?Chapter 962:


    I wed at my chest, each inhale a knife twist, sweat streaming down my face as I choked out, “My heart—it’s like… like it’s being stabbed by a thousand pins.”


    Her eyes widened in panic, her words shaking. “Is it that potion kicking in?”


    Gritting my teeth, sweat dripping in fat drops, I stubbornly denied, “It’s got to be… just a fluke. It can’t…”


    But before I could finish, another spasm hit, blurring my sight. Defiant, I fought to rise, refusing to surrender, and staggered toward the door again.


    Yet with my first step, a fresh wave crashed over me, plunging my vision into darkness.


    A scream tore from my throat, followed by a gush of blood that erupted from my mouth, sttering the floor in a vivid, horrifying stain. Jenny’s face drained of color as she lunged to hold me steady, crying, “It’s the potion, it has to be! Miss Nixon, if you leave now, you could die!”


    Her words struck like a sledgehammer, jolting me awake.


    Though every fiber of me rebelled, I froze, abandoning my n to snitch to Cody.


    As I stood still, the crippling pain ebbed away, fading into nothing.


    Left panting, drenched in fear, my thoughts spun wildly.


    Could that magic potion be real? Who was that man, anyway? Why concoct something so sinister?


    He couldn’t be some run-of-the-mill member of the Wizard n; no ordinary wizard could whip up a brew this freakish.


    Makenna’s POV:


    “Ah—I—”


    We were exchanging hushed whispers when, out of nowhere, a sharp, chilling scream pierced through from the adjacent room, breaking the stillness of the night and sending a jolt through my chest.


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    I stiffened, my voice trembling as I stammered, “That sound… could it be Evelyn?”


    Jett’s lips twitched into a faint smirk, a flicker of triumph in his gaze, as though he held all the strings. He replied with a slow, confident drawl, “Looks like Evelyn tried tattling to Cody about today’s incident, but too bad for her—the magic potion’s already kicked in.”


    “Is it really that strong?” I asked, disbelief washing over me, my pulse racing. I had known the potion was powerful, but its speed and intensity caught me off guard.


    Jett gave a casual nod, his demeanor unruffled.


    “Jett, you’re incredible! With this potion, Evelyn’s trapped in our hands,” I said, genuinely impressed.


    “Oh, it’s nothing,” Jett replied with a soft cough, brushing it off with a humble gesture, though his modesty felt rehearsed. “Just a small trick.”


    Nearby, Bryan’s patience was wearing thin. He rolled his eyes dramatically, his expression dripping with scorn.


    Jett caught the look instantly and shot Bryan a frosty stare, his lips curling into a taunting grin, daring him to push further.


    The air between them thickened with hostility, crackling with unspoken challenges, ready to erupt.


    Feeling powerless, I stepped in to defuse the situation. “It’ste,” I said. “I should get going.”


    With that, I turned to leave, but yton suddenly grabbed my arm, his grip tight, his eyes brimming with urgency. “Makenna, will you stay tonight?”


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