Chapter 281: Chapter 281

The man came to the railing with Leo in his arms, beyond the railing was a four-storey high drop.

Seeing Landon Sutton and the police encircled them, the man lifted Leo over the railing threateningly: "Don’t come any closer! Don’t anyone come close! If you move, I’ll throw him down!"

Landon Sutton’s pursuing steps abruptly stopped, as did the police’s. He dared not risk the child’s life.

He also understood that when people are forced, they are capable of anything.

He tried to negotiate: "What do you want? I can give it to you."

"Release me and Mona!"

"Alright, I promise you."

"Bring Mona over first."

Landon Sutton gestured for Claire Yardley to be brought over. He pressed Claire Yardley’s arm and said to the man, "Let’s make an exchange."

"Have those with guns retreat first!"

Claire Yardley said to the man, "Don’t mind me, throw him down! Don’t believe what they say! Quickly, throw the child down!"

The man swallowed, clearly showing a hint of reluctance. He hoped more to use the child to exchange for Claire Yardley.

Meanwhile, the commotion attracted a crowd of onlookers, with many gathering downstairs.

When Shannon Quinn arrived on this floor and saw the scene, she was almost frightened to faint; her legs went weak, and she couldn’t walk, covering her mouth among the crowd, afraid to approach, shocked to silence.

While the atmosphere upstairs was tense, a passenger below suggested to the fellow onlookers: "Stop just watching. If you have blankets in your luggage, take them out. Let’s spread them below as a precaution. It’s a child up there, and it would be terrible if he fell." Original content can be found at novelꜰire.net

The remark awakened the crowd. Several passengers took blankets from their luggage, and a few strong men held the corners of the blankets, spreading seven or eight of them to create an area large enough to catch a child.

Above, the standoff continued, while those below remained tensely vigilant.

At this moment, Leo awoke, unaware of the situation, and moved slightly.

The man’s arms had likely grown weak with the weight, and he hadn’t expected Leo to suddenly awaken and move. Unprepared, the child began to fall...

The man had not intended to let the child drop, grabbing at the child’s clothing as reflex.

There was a collective gasp from both upstairs and downstairs, as Landon Sutton lunged forward, terribly frightened.

After the man caught hold of the child again, he slowly calmed down, pointed fiercely at the approaching Landon Sutton: "Don’t come closer!"

Landon Sutton stopped, watching as Leo cried out loud, afraid from being suspended.

Worried Leo’s struggle might result in a mishap, he spoke to the hanging Leo: "Son, I’m here, don’t be afraid, be good, don’t cry or move."

Hearing his voice, Leo glanced back.

In such a situation, even an adult might be unable to stay calm, let alone a child: "Dad... Please save me..."

"Let go of him now! Even if you give the child back to him, we can’t escape. I’m not afraid of dying, hahahaha..." Claire Yardley laughed almost maniacally, "Landon Sutton, you didn’t expect to have this day, haha, since you won’t give me a way out, I won’t let you have peace. If the child dies, you’ll grieve for life, hahaha!"

The man seemed to still be weighing the pros and cons, looking heartbroken at Claire Yardley. He didn’t want things to turn out .

Claire Yardley suddenly stopped laughing and stared viciously at the man: "Let go immediately! If you spare this child, I’ll never forgive you! I will never see you again in this lifetime! Even in death, as a ghost, I won’t spare you."

Landon Sutton furrowed his brows, throwing Claire Yardley away, "Take her away!"

The man’s eyes reddened as he watched Claire Yardley fall to the ground: "Don’t touch her!"

"Let go!" Claire Yardley screamed one last time before being gagged and taken away.

As if bewitched by Claire Yardley, the man mumbled in a daze: "Never forgive me... Mona, I really like you..."

As he spoke, his grip loosened, and he began to step in Claire Yardley’s direction.

Landon Sutton’s pupils shrank dramatically, rushing forward, reaching out in an attempt to grasp Leo who was falling with his cries, but to no avail...

The man was quickly subdued by the police, and Shannon Quinn sank to the ground, unable to believe what was happening.

Her ears buzzed, her mind went blank, and her heart seemed to stop, struggling even to breathe.

A burst of applause and cheering rose from downstairs; as Landon Sutton leaned out to see the scene below, it felt like joy and sorrow intermingled at that moment.

Leo had landed on the sheets held by the crowd, unharmed, but evidently scared, sobbing uncontrollably.

When Landon Sutton went downstairs to check on Leo, he didn’t forget Shannon Quinn’s fragile state at the moment.

Turning around to see Shannon Quinn sitting on the ground, supporting herself with one hand as she clutched her clothes, crying out in pain, his heart clenched again tightly.

Hastily, he went to hold her, bringing her into his embrace, taking a deep breath before he could speak steadily: "The child is safe, the child is safe, everything is okay now."

Shannon Quinn took a moment to respond to his words, stopping her tears to look at Landon Sutton, both surprised and affirmed by his words, yet somewhat in disbelief.

Landon Sutton led Shannon Quinn downstairs, seeing Leo surrounded by a group of kind people, still crying loudly with strength, Shannon Quinn finally smiled through her tears and went to try to pick up Leo.

The man holding the child said, "The child’s arm seems to have been injured during the fall; it hurts to touch."

Shannon Quinn’s outstretched hand halted in mid-air, ending up simply resting on Leo’s face with tears in her eyes.

Hearing Leo’s call of "Mom" again, Shannon Quinn’s heart felt a heavy blow, her tears flooded even more.

The police and doctors arrived at the scene, and Landon Sutton reached out to gently take Leo, bowing slightly to those around them: "Thank you, truly thank you."

As he recalled the moment Leo fell, he dared not imagine if those people downstairs had not caught Leo—what would have happened to Leo?

"It’s alright, just lending a hand, as long as the child is fine."

Leo’s left hand was fractured, but it was fortunate and could be considered a very lucky outcome.

They had never seen Leo cry so persistently. Despite their coaxing, Leo kept wailing continuously, even on the way to the hospital.

Probably from the pain, and certainly from the fright too.