?Chapter 174:


    After ensuring Hailee was securely hidden, Elliana sealed the iron box and methodically camouged it with surrounding debris, rendering it invisible to casual observation.


    Elliana then retrieved the long ck overcoat she had strategically positioned earlier, slipped it on with practiced ease, and dashed out of the room like a shadow…


    Elliana burst out of her room and collided straight into another wave of armed men d in ck. They had been storming down the hall toward the staircase just outside her door, obeying orders from the masked man to reinforce the fight below.


    The moment their eyesnded on Elliana, their movements came to a sudden halt. “Why is she still alive?” one of them blurted, clearly shaken.


    In a heartbeat, their eyes flicked to the fallen bodies at her door and then to the weapon clenched in her grip. The truth hit them hard and fast.


    “She’s armed—and she’s already killed our people!” one of them warned, panic rising. But the warning came a breath toote.


    Without wasting a second, Elliana lifted both pistols and fired. The men at the front dropped before they could even raise their weapons.


    Bullets whizzed through the air as the rest scrambled to shoot back, but Elliana was already gone from sight, diving behind the nearest pir, their bullets hitting nothing but air.


    From the safety of cover, she twisted her body sharply and emerged on the other side. Her fingers tightened on both triggers. The synchronized shots tore through thest of the men with ruthless precision. As the final body hit the floor, silence swept through the corridor like a nket.


    A quick scan of her surroundings confirmed there were no more enemies left standing. Not pausing for long, she made her way toward Paige’s room. There was no forgetting Paige’s scheme. Paige had used Merritt to have her kidnapped. Whatever the plot was, it had included orchestrating her death. What she wanted now was to watch Paige’s expression when Paige found herself staring down the barrel of a gun. Would Paige panic? Would she break?


    Taking no chances, Elliana pressed herself t against the wall beside the doorway. Her fingers curled tighter around the pistols as she leaned in, listening for any sign of movement from inside the room. With a sharp kick, she sent the door swinging open. Her arms lifted in perfect sync, both pistols raised, her gaze scanning the room in an instant.


    There was no Paige. There were no armed men. Only Vivien remained, unconscious on the floor, her body limp and unmoving. Paige had already made her escape, leaving Vivien behind like discarded trash. Elliana stepped in carefully, kneeling to check Vivien for signs of life. A quick inspection told her Vivien had been sedated. A humorlessugh escaped her lips.


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    Elliana’s mind was set on wrecking the yacht and tracking down Paige to make sure Paige learned her lesson. With her ck trench coat flowing behind her and her pistols loaded, she swept through the corridors. One room at a time. One floor after another. All five levels would be cleared.


    Elsewhere, the fighting on the first floor hade to a temporary standstill.


    The ck-d men who had made it that far were all down. The aftermath left the ce in ruin. Blood pooled beneath shattered furniture. The walls were shredded by bullets. Smoke lingered in the air.


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