Page 48 of Surrendering to the Obsession

“If I separate from James,” she asked slowly, “then what happens?”

“If you choose the second option,” the leader said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “you walk out with the money.”

He pointed the gun harder into James’s forehead. “But he dies.”

James stared at her with an intense, burning gaze that could’ve set the whole room on fire.

Mia didn’t meet his eyes. Instead, she muttered under her breath, low enough that it sounded like she was talking to herself. “I know you won’t actually let either of us go… I’ve watched too many movies to fall for that.”

A beat.

“But still… I’ll give it a shot.”

Then she lifted her chin, spine straightening, and looked directly at the kidnapper.

“Alright then,” she said coolly. “Untie me. I want to leave.”

The man actually blinked, startled. “You’re choosing the second option?”

“Of course,” Mia replied instantly, without a flicker of hesitation. “Keep him. I don’t want him anyway. I just want the bag of money.”

James’s entire face twisted. Shock. Betrayal. Fury.

His body jerked as if her words were physical blows. His eyes widened with disbelief—like she had just stabbed him right through the ribs.

But Mia still didn’t look at him.

She simply raised her tied wrists toward the kidnappers. “Hurry up. My hands are hurting.”

The leader snorted, entertained. “Great choice.” He flicked his fingers. “Untie her.”

One of the men knelt beside her and loosened the ropes. The moment her hands were free, Mia rubbed her wrists, flexingher fingers to get the blood flowing. Then she slowly stood, steadying herself against the wall for a moment.

James’s gaze followed every movement, trembling with barely contained rage. His chest rose and fell in harsh, uneven breaths. He looked up at her from the floor like she had just shattered every last piece of him.

Mia finally glanced down at him.

The fury in his eyes was so violent that she instinctively leaned back with a startled jerk.

“Don’t look at me like that!” she said in a matter-of-fact tone. “My life is very valuable to me. Don’t worry—if you die, I’ll make sure you get a proper funeral. Even if your family doesn’t bother.”

James snapped.

“MIA SINCLAIR!” he roared, his voice cracking with fury and something wounded, something deeper. “I am not dead yet, and you’re already planning my funeral?!”

The kidnapper burst out laughing—loud, wild, almost thrilled—as if Mia’s choice entertained him more than anything else.

“You,” he pointed at her with admiration, “have a brilliant mind for survival. Smart woman. Much smarter than your husband.”

Mia gave him an awkward, polite smile. “I mean… I have to survive. If someone gives me a choice, I’m not going to die voluntarily, right?”

She lifted her hand slightly, pointing at the suitcase on the table. “So… can I get my money now?”

“Of course,” the kidnapper said with an exaggerated sweep of his arm. “It’s all yours.”

Mia took a slow step forward, conscious of every eye tracking her movements. The kidnapper turned back toward James, sneering down at him like a wolf toying with a trapped animal.

“Learn something, James Sinclair,” he taunted. “Your wife knows how to stay alive. Look at her. Calm. Smart. Practical. You businessmen are so stupid—you think brains come from your suits.”