?Chapter 829:


    For a split second, my resolve wavered. Escape wasn’t on the menu today—that much was clear. Taking a deep breath, I wrestled down my anger, opened the car door, and stepped out to face Antoni. My voice was steady, but the fire inside me was impossible to hide.


    “Alright, Antoni, cut to the chase. What do you want?”


    Antoni’s grin stretched wide, wicked and dripping with malice. “Oh, Makenna,” he cooed, his voice as slimy as a snake’s. “The moment I caught wind of you, I dropped everything toe running. As for what I want…”


    He let the sentence hang in the air, his smile twisting into something even darker. “Isn’t it obvious?”


    My stomach churned. Antoni’s endgame had always been clear—to turn my life into an endless nightmare. Even as cold sweat slicked my palms, I stood my ground, my chin high and defiant.


    “This is between us, Antoni. Leave him out of it. He’s got nothing to do with your twisted grudge.”


    Antoni sneered, his eyes brimming with mockery. “Oh, ying the saint now, are we? Spare me the act, Makenna. If you’re so noble, why didn’t you show Molly any mercy back then? Why did you drive her to her death?”


    The mention of Molly sent a chilling wave through the air. His re was sharp enough to cut, filled with a murderous rage that seemed to burn hotter with every word.


    I held my ground, meeting his fury with icy calm. “Molly’s death was her choice, Antoni. It had nothing to do with me. It was the king who ordered her execution. So why are you pointing fingers at me instead of confronting the king? What’s the truth here? Am I really the one to me, or are you just too much of a coward to face the king?”


    The color drained from Antoni’s face, his expression twisting into something feral. His voice erupted, raw and unhinged.


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    “Shut up! You don’t know a damn thing!”


    His anger boiled over, and with a quick wave of his hand, he grabbed Jett’s roommate by the neck, lifting him clean off the ground.


    Jett’s roommate turned red in an instant, his legs iling wildly as he gasped and wed at Antoni’s iron grip.


    Antoni’s eyes locked onto mine, zing with fury. “Enough games!” he bellowed.


    “You’ve got one choice, Makenna. Either you die, or he does!”


    Makenna’s POV:


    I stared coldly at Antoni, realizing that his hatred had driven him mad.


    Despite Leonardo’s orders confining his movements and the risk involved if he was caught by the three princes, he still dragged a hostage to confront me recklessly.


    It seemed that Antoni and I were finally going to settle this once and for all tonight.


    Calmly, I said, “Take me and let him go.”


    Antoni was visibly taken aback by my choice. However, his surprise didn’tst long as he smiled sinisterly and said, “You’re truly kind-hearted, Makenna. You still think about saving others even while staring death in the face. I hope your kindness serves you well in hell!”


    Hisst words were spat out with undiluted malice.


    “Don’t do this,” Jett said, tightly grabbing my arm.


    I turned to him and gave him a meaningful look.


    Taking my meaning, Jett reluctantly let go of my arm.


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