Such corruption would not have been allowed in the district under Cyrus'' jurisdiction.


    "Sir, I... I know your... pain..." Lauren opened her swollen eyes slowly. Her soft voice was devoid of the


    fear when she was first held hostage. Instead, she sounded heartbreakingly resilient. "I have. had


    simr experience. as your daughter."


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    Looking shocked, Denver gasped, "What did you say?"


    "Please. trust that I will. stay by Joanna''s side. until she puts behind her trauma. I will avenge her."


    Lauren struggled to speak due to the debilitating fear that suffocated her.


    "What can you do, you weak woman?"


    "I''m. the daughter of Javier Beckett. You can. search me up. on your phone." Covered in sweat, she


    added, "Jasper Beckett, the president of the Beckett Group. is my brother. My sister-inw is Alyssa


    Taylor of the KS Group. Don''t you think they are powerful enough to. avenge Joanna?"


    Cyrus had a newfound respect for Lauren. Anyone else would have been crippled by fear, but Lauren


    held onto what remained of her sanity and persuaded Denver to release her.


    "Is Alyssa Taylor. your sister-inw?" Denver did not think that Lauren was bold enough to lie to him.


    After all, anyone could perform a fact-check on their phones to ascertain her im.


    This time, he was utterly swayed by Lauren. Alyssa Taylor, despite being born into wealth, had the guts


    to seek justice for ordinary female victims like Nina Carle and Maggie Madison. For that, she made


    enemies with the Becketts and the Schmidts. However, her brave acts had spread far and wide.


    Denver thought, "Oh, if only Alyssa Taylor could help my poor daughter." Still, he doubted Alyssa


    Taylor''s capability to deal with every injustice in the world, even though she might be morally upright.


    Besides, she had no good reason to help his daughter.


    "Can Ms. Taylor. really help Joanna?"


    "Yes. I''m sure." Overwhelmed by emotions, Lauren shed tears despite having already calmed down.


    Tears flowed uncontrobly down her pale cheeks. "I was once a school bullying victim too."


    Cyrus widened his eyes in disbelief. He was shocked by what he had heard.


    "But I chose to endure and avoid the bullying. Until now. my bullies haven''t been held responsible and


    punished. I''ll take this as a way of avenging myself to fulfill one of my wishes. I certainly hope I can


    help Joanna.


    "Sir, please do not. walk down the wrong path. You won''t be able to see justice served if you die here


    today."


    Lauren''s earnest persuasion finally broke Denver. He slowly let go of her arm and moved the de


    away from her neck.


    "Cyrus!" Lauren, upon realizing that she could be saved, sprinted toward Cyrus with tears in her eyes.


    "Lauren, don''t be scared!" Cyrus opened his arms to greet her.


    At that moment, the snipers on the rooftop across from them adjusted the angle of their scopes,


    identally reflecting the sunlight onto Denver''s face.


    Denver felt cheated, and he immediately snapped. He once again raised his knife and aimed it toward


    the defenseless Lauren. "You motherfuckers! How dare you work together against me? Die!"