With that thought, Cassius pulled the dagger out and raised it high.


    "Brother, wait!" Thaddeus shouted, his eyes fixed on Hans, who still showed no intention of fighting back. "He''s still your brother! Don''t do it!"


    "Brother...?" The memory of Hubery Ashbourne, lost in the ne crash, sent a sharp pain through Cassius''s heart. "Even if he is my brother, he has chosen to side with a demon. He has willingly fallen. There is nothing left between us!"


    His words fell, and so did his hand, the de descending.


    "Brother! No!" Thaddeus cried out.


    In the next second, Hans caught the de with his bare hand, gripping it tightly.


    Blood dripped to the ground.


    An agonizing pain shot through Cassius''s heart. He cherished his family above all else, yet here he was, the one to strike the first blow, spilling his own brother''s


    blood.


    "I didn''te here to stop you," Hans gasped, his eyes meeting Cassius''s reddened gaze. He spoke in a low voice, just loud enough for the two of them to hear. "But I have to stop you. Those are my orders."


    Cassius stared at him in disbelief. "Why...?"


    “Because I belong to Sir. I have no choice. This is the only way." Hans slowly turned his head to look at Thaddeus. "Go. Now."


    ...


    After watching them leave, Hans walked alone through the alley, his steps heavy, his expression grim.


    Had he made the right choice? Failing this mission might mean being sent to that hospital as another test subject, or Sir might simply kill him. But he had no regrets.


    He didn''t know if he was really the Hubery the Ashbournes were searching for Maybe he was just man who happened to look like him. His help could have been a mistake, a one-sided act of goodwill...


    Suddenly, Hans stopped. A group of masked men in ck stood a short distance ahead. His eyes narrowed. These were not Sir''s men, nor were they from the Ashbourne family. It was a third party. ''


    "Get him!" one of them ordered, and they all charged.


    After a brutal fight, Hans took down several of them, but he was badly injured. These men were well-trained and prepared, determined to kill him.


    He couldn''t afford to keep fighting. He broke into a sprint, the assassins hot on his heels.


    From the alley to the main street, passersby stared in horror at the blood-soaked


    man.


    Suddenly, Hans saw a luxury car parked in front of a shop, a woman sitting inside. He gritted his teeth, ran over, yanked the door open, and threw himself inside mming the door and locking


    "You..."


    "Don''t move, and don''t make a sound!" Hans didn''t have time to see the woman''s


    face. He mped a hand over her mouth and pinned her against the seat.


    At that moment, several assassins ran past the car.


    "He''s gone!"


    "Check that way! Split up! The boss wants him dead!"


    The voices and footsteps outside faded away.


    Hans let out a breath of relief and finally looked at the woman''s face.


    She was middle-aged, elegant and beautiful. Her moist eyes were fixed on him, growing redder by the second. There was no fear in them, only a deep, profound pain and sorrow.