Chapter 228

Christina was in a tough spot.

The event organizer noticed her expression and spoke more sternly, "What, you think we're not good enough or something?"

Christina tried to sound casual, "Oh, no, it's not that. It's just that my daughter has a field trip at her preschool, and I promised her I'd be there."

"Didn't expect Ms. Windsor to have a daughter at such a young age," the organizer shook his head, "Well, in that case, let's reschedule for another time."

Christina breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, I promise I'll make it next time."

With that, she hurried out, got in her car, and drove to the field trip location.

The place was easy to find on the GPS, but the vast flower fields made it hard to spot the kids. She drove around aimlessly for a while.

Unable to find them, she called the teacher.

"Hi, where are you guys? I finished my work and came to find my daughter."

"Are you Harper's mom? I thought Harper's dad was coming. I'll send you the location," the teacher replied cheerfully.

Christina was taken aback, "Harper's dad?"

"Yes, he came with your nanny. The one who helped Harper with her crafts the other day. He said he was Harper's dad."

William again. Christina couldn't believe he was still meddling.

She took a deep breath, her voice heavy, "I'll be right there."

When she arrived at the location, she saw a large flower field with kids playing. She quickly spotted Harper and William playing with other children.

She walked over briskly, "What are you doing here?"

William was surprised to see her and turned around, "I..."

"Don't stammer. Didn't I make myself clear the other night? Why do you keep intruding into our lives?" Christina bit her lip.

Her raised voice drew the attention of others around them.

Not wanting to be the center of attention, Christina softened her tone and looked at Harper, "Harper, can you play with the other kids for a bit? Mommy needs to talk to him."

Harper hesitated but nodded, "Okay."

Children are sensitive, and Harper probably sensed something from her tone, but Christina couldn't worry about that now.

They found a secluded spot, and Christina faced William.

"William, what do you want?"

William looked at her, "I'm just trying to show you I can be a good dad."

"So what? Harper isn't your child. Being his dad means nothing," Christina said coldly.

"How can you say that?" William couldn't believe it, "You're lying."

"Why would I lie to you?" Christina scoffed, "Stop deluding yourself. I'm warning you, if you keep invading our lives, I'll take Harper and leave."

William felt a mix of emotions.

He thought that since Christina had returned, there was a chance for them.

Christina took a deep breath, "I'll be with my daughter for the rest of the trip. You don't need to stay."

As soon as she finished speaking, William's face turned pale. He looked at Christina, a hint of struggle in his eyes, but he said nothing and walked away.

Christina turned to find Harper, but then she heard police sirens in the distance.

A man was running frantically along the field's edge, with several police officers shouting behind him, "Stop! Stop! Come with us for questioning."

Seeing a group of children playing nearby, the police were on high alert.

"Move! Everyone, move!"

Parents scrambled to grab their children and head to safety.

Christina rushed towards her daughter.

"Harper, come here!"

But the worst happened.

The crazed man lunged down the slope, tumbled in the dirt, and staggered to his feet, heading straight for Harper.

Harper, terrified, screamed, "Mommy!" and ran towards Christina.

Christina reached out to grab her.

In that split second, the man seized Harper, pulling out a folding knife and pressing it to her neck, shouting, "Stay back! Everyone, stay back!"

Harper, tears streaming down her face, whimpered, "Mommy, help me."

Christina's heart shattered.

The police arrived.

"Colt, don't do anything rash. You've already made mistakes. Don't make it worse. A severe sentence means no turning back."

"I have nothing left!" Colt shouted, "This little girl is so loved by her parents. Why wasn't I born into a family like that? She can come with me."

Christina was on the verge of breaking down, "Please, don't hurt her. I'll do anything you want if you let her go."

"Really? I want her to die with me," Colt tightened his grip.

The police called for backup.

One officer tried to reason with Colt, "You have a future, and so does this little girl. Don't be so extreme. Tell us your demands, and we'll meet them. Don't give up on yourself."

Colt hesitated, but despair quickly took over. He sneered, lightly grazing Harper's neck with the knife, making Christina's heart clench.

"Can you meet my demands? Can you give me the future I want?" Colt's voice dripped with sarcasm.

The police watched him closely, hands slowly moving towards their holsters. They knew any sudden move could escalate the situation.

"Colt, tell us what you want. We'll do our best to meet your demands," one officer said calmly, trying to keep Colt's emotions in check.

Colt seemed to enjoy this, making outrageous demands from money to a safe escape. Christina knew now wasn't the time to argue. The priority was Harper's safety.