로그인Go back with him to Shandor?
But he was from the Lawrence family!
Candice’s nerves tightened instinctively. Her whole being resisted anything related to the Lawrence family. Before Charlie could speak, she hurriedly replied,
“Thank you for your concern, Mr. Lawrence, but I don’t want to leave Vanclyn. I don’t want to disrupt my current life.”
Her tone was firm, though it carried a trace of unease she tried hard to cover.
She was
Edward was more than happy to let go.However, he still had to convince this little "ancestor" to release her grip. He lowered his voice to coax her. "Gabrielle, let Brother go find you something to eat. How about letting Natasha stay with you for a while?"Gabrielle shook her head and only hugged him tighter."Don't you want chocolate, ice cream, or little cakes?" Edward tried to tempt her with her favorite snacks.But this time, even sweets held no sway over her.Edward was out of options. "Fine, forget it. I’ll do it. Natasha, go help Rex guard the door."Natasha nodded. "Understood."She turned quickly and walked toward the entrance, her stiff shoulders slowly beginning to relax. Edward stared at her back, his brow furrowed in faint confusion.Ollie’s gaze grew even colder, as if he wanted to freeze both Gabrielle and Edward into ice sculptures. Seeing Edward’s eyes lingering on the female bodyguard, he sn
Bang! Bang! Bang!The shots rang out in rapid succession, like a string of firecrackers with a lit fuse. What started as a single crack exploded into a relentless, unstoppable rhythm that shattered the silence of the enclosed cabin.Outside, the guards’ expressions twisted in horror. One man lunged forward, desperate to check the interior, but he hit the floor before he could even blink. A bullet had found its home directly between his eyes. He was dead before he felt the cold steel.No one else dared to offer up their head to the slaughter.Inside the cabin’s lounge, the scene was a tableau of carnage. Six men were sprawled across the floor in various states of ruin. Five were dead; the sixth clung to life, clutching a shattered arm and a mangled leg, his muffled screams filled with abyssal terror.The fear in the survivor's eyes was absolute.From the moment one of them had his weapon snatched away, the "Yama of Death" had begun swinging his scythe. They thought their reactions were
Edward looked at Gabrielle on the floor, his heart sinking even further.She had been unconscious ever since her finger was severed. Had they injected her with some strange sedative when they took her? Her wound had been bandaged, so it shouldn't be a case of excessive blood loss.Earlier, he had attempted to negotiate—offering himself as a replacement if they would stop hurting her—but these people were like robots. No matter what he said, they gave no response. From the moment Gabrielle was taken until now, not even a leader had shown their face.Edward shifted his gaze from the floor to Rex, who was sitting on the steps with a foul expression. *Hey, kid, any way to take them out?*Rex jerked his chin toward the front, back, left, and right.In three directions around the living area stood two masked gunmen each, six in total. Though their faces were hidden behind grotesque masks, the tension in their bodies was palpable. They were on
Dante opened his mouth to explain, but Charlie raised a hand to cut him off. "Show everyone the video.""This—" Dante hesitated, lowering his voice. "I think it’s better if we..."Charlie’s gaze turned sharp as a blade, instantly severing Dante’s protest. Left with no choice, Fletcher reluctantly took out his phone. By now, the surrounding guests had sensed from their expressions and hushed whispers that the situation was far more dire than initially thought.The crowd pressed in closer.Dante had his men project the video onto a large screen in the hall. Following Charlie’s lead, he said nothing and let the footage speak for itself. As the video played, gasps and sharp intakes of breath echoed through the room.Weren't they told only the two Lawrence sisters were in trouble? Why were so many people tied up? What on earth was going on?The guests were all people of significance; despite their shock, no one screa
Despite his internal resistance, Dante found himself with no choice but to concede. His voice was heavy as he spoke, "Mr. Clemens... you truly are thorough. Thank you for being so... considerate of my situation. We’ll do it your way."The words "thank you" sounded as if they were being ground between Dante’s teeth.Charlie remained impeccably mild and humble. "You're very welcome."Dante looked ready to suffer an internal hemorrhage on the spot.The others exchanged incredulous glances. *Wait, he surrendered just like that? Is Mr. Fletcher's resolve really that fragile?*In the world of power, a "strong dragon" usually struggles to suppress a "local snake" on its own turf. When Charlie made his demand, everyone had broken into a cold sweat. What if Dante flipped the table? Even if he didn't, why would he hand over his authority so easily?Only now, watching Charlie navigate the man with a mix of coaxing, misdirection, and veiled
Candice leaned in to get a closer look. Sophia, Bianca, and Jerry also stood up and crowded around.The video showed a lavishly decorated hall. Several people were sitting on the steps and sofas; upon closer inspection, it was indeed Edward and the others. Every person in the frame had their hands and feet bound.* **Edward** sat on a long sofa, with **Ollie** beside him.* **Mike** was positioned slightly behind them on an armchair.* **Rex** sat on the steps in front of them.* **The female bodyguard** was seated on the carpet.All of them were expressionless. It was normal for the others to look grim, but Edward was the type of man who would still crack a joke even if his car was totaled and he had a hole in his chest. Despite the dire circumstances, they were still alive—this stoic silence simply wasn't his style."Where is Gabrielle?" Candice muttered.They scanned the screen and finally spotted a figure tucked under
Candice: Was he… mocking her for daydreaming?Jim chuckled even more cheerfully on the side.After breakfast, Jim drove them to the airport.Their destination: Shandor.Charlie and Candice took a flight to Shandor Airport, then continued by car to the resort.The resort was nestled deep in the moun
Candice took out her phone and added Darcy as a contact.Her smile was gentle, with a refreshing and soothing warmth. Though she was strikingly beautiful, the reserved grace in her demeanor made her seem approachable—deceptively so.Only those who truly knew her understood the underlying aloofness.
Candice raised an eyebrow.So it was her.Heh. So that old fox was playing this game, huh?Charlie walked over.Candice didn’t follow. Since they claimed this was a wine tasting, it’d look strange if she squeezed in to block drinks—and if she wasn’t careful and ended up being “recruited” as the ele
Although his smile remained and his tone sounded friendly, Candice felt a tingling chill crawling up her scalp.She was doomed.That reaction, combined with his dark under-eye circles from lack of sleep, spelled it out loud and clear—He. Had. Seen. It.Candice’s smile froze at the corners of her l







