped the bag to show them the cash inside. She then took out a bank card, placed it in the bag, and pushed the bag forward.

"Here's the money you wanted. Give me back the person."

"We can release her, but as punishment for breaking your word, we need to add one more condition to our deal."

The kidnapper exhaled a puff of smoke and said slowly: "Cut off one of your fingers right now."

Ava's pupils contracted sharply as she shouted in terror: "No!"

"Flora, I'm warning you not to listen to him! Leave right now!"

As if afraid Flora would do something rash, Ava deliberately said harsh and hurtful things, trying to force her to leave quickly. "I don't need you to save me. I don't want to owe you any favors. Stop putting on an act in front of me..."

She was the most cherished daughter of the Loomis family. These kidnappers definitely wouldn't kill her for the sake of money. But if Flora really listened to them and cut off her finger, she might end up disabled for life.

She didn't want that—didn't want to owe such a heavy debt!

What was she doing? Their relationship was so bad. Whenever they met, they were either putting on an act or scheming against each other. She had even just been secretly wondering if Flora had arranged her kidnapping!

Why? Why was she the first one to rush in to save her? Why was she making such a huge sacrifice without asking? Was she an idiot?

Flora ignored Ava's shouting and only stared at the kidnapper. "Are you sure? If I do this, you'll let her go?"

"It's a deal."

The kidnapper snuffed out his cigarette, took a knife from a subordinate behind him, and casually tossed it at Flora's feet.

"Fine."

Flora bent down to pick up the knife, pressed her palm against the cold, damp ground, and brought the knife down. The sharp blade precisely pierced her middle finger, then with one cut, flesh separated from bone.

"Done." She pulled out the knife, slowly stood up, and tossed the blood-stained knife back at the kidnapper's feet.

Bright red blood kept flowing out, dripping down her finger. Her expression remained unchanged—she didn't even furrow her brow.

The kidnapper showed an approving smile, but then said: "I said I'd release her, but I never said I'd release her right now."

He snapped his fingers, and his subordinates immediately understood, stepping forward to surround Flora.

"You're crazy, you're really crazy..." Ava looked in disbelief at her dangling middle finger, tears streaming down as she sobbed uncontrollably. "Are you sick, Flora? Why did you save me? I'm so terrible, and I've always tried to take your things and drive you away. You could have just pretended—why did you actually hurt yourself..."

"I'm sorry, Flora. I was too immature and stupid before, always treating you as my enemy and trying to go against you. Only now do I realize it was all my fault. I'm sorry. Run away, quickly!"

She suddenly rammed her shoulder into the kidnapper beside her and ran toward a pillar not far away.

It's okay. Everyone dies eventually!

She had lived a wonderful and vibrant twenty-some years, and now she even had a cousin willing to risk her life to protect her. This life was already enough. She would never become a burden to others!

She was Ava, after all!