Elsie heard it clearly.


    But her mind and body felt disconnected, unable to respond.


    "Go on, hurry up." Avery urged, his eyes gradually turning cold.


    Stiffly, Elsie rose to her feet, trembling lightly, her dress damp with sweat. She was alive, yet felt she had died over and over again. She walked towards Tom, taking just a few steps that felt like a lifetime.


    Tom''s hands were tied, and he supported himself with his head bowed, shaking as he knelt before her. From the moment he was captured, he knew he wouldn''t survive, but he refused to die a broken man; he wanted to die with dignity.


    Harvey stepped forward, taking Elsie''s cold hand in his, and ced a gun in her grip, forcefully curling her fingers around the handle.


    With blood covering his face, Tom smiled gently at her, as ifforting her. Elsie closed her tear-filled eyes; the basement felt like a ughterhouse for her heart.


    Suddenly, her pupils contracted-Tom''s left eye was beaten into a bloody mess, leaving only his right eye. Others might not notice, but to Elsie, his right eye seemed to blink rhythmically.


    In an instant, Elsie realized.


    It was Morse code!


    Trembling fingers pointed to her side, as she memorized his unspoken words with each blink of Tom''s eye.


    "Ellie, do it. Don''t upset Mr. Chambers," Harvey said, his gazeplex as he watched her.


    Slowly, Elsie raised her hand, pointing the gun at Tom. She gasped for air, tears ready to fall, unable to pull the trigger. For a moment, she even wished to kill herself.


    Just as everyone''s attention focused on Elsie, Tom, who had been kneeling on the ground, suddenly stood up, using all his strength to violently push Elsie away!


    Elsie staggered back, caught by Harvey''s quick reflexes.


    "Avery, you beast! Go to hell!"


    Tom red with eyes drenched in crimson blood, pouncing on Avery like an enraged lion, faster than any of his henchmen could react!


    These henchmen had undergone professional training and shouldn''t have been so slow to react, including Harvey. However, they were caught off guard!


    They never expected someone tormented to near-death to have such a strong burst of energy!


    Even Avery was unprepared, his ss of wine crashing to the floor.


    The next second, he opened his mouth wide, letting out a heart-wrenching scream:


    "Ah!"


    Tom''s eyes zing with fury, sank his teeth into Avery''s left ear with ferocity!


    "Mr. Chambers!" Everyone panicked, unsure of what to do.


    In a rage, Harvey lifted his gun and fired three shots into Tom''s back!


    No!!


    Elsie couldn''t restrain herself any longer; tears gushed out uncontrobly.


    Silence fell over the basement. Tom, lying atop Avery, finally copsed, his body limp.


    Harvey, sweating profusely, rushed to Avery''s side. "Mr. Chambers, are you alright?"


    The next moment, he was shocked to see that Avery''s left ear was mangled, a piece of flesh missing from the tip, making his scalp tingle!


    "Call-call a doctor, quick!"


    Avery, pale and distorted with pain, roared ferociously, "Chop him to pieces, feed him to the dogs!"


    Due to his severe injuries requiring stitches, Avery was rushed to the hospital. Harvey stayed in the basement to deal with Tom''s body.


    "Harvey, let them leave. I need to speak with you." Elsie stared at Tom''s peaceful face, her longshes frozen in ce without blinking.


    Seeing her exhausted face on the verge of breaking down, Harvey''s emotions wereplicated. He ordered the others to leave first.


    "Harv." Elsie''s voice trembled.


    Harvey''s heart skipped a beat, his usually dark gaze turning warm. "Ellie, it''s been years since you called me that."


    "Harv, can you please leave Tom''s body whole?" Elsie''s tone was almost pleading.


    "You''re stubborn to the point of obstinance!" Harvey advanced anxiously, grasping her slender shoulders. "He was your aplice, wasn''t he? Do you know Mr. Chambers suspected you? Luckily, he didn''t spill anything before going berserk, giving me a chance to take him out. If he had said anything against you, how much better do you think your fate would be than his?"


    Elsie looked at the man who cared for her, her heart burning with hatred. Avery was the devil, and Harvey, his vicious aplice!


    The man who had just fired three shots at Tom was now shamelessly acting as if he had done it all for her sake, which made her sick!


    "And now you want to keep his body? If Mr. Chambers finds out."


    "Then let''s not let him know," Elsie said firmly, yet her voice soft. "Tom has always been kind to me, treating me like a sister. His death ultimately was because of me. Harv, I''ve never asked you for anything. Can you just do this for me? I know you can do it."


    Harvey, moved by her tearful plea, sighed in resignation. "Alright, I promise you." "Thank you."


    "But you must also promise me, don''t think about plotting against Mr. Chambers anymore. Don''t have any more crooked ideas!"


    Harvey pulled her close into his arms, his heartbeat quickening. "I know you''ve suffered a lot. Once Mr. Chambers fully controls the Chambers Group and the new drug is sessfullyunched, you''ll be able to leave The Velvet Haven for good. Our better days are ahead!"


    Elsie, thinking of Tom''s death, felt her heart nearly burst with grief. "Then when will the new drug finally be ready?"


    "Soon, very soon," Harvey murmured repeatedly in her ear.