?Chapter 171:


    Suddenly, Cole’s voice shattered the stillness, t and utterly devoid of warmth. “Merritt, I’ll ask you one more time. Did you really kill Elliana?”


    Oblivious to the danger, Merritt nodded without hesitation. “Yes, Mr. Evans. Everything’s been taken care of. You have nothing to worry about—there won’t be any trouble.”


    As soon as the words left Merritt’s mouth, Cole’s lips twisted into a cold, mocking smile.


    That single smile seemed to suck all the warmth from the room, plunging the hall into an arctic chill.


    “No one was more dear to me than she was. No matter how much trouble she caused, or how boldly she acted, I could never bring myself toy a hand on her. Even when she was in the wrong, I’d go out of my way tofort her, not scold her. But you? You actually tossed her into the sea like garbage—like she was nothing? You had the nerve to throw away someone so irreceable?” Cole’s tone stayed icy and measured, every word slicing through the tension.


    Merritt stood frozen,pletely stunned by Cole’s confession. Was Elliana genuinely the one Cole loved above all? No matter her actions, he couldn’t bring himself toy a hand on her?


    Those words spun in Merritt’s head, each one hammering in the truth until it finally hit him. Murdering the wrong person had nailed shut the lid on his fate. That fucking Paige!


    “Mr. Evans…” Merritt stuttered, his voice trembling, but he couldn’t string together another word. For years, he’d ruled Ublento’s criminal underworld, but he’d never…


    No one ever dared to challenge Cole, especially not with An, Merlin, and Manley present to back him up.


    Meanwhile, tucked away behind the surveince monitors, Paige could barely process what she was hearing. Her mind wentpletely nk. What the hell was going on? Didn’t Cole say earlier that Elliana was only worth a coin to him? Why, all of a sudden, was Elliana the woman he cared about most? How could ugly, ordinary Elliana inspire this kind of fierce devotion from Cole?


    In the next room, Elliana’sshes trembled, her pulse racing as Cole’s deration echoed in her mind—she was the person he cherished above all. That sent a flood of emotion through her, leaving her shaken and breathless. It was infuriating. She had already decided not to want him, yet here he was, shattering her resolve in one reckless moment. What was she supposed to do?


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    No matter how she tried to harden her heart, every instinct screamed at her not to push Cole away—not now, not after hearing those words. Hailee, catching Elliana’s dazed, smoldering stare at Cole, nearly blurted out her amazement but thought better of it. She swallowed her words, shrinking back as the tension in the hall coiled even tighter, like a storm about to break.


    Desperation twisted Merritt’s features. “Mr. Evans, this is all a huge misunderstanding—please, you have to believe me!”


    Cole’s re burned hot with barely controlled fury, his bloodshot eyes boring into Merritt. “Merritt, I’ll make sure your blood spills for her sake. You’ll pay with your life!”


    “Mr. Evans… Ah!” Merritt’s voice broke into a frantic wail.


    Before Merritt could get another word out, Cole flicked his wrist, sending the coin at his fingertips flying like a bullet. In a blink, it tore through the air and struck Merritt squarely in the forehead.


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