?Chapter 224:


    Frustrated beyond reason, I fished it out with a hook, nearly scalding myself in the process. I threw it to the floor, on the brink of madness. “Now, even a ne is defying me!”


    Molly, trembling, offered her reassurances. “Miss Harrison, don’t get so worked up. Let me take it. I’ll find someone to smash it to bits, and then we’ll send the pieces to that little bitch Makenna. She’ll regret crossing you!”


    Her words managed to bring me some semnce of calm. I tossed the ne at Molly, my voice a sharp edge. “Don’t screw up such a simple task!”


    “I won’t, I promise!” Molly bobbed her head eagerly, retreating with the ne in hand.


    Makenna’s POV:


    Alice filled me in on thetest buzz about women being trafficked in the red-light district, and she seemed to revel in the scandal.


    “Now that the rumors are all over the ce, Kristina must be losing her mind!” she said.


    Seeing her enjoyment, I couldn’t help butugh. I gave Alice a thumbs up and praised, “You’re incredibly reliable and efficient!”


    “Of course!” Alice replied, her chin lifted with pride. “My family owns a few bars, so when ites to spreading messages, we’re lightning fast. With enough cash, those street thugs can have rumors circting within three days, and no one will trace the source. Kristina won’t stand a chance of finding out who’s behind it.”


    Her words filled me with gratitude. I remembered what Alice had once shared about her family.


    Alice’s family owned several bars in the city and were quite well-off. She was a youngdy of means. Unfortunately, her father was a notorious phnderer with numerous wives and children scattered around. Alice was the neglected one, and in his pursuit of profit, her father had sent her to the pce as a sex ve.


    Despite her background, Alice was decisive and passionate. She had cut ties with her family after their heartless actions, but she still reached out to her family’s contacts to help me. The catch was, those contacts were money-driven and wouldn’t move a finger without payment.


    Every tale finds a home at g?lnσν???s


    To secure their services, we had decided to get the bonuses by passing the assessment. Thinking of all this, I felt a swell of emotion and was deeply thankful to Alice.


    “Alice, I’m so grateful to have you as a friend,” I said, taking her hand sincerely, my voice thick with emotion. “I don’t know what I would have done without you.”


    “There’s no need for formalities between us,” Alice said, giving my hand a reassuring pat with a warm, genuine smile. “I’m d to help. I’ve had it in for Kristina for a while. She’s always throwing her weight around, and who knows if she’de after me next.”


    Alice’s righteous indignation made me smile, but she had a point.


    Given our close ties, if Kristina couldn’t get to me, she might very well turn her attention to Alice. I couldn’t let that happen. I vowed to protect my only friend at all costs.


    “I’ll make sure to protect you, no matter what. Kristina won’ty a finger on you,” I promised, my voice earnest.


    “Alright, alright, I get it,” Alice said, slightly embarrassed by my seriousness. She cleared her throat and quickly changed the topic. “But you shouldn’t just thank me.”


    She gave me a mischievous wink, her eyes glinting with gossip. “The real thanks should go to Prince yton. Without him, I wouldn’t have been able to leave the pce so smoothly and get these rumors circting.”


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