?Chapter 241:


    Marissa’s name nearly slipped from Derek’s mouth, but he quickly caught himself and fell silent. He dared not reveal his ties to Marissa


    After a moment’s hesitation, he added, “I mean, what reason would a formidable figure like ck Snake have to injure a nobody like me? I’ve never crossed paths with ck Snake.”


    Aelfric shifted his gaze indifferently from Derek and focused on the circr de between his fingers. “As I mentioned earlier, ck Snake’s intent wasn’t to harm you but to stir chaos.”


    A lightbulb seemed to go off in Neil’s head. “Ah, now I see! ck Snake infiltrated the engagement party and injured Derek in order to assassinate Connor amid the chaos.”


    Aelfric nodded, confirming Neil’s deduction. “Exactly.”


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    Neil’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “ck Snake truly lives up to their reputation. Entering a Daniels family’s event unnoticed and nearly seeding in killing Connor—ck Snake is indeed incredibly formidable.”


    Aelfric exhaled deeply. “Regrettably, ck Snake did not seed.”


    Neil’s smile widened. “Since ck Snake epted Amiri’s mission, they have toplete it. They won’t rest until the deed is done; it’s the rule. Soon, ck Snake will triumphantly present Connor’s head. We just need to be patient.”


    Aelfric’s lips twitched slightly, hinting at a smile. ck Snake might have failed this time, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t seed again. Meanwhile, Derek was visibly rattled. “Are you certain this small de is ck Snake’s weapon, Aelfric?”


    “Without a doubt,” Aelfric affirmed. “This is ck Snake’s exclusive weapon, famous for its lethal efficiency. I’m sure of it.”


    Derek broke into a cold sweat. This object was the same one Marissa had used to shave his head. If Aelfric was correct—if this indeed was ck Snake’s weapon—could it be that Marissa was the dreaded ck Snake? As he pieced together Marissa’s potential double life, Derek’s knees buckled, and he copsed, his back drenched in sweat


    “Are you alright, Derek?” Neil asked, concern etching his features


    “I-I’m fine. Just a sudden leg cramp!” Derek managed to say, his voice shaking


    Neil nced at Derek with disdain, then turned away. He addressed Aelfric. “The pressing issue now remains Derek’s public image. His reputation is nosediving following this scandal. How do we rectify this?”


    The futures of their two families were intertwined, and with Aelfric’s sister set to marry Derek, Aelfric was motivated to restore Derek’s public standing


    After pondering for a moment, Aelfric replied, “We’ll enlist the Warren Group’s PR team. They’ll devise a strategy that’s sure to turn the tide.”


    “Thank you, Aelfric!” Neil’s smile returned, a sense of relief washing over him


    Aelfric wasn’t done yet. “One more thing. From now on, nobody is to confront Tiffany. I’m bringing her into our fold.”


    “Bring Tiffany into our fold?” Neil’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Why would you want to recruit someone as foolish as her?”


    “Because I believe she is Dr. Riss,” Aelfric exined


    “What?” Derek’s reaction was immediate and visceral. He leapt to his feet. “Are you serious? How can she be Dr. Riss?”


    He was already teetering on the edge, haunted by the thought that ck Snake might be Marissa. The possibility that she could also be Dr. Risspounded his distress. The twin revtions were too overwhelming for him to manage in such a brief period! He had abandoned her and crushed her reputation as though she meant nothing, but then he tried to threaten her into bing his mistress. How could a simple vige girl have these two astonishingly shocking identities?


    No, that was unthinkable, and he refused to believe it!


    Derek felt his head might just burst. Just as he felt he was about to go crazy, Aelfric spoke up again


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