?Chapter 964:


    He let out a lowugh and got up, walking toward her. “Come after me?” His tone was amused. “Ms. Russell, I told you the truth because, frankly, I don’t care. A leopard doesn’t lose sleep over a stray dog barking.”


    He stopped inches from her, leaning in until their eyes met. “You’ve got two options—cooperate, or don’t. But think hard. Can you really afford what ‘no’ will cost you?”


    A chill ran down her spine. This man wasn’t just dangerous—he was something else entirely. A predator. Calm, calcting, lethal. Worse than Amon ever was.


    He straightened, smooth andposed, as if none of this fazed him. “Of course, I won’t rush you. Take a week. Enough time to get your affairs in order… then join us.”


    He pressed a button on the wall. A towering man in ck stepped into the room.


    “Make sure Ms. Russell gets home safely.” Then he turned back to her, expression unreadable. “You’re not your mother, Ste. I know you will decide wisely.”


    Ste didn’t respond. She stood and walked out of the room, the towering man following close behind.


    The ride home was dead silent. Ste sat blindfolded—no idea where they were going. She could only sit there, reying everything over and over in her head. She didn’t even know that man’s name. And yet he’d just admitted it, told her to her face that he’d ordered her mother’s death—like it was nothing.


    He hadn’t even tried to hide who he was or what he wanted. That confidence—no, that arrogance—chilled her to the bone. He didn’t think she could touch him.


    When the car finally pulled up near her vi, Ste stumbled out, gulping the cool night air like she’d been underwater.


    “Ms. Russell.”


    The driver called after her, handing her a brand-new phone. “Boss says to use this to contact him. He’ll be waiting a week for your answer.”


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    Her hand shook as she took the phone.


    Back inside, the ce was quiet—William wasn’t home yet. She checked every room, making sure nothing was out of ce, then locked herself in her bedroom and copsed onto the bed.


    Then the dread hit her. Hard. Her body trembled as tears rolled down her cheeks. She couldn’t stop seeing that blond man’s face. His eyes… like they could see straight through her, like they could strip her bare with just a nce. She couldn’t run from him. Couldn’t hide from him.


    Then—a knock. Sharp and sudden.


    “Stel? It’s me.” William.


    She scrambled to the door and yanked it open. William stood there, his face drawn tight with worry. “Are you okay? You weren’t at the restaurant, and you weren’t taking your calls. It’s been over three hours!”


    He’d been on the verge of calling the police.


    Ste froze for a split second. Then she copsed into his arms, sobbing like she’d held it in for years.


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