Chapter 33

"Stop!" Aria Bennett stepped forward, blocking the pair.

The woman took a wary step back, clutching the unconscious child tighter. "What do you want?"

Aria's gaze locked onto the limp child in her arms. "Is this your kid?"

"Of course!" The woman's eyes darted nervously, but her voice rose sharply. "Who else's would it be?"

The middle-aged man beside her glared viciously. "Are you insane? Get out of our way!"

[What’s Aria doing?]

[She’s stopping them when their kid’s sick? That’s messed up.]

[Wait, that guy looks terrifying.]

Aria smirked. "Judging by your faces, you're not married, and this child isn’t yours."

"Bullshit!" The man suddenly yanked a gleaming machete from his bag. "Move or I’ll cut you down!"

The crowd erupted in panic.

Screams filled the air as bystanders scattered.

Damian Cross lunged forward, but Aria held him back.

In a flash, she pivoted and delivered a sharp side kick.

Clang! The machete clattered to the ground.

Before the man could react, Aria flipped him over her shoulder, slamming him onto the pavement.

"Police! Run!" The woman shrieked and suddenly hurled the child into the air.

"Look out!" Damian dove, catching the child just in time.

The woman bolted.

"After her!" Kieran Doyle and several trainees gave chase.

Mason Bell tackled her mid-sprint, pinning her down.

"Let me go!" The woman thrashed wildly.

Aria loomed over the subdued man. "Talk. Where did you kidnap this child from?"

His face paled.

"Y-you’re insane!" he stammered, though sweat beaded on his forehead.

Aria crouched, yanking open the child’s collar to reveal red marks.

"Drug residue," she said coldly. "And this—"

She pulled a slip of paper from the child’s shoe—a phone number and the words $5 million scrawled across it.

"Kidnapping and ransom. The evidence speaks for itself."

Sirens wailed in the distance.

The man’s face turned ghostly white.