[Chapter 126: Kindness Should Not Be Betrayed]
"A videotape?"
Daniel's ears pricked up at the word, immediately thinking of that infamous cursed tape from the horror movies.
"What kind of videotape?" he asked.
Francia hesitated but then explained, "The content was strange, eerie, and terrifying. There were bugs crawling everywhere and a woman combing her hair. It made no sense, the scenes were disconnected and illogical. But after watching it, I got a phone call. There was nothing but this creepy bubbling noise before the line went dead."
At first, she hadn't taken it seriously, but a few days later, a friend who'd also watched the tape suddenly died.
Daniel finished her sentence: "Did they die horribly, terrified, from sudden cardiac arrest?"
Francia looked startled. "How do you know?"
There was no need to ask more questions.
The answer was obvious: Francia had watched Sadako, no Samara's videotape, from The Ring.
But whether it was Sadako or Samara, the result was the same. Once you watched that tape, a curse was set on you. Seven days later, death was inevitable.
Both Sadako and Samara shared the same lethal ability: causing sudden cardiac arrest. It was almost impossible to counter.
Daniel was curious. "Why did you watch that tape? Did you know it was dangerous?"
Francia's face darkened. "I... I..."
Daniel sensed something was wrong. "Were you forced?"
"No. My tape was swapped with that one."
Daniel's eyes narrowed. "Were you bullied at your acting school?"
Francia lowered her head but stayed silent.
Daniel already guessed the truth.
Bullying was rampant in many schools. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many school shootings each year.
Most kids in acting schools came from wealthy families. When these privileged kids gathered, they often sought ways to feel superior. That meant kids from disadvantaged backgrounds or different ethnicities got bullied and harassed.
Sometimes, there was an ugly way out: copying the cursed tape and making someone else watch it.
Francia was that someone.
But that didn't erase the fact she was bullied.
Daniel said calmly, "After we fix this, give me a few names. I'll deal with them."
Francia shook her head. "Thank you, Mr. Cross, but that's not necessary. Right now, I just want to fix my own problem. I've heard you're very powerful, but your fees are expensive. I don't have much money -- can I pay in installments?"
Daniel smiled. Another one asking to pay in parts.
The last person to do that was Rachel; she paid him $250,000 every month.
"How much do you have now?" Daniel asked.
Francia pulled out her wallet and emptied it on the table.
"Here's $524.38 in cash," she said, "and over $2,100 on this card."
She took $100 from the cash. "I want to keep at least $100, so you can have the rest first. Don't worry, I'll pay you back. I have a part-time server job now. When I get an acting role after graduation, I'll earn enough to settle up."
Her plan was simple. But in Hollywood, without connections or background, and though she was decent-looking, her height was a disadvantage.
Her ethnicity gave no edge.
With those hurdles, making it big in Hollywood was tough.
Unless she got insanely lucky.
Daniel reached out and took the $100.
Francia panicked, thinking he wanted it all. "No, it's okay, you can have everything."
But Daniel held the $100 and pushed the rest back toward her. "I'll only accept this hundred. Keep the rest."
Francia froze. "But everyone says you're expensive. That you charge $100,000 for this kind of work."
"You've already paid the rest another way."
"What...?" Francia was confused. Her face, pale and dull, showed her disbelief.
Daniel said, "Don't worry about it. Now that I've accepted this hundred, I'm stepping in to save you."
"But... but..."
"Enough 'buts'," Daniel interrupted. "Tell me, when did you watch that tape?"
Francia stared at the hundred in Daniel's hand, then at the cash and card she still held, feeling unreal.
Suddenly, tears welled and spilled down her cheeks. She buried her face in her knees and sobbed.
Daniel didn't stop her; instead, he set a bottle of water beside her.
After a long while, she looked up, red-eyed, and asked, "Wh-why? No one's ever been this kind to me except my parents."
Daniel handed her a tissue. "Kindness should not be betrayed."
Francia looked stunned, still confused and blank.
Daniel said firmly, "Let's begin, if you still want to live."
She took the tissue, wiped her cheeks, and finally said, "I watched that tape three days ago. Last night, my friend died. I was terrified. I knew she'd watched it before me. At first, I didn't think it was because of the tape, but then I checked my email and saw the message she sent me. That's when I realized, watching it meant death."
"What did her email say?" Daniel asked.
"Just the curse, how you die in seven days after watching it. If she died, that proved it."
Daniel nodded.
None of this really mattered to him.
He only needed to know when Francia was going to die.
"When exactly did you watch the tape? The day and time?"
Without hesitation, she said, "September 17th, just after 10 p.m."
Daniel calculated silently. "Today's September 21st, so your death date will be around 10 p.m. on the 24th."
She nodded honestly.
"Before then, you're safe. Come back here on the morning of the 24th and find me."
"During this time, I really won't be harmed?" she asked, needing reassurance.
"Yes," Daniel said firmly.
That was the rule. It never changed.
"Didn't your friend say it was seven days? Was her death exactly seven days after watching?"
Francia counted in her mind. "Yes."
"So that's the plan. Come see me on the morning of the 24th."
"Oh... okay," she said, a little dazed.
She stood up. "Mr. Cross, I should get going."
"Go ahead," Daniel smiled and waved.
"Goodbye, Mr. Cross." Francia smiled politely, grateful, then left Cross Hall and walked slowly down the street, her figure slender against the fading daylight.
Of all the clients Daniel had dealt with, she was the first to leave on foot.
*****
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