Claire made a bitter face. “Mr. Miller, where did you even get this marriage contract? It must be fake.”

“Even if it’s real, I’d have to check with my parents. How could I agree right away?”

“If I let you go now, I’ll never see you again.” I refused firmly.

At that moment, pounding shook the door again.

“Listen up! This is the police—you’re surrounded!”

“Come to your senses immediately. Release Miss Hamilton and put your hands on your head!”

I peered through the peephole. Outside stood dozens of armed officers.

Though I had expected this, my nerves tightened.

I had to explain myself, or they’d treat me like a rapist.

I opened the inner door, speaking through the metal gate.

“Officers, I haven’t harmed anyone. Miss Hamilton is my childhood fiancée. I’m asking her to honor our promise.”

I showed them the forged contract.

The moment they saw me, their guns trained on me.

“No matter what, you can’t hold Miss Hamilton hostage. That’s a crime!”

The squad leader, Captain Mark Evans, eased slightly but still warned me.

“Let her go now, and I’ll guarantee your safety.”

I shook my head. “No.”

“If she won’t marry me, then I’ll have to force the issue.”

“Kid, look at yourself. Do you really think you deserve the billionaire’s daughter?”

“Even if that contract were real, what then? A toad lusting after a swan!”

“Captain, arrange a sniper and take him out,” someone shouted.

In the commotion, two familiar figures were dragged out from the crowd.

“Son, don’t do anything foolish!”

“Jason, where did you get that contract? Look closely—that’s Miss Hamilton. She’s out of our league!”

Several men hauled out Mr. and Mrs. Miller.

A young thug with an earring smirked at me. “Kid, release Miss Hamilton now, or your parents will suffer!”

He punctuated his threat with a vicious punch to my father’s head.

Dad cried out, blood streaming down his face.

“Well? Will you release her or not? If not, I’ll beat him until you do!”

He didn’t stop, hammering Dad until he doubled over in pain.

My heart ached terribly, yet I laughed wildly.

“Go on, hit him! That old bastard never treated me well. If you didn’t hit him, I would!”

The crowd froze, then erupted in curses.

“What kind of monster of a son are you?”

“Better if his parents had given birth to a slab of meat!”

When my indifference didn’t sway me, the thug turned on my mother.

Mom was frail; a few punches knocked her unconscious.

Because it was for the billionaire’s daughter’s sake, no one intervened.

Blood dripped from my heart, but I couldn’t show the slightest trace of sorrow.

If I did, those arrogant heirs would beat my parents to death on the spot.

“Is that all you’ve got? Hit harder! There’s a stick over there—use it!”

I laughed maniacally, feigning madness.

“You bastard, fine—you’re ruthless!” the thug spat as the police pulled him back.

My father held up my unconscious mother, tears streaming.

“Jason Miller, you beast—you actually told them to beat us!”

“Old man, if you drop dead, I’ll inherit the house right away,” I said with a laugh.

Hearing that, my dad nearly choked on his anger.

Fearing something worse might happen, the squad leader quickly had a few officers help my parents out for treatment.

“Mr. Miller, those are your parents. You’re a real piece of work,” Claire shouted angrily.

“Miss Hamilton, let’s go back inside and talk… romantically,” I said.

With a heavy heart, I slammed the door shut.

“Marry me.”

“Huh? Mr. Miller, even if that contract were real, we should at least get to know each other first, right?”

“If you won’t marry me, then we’ll make it irreversible tonight.”

I affected a roguish air and brushed her cheek with my fingers.

Frightened, Claire grabbed a high heel to hit me, and I snatched it away again.

On tiptoe, her pale feet trembled, leaving her at a loss.

I pretended to reach for the hem of her gown.

“Mr. Miller! That would be a felony!” she cried, voice breaking.

Seeing I’d scared her enough, I didn’t push further. “Miss Hamilton, as long as you do exactly as I say, I won’t hurt you.”

I dragged a chair to the door, guarding against a breach and keeping Claire in sight.

Time crawled by.

“What do you actually want?”

Noticing I still hadn’t acted, Claire shot me a wary look.

I didn’t answer. A suffocating silence fell.

There were still two hours left before the crime.

Online, countless commenters were cursing me.

“This scum even wished his parents dead. The sniper’s probably in position—put him down already!”

My information had been posted online, and soon my company called.

They said the company was being boycotted and, under pressure, they had to fire me.

Seeing that, Claire softened a little and whispered, “Let’s renegotiate the childhood engagement. But could you open the door or a window? I’m a woman—if people see me alone with you too long, my reputation will be ruined.”

I really couldn’t destroy her name.

But I also feared a sniper might take the shot the moment I opened anything.

Realizing I hadn’t harmed her, Claire kept talking. “I know you’re not a bad person. Let me go, okay? I won’t press charges. I’ll even give you some money.”

“And we really shouldn’t stay here.”

She truly was concerned about a woman’s reputation.

“How about this: agree to one thing for me, and I’ll let your grandmother come in,” I said after a moment’s thought. I needed her help.

“What do you want me to do?” Claire asked, incredulous.

I leaned close and whispered a few words in her ear.

“Huh? Okay,” she said readily.

But I caught a glint of cunning in her eyes.

This hothouse flower was a bit too transparent.

I gave a wry smile. “I’m holding you hostage. I know you won’t help me in good faith. It’s fine—you’ll agree later.”

She looked doubtful.

Claire’s grandmother was in her sixties, a bit frail with age.

When the door opened, I pulled Claire tightly into my arms.

Her body went stiff, but she cooperated, hiding in my embrace.

Soon, Mrs. Hamilton Sr. stepped in.

The squad leader—Captain Evans—watched me warily. “What will it take for you to let her go?”

“Captain, I won’t hurt them. I have my reasons,” I said with a bitter smile, quickly closing the door again.

Mrs. Hamilton Sr. sat beside Claire and urged me not to do anything foolish.

I didn’t respond.