LOGINA withered branch, as thick as a finger, suddenly pierced the lead man's throat.Blood gushed out like a fountain.He clutched his neck and stared at the corpse before him in terror. Then the deathly gray face opened its eyes. "How are you… How are you still—"'Alive…'Before he could finish, Viper yanked the branch from his throat and drove it toward the others without hesitation."Get back!"The others tried to scatter, but even with their quick reactions, another man fell on the spot.They had heard that Viper's skills were eerily powerful, but they had not expected anything this unnatural. He killed two men in seconds under these conditions."Retreat!" They made a split-second decision and fled in all directions.A smile spread across Viper's deathly gray face, like an evil spirit returned to life. "Not a single one… of you… will escape."…Ezra hurried into the dining room. "Prince…"At that moment, Bruce was dining with Isolde and her parents.He set down his cutlery
"Still expecting to enjoy glory and wealth? Hahaha. Fool, your time of death is coming soon!"As soon as Viper finished speaking, Bruce's foot struck. The kick slammed Viper to the ground. He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, along with a loose tooth.To everyone's surprise, Viper began to laugh. His expression turned frantic and grotesque. "Scared? Isolde, crawl to Miss Seraphina right now and beg for mercy. Then disappear under a false name. You might still have a slim chance of survival.""A slim chance of survival?" Isolde remained calm, her lips curling with sarcasm. "Do you believe that yourself?"Even if she gave up this wealth and power, even if she walked away from it all, those people would still see her as a threat. They would never let her go.Surrender would only hasten her death."Go back and tell your lady this. If she cannot kill me without anyone knowing, then she will have to accept the consequences. Tell her to stop these petty tricks. If she interferes with
Isolde picked up her phone and dialed her mother.The call connected quickly.Moira's gentle voice came through the line. "Izzie, why are you calling at this hour? Do you miss me?""Mom…" Isolde's tone turned serious. "I need to ask you something, and you must answer truthfully. I'm not your biological daughter, am I?"The line fell silent for two seconds, then erupted.Moira's voice jumped an octave as her gentle demeanor shattered. "Which bastard has been filling your head with nonsense? I carried you to term and worked so hard to bring you into this world!"When I was pregnant, I vomited until I couldn't tell which way was up. When I delivered you, the pain lasted two days and a night."I still have stretch marks on my belly, and you're saying you're not my biological daughter? If that's the case, did I go through all that pain just to give birth to thin air? You are my biological daughter. Nothing is truer than that."Isolde said nothing.She eased the phone away from her
Fear and panic burrowed into Viper like maggots in bone, devouring his composure and reason.The Valeciels' subordinates would rather die than betray their employers or commit treason. Yet if the video were released and the Valeciels learned that his employer had moved against Isolde, her situation would become dire."Wait." Viper forced the word out, his voice strained and heavy with despair. "I can tell you what you want to know, but in exchange, this must never be made public. No one can ever learn that I tried to assassinate you."He looked up, eyes bloodshot, glaring at Isolde. "Otherwise, we all go down together. My lady won't spare any of you. You and Bruce will die together."The corners of Isolde's mouth lifted slightly. 'It worked.'She masked the smile at once, stopped, and regarded Viper with cool indifference. "Let's hear it."Viper fixed her with a frigid stare. If looks could kill, she would already be in pieces. "It's Miss Seraphina of the Valeciel family who want
"No." At the mention of Viper, Bruce's expression darkened. He had handled many hardened men under his command, but none had held out this long.Three full days had passed. They had used every brutal method available.Viper, however, seemed like a machine that could not feel pain. He endured every form of torture without fear of life or death, without so much as a flicker of discomfort from start to finish."Alan's side just sent word," Bruce said. "Viper has a young mistress he reveres like a deity. He says she likes me, which is why she moved against you."Bruce's eyes turned cold. "Other than you, no woman has ever come within three steps of me."Isolde smiled faintly. "I know. If a woman that powerful had gotten close to you, I would have noticed before you did."Bruce's expression softened as he regained his composure. "So we start with Viper's employer?"The kidnapping in Karsden used unrest in Faranthia as cover. If you had died, it would have been written off as collater
Bruce closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and placed his long fingers on her head, pressing gently. "There won't be a next time.""Okay," Isolde agreed obediently. "If I run into danger again, I'll call you immediately, my dear hubby..."His fingers stiffened for a moment, and the tips of his ears turned red. The corners of his mouth, however, lifted despite himself.At a private hospital, outside the VVIP ward…Isolde stood by the door and looked through the glass. Inside, Alan lay motionless on the bed. Without the steady hum of the machines, he would have looked dead.Nash stood beside her, his arm in a cast, his expression mournful. "Mr. Princeton ingested too many toxins, and his internal organs have suffered irreversible damage. Although he survived after taking the antidote, his body will never recover. He'll be plagued by illness and pain for the rest of his life. He'll age prematurely..."Isolde watched Alan, her gaze complicated.He had been her fiance once. Seeing hi
The car came to a smooth stop at the entrance of the apartment building."Thanks," Isolde said and stepped out.Once she had her footing and turned back, she saw him still sitting in the car, showing no sign of getting out.He was not coming with her?"Something urgent came up at the company," B
Sandra arrived almost immediately. She rushed to the operating room doors and raised her hand to strike someone. "Isolde, you clingy, shameless bitch! What did you do to Alan? We're about to get married, and you still dare mess with him? Do you have no dignity at all?"Isolde caught her wrist with
"Alan, you still can't let go of Isolde, can you?" Sandra choked, her voice trembling. "When you're drunk, you go looking for her to make things right. Maybe we should cancel the wedding. You can go to her. I… I honestly don't care what happens to me…"As she spoke, she lowered her head. Her gaze d
Alan had run all over Rosta for Isolde, poured in 150 million dollars, and stayed awake for two days and two nights. Yet this was what he received in return. She treated him with utter coldness.He wanted to question her, but all he could see was her resolute, indifferent back.She crossed the dis







