Chapter 342: James Is Dead

Chapter 342: James Is Dead

Mia's heart was racing with anxiety.

A wave of intense panic hit her, blanking her mind for a moment.

"The kindergarten has already called the police. They're on their way."

"I'll come right away."

She answered almost instinctively.

After hanging up, Mia tried hard to calm herself down.

With trembling hands, she pulled up James's number.

The call went through, busy signal.

She tried again. Still busy.

Mia hung up and opened WhatsApp.

Just then the elevator reached the basement level. She stepped out while typing a message to James.

Outwardly, she looked calm, but in reality, she was completely dazed.

She stumbled, losing her balance, and almost fell to the ground when a hand caught her just in time.

Mia's entire mind was focused on Pax being taken away. After steadying herself, she didn't even look at the person and muttered, "Thank you."

Just as she took a step, she was pulled back.

Already on edge, Mia snapped, "I already said thank you, what more do you want?"

"Is Ms. Wilson really this angry over something so little?"

The man didn't seem bothered by her yelling.

Following instructions, he raised a phone in front of her.

On the screen, inside a dilapidated factory, her child, dressed in his kindergarten uniform, hung suspended in midair.

Mia's pupils shrank violently. Her heart clenched as if gripped by an iron fist. She instinctively reached for the phone, desperate to see more clearly.

The man only let her see for a moment before pulling it away.

Unable to grab the phone, Mia turned feral, her eyes bloodshot. She grabbed the man's collar, her eyes blazing, and demanded, "Where is Pax?"

"I'm warning you: if you dare hurt him, I'll make you pay with your lives, no matter what it takes!"

No one could hurt her baby.

"Don't worry, Ms. Wilson. Our boss wants you. As long as you cooperate, your son will be safe."

The man stayed calm, even polite, allowing her to grip his collar.

"You work for Uri?"

She phrased it as a question, but she already knew the answer.

Only that pervert Uri would use Pax to threaten her.

The man didn’t respond. He just reached his hand toward her.

His gaze fell on the phone in her hand.

The meaning was clear—hand it over.

The screen still showed her unfinished chat with James. She hadn't had time to send a message yet.

For Pax's safety, Mia had no choice. She handed the phone to him.

The man turned it off directly and casually tossed it into a nearby trash can.

He politely gestured to Mia, "Ms. Wilson, please get in the car."

A black car waited ahead, its door already open.

Mia bent down and got in. The door shut behind her.

"Ms. Wilson, excuse us."

After getting in, they blindfolded her and tied her hands.

Their movements were very careful, afraid of accidentally hurting Mia.

Uri had warned them that if they dared hurt her, they would pay with their lives.

The man who was careful the whole time didn't notice that the moment Mia got in the car, she touched her watch.

She immediately sent a signal to the people Dennis had assigned to protect Pax, so they could track the car, find Pax, and keep him safe.

……

James was halfway to pick up Mia when he received a video call from Orla.

The moment he saw the familiar background behind Orla, James's heart sank rapidly.

She represented Uri.

A while ago, to find the cause of Pax's illness, they had moved most of their people away.

Did he take that opportunity to return to Imperial City?

"Orla, stop helping him do evil. Where is Uri?"

James asked calmly.

Orla's lips visibly trembled.

Back in Aetheria, she made one wrong choice, which led to mistake after mistake.

There was no turning back now.

If only she had trusted James back then and hadn’t run away with Fox on her own.

"James, if you want Pax to live, come alone. Don't try anything, or I'll make Pax disappear immediately."

Orla suppressed her emotions.

For Pax's safety, she could only listen to Uri.

As she spoke, she turned the camera.

Pax appeared on the screen, his mouth gagged, and a time bomb was strapped to his body.

The moment he saw James, the fear he had been desperately holding back instantly collapsed.

His eyes reddened, tears swirling in them.

Pax looked at James through the screen with teary eyes.

The fear and anxiety in his eyes pierced James's heart like a sharp sword.

His large hand gripping the phone suddenly tightened.

Though his heart was in turmoil, James didn't show it in front of Pax.

He looked at Pax with determination, his tone gentle as he comforted him, "Pax, don't be afraid. I'll come get you soon and take you home. Be good, wait for me."

Pax nodded gently.

Looking at James, his eyes full of trust.

Seeing this, Orla’s chest tightened painfully

This was the child she had personally delivered, the same age as Fox.

He had barely escaped death from Uri once, but in the end, his life would still be lost at her hands.

Along with James.

"Orla, what is Uri's purpose?"

James turned the steering wheel and headed toward the seaside where Orla was.

Orla straightened up, moving Pax out of the frame, looking at James and saying in a low voice, "You'll know when you get here."

"James, I'll be watching you. Don't try anything. I don't want to hurt Pax, so don't force me."

Orla raised the remote control on her wrist again as a warning.

Fox was in Uri's people's hands.

She thought of the video Uri had sent her, Fox wearing Pax's school uniform, hanging in mid-air.

On one hand, it was to deceive Mia, trick her into obediently going over and falling into the trap Uri had already set, to capture Mia.

On the other hand, it was also to threaten her. If she didn't obey, he would directly have his people cut the rope. From that height, if Fox fell, there would be no chance of survival.

She couldn't just watch Fox get hurt.

To protect Fox, she could only listen to Uri and wrong Mia's family.

Orla clenched her hands tightly, her fingertips digging deep into her palms, not letting herself waver or soften.

James's face was like dark iron.

Even through the screen, the chill in his eyes unsettled her.

To make sure James didn't try anything and came alone, she opened the car door and got in, sitting in the back seat, threatening him with Pax's life.

James floored the gas pedal.

The whole time, Orla's eyes never left James, afraid he would bring people with him.

After she killed both of them, she wouldn't be able to leave.

Twenty minutes later, James's car appeared in Orla's view.

This area was remote.

You could see everything at a glance.

Seeing that no other cars were following James's car, Orla felt relieved.

She pushed open the car door again and got out.

Gripping the detonator tightly.

The detonator was like her protective charm.

Before James's car had fully stopped, he had already pushed open the door and rushed toward the car in big strides.

Orla's car was parked at the edge of the cliff, with part of the front hanging over the edge. Below was the turbulent seawater, bottomless.

Orla didn't even need to threaten him.

James had already rushed to the car and, regardless of the danger, pulled open the door and got in.

"Pax, don't be afraid, I'm here."

James immediately tore off the tape on his mouth, blew on it tenderly, then helped untie his bound little hands.

His large hand patted Pax's head, comforting him.

Pax's lips trembled slightly.

Looking at James, his lips moved.

His little hands tightly gripped James's clothes, completely relying on him the moment he saw James.

Orla stood behind the car, watching the father and son inside.

She locked the car.

"James, Pax, I'm sorry."

After saying that, she pressed the button on the time bomb.

After pressing it, she didn't dare look again and walked quickly toward James's car.

She got in, turned the car around, floored the gas pedal, and sped away.

Inside the car, James ignored Orla.

As soon as she pressed the detonator, the time bomb started counting down.

Less than five minutes left.

From the moment she made the video call and he saw the time bomb on Pax, he knew what Uri wanted Orla to do.

He wanted to use Orla's hands to take his and Pax's lives.

He had sent out a signal for Carl to immediately take people to find Mia.

Just now, he had received Carl's message.

Mia was safe.

With Mia safe, he could rest easy.

"Pax, don't be afraid. I won't let anything happen to you."

James had studied these things before.

To connect with Pax, he had developed a deep interest in firearms.

He had once been kidnapped and barely survived with Carl.

After that incident, he had also studied bombs in depth.

After seeing the bomb strapped to Pax, he had already recognized it.

After all, Pax was only four years old.

When the time bomb on his body started counting down, his little face turned deathly pale.

He was too scared to speak.

He could only tightly grip James's clothes, seeking a sense of security.

"Pax, don't be afraid."

James kissed Pax's forehead.

He began focusing on defusing the bomb.

Beads of sweat the size of beans seeped from his temples, rolling down in large drops.

Pax sat obediently, watching James covered in sweat.

Pax sniffled and gently wiped James's sweat with his sleeve.

Feeling Pax's closeness to him, James felt his nose sting.

If it weren't for the inappropriate timing, James really wanted to hold Pax tightly in his arms and kiss him properly.

James raced against time.

The minutes flew by in the blink of an eye.

It was already in the final countdown.

Looking at the choice between the red and blue wires in front of him, James cupped Pax's face and kissed him.

He cut the blue wire.

The countdown stopped at three.

It didn't continue.

James's heart, which had been in his throat, finally settled.

He hugged Pax tightly, "Baby, it's okay now, it's okay. I'll take you back."

Pax buried his face in James's arms, his two little hands holding him tightly.

With the bomb crisis resolved, James was about to lift Pax off the bomb when his expression suddenly changed.

He hadn't expected Uri to have tampered with the bomb.

But quickly, James hid his reaction.

He moved over and sat in the position where Pax had been sitting.

He held Pax in his arms.

His large hand gently touched Pax's little face, "Baby, I'm going to break the car window in a moment, and we'll climb out through it together."

"Okay."

Trusting James completely and wholeheartedly.

Obediently listening to what he said.

James pulled Pax back into his arms. Pax nestled obediently against him, smelling his father's scent, feeling very safe.

Holding Pax, his body couldn't move, afraid that any shift in weight would trigger an early explosion.

He wrapped his hand in his jacket and started breaking the glass.

Punch after punch.

The glass cracked. James added another punch.

The glass shattered.

Air flowed in again.

After breaking the window, James put his jacket on Pax and hugged him tightly.

Time didn't allow him to continue.

He released his arms.

His lowered eyelids were full of reluctance.

Finally, James kissed him, lifted the little guy up, sat him on the seat, and held his waist with both hands.

"Pax, slowly, hold on tight, yes, just like that, be careful, take your time, no rush."

Pax was very obedient. Following James's words, his little hands gripped the car window tightly and climbed out.

The car was parked right at the edge of the cliff.

James watched as Pax's feet stepped on the dangerous edge, where one wrong move would send him falling down to be swallowed by the huge waves.

His heart was extremely tense.

No matter how panicked or scared he was inside, James's tone remained firm, encouraging Pax.

"Pax, you're doing great. Don't be afraid, I'm right behind you."

After he stood steady, James held his little hand tightly.

Pax was actually very scared.

The sky was getting dark. After the window was broken, the huge waves surged and crashed against the cliff wall.

Like thousands of troops neighing, running, fighting, making a thunderous roar, as if ready to swallow people at any moment.

It was scary. Pax's legs were shaking.

"Pax, don't look back. It's okay, I'm here!"

James's words made Pax's little body visibly straighten up.

James slowly let go of his hand.

Pax bravely took a step, moving forward with small steps.

James watched the brave Pax, his eyes reddening, continuing to encourage him, "Yes, walk slowly forward. Don't be afraid."

With James's encouragement, Pax left the dangerous cliff edge and walked several feet away.

Only then did Pax feel the security of having his feet on solid ground.

He stopped and happily turned to look at James behind him.

He did it.

Waiting for James to praise him.

But when he turned around, he found that James hadn't gotten out of the car yet.

"Pax, Mom will come get you soon. Wait here like a good boy."

James stuck his head out, looking at Pax from several feet away.

If he could choose, he didn't want Pax to see this.

But there was no time.

He couldn't wait for Mia to come and take Pax away.

He could only look deeply at Pax, his eyes full of reluctance.

Pax vaguely sensed something.

He looked at James in panic.

Just as he was about to step forward, James scolded him, "Pax, be good, don't come over."

Hearing James's suddenly stern words, Pax immediately stopped his little feet and obediently stepped back to his original position.

The bomb behind him was already in its final countdown. James looked at Pax, "Pax, remember, I love you, and I love your mother very much too."

He was really so reluctant.

He still hadn't heard Pax call him Dad.

"Pax, can you call me Dad?"

James couldn't hold back and spoke. Before dying, he really wanted to hear Pax call him Dad.

Pax looked at James.

Little as he was, he seemed to understand.

If he called him that, he would never see him again.

He shook his head.

Pax's eyes reddened, tears falling in big drops, "You come over."

Come over, and he would call him if he came over.

He was so capable, he could definitely get out.

There was no time left. James couldn't tell Pax that he had no way out.

Taking one last look at him, James looked away.

He started the car and pressed the gas pedal.

The car was at the cliff's edge. With the gas pressed, the car shot forward and plunged straight down.

"Dad!"

Watching James's car move forward, Pax screamed out.

Hearing this, James, who had been holding back his tears, finally let them stream down.

As the car fell, he turned back wanting to see Pax one more time, but he couldn't see him anymore.

He only saw a car speeding over, stopping beside Pax.

It was Mia arriving.

Before dying, being able to see her one more time felt good.

It was just that he hadn't given Mia the ring yet, hadn't asked her to get back together with him.

Hadn't given Pax a complete family. He really regretted it.

That was just one glance, and the car plunged into the sea.

Mia, who had rushed over, only had time to catch Pax as he rushed forward, instinctively pressing Pax into her arms.

In her ears, she heard Pax crying and screaming, "Dad! Come back!"

Before she could process what was happening, she heard a huge explosion as the car exploded in the sea, stirring up massive waves.