Ch. 2611..2620

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2611-Time ticked away, minute by minute, until it was early morning. The three of them huddled together and pretended to sleep. In reality, Lucas and Henry were keeping their ears peeled for any sounds outside. Among them, only Claudia had managed to fall asleep.

The events of the day had been too intense, and under the exhaustion of the night, she involuntarily drifted off to sleep. Henry felt particularly protective seeing Claudia sleeping with a frown. Regardless, this was their only chance to escape. When he heard the guards starting to snore, Henry opened his eyes, only to meet a pair of exceptionally bright eyes. Lucas had not been sleeping either. "Just wait a little longer," Lucas silently mouthed to him.

It was only midnight, and the kidnappers had not yet entered deep sleep.

Escaping then would be risky; the best time would be between one and three o'clock in the morning. "Got it," Henry gestured, then closed his eyes again, pretending to doze off.

He still felt a dull ache in his chest. His body had become stiff from lying against the wall for a long period, but he did not dare to move. Sometimes, he even felt a bit short of breath, but this position seemed to offer some comfort.

Click!

It was 1 a.m., and the two of them cautiously began untying the ropes.

Unexpectedly, it was Lucas who first broke free from the hemp ropes binding his hands. He had been carefully working on this task since the afternoon.

As soon as his hands were freed, he immediately removed his blindfold. He then held his breath and carefully listened for any sounds outside. After confirming that there were no other noises besides the snores, he proceeded to untie the ropes on Henry's feet.

"Mister Henry time is of the essence. Listen to me first. I'll lift the wire mesh behind us later, and you take Claudia and escape. I'll distract them, Just make sure to watch your back. It's best to find a safe place to hide if you feel like you can't run anymore."

Henry disagreed. "Son, I'm an adult, and I should be distracting them. You take my daughter and escape. That's more important than anything!"

Lucas adamantly refused. The only reason they were kidnapped was because of him. Henry and Claudia would not have been dragged into this mess if the kidnappers were not after Lucas' family's money.

Thus, he needed to take responsibility. He was willing to risk his life for it, and besides, he believed that his grandparents and the police were surely on their way.

Attracting the kidnappers' attention was equally important, and Lucas was hesitant to let Henry do it, especially since he believed Henry had suffered serious injuries. He feared that if Henry went, there was a high chance they all would not be able to escape.

However, Henry was equally steadfast. Lucas and Claudia were not even adults yet, so how could he let Lucas undertake such a dangerous task?

"Listen to me, son," Henry said.

"When I volunteered to come and pay the ransom, I had accepted the possibility that I might not make it back. We gan already consider oirselves lucky that we found an opportunity to escape. You two are still young. If anything happens, please take good care of my daughter."

However, Lucas still disagreed.

Amid their struggle, Claudia woke up.

"Dad, Lucas, what were youtwo!

tatking about?"

Henry untied Claudia's hands and feet. "Sweetheart, listen to me. When it's time, l'll pretend to sljp oub mi throygh the front door. You follow Lucas out through the window at the back. Don't look back, you hear?"

"Mister Henry!" Lucas frowned tightly.

"You don't have to take this risk."

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2612-Henry had made up his mind, but he also had another motive. By saving his own daughter and incidentally saving Lucas, he ensured his daughters' future for the rest of their lives.

After his wife left, he always worried about not being able to raise his two daughters properly. Both Claudia and Thalia had grown up well, and it was a pity that he might not have much time left to be with them. Since the moment he learned about Lucas' family background, he had made up his mind to use his own life to secure his daughters' future.

"Dad, please don't scare me anymore. Can't the three of us escape together through the window at the back? I'll be scared if you're not by my side. Dad, please don't do this. Don't leave me. Thalia and I still need you…"

After hearing her father's decision, Claudia sensed the tragic outcome and did not want it. Even though they were all tied up together, they could still escape together, could they not? Why must there be a sacrifice?

"Given Claudia's current unstable emotional state, I think it would be better if you stayed by her side. It's decided, then. I'll go distract those two kidnappers,"

Lucas said firmly.

However, Claudia turned to look at him with worry. "Why must you wake them up? Since they're both asleep now, can't we just escape together from the back?"

Things were not as simple as Claudia thought. As Henry observed the window at the back, he noticed rice fields stretching out with no end in sight. Their escape route was too obvious. Without someone drawing the attention of the kidnappers, they would quickly be caught. Needless to say, the one attracting the kidnappers' attention would inevitably become the sacrificial lamb.

"No, no! Let's not escape anymore. Let's just wait for the police to rescue us! I'm not running!" Claudia curled up into a ball, refusing to face reality.

Henry held her face firmly and spoke with unusual seriousness, "Listen, Claudia.

Look at me, and listen carefully—"

"Do you want all three of us to die here?" Claudia instinctively shook her head.

Henry continued, "No, so you have to listen to me and Lucas. I'll go distract the kidnappers later, and you and Lucas will run straight out of the door without looking k. We don't know when the police wilt arrive, and waiting any longer will only lead to a dead end. Even if something happens to me, don't look back.

"I love you very much, and I never want anything bad to happen to you. I also wish I could be there to watch you and Thalia grow up, but saying goodbye is a lesson you must learn in life, and today I'll teach you. This is the last thing I can teach you."

He smiled bitterly. Claudia was

already sobbing uncontrollably. He would like to watch his daughters grow up he could, but someone han to make the sacrifice. He could not bear to let Lucas and Claudia sacrifice themselves, given that they were still so young, so it had to be him.

Henry then turned to Lucas. "Lucas, don't feel too guilty about what happened today. It's the kidnappers' fault, and you're also a lotim. But havélone request. When you get out of here, please take care of my daughter for the rest of her life. Can you promise me that? Don't get me wrong. I just want you to treat her as your sister. Can you do that?"

Henry interrupted him. "Listen to me. I'm an adult. There's no need to say more.

He struggled to negotiate with Lucas, trying to secure a stable life for his daughter with his last bargaining chip. "Mister Henry..' " Lucas began.

Can you promise me this request?

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2613-Eventually, Lucas nodded heavily. "Don't worry, Mister Henry. I won't break my promise."

"Good. I can rest easy now that I have your assurance."

With the die cast, there was nothing Claudia could do to change their minds.

Lucas and Henry stealthily got up to lift the mesh wires on the large window at the back while she kept watch. Claudia dared not even breathe too loudly, afraid of waking up the two kidnappers outside, despite their loud snoring.

"Hurry up!" Claudia whispered urgently.

Lucas and Henry were sweating profusely. Although it was easy to handle the wires, they had to be extremely careful not to make any noise, which made it

quite difficult.

Thud!

Henry accidentally knocked on the window frame, producing a crisp sound that startled all three of them. Claudia stared anxiously at the two kidnappers, afraid they might wake up and ruin everything. Luckily, with a bit of alcohol in their systems and it being the wee hours of the morning, they remained deeply asleep and undisturbed by the noise.

Lucas and Henry hastened their movements, speeding up until the wire mesh was lifted enough for Lucas and Claudia to slip through. They stopped only when it was large enough.

Henry and Claudia switched positions. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at her father. Lucas had already crawled out and was waiting outside the window to assist her.

Henry's eyes were also red. He pretended to casually wipe his eyes and waved at her. "Go quickly!"

Lucas remained silent, his furrowed brow betraying his anxiety. He wanted Claudia to move faster, but urging her then would be too cruel. This might be the last time Claudia saw her father alive.

In the end, Claudia made the decision herself. She bit her lip and resolutely crossed through the window.

"Dad, come out alive, okay?" she whispered.

Henry did not utter a word. He knew he might have to break his promise this time.

Once they were both gone, Henry stealthily crossed over the two kidnappers and ran outside. As he approached the gate, he paused for a moment, counting the seconds in his mind to ensure Lucas and Claudia had run far enough before deliberately making a noise.

"Who's there?"

The two kidnappers groggily sat up.

"Was it a rat?" One of them yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"There was no sound. You must've misheard."

"Damn it! Where are they?"

Both of them became wide awake, their drowsiness gone.

With only the two of them left on guard, the three captives had vanished without a trace. Howlet they going to explain this to their UMS boss? .

Both of them paled in fright. They hurriedly searched therindownm house but found no sign of anyone.

"Where did you hear the noise?" one asked.

"It sounded like someone kicking a can… Oh, right, it was near the main gate! We piled up the garbage there when we were drinking tonight. We were planning to clean it up

"It sounded like someone kicking a can… Oh, right, it was near the main gate! We piled up the garbage there when we were drinking tonight. We were planning to clean it up

el.?

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2614-Neither of them wanted to wake up Stan; they dreaded facing the man's wrath.

However, all the money would slip through their fingers if they let the captives escape.

Stan could not believe how incompetent they were. He had only asked them to keep watch for one night, yet they had slept like logs, not even noticing when the captives had slipped away. He remained silent, scrutinizing the two of them before finally speaking in a composed tone. "Hurry up and chase after them."

"Yes, Boss. I'm sure they couldn't have gone far since they were injured. Trust me, Boss. They definitely ran out from the main gate. I heard the noise."

One of them tried to ingratiate himself, but his smile was swiftly wiped away by a slap from Stan.

"You!"

Stan glared at Manny, wanting to unleash a torrent of insults, but as Manny moved closer to Stan, he understood what he was thinking of. Immediately, he lowered his head, saying nothing.

"Useless," Stan muttered. "Manny, take the van and chase after them. The rest of us will split up."

"Yes, Boss!"

Henry remained on edge, unable to stop himself from looking back. The road ahead was wide open, offering no hiding spots. Gasping for breath and clutching his chest, he could not help but worry about where Lucas and Claudia were. Had they found a place to hide? Were they on a busy road? They had to escape.

Just as Henry was consumed with thoughts of the kids, the commotion in the yard suddenly intensified, and he heard the sound of a car starting. Cold sweat broke out on his skin as he frantically searched for a place to hide, but there was no building in sight.

In the end, his gaze fell on the large green garbage bin in front of him. He gritted his teeth as he hid inside. Continuing to run would only weigh him down with his injured body, so he decided to take a gamble. Meanwhile, Lucas pulled Claudia along in silence. Both of them ran forward with determination. The narrow paths through the fields were difficult to navigate, full of bumps and sudden holes.

Claudia accidentally stepped in some mud, but Lucas pulled her out just in time to prevent her from falling in completely. Exhausted and scared, Cláudia kept looking back hoping her father had managed to distract their pursuers and lead them away. Unfortunately, it was all just wishful thinking. Behind them, everything remained eerily quiet as if nothing had happened at all.

Under the night sky, only she and Lucas were running with all their might, their shadows elongated by the moonlight. Neither dared to let go of the other's hand or suggest taking a break. Their breaths grew heavier with each step.

Claudia excelled in many areas but fell behind in sports. The fact that she had persisted in running for so long was already remarkable, but she could not ask for a break. After all, they were the victims of a e kidnapping, and no one knew if the Kidnappers would catch up to them at any moment.

They were unfamiliar with the area, unlike the kidnappers. They would have nowhere to run, if they weren discovered and the kidnappers came at them in a car from the other side.

Fortunately, after running for over 500 yards, they reached a dense forest.

Lucas suggested stopping to rest for a while. "Stay here and gon't move. I'll look arqund and well leave in two minutes."

Claudia was dressed inadequately, but Lucas seemed unfazed aSia?

nothing kad happened.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2615-Lucas was about to leave when Claudia grabbed his wrist. "Our phones were confiscated. How am I supposed to know how long two minutes is? We don't need to rest. I'm not that tired. Let's keep going. My dad… He's already chosen to distract the kidnappers. We can't let his sacrifice go to waste."

Claudia spoke through tears, which quickly mingled with the soil, disappearing.

"Okay," Lucas said, pulling Claudia up.

Claudia felt like her legs were filled with lead; it was incredibly hard for her to take each step. Her chest felt like it had a bellows in it, making it painful for her to breathe.

"You need to adjust your breathing. Don't keep your mouth open. The wind will only make it more painful," Lucas advised.

Claudia gradually felt a bit better as she followed the rhythm of Lucas' breathing while he kept listening carefully for any sounds behind them. It could mean trouble for Henry if there was a car honking. At that moment, all Lucas could do was pray.

Finally, the police found where Stan and the others were hiding.

Almost at the moment they pinpointed the location, the entire police force poured out of the station. Cedric and Beatrice also volunteered to go to the front lines. Initially, Jimmy wanted to refuse, but seeing the worried expressions on their faces, he finally nodded.

Thalia tried to stop them but was also determined to go. She was stopped by Claudia's teacher who said, "Silly child, the adults will rescue your sister and father. What do you want to go there for?"

Thalia broke free from her grasp, saying, "I want to go. I don't want to wait here in fear. I want to know how they are doing right now. Please, officer, take me with you. I promise to stay quietly in the car."

She started sobbing. In the end, Beatrice nodded and said, "She can go with us in the same car. Wet take care of her and make sure she doesn't get out of the car."

The rescue was urgent, and they did not have time to hesitate. After loading everyone into the vehicles and gearing up, they headed towards the small town.

Henry could sense people running around him constantly. 'They're definitely looking for us,' he thought.

"Where did they run off to? How did three people just disappear like that? I woke up as soon as I heard a noise at the gate, so how could they escape so easily?"

Manny scratched his head in bewilderment. Others shared his confusion. Even if they had slept deeply, they should have heard some commotion. However, they could not find a trace of the captives after they ran out, which seemed impossible. Did these people vanish into thin air?

Stan did not get into Manny's car; he had stayed behind in the yard.

"What should we do now, Boss? We'll never get the ransom money if m they ve escapedult was hard enough to kidnap them. do we really have to plan another job?"

Having tasted success, they were reluctant to let go. While they gould have called jit, quits then, the idea of añother job was not appealing to them.

Stan shook his head. "Calm down, and let me think."

Henry was overwhelmed by the stench of the trash can. He covered his nose and mouth even stowing his breathing. Yet, he could still hear his heartbeat, pounding in his throat as if it wanted to leap out.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2616-"It's not like they have wings. I refuse to believe three grown people can slip away from under my nose just like that. They must still be nearby. Search carefully." "Yes, boss!"

Henry's eyes widened inside the stuffy and foul-smelling trash can. He heard Stan's footsteps approaching.

Stan even tapped on the lid of the trash can. "Hey, don't forget to clear the garbage at the gate tomorrow. The garbage truck only comes once a day in this remote town." His lackeys, who were in the midst of their search, were puzzled by his sudden mention of this matter. They responded with a bewildered 'okay' or 'understood, Boss', Only Henry felt uneasy.

Meanwhile, Claudia, who was fleeing, suddenly cried out and collapsed to the ground. Her legs had given way.

Lucas immediately stopped and asked her, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

She was clutching her chest, and tears were streaming down her face.

"I… I think something happened to my dad!" Thalia, who was approaching the town, also clutched her chest suddenly. "Officers, please hurry! My dad might be in trouble="

Beatrice glanced at her. Her expression became even more serious, and the officers sped up the car.

The trash can Henry was in was kicked over, and the other kidnappers surrounded him, wondering why Stan suddenly targeted a trash can. However, Henry pretended to be dead, lying motionless as the garbage spilled onto the ground.

"Hey, come take a look. Someone's "ו hiding in the trash can. These rich folks are really afraid of dying! This trash can is so smelly and disgusting. Leven saw someone throw dog poop in there!

Hehehe Stan's smile grew wider and wider. must say I admire your ability to endure all sorts of humiliation for the sake of escaping. I'm sure it has worked out well for you in the past, but unfortunately, it's me who you're dealing with today. I wonder where the other two kids went. Ah, Henry, you probably don't want to know what happens to those who don't listen, do you?"

Henry trembled in fear. He had already endured a beating from these kidnappers in the car earlier, and his chest was throbbing with pain. He could not move after being knocked down. He tightly closed his eyes as if that would help him endure their brutality.

"Tsk. Although I admire people like you, I hate mute people the most. When I ask you a question, you better answer," Stan said, standing up and wiping his hands with a piece of tissue. He nodded in Henry's direction, and several kidnappers approached and started kicking him.

"It's a pity. If we weren't enemies, we could've been friends. It's getting harder to make money these days, and you just had to mess with me Do you really think those two kids can escape? You underestimated me. Haven't you considered that I have a backup plan if I dared to send only two people to guard you?"

Stan turned and cruelly smirked at the nearly unconscious Henry, "Pf course, haye people stationed in the town too. Why else would I choose this town?"

Even though he was beaten to the point of nearly passing out, Henry.

suddenly opened hig eyes wide When he heardthat! sfowly and resolutely, he crawled in Stan's direction.

"Please… I beg you, spare…the two kids, I beg…of you."

They were too naive, thinking they could escape by running out of the nouse. None of then had expected thatithe town and Stan were in cahoots all along. Tears streamed down Henry's face.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2617-My children, what will become of you? It seems like this is as far as I can go,' thought Henry.

"What should we do next, boss? This guy is barely alive and not much use anymore. He and that Rivera kid are totally different in terms of value! Damn this useless old man! He's to blame for helping our golden goose escape!"

Stan shrugged off the concern. "Do you think making money is that easy? We'll just catch the Rivera kid again. Is that so difficult? If we could catch him once, we can catch him again. Besides, he's still accompanied by that little loser. With that girl around, how could they have run so far? Start searching along the perimeter of the house. I refuse to believe we can't find them!"

Stan found the whole matter increasingly amusing. He thought he would receive the remaining payment early the next morning. He had not expected these three to have such energy to play a game with them in the dead of night.

'If only I had broken their hands and feet earlier. At least then they wouldn't have been able to run away,' he thought.

"Remember, don't show them any mercy once you've brought them back. Give them a good beating first so that they'll learn not to escape even if there's a chance!"

"Yes, Boss!"

Manny drove the van along the roads. He thought the same as Stan, that Lucas and Claudia could not have gotten far. Thus, as long as he followed the main road, he would find them sooner or later. However, with the early morning still dark, it was proving difficult to spot them.

"Shh! Quick, hide. I hear a car coming!"

Lucas swiftly pulled Claudia down into the bushes. Even though the ground underneath them was damp and sticky, they dared not make a sound. They waited for the car to pass. It would be fine if it was the police, but if it was the kidnappers…

Claudia's heart was in her throat. She desperately hoped it was the police coming to rescue them. However, her heart sank when the headlights illuminated the road, and she saw that it was a van.

Claudia feared that if she cried, she might make & noise, so she buried her face in the ground, regardless of how dirty it was. She used to be a girl who loved to laugh and was somewhat of a clean freak, but after this ordeal, she doubted she would ever have those traits again.

Suddenly, Lucas thought of that too. It was as if his soul was looking down on the earth from deep space, while his body reminded him that it was not over yet.

When they were sure the car had driven away, Claudia said flatly, "My dad's in trouble."

"I'm…sorry."

Biting her lip, Claudia continued, "What do we do? Why is this happening?"

Lucas silently endured it all because he knew it was all his fault. However, the next moment, he hugged Claudia tightly and covered her mouth. His grip was so strong it hurt.

"Shh!"

Why were there suddenly footsteps approaching the bushes? Who else could be there besides them? Even Claudia's eyes widened as she clutched onto Lucas' shirt tightly. 'Who is it?' they thought.

Manny, appearing out of nowhere, had discovered them. He was M standing right in front of them!

Both Lucas and Claudia felt a chill and run down their spines. They had thought the danger had passed after

the van drove away, but little did they know that Manny had gyiettyo M abandoned thé Vehicle and tracked them on foot.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2618-Lucas slowly lowered his hand from Claudia's mouth, though he still kept a tight grip over her wrist.

"You two sure can run. Let's go. You're coming back with me," Manny said, brandishing a knife. He did not consider these two brats much of a threat; he was confident he could take them back. Lucas squeezed Claudia's wrist repeatedly to signal her.

"What's the matter? Are you too scared stiff to move? Hehe, next time I'll make some noise first so you won't get startled, okay? Now be good and come with me," said Manny.

"Three, two, one!"

This was the rhythm Lucas squeezed on Claudia's wrist, and when he repeated it, he shouted, "Run!"

They bolted in the opposite direction of Manny.

"Tsk! Looks like I need to teach you a lesson for not listening to me. You should always listen to the grown-ups!"

They had been running for so long that they were both exhausted. Even Lucas was running out of steam. However, Manny was fast, and Claudia could feel the rush of wind he stirred up as he closed in behind her. She resisted the urge to look back, focusing instead on running as fast as she could.

'Why hasn't anyone come to rescue us yet?' thought Claudia. Oh, how she hoped that they would appear before them in the next moment!

"Hey kids, I might go easy on you if you stop now and surrender quietly!

Otherwise, once I catch you two, it won't be so pleasant." Manny's voice echoed like a ghost around them.

Even as their speed slowed, they dared not stop. They knew that if they stopped, they would never escape. They were getting closer to the main road, the glimmer of hope just ahead. Both of them bit their lips tightly. Claudia even tasted a hint of blood as she bit through her lips.

"Hurry!"

Manny sneered disdainfully, clearly amused by their defiance.

Disobedient kids needed to be taught a lesson, and he increased his speed.

Just as Manny was about to grab Claudia, another car stopped in front of them.

This was the last straw for Claudia. Tears streamed down her cheeks like pearls. Why, just when they were about to see hope, were they blocked again? Why was fate ne cruel to her? Her father was already…

Claudia felt nothing but despair.

"What are you doing? Are you crazy? How can you stop? Keep running!"

exclaimed Claudia.

However, Lucas seemed even more exhausted. He even stopped in his tracks, and claudia was jerked back by the abrupt halt.

A hint of a smile appeared on Lucas' face, making Claudia think he had lost his mind.

"Lucas! Claudia!"

Claudia could not believe her ears.

Was she hallucinating? Ypen closer listening she ecognized her sister's listening, she vecognized her sister's voïce!

"Grandma, Grandpa…"

Lucas had been trying hard to contain his emotions, but when ha was embraged by lèatrice, he could nöt help but choke up. It had been an exhausting day.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2619-Quick, Grandma. We gotta go save Mister Henry!" Lucas only stayed in Beatrice's embrace for a few seconds before lifting his head. "We gotta hurry!

The fact that this kidnapper found us probably means Mister Henry might be in danger!"

Claudia snapped out of her shock upon hearing what Lucas said. She quickly grabbed the arm of a police officer. "Officer, please save my dad! My dad is still there. He might be in danger!"

Beatrice patted Lucas' back before turning to Claudia. "Child, we've split into two teams. One team has gone to find your father. Don't worry, we haven't forgotten about him."

Unfortunately, no amount of reassurance could ease Claudia's distress. She looked dazed, prompting Beatrice to have her assisted into the car. "Get her some water to drink. Let's go, Lucas. Get in the car." As for Manny, even though he was caught by the police, he continued to struggle. He tried to escape so that he could return and inform Stan about the newcomers. Unfortunately, they were facing well- equipped police officers.

Jimmy, especially after learning the kidnappers' identities, dared not take them lightly. Everyone was fully equipped to apprehend the suspects, so how could they let such a big fish slip through their net? Jimmy stood firm in front of Manny. "Looks like we're old acquaintances, huh? How many of you are there?"

Manny glanced at Jimmy but remained silent. His solitary, stubborn nature had made him unsociable, but somehow, he had clicked with Stan in prison. Since then, he had faithfully followed him. Stan also had great trust in Manny; he considered him his right-hand man.

The police officers had thought they were in for a tough fight. They had not expected to apprehend a major criminal right away, and this boosted Jimmy's confidence. There was no time to waste. He led everyone toward the yard, hoping for a favorable outcome there too.

When they arrived, they found the place in a mess. However, the outcome surprised everyone-all the kidnappers were apprehended. Unfortunately, Henry was in poor condition, barely clinging to O consciousness.

Claudia rushed over to her father the moment she found him. She did not know where to touch him since his whole body was covered in injuries. "Dad, don't scare me. What's the matter with you? Get up quickly. We're safe now. We need to go home!"

Thalia, who arrived a moment later, stumbled and knelt beside Henry. "Dad, wake up! Why won't you open your eyes and look at me?"

Tears streamed down her face and onto the ground when she saw her father's severe injuries and Claudia's pretense. She was so angry that she slapped Claudia right then and there.

"This is all your fault! If it weren't for you, Dad wouldn't be like this now. Yet, you still dare to pretend to be pitiful. It's all because of you! Give me back my father!"

Claudia did not fight back when she was slapped; she just silently cried.

'Thalia's right. If it weren't for me, Dad wouldn't be injured like this.' The nearby officers were startled to see the sisters fighting and quickly pulled Thalia aside.

Thalia, still furious, wanted to hit Claudia again, but Lucas immediately stepped in to shieldher. "What are you doing? You think she hasn't suffered enough?"

Although he did not say more, his gaze conveyed his condemnation "Enough!if yqu want to hit or scold someone, do it to me. I'm the reason for all of this happening!"

Thalia was already in great pain, but Lucas' gaze made her even more.

heartbroken. It was claudia's Pault, so Why was he looking at her with such blaming eyes? Where had she gone wrong?

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2620-'If it weren't for Claudia clinging to him, how could they have been involved in this kidnapping case? Dad was taken away by those kidnappers just to save her. All of this was her fault!' thought Thalia. "I didn't say anything wrong! If it weren't for Claudia having an ulterior motive for you, why would my dad be lying here right now? Why didn't you save him?"

Lucas remained silent; he did not know where to begin explaining. Nothing was going on between him and Claudia.

"The ambulance is on its way. We've already administered emergency measures to your father. I'm sorry." Jimmy turned away, unable to offer better emergency treatment for Henry lying on the ground. That was their mistake.

Thalia did not want to argue with them anymore. She just knelt beside her father, crying out in distress.

She was filled with resentment. 'Dad, why didn't you listen to me when I advised you? It's been like this since I was little. You were even willing to sacrifice your life for Claudia. Am I not your daughter too? Is it because Claudia looks more like Mom?' Thalia, both sorrowful and regretful, wondered why it was not Claudia lying on the ground but her father instead. She hoped it would be him, not Claudia, if she had to leave behind a loved one in this world. She felt that Claudia, the damned woman, did not deserve to live.

Claudia continued to cry. She became unable to speak as if she had lost the ability to react to the outside world.

The ambulance arrived quickly, and in just over ten minutes, Henry was on his way to the hospital. Only one family member could accompany him in the ambulance, and Claudia wanted to go up. However, when she caught sight of Thalia's eyes, she recoiled. 'This is all my fault. I have no right to accompany Dad.' Lucas' expression also turned grim when she saw Claudia's state. He never expected her family situation to be like that. Although they were sisters, Thalia and Claudia had quite a few differences in appearance, and their relationship was not exactly close.

Thalia leaned in close to Claudia and whispered, "If you had any selfawareness, you wouldn't come near Dad again! It's because of you that such a big accident happened in our family. Without you, Dad and I could have been living happily. You're on your own now I She did not even care how shocked her sister was and climbed into the ambulance. She even flashed a smile at the officer who helped her up. Her tears had not dried yet, but she showed such courtesy, immediately earning the sympathy of those officers.

'Perhaps the girl was so angry at her sister earlier because she cared too much about her father. That's understandable.'

Most people present thought this way, but only Claudia knew in hem heart that her ownl sister's malice toward her was glaring and unapologetic. She realized that she to

such an extent. On the other hand, she could not help but agree with Thalla's Words.

'If it weren't for me…' That sentence circled in her mind like@ curse, and she gould not shake it off.

had grown to despise here at ne.