Chapter 1

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.