CHAPTER 28: LET HIM GO!

One of the kidnappers entered the room and stared sharply at them. "Let’s see... it looks like your brother needs something to convince him that his brothers are really here."

Nathan and Nael froze in fear. Alexander wasn’t coming?

"If he doesn’t bring the money by midnight, then one of you will have to come with me to convince him."

Nathan glared. "What? What are you going to do?!"

The man grinned. "Whatever it takes to send a video to your brother. Maybe I’ll have to cut off one of your hands."

Nathan and Nael trembled immediately.

"If your brother still doesn’t come by tomorrow, then I’ll have no choice but to send you to be dissected. We’ll take your internal organs and sell them," the man said. He chuckled when he saw how terrified they looked.

As soon as the man left, Nael burst into tears. "What are we going to do?"

"Can you stop crying? Your tears won’t change anything! Be quiet!" Nathan snapped.

Instead of stopping, Nael cried even harder. "Roger, Malvin, Leo... Please come... Lucas too, it’s fine! Anyone..."

Nathan sighed when he heard Nael’s whimpering. But deep down, he also hoped someone would come to save them. He didn’t want to die like this.

He was so desperate that he even promised himself he would stay in the mansion for six months if they survived.

He couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to be skinned alive or have his organs taken. From what he had seen in the news, the victims were tied up and conscious when it happened.

Thinking about it made him nauseous.

Every second felt like an eternity. Then the man came back.

Both brothers were instantly alert and tense.

"Well, it’s midnight. I have to take one of you," he said, looking at Nathan and then Nael.

Nathan glared. "Don’t you dare touch me!"

The man grinned. "Oh, how scary," he scoffed. He knelt in front of Nathan, who continued to glare at him.

"So, who should I take? You? Or your brother?"

Nathan frowned when the man’s rough hand grabbed his jaw tightly. "He’s not my brother!"

"Oh, really?" The man laughed annoyingly. Then he nodded. "Fine, you come with me."

Nathan screamed when he felt his body being pulled and thrown over the man’s shoulder. "Let me go! Bastard! Let me go!" he shouted.

The man chuckled, not bothered at all by his struggling.

Nael trembled when he saw this. "No! Don’t take him!" he shouted. But he was more afraid of what they might do to Nathan.

The man stopped at the doorway and turned when he heard Nael shouting again. "Do you want to take his place?"

Nael froze, his whole body tense. His mind raced. What should he do? But he couldn’t let Nathan get hurt.

He didn’t even know what he was doing, but he slowly nodded while crying. "Let him go..."

Nathan’s eyes widened in shock. He didn’t expect Nael to say that. "What are you doing?!"

The man chuckled. He patted Nathan’s butt. "So? What’s it going to be? You or your brother?"

"Don’t touch us, or you’re dead!" Nathan hissed. He was already planning to attack the man the moment his hands were freed.

Nael trembled even more, his face pale. He flinched when Nathan spoke, afraid it would make the kidnapper angry.

"Please! Just take me!" Nael shouted.

Nathan glared, even more surprised. Why would the kid care about him? Did he really think he would care about his sacrifice?

"Fine!" The man walked in and threw Nathan’s body onto the floor, making him groan.

Nael trembled but stayed silent as the man picked him up. He only stared at Nathan with a frightened expression.

"You idiot!" Nathan cursed. He tried to stop the man, but with his hands tied, he could barely move. He fell to the floor.

"What are you going to do to him?! Don’t go!" Nathan shouted. He couldn’t believe he was yelling like that for Nael. But at that moment, he was terrified of what would happen to him. Because after Nael, they would definitely hurt him too.

More than that, what if they killed the boy?

His whole body shook violently.

The man stood in the middle of the room with Nael on his shoulder. "What should I take first? His eyes? His kidneys? Or his heart?" he asked in a calm tone, even though his words made both of them sick.

Nael screamed, "Nooo!!"

"You! Don’t you dare hurt him!" Nathan shouted, finally breaking down. Especially when he heard Nael crying.

"Please, wait a little longer! His brother will come! Please don’t hurt him!" Nathan begged desperately, no longer caring about his pride. He would kneel and beg if it meant saving them. These men clearly didn’t care about anything.

The man laughed at Nathan’s plea. "Maybe I’ll take his eyes while we wait," he said.

Nathan trembled. "NO!"

But the man was already gone.

This was the first time Nathan had ever felt such deep fear. He didn’t know how long he stayed curled up on the floor, crying and struggling until the ropes cut into his skin. But he didn’t care.

Nael was probably suffering right now. That stupid kid had taken his place. How could Nathan ever live peacefully after this?

"Please... even though I hate you, please don’t die," Nathan whispered. He was so scared he didn’t even notice he was crying.

Don’t die, Nael...

For the first time, he said Nael’s name with hope. He was sure he wouldn’t be able to live if something happened to that boy.

He should have forced them to take him instead.

Nathan cried helplessly.

***

Meanwhile, Louis called Alexander. "Can I let them go now?" he asked.

Alexander stared at the CCTV footage of Nathan still curled up and crying. For some reason, he felt sorry for him, but a small smile formed on his lips.

"Wait until morning," he said.

He knew this was an extreme way to teach the two boys a lesson. To show them how dangerous it was to go out alone. But he had to do it. He had to hold himself back.

Roger, Malvin, Leo, and Lucas were in the living room with Alexander. None of them could sleep. They kept staring at the CCTV screen on the laptop.

"Look at them. They’re already crying and scared. Just end this," Malvin said, watching Nathan curled up and crying in one room, and Nael crying in another with the "kidnappers."

Malvin was the most gentle among them, especially with Nael, and now with Nathan too. Seeing them so miserable made him uncomfortable. He looked at Alexander, who stayed calm.

"Let them be. They’re safe. Don’t worry. I need them to understand they did something wrong. I don’t want them to repeat it," Alexander said firmly.

Roger sighed. He didn’t want to interfere since Alexander had already decided. He stared at the screen for a long time. For a moment, he smirked when he saw the twins’ terrified faces.

He sometimes forgot they were still teenagers. Especially Nathan, who acted tough but was still the same inside. They were still just kids.

Lucas even giggled, as if he found it funny. "Look, their faces are hilarious!"

Leo immediately warned him. "Don’t you dare say that when they come back! You’ll ruin everything."

Lucas pouted. "Fine! Just let me enjoy their faces now!"

Alexander glanced at him. "This is serious. You cannot tell them what happened. I’ll sew your mouth shut if you do."

Lucas shivered instantly. "Yes, yes! I won’t say a word!"

Meanwhile, Louis stood near an old, unused warehouse far from anywhere. He shivered from the cold, rubbing his hands together and blowing on them.

He checked his watch for the hundredth time. It was already past midnight.

A man whose job was to "kidnap" the two young masters stepped outside. Smoke drifted from the cigarette in his mouth as he walked toward Louis.

"How is it? I’m sure those two kids are scared to death," he said with a chuckle. He was used to dirty, bloody work. Scaring teenagers like this was fun for him. And the pay was even better than killing.

"Wait until morning. They’ll come. And as planned, stick to the script," Louis said.

The man nodded. "No problem. I can play a bit more with them."

"Are they crying?" he asked. He couldn’t imagine Nathan crying. The boy looked strong.

The man nodded and chuckled. "No one can hold back tears when facing us. But they’re adorable. They remind me of my younger siblings."

"Don’t hurt them. Or you know what my boss will do," Louis warned.

"I know. I know what I’m doing," the man replied, sounding slightly offended.