Chapter 1

My mother was killed by my husband's childhood sweetheart. My husband, Alex Miller, a top-tier attorney, didn't hesitate. He immediately took the woman he’d grown up with to court.

But the final verdict was that Mom had staged the accident.

Eight lawsuits, eight crushing defeats. Yet, Alex never gave up.

Ashley Evans cried, questioning him:

“We grew up together! Do you really have to keep hounding me?”

Finally, after the tenth brutal defeat, he found me, his face gaunt, his beard scruffy.

“There’s really no evidence to convict Ashley, Chloe. Let’s just lay Mom to rest.”

I cried into his arms all night.

The next day, I kidnapped Ashley Evans and started a live stream to the entire internet.

I smiled at the camera:

“Alex, you have ten chances to submit the real evidence. Otherwise…”

With one swift cut, I severed Ashley’s pinky finger:

“You’ll personally be piecing your childhood sweetheart back together!”

The live stream shot up to over a hundred thousand viewers almost instantly.

Ashley Evans was gagged and tied to a chair. I stood behind her, a knife in my hand, a smile on my face.

Everyone watched, tense.

The most anxious of them all was my husband, Alex Miller.

“Chloe! There’s truly nothing suspicious about Mom’s accident! I checked thoroughly!”

He yelled at me through the camera.

I watched his panicked face on the big screen in the room, shaking my head with a smile:

“No, you haven’t submitted all the confirmed evidence to the police yet.”

The live chat exploded:

[Is this woman out of her mind? Doesn't ten lost lawsuits prove anything?]

[She's paranoid, isn't she? Won't be satisfied unless the driver is charged with premeditated murder?]

[Her husband is a top-tier attorney! He charges seven-figure retainers for cases, and he's impossible to book! He dropped all his other cases to fight ten lawsuits for her! That's more than enough!]

Watching the overwhelming support for him, Alex’s expression softened.

His voice grew more confident:

“Chloe! The facts are clear, the evidence is plain. I don't know what else I’m supposed to submit.

“Your current actions constitute a serious criminal offense! Release Ashley immediately, and I’ll defend you!”

I said nothing.

I grabbed Ashley’s ear and swiftly sliced it off.

Alex’s expression froze.

I held the ear up, dangling it for the camera:

“Do you think I’m kidding?”

Alex’s face turned deathly pale as he stared at the camera:

“You… you’ve completely lost it!”

I casually tossed the ear to the floor. The golden retriever immediately pounced on it, wagging its tail.

“One.”

I held up a single finger.

“Alex Miller, ten lost lawsuits, ten concealments. You also have ten chances to submit the evidence you’ve hidden all ten times to all these viewers. Each time, I’ll give you ten minutes.”

[??? Is she crazy? Submit what if there's no evidence?]

[Don't drag us innocent viewers into this! We're not just going to side with whoever's mom died, okay?]

[Besides, maybe your mom really did try to stage an accident and it went wrong? Ashley is the victim here, okay?]

I watched the comments scroll wildly.

Most people were accusing me of being deluded, refusing to accept the verdict of ten trials.

[She's just trying to extort money! Like mother, like daughter, a big scammer raising a little scammer! Mom failed, now the daughter continues the scam!]

[Where are the police? Track her down quickly! Otherwise, this poor girl is going to be killed by this fraud!]

The police also sent a private message:

[We have located you. Immediately put down your weapon and surrender!]

I just sneered.

I had already asked my best friend to handle the technical side. My location was unstable, impossible to pinpoint, not even a general area.

A cheap trick.

Sure enough, minute after minute passed, and there was no movement from the police.

The online viewers grew frantic, flooding the police's social media with messages.

The police station’s phone lines were even jammed by the anxious callers.

Left with no choice, the police issued a statement, acknowledging the unknown location.

They stated they were mobilizing top technical personnel to pinpoint me.

I glanced at my watch.

I pressed the knife against Ashley’s trembling face:

“Ready, my dear?”

“Wait!”

Alex stopped my movement, cold sweat beading on his forehead:

“I’ll submit…”