Rachel saw his eyes widen as they turned bloodshot. The sight sent shivers down her spine.

“You and Tyler are indeed a match made in heaven. Look at that woman next to you who’s about to be knocked out cold,” Howard said.

When he released Rachel’s throat, she gasped for air, taking in huge gulps into her lungs. Breathing never felt like such a luxury.

Howard looked at her and teased, “Let’s see what Tyler has to say, shall we?”

He swiped right to answer the call and said smugly, “Tyler, you have two choices here. You can only bring one of them home. Will you take Rachel or your cousin Sheryn?”

“I’m taking them both with me,” Tyler said without any hesitation.

“That won’t do. You can only choose one. Why else would I bring both of them here? It’s so that you can make a choice between them.”

Tyler’s voice was low, but tinged with a fearsome force that was unlike his usual demeanor. It was as though he wanted to strangle Howard if he could.

“Howard, are you sure you can bear the consequences of playing a game with such high stakes?”

Howard chuckled insolently. “Tyler, do you think you’re the same as you were before? Your father has announced his decision to abandon you. He no longer cares about you! No one can do anything to me even if I were to have my way with you here.”

“Then let the two of them go, and I’ll stay here.”

Howard sneered, “Tyler, do you take me for a fool? How can I continue this game if I let them go? Get this straight. I’m holding all the cards right now. You have no right to tell me what to do!”

Tyler decided to cut straight to the chase. “Just tell me what you want with me. I’ll do my best to fulfill it.”

All of a sudden, Howard screamed into the phone at Tyler, all out of patience. “Didn’t I tell you what I want? Choose one out of the two of them! If you don’t, I’ll release neither!”

“Rachel,” Tyler said without any hesitation.

His mention of Rachel’s name drove Sheryn to desperation, and she shrieked, “Tyler, you can’t abandon me! My mom is still waiting for me at home!”

“Shut up!” Howard raised his voice at her.

The corners of his lips twitched, and he reminded Tyler, “Are you sure you want to save Rachel? Tyler, let me remind you. If your aunt found out that you chose Rachel instead of her daughter, you’ll never be able to hold your head up high before her.”

Tyler said in a cold, warning tone, “Howard, let me remind you one more time. If anything happens to Sheryn, I’ll never spare you!”

Howard wasn’t afraid. He burst out into wicked laughter.

“Tyler, do you think your threats work on me now? I feared you all these years only because of the Lewis family. Now that they refuse to back you up, do you think I have any more reason to fear you?”

Tyler warned, “Let me make this clear. If anything happens to either of them, I’ll make sure you regret what you did today, Howard.”

“Release Rachel and do whatever you want to the other woman,” Howard instructed the two men.

The two men had long been hankering after Sheryn. Howard’s instructions were a green light for them to have their way with her, and they approached her eagerly.

Sheryn yelled at the top of her lungs.

“Ahhhhh! Let me go! Tyler, how could you be so heartless? I’m your cousin! Did you forget how my mom saved you back then? If it weren’t for you, she wouldn’t have lost her ability to give birth! I’m all she has right now! Are you bent on driving both me and my mom to our graves?”

Howard sneered, “You’ll just have to blame your cousin for loving Rachel to the point of leaving his relatives in the lurch. But… Tyler, you really don’t understand me. Do you really think I’ll stoop to playing a game of choice like this with you?”

Tyler’s voice turned cold. “What do you mean by that?”