The Billionaire's Darkest Secret

I have psychic abilities, which is why I joined a missing persons search organization. Over the past decade, as long as I was given a single clue, I could locate a missing person. Using this gift, I brought home over a thousand missing children. That is, until today. The state’s richest billionaire flew in on his private jet to see me, clutching a photograph. It was his son, eight years old, with chubby cheeks and two deep dimples when he smiled. "Ms. Vance, the kidnappers are demanding a hundred million dollars in ransom, but I refuse to pay them a single dime." "Locate my son. I’ll assemble the rescue team myself. And in return, I’ll give you half of my fortune. Five hundred million dollars." My colleagues gasped in unison. "Chloe, say yes! That’s more money than anyone could spend in ten lifetimes!" "Didn’t you say you wanted to buy state-of-the-art tracking equipment for our team? Think about all the kids who haven't made it home yet!" "Say yes! Just accept it!" The temptation was massive. Besides, with an exact clue, this should have been an easy job for me. I opened my mouth, fully intending to accept. Then my eyes locked onto the photograph, and an icy chill ran straight down my spine. Under everyone’s expectant stares, I spoke slowly: "I can't take this case." Hearing my refusal, Derek was the first to explode. "Chloe Vance, have you completely lost your damn mind?" "That’s five hundred million dollars! Five hundred million!" "Our entire team could work non-stop for the rest of our lives, and we wouldn't even earn a fraction of that!" "You can make that kind of money just by opening your mouth, and you're saying no?" I ignored his yelling and kept my eyes fixed on the photograph in Victor Sterling’s hand. This job... no one could ever touch it. Victor’s face instantly darkened. As the most powerful billionaire in the state, he was accustomed to controlling everything and everyone. "Ms. Vance, is the money not enough?" His voice was deep, dripping with intimidation. "I can add another hundred million." "Six hundred million. Just bring my son back to me." The breathing around me grew ragged. Six hundred million dollars. That was an astronomical sum of wealth. Megan grabbed my wrist, her grip painfully tight. "Chloe, stop being so stubborn! Say yes to Mr. Sterling!" "Why would you throw away a miracle like this?" "Don’t you want the best gear for our organization? Don’t you want to save more lives?" I pulled my arm out of her grip, my tone freezing cold. "No amount of money can buy this job." "Mr. Sterling, you should hire someone else." Victor slammed his fist onto the table. "Chloe Vance, don't test my patience!" "In this entire state, there isn’t a single person I can't move!" "Today, you’re taking this job whether you want to or not!" Megan shook in terror, instantly scrambling to please him. "Mr. Sterling, please calm down! Chloe has just been working overtime, she's completely exhausted and not thinking clearly." "Our organization accepts the case!" "We'll assign our search specialists to track down the leads right now!" I looked at Megan, my eyes completely devoid of warmth. "Megan, I’m the only psychic medium on this team." "If I don’t step in, how do you plan on finding anyone?" "And let me warn you all: whoever takes this case can go search for him alone. I’m out." Derek spat on the floor. "Bullshit! Stop making up ghost stories to scare us!" "You just want to cut us out and extort Mr. Sterling behind our backs, don't you?" "You always act like some pure little savior, but you’re greedier than any of us!" Victor stood up slowly. He tucked the photo away, looking down at me like I was dirt beneath his shoes. "You’ve got guts, Chloe Vance." "But I guarantee you’ll be on your knees, begging me to take this money soon enough." He flicked his wrist, and his bodyguards filed out behind him. The heavy glass doors slammed shut, rattling the frame. Megan turned around and pointed straight at my face, screaming: "Chloe Vance, you’re fired!" "Starting right now, you are no longer part of this team!" "Grab your shit and get the hell out!" I didn't argue. I quietly packed my personal belongings into a cardboard box. Derek crossed his arms and sneered from the corner. "Keep acting so righteous. Without our team, you’re nothing!" "When you’re starving on the streets, don’t blame us for not handing you a fortune!" The moment I stepped out of the office building carrying my box, my phone began vibrating uncontrollably. Unknown numbers flooded my screen like a tidal wave. I answered the first one, and vile curses instantly blasted through the speaker. "Chloe Vance, you cold-hearted bitch!" "Five hundred million wasn't enough for you? You greedy whore!" "That’s an eight-year-old child! You don't even deserve to be human!" I hung up immediately, but another call barged in right away. I opened Ins, and the trending page was already on fire. #BillionaireVictorSterlingPleadsForHelp #ChloeVanceRefusesToSaveAChild #SearchTeamOfficialStatement The top trending clip was one Victor had just posted. On camera, his eyes were bloodshot, his face haggard with grief. "I, Victor Sterling, have spent my life doing charity and donating millions." "Yet today, I begged Ms. Chloe Vance with a photograph of my missing eight-year-old son." "Not only did she demand half my entire fortune, but she also ruthlessly turned her back on saving a child." "As a father, I’m willing to give everything I own. How can a human heart be so heartless?" The comments had already blown past a hundred thousand. "Doxx her! Track this monster down!" "She built her whole reputation claiming she helps find kids for free. Turns out she’s just an extortionist!" "Hope Chloe Vance gets hit by a truck today!" Right after that, our organization dropped an official statement: *Our team has officially terminated Chloe Vance. Her cold-blooded actions do not represent our values.* *We have officially accepted Mr. Sterling's case and will dedicate all our resources to finding young Leo Sterling completely free of charge.* Reading this, I actually let out a dry laugh. I didn't turn back. Instead, I silenced my phone and headed toward my old rented apartment. But as soon as I reached the entrance of the complex, I noticed something was wrong. Several streamers holding selfie sticks were lurking around the gates, peeking around suspiciously. "Hey everyone! This is the apartment complex where that cold-blooded psychic lives!" "Send ten rockets, and I’ll camp right outside her front door!" I pulled my baseball cap down low and ducked into a nearby alley. I couldn’t go home anymore. I had no choice but to find a run-down motel on the outskirts of town that didn’t ask for ID, hoping to lay low for a bit.However, by noon the next day, the flimsy motel door was violently kicked open from the outside. Derek barged in, followed by several burly men. He was holding up a phone, streaming live. "Found her! Guys, I found this cold-blooded monster!" Derek shouted ecstatically into the camera. "Look at her! Hiding out in this filthy dive while Mr. Sterling's son is being tortured by kidnappers!" The live chat scrolled frantically, virtual gifts and badges flying across the screen. "Drag her out!" "I’ll gift a superchat if someone slaps her right now!" Megan stepped out from behind Derek, a triumphant smirk plastered on her face. "Look at you now, Chloe. You look like a rat scurrying through the sewer." "Mr. Sterling said that as long as you cooperate right now, the five hundred million is still on the table." "Just tell us where the boy is. We’ll handle the rest." I stared at Megan, a mocking smirk playing on my lips. "Megan, if you want the money so badly, why don't you find him yourself?" Megan’s smile froze instantly. "You know damn well none of us have psychic gifts! You're the only one who can sense locations!" I stood up and dusted off my jeans. "Then let me repeat myself one more time." "Whoever touches this case dies." "If you don't believe me, go ahead and test your luck." Derek spat again. "Cut the mystical crap! You’re just trying to drive up your price!" "You think we can't see right through your dirty games?" As he yelled, he flipped the phone screen toward my face. It was a live video conference call. On the other end, Victor Sterling was seated in the back of a luxury stretched Rolls-Royce. His face looked dreadful, his eyes streaked with dark red veins. "Ms. Vance, don't push your luck." Victor's voice was low, carrying chilling authority. "Five hundred million. That’s more than enough to make your entire lineage filthy rich." Derek waved the phone excitedly. "Did you hear that, Chloe? Five hundred million dollars!" "You couldn't make that in ten lifetimes!" Megan let out a heavy sigh. "Chloe, take my advice. Give up the address." "Don’t pick a fight with cold, hard cash." I chuckled disdainfully and stayed silent. Just then, a woman shoved her way into the video frame. It was Victor’s wife, Eleanor Sterling. Normally dripping in diamonds and haute couture, she now looked completely unhinged, her hair wild and disheveled. She dropped straight to her knees inside the car. The camera shook violently. The billionaire’s wife began sobbing hysterically toward the lens, slamming her forehead down in desperation. "Ms. Vance, I beg you, save my baby!" "Leo is only eight years old! He can't die!" "Just tell me where he is! I’ll build you a shrine and pray to you every single day!" Tears and mascara poured down her cheeks. Watching this frantic mother break down on screen, a flicker of emotion stirred in my chest. A mother’s love is truly powerful. But then the horrific visions I had witnessed with my psychic sight the previous night flashed through my mind. I shut my eyes, hardening my heart. "I cannot reveal his location." "No matter how much money you offer, my answer is no." Hearing my words, Eleanor’s weeping cut off abruptly, caught in her throat. Her face turned paper white, and she collapsed onto the car floor. Victor’s eyes turned pitch black with fury. "Chloe Vance. You really want to do this the hard way?" Derek went wild, shoving the lens directly into my face. "Look at her, everyone! Look at your missing-persons hero!" "A grieving mother is on her knees begging, and she doesn't even blink!" "A soulless psycho like this doesn't deserve to breathe!" The live comments exploded into an absolute frenzy. *She makes me sick! Someone beat her ass!* *Refusing five hundred million to save an eight-year-old? Does she think she’s God?* *Doxx her whole family! Make them pay for this!*Looking at the endless stream of venomous comments, my face remained blank. Right at that moment, the old phone in my pocket buzzed violently. The caller ID read: "Dad." My heart dropped, a suffocating wave of dread washing over me. Derek’s sharp eyes caught it immediately, and he swung the camera straight at my screen. "Look, guys! Her family is calling her!" "Make her face the music today!" I drew a sharp breath and answered the call. The moment the line connected, my younger sister Lily’s hysterical wailing pierced my ear. "Chloe! What the hell did you do out there?!" "There’s a mob outside our house! They're splashing red paint all over the door, throwing rocks, shattering our windows!" "Dad’s blood pressure spiked, he’s passed out on the floor, and the ambulance can't even get down the street!" Lily’s voice trembled with sheer terror. Next came my father’s weak, furious rasp. "Chloe Vance! Have you lost your damn mind?!" "Some guy just called screaming that you left a boy to die, saying we have to pay with our lives!" "They even leaked your sister’s college address online!" I gripped the phone tightly, my gaze snapping toward Megan. Megan stood there with a smug, cold smirk on her face. No one outside our organization knew my family’s address. No one else knew where Lily went to school. It was Megan. For that five hundred million dollars, she had completely lost her humanity. Over the phone, my father coughed violently, weeping with rage. "Chloe, I'm begging you as your father... what is so secret that you can't just speak up?" "It's five hundred million dollars! If you just tell them, our family will be set for life!" "Why do you have to be the villain? Are you trying to get me and your sister killed?!" Hearing my family turn on me made my eyes sting. Of course I wanted them to live a good life. I would have loved to take five hundred million dollars and move them far away from that rundown neighborhood. But I knew better than anyone: this money was cursed. You could take it, but you wouldn't live long enough to spend a cent. I gritted my teeth and shook my head, fighting back the tears. "Dad, Lily, I truly cannot say a word." "Please, trust me. I’m doing this to keep you both alive." "If I open my mouth today, none of us will survive the night." On the other end, my father erupted in pure fury. "You’re insane! You’ve completely lost your mind!" "From this day on, you are no longer my daughter!" *Click.* He slammed the phone down. Derek laughed so hard tears pooled in his eyes. "Hear that? Even your own flesh and blood disowned you!" "You're a public enemy now, Chloe. How much longer do you think you can hold out?" On the video feed, Victor slowly lit a thick cigar. The fake grief on his face was gone, replaced by naked malice. "Ms. Vance, my patience has run out." "Since you don't want the five hundred million, I'll use that exact same amount to put a bounty on your family’s heads." "With that kind of cash, I assure you plenty of people will gladly do the job." Megan chimed in from the side. "Chloe, don’t say I didn't warn you. Mr. Sterling’s power reaches far beyond your imagination." "Speak now. It’s not too late." I glanced at the viewer count on the livestream—twenty million people were watching. Then I looked at Victor, who thought he was playing god, and at the gloating faces of Derek and Megan. "Fine. I’ll talk," I said calmly. "On one condition. I will only speak directly to the State Police Commissioner." "The State Police Commissioner?" Derek looked at me like I had told the funniest joke in the world, laughing right into the camera. "Chloe Vance, you're a two-bit fortune teller! Who the hell do you think you are?" Megan scowled, glaring at me coldly. "Chloe, stop playing with fire. Mr. Sterling can easily summon state officials, but if you don't deliver that kid, you’re going down for felony obstruction!" On the screen, Victor’s eyes narrowed into slits. "Fine. I’ll grant your wish." "Commissioner Brooks happens to be inspecting a precinct nearby. One phone call from me, and he’ll be here." "Chloe Vance, if you dare pull any tricks after he arrives, your entire family will disappear before the sun sets."Hearing Victor’s words, the twenty million viewers in the live chat suddenly started noticing something odd. The tide of comments began to shift. *Wait... hold on. Isn't this suspicious as hell? His son went missing, and his first instinct wasn't to call 911?* *Yeah! He's willing to drop half a billion on a psychic, but doesn't trust the police?* *Is there something shady going on here?* Victor caught sight of the chat, and a muscle in his jaw twitched violently. He quickly leaned toward his camera, feigning distress. "Please don't misunderstand, everyone! I love my son too much to wait through standard police procedures!" "When it comes to saving my boy, no measure is too extreme!" His excuse sounded reasonable enough, and the chat was quickly swayed back by his "desperate fatherly love." Half an hour later, heavy, coordinated footsteps echoed down the dingy motel corridor. Dozens of fully armed SWAT officers stormed the hallway, locking down the perimeter in seconds. A broad-shouldered man with a square jaw and piercing eyes strode into the room. The gold badge on his chest gleamed under the flickering fluorescent lights. It was Richard Brooks, the State Police Commissioner. Derek and Megan had never seen anything like this. Their knees buckled, and they dropped straight to the floor. Victor was still on the video call, greeting the Commissioner with practiced warmth. "Commissioner Brooks, sorry to trouble you. It’s this woman right here. She claims she knows where my son is." Commissioner Brooks gave a curt nod toward the screen, then turned to face me, his expression grave. "Ms. Chloe Vance, I am Commissioner Richard Brooks." "Mr. Sterling’s missing son has gripped the hearts of everyone in this state. I need you to cooperate immediately and disclose his location." I took a deep breath under the watchful eyes of over twenty million viewers. I didn't look at Derek. I didn't look at Megan. Nor did I look at the smug smirk on Victor’s face on the phone screen. Instead, I stepped directly up to Commissioner Brooks. Leaning in close to his ear, I whispered a single sentence—meant only for him. Commissioner Brooks froze completely. Having spent thirty years in law enforcement solving horrific homicides, he understood the chilling weight of those words in an instant. In the next second, he drew his service weapon. "All units, listen to my command!" "Alpha Team, surround Victor Sterling’s suburban estate immediately!" "Bravo Team, arrest Victor Sterling via coordinated warrant, and cuff Derek and Megan right where they stand!" Dead silence descended upon the room. On the other end of the video, the cigar slipped right out of Victor’s fingers, hitting the floorboard. His face drained of all color. Derek and Megan collapsed into trembling heaps. The live chat completely lost its mind. *WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK JUST HAPPENED?!*