Chapter 432

Francis noticed Paxton suddenly shut his eyes after he picked that diary.

"Did I make the right call?" Francis thought, feeling a bit smug.

"You sure it's this one?" Paxton asked, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Francis nodded eagerly. "Yeah, I'm positive. I remember it clearly."

Paxton grabbed the diary, flipped through it nonchalantly, and then tossed it straight into the furnace with a grin.

Flames roared up, and the diary turned to ashes.

Francis's smile vanished, and a sense of dread washed over him. Maybe he picked the wrong one.

"Wait, Mr. Brown, I think I messed up. It should be this one," Francis said, grabbing another diary, trying to look apologetic.

But Paxton's smile faded, and his face turned icy. He glared at Francis with a murderous look.

"There were never any diaries, were there? You were just playing me," Paxton said, staring Francis down.

Francis panicked, shaking his head frantically. "No, there are diaries, I swear."

Paxton closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "At first, when I heard about the diaries, I was thrilled. I thought I finally had a lead on avenging my daughter. But then I started to doubt if they even existed. I searched with doubt until I saw the first diary."

Paxton opened his eyes, his voice as cold as a winter wind, sending chills down Francis's spine.

"But when my guys brought out the second, third, and fourth diaries from that burning house, I knew I was being played," Paxton said, his voice laced with barely contained rage.

Paxton's men sensed what was coming and quickly pinned Francis to the ground.

"It wasn't me, I didn't deceive you, really, there are diaries, please," Francis begged, tears streaming down his face. He'd rather be shot than endure torture.

"I just wanted to avenge my daughter. Why do all of you want to use me? You're exploiting a father's love for his daughter, twisting a father's hatred! Why? Why did you do this?" Paxton roared.

Paxton kicked Francis in the head, over and over, shouting.

"Why is everyone-John, Michael, Isabella, Bianca, and the rest of the family-targeting me? Am I a fool? I just wanted to avenge my daughter! But you're all playing me! Why is this happening?" Paxton's kicks grew more brutal, and Francis's face was a bloody mess.

"I really didn't lie to you, please don't kill me," Francis managed to say.

Feeling drained, Paxton finally stopped."You know, I still had a sliver of hope. That obviously fake diary was set up by my family. They were worried I'd stir up trouble with enemies I couldn't handle, so they made up a name to throw me off. But I figured it out. I kept that fake diary on purpose, hoping you wouldn't pick it. That would've at least meant the other three were legit. But you went and chose the one dead end!" Paxton said coldly, raising his hand.

Francis felt a wave of fear. He couldn't believe his luck was this bad. A twenty-five percent chance, and he picked the wrong one. If he'd chosen any other, he might've made it out alive.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Brown, I just want to live. Honestly, I don't even know if that psycho killer really used our channels. Your guys have killed so many people, I'm terrified. I just want to live, please," Francis cried, looking at Paxton with pleading eyes.

Paxton smiled and pulled out a handkerchief, wiping the blood off his shoes.

After cleaning up, Paxton stuffed the blood-stained handkerchief into Francis's pocket. "You know what? I was planning to make you suffer like my daughter did, to let you feel her pain."

Francis trembled with fear. Everyone in the city knew the horror Paxton's daughter had gone through, and he didn't want to end up like that. It was too terrifying.

"No, please, don't do this. Just kill me, give me a bullet, let me go quickly," Francis begged, hoping Paxton would either spare him or give him a quick death.

What Paxton said next gave Francis a glimmer of hope.

"But in the end, I changed my mind. I shouldn't make you suffer like my daughter, because that would remind me of her pain. As a dad, I can't bear to see that," Paxton sighed deeply.

"Yes, you're a kind dad, and if you want, I can call you dad too," Francis said eagerly.

Paxton smiled at Francis. "I don't have a son like you. Even though I don't want to make you suffer like my daughter, I've thought of other ways. Like this..."

Paxton pointed to the huge furnace behind him. Francis's heart, which had just started to calm down, began to race again.

"You're not thinking of throwing me in there, are you? Mr. Brown, please don't," Francis forced out a very ugly smile, hoping Paxton was joking.

But Paxton's smile had completely vanished.

"Throw him in," Paxton ordered, and his men immediately dragged Francis to the platform above the furnace.

"No, I don't want to die, please! I can work for you, I can do illegal stuff for you, whatever you want, please," Francis pleaded, but no one listened.

Realizing begging was useless, Francis started cursing at Paxton. "Paxton, you bastard, you're a demon! You'll go to hell after you die, just like your daughter! Wait for you and your daughter in hell."

"Get in there," Paxton's subordinate said, kicking Francis into the furnace.