Stephen carried Tessa as he followed James up the stairs. In his arms, Tessa clung tightly to his shirt, her eyes filled with tension and worry.

Stephen’s gaze softened, and he spoke to her in a reassuring tone. “Don’t be afraid. Your sister will be fine.”

Tessa’s hands trembled as they gripped his shirt. When people were overwhelmed by fear and tension, their bodies reacted instinctively, far beyond their control.

While Tessa had been fighting James for her life, she had been fearless, unafraid even of death. But the moment she saw Seline in his grasp, her blood ran cold.

She could face her death without fear, but she couldn’t bear to watch her sister be brutally killed in front of her.

Stephen reassured her again. “Don’t be afraid, Tessa.”

On the rooftop, the helicopter had descended to a stop.

Seline was still held by the burly, menacing man. As they moved, the snipers hidden in the surrounding buildings adjusted their positions accordingly.

Fortunately, the building where the snipers were stationed was the tallest in the area. Even though James and his men had moved up five floors, the snipers still had the advantage of elevation, securing the perfect vantage points.

James remained calm and composed even as the red dot reappeared on his subordinate’s forehead. He moved toward the helicopter.

Stephen stepped forward to retrieve the hostage.

Just as James boarded the helicopter and Stephen was about to reach Seline, a gunshot rang out. The bullet struck the helicopter’s frame with a loud bang.

The sudden disruption threw the original plan into chaos. Both Stephen and the man holding Seline reacted instinctively, stepping back and widening the distance between them.

“Police! Nobody moves!” Suddenly, several officers appeared at the rooftop entrance.

James’ expression darkened immediately. “You called the cops?” he snapped, glaring at Stephen.

Stephen was equally stunned as he had feared this scenario the most. “I didn’t.”

“Stephen, since you broke our agreement, don’t blame me for what happens next,” James said coldly, slamming the helicopter door shut.

Everything happened too quickly. Stephen had no time to stop James before the door closed.

The officers fired several shots at the helicopter, but the bullets from their standard-issue handguns were useless against James’s specially reinforced, bulletproof aircraft.

The helicopter remained unscathed. As it took off, the officers continued firing, but it was futile.

“No! He can’t leave. Seline is still with him!” Tessa panicked upon realizing James hadn’t released her sister.

Stephen hadn’t anticipated the police showing up either. How could this have happened?

Last night, he had gone back to the Jacobson residence to avoid this situation. He had discussed the plan with his family and the Yates, even informing the police that Tessa had been found.

Before leaving, he had repeatedly warned both families not to call the police, emphasizing that he had a plan to rescue Tessa and that their interference could ruin everything.

As the helicopter rose into the air, the snipers hesitated. Seeing Seline still in James’ hands, they didn’t dare to fire without Stephen’s explicit orders.

Tessa broke free from Stephen’s arms and ran a few steps after the helicopter. However, it was no use.

“How could this happen? Why did he change his mind?” Tessa yelled.

She was unable to chase the helicopter and was forced to watch helplessly as James took Seline farther and farther away.