The Passenger Seat Chapter 1

Picking up my son from school, a Porsche sent my son flying twenty-five feet through the air.

Little Leo was covered in blood, his tiny hand still clutching a newly bought superhero action figure.

I held him, kneeling on the asphalt and begging strangers to call 911, but the woman who caused the crash didn't even get out of her car.

She leaned against the driver's seat to touch up her lipstick, then dialed a phone, her voice sickeningly sweet and soft:

"Mr. Sterling, I messed up and I'm so scared. Please come save me..."

Three minutes later, two black town cars blocked off the intersection.

Six bodyguards in black suits surrounded me and Leo.

I screamed that my child was coughing up blood and would die if he didn't get to a hospital.

The lead bodyguard expressionlessly blocked even the approaching ambulance.

"My boss gave instructions. Nobody leaves the scene until liability is determined, including the injured."

I lunged forward like a madwoman, but my arms were pinned back by guards on either side.

The woman finally stepped out of the car, clicking over in her stilettos, and crouched down to glance at Leo.

"The kid doesn't even look that badly hurt."

She tilted her phone away and whined into it:

"Mr. Sterling, the other party is trying to run a scam. You have to back me up."

"Don't be afraid."

A familiar voice came through the other end of the line, terrifyingly calm.

"I'll handle it. Stay in the car."

Leo’s lips were already turning purple. Grabbing onto the last thread of hope, I cried out that name at the top of my lungs.

"Victor Sterling! The one who was hit is Leo!"

......

The other end of the line fell silent for a second.

The woman sneered and abruptly hung up the call.

The flat beep-beep-beep tone sounded deafeningly harsh on the noisy street.

She shoved her phone into her designer bag and looked down at me from above.

"What are you screaming about?"

"Don't think that overhearing Mr. Sterling's name means you can cozy up to him."

"Mr. Sterling is a very busy man. When would he have time to know a ghetto scammer like you?"

My eyes split wide with fury as I stared at her.

"He is Victor Sterling's biological son!"

"You hit him, and Victor will never let you get away with this!"

The woman acted like she had just heard the most ridiculous joke, covering her mouth and giggling.

"Oh, what a great story."

"Before you try to pull a shakedown, you should check who you're dealing with. Is Mr. Sterling someone you can just spread rumors about?"

Hanging up the phone, Victor felt a twinge of doubt.

He dialed the family nanny’s number to check on things at home.

"Martha, have my wife and the young master come home yet?"

Martha had been playing mahjong all afternoon and was on a winning streak, refusing to quit, so she wasn't home yet.

She lied without missing a beat: "The missus and the young master are watering flowers in the greenhouse."

She had no idea that this single lie would become a death sentence for the young master.

Victor breathed a sigh of relief and tossed his phone aside.

He felt even more annoyed by the frantic voice at the end of that call earlier, muttering a curse under his breath about common gossips.

"Let me go!"

I mustered every ounce of strength to break free from the bodyguard's grip, throwing myself over Leo.

Blood kept surging from Leo’s nose, staining the white button-down shirt on his chest.

He struggled to open his eyes, his tiny hand trembling.

"Mommy... it hurts..."

My heart felt like it was trapped in a meat grinder.

"Leo, don't be scared, Mommy is here. The ambulance is right outside."

I looked up, screaming at the top of my lungs at the bodyguard.

"Move! The ambulance is right behind you!"

"A human life is on the line! Weren't you raised by parents too? Do you have no hearts?!"

The lead bodyguard stood like an unfeeling wall of stone.

He looked at me coldly.

"Mr. Sterling's orders. Ms. Vance was startled. Until Mr. Sterling's private attorney arrives, nobody is allowed to disturb the scene."

"The ambulance can wait. Ms. Vance's rights cannot be compromised."

The surrounding crowd couldn't take it anymore.

Several young men rushed forward, pointing at the bodyguard and cursing furiously.

"Have you lost your humanity?!"

"You hit someone and won't help, and you're blocking the road? This is murder!"

"Let's all push through, clear the road, saving the kid comes first!"

The crowd started shoving the bodyguards.

The lead bodyguard’s eyes chilled as he unclipped a collapsible baton from his belt.

A dull, heavy thud.

The guy in the front took a strike to the shoulder, screaming as he stumbled backward.

The bodyguards smoothly drew their batons, forming a single file line.

"Sterling Enterprises is conducting business. Bystanders, back off."

"Anyone who takes another step is inciting a riot."

The terrifying display stunned the crowd, forcing them backward.

Tiffany leaned against the Porsche door, casually admiring her fresh manicure.

"Exactly. A bunch of broke nobodies, playing the hero."

"If you get hurt, Mr. Sterling can afford the payout. Can you afford the hospital bills?"

She walked over to me, using the tip of her stiletto to kick the Spider-Man toy Leo had dropped on the ground.

"This toy looks like it came from a dollar store. What, ten bucks?"

"Tell you what. How much money will it take for you to shut up?"

"A hundred thousand? Two hundred thousand?"

With trembling hands, I picked up the action figure and clutched it tight in my palm.

Leo’s breathing grew weaker, the rise and fall of his chest barely perceptible.

I looked up, my eyes red-rimmed as I stared at Tiffany.

"I don't want your money."

"I'm begging you, tell them to move. Let the paramedics in."

"As long as you let me save my child, I'll do anything you want."

Tiffany raised an eyebrow, seemingly satisfied with my total surrender.

"Anything?"

I nodded desperately.

"Fine."

She pointed at her stiletto heel.

"I got a little dust on my shoe when I got out of the car."

"Get on your knees and lick it clean."

"If I'm in a good mood, maybe I'll show some mercy and let the ambulance through."

An angry roar erupted from the crowd.

"Is this woman insane?!"

"She's pure evil!"

I bit down on my lip so hard I tasted blood, staring at my dying son in my arms.

I hesitated for zero seconds.

My knees buckled, and I dropped straight to the asphalt right in front of Tiffany.