Katelyn had been in a panic just moments ago. How could Holden even think of threatening them with bombs? What kind of lunatic was he?

One press of that button, and everyone here would be dead. The whole building would crumble, endangering countless lives.

What a mindless, selfish fool!

If Vincent’s father hadn’t shown mercy years ago, Holden would have been gone by now, rotting in a cage. He wouldn’t even have made it to adulthood.

Katelyn’s eyes gleamed with cold resolve.

But since the bombs were cloud-controlled, and anything online was within her grasp, she spotted a glimmer of hope.

Amid the chaos, Katelyn quietly slipped away. Not being the focus of the confrontation, no one noticed her leaving.

Meanwhile, the shareholders were gripped with panic after hearing Holden’s threat.

“I don’t want to die here! This is between you two—why involve us? Get this bomb off me; I just want to go home!” one shareholder yelled.

Another turned to Vincent, begging, “Mr. Adams, please give in to his demands. We’re strapped with bombs here. I don’t want to die because of this lunatic.”

The shareholder tugged open his shirt, revealing a belt of white explosives strapped to his waist.

It was known worldwide as the most powerful kind. If even one bomb went off, it could bring down the entire building.

If all the bombs detonated at once, the destruction to nearby buildings and the entire city would be catastrophic.

￠ρ g．

“Mr. Adams, please agree. It’s just money—money can be earned again. But life? We only get one!”

“I have my family waiting for me at home. Please, I don’t want to die because of this madman!”

Their desperate pleas rang out together, their faces full of fear and resentment.

They felt unfairly pulled into this nightmare—why had they become pawns in this twisted game?

Vincent remained silent, his gaze fixed on the crowd, offering no response.

This was exactly the reaction Holden had hoped for. A smug smile curled on his lips as he sneered and said, “Vincent, I never imagined you’d be this selfish. For the sake of a bit of profit, you’re willing to let everyone die with you.” As he spoke, he turned to the shareholders, fueling their anger by saying, “Do you see this? This is the CEO you’ve all been following. For a small share of profit, he’s unwilling to budge, ready to drag you down with him. If he agrees, I’ll let everyone live.”

Upon hearing this, the shareholders’ expressions shifted immediately.

At first, they were angry at Holden, but now their frustration turned toward Vincent.

Noticing the change in mood, Jaxen quickly stepped in front of Vincent.

When faced with the threat of death, it was impossible to predict how far someone might go to survive.

Jaxen’s cold stare scanned the room. “What do you plan to do?” he asked.

One shareholder, gritting his teeth, responded, “We just want to live. What’s wrong with that?”

Jaxen let out a bitter laugh and pointed to the remote in Holden’s hand.

“Look closely. The one who wants you dead is Holden. If you want to survive, you should be trying to take that remote from him,” he said.

At this, the shareholders quickly shifted their focus back to Holden.

He waved the remote as a warning. This update is available on find?novel.net

“Anyone who dares to touch me, and I will press this button. We’ll all die together,” he shouted.

His threat immediately quieted the restless crowd. The change in everyone’s expressions was swift, but Vincent remained calm.

He stepped out from behind Jaxen, facing Holden with quiet confidence.

“Do you really think you can make me surrender like this? Dream on. If you’re not afraid to die, then go ahead and press the button,” Vincent said, challenging him.

Holden gritted his teeth, glaring at Vincent.

“You think I won’t press it? After hiding in the shadows like a rat for all these years, maybe death would be a relief,” Holden retorted.

Unfazed, Vincent replied calmly, “Then go ahead and do it. At least you’ll have the chance to take me down with you.”

Holden’s expression turned grim.

His finger hovered over the red button, but he couldn’t bring himself to press it, despite the intense urge to do so.

Did he really have the guts to die? No!

Everything he had done was meant to force Vincent into submission, not to end his own life.

Holden pointed at Vincent and said, “You think I won’t press it? Fine, I’ll do it!”

Some of the shareholders had already started to sob. Just then, the conference room door burst open with a loud bang.

.

.

.