"If you had any brains at all," Justin said coldly, "theboratory at Domere Mountain wouldn''t have been wiped out. Don''t you think you should pay for such a foolish failure?"


    "Remy was the one who betrayed you... not me..." Sheryl rasped, clutching the sheets tightly. "What did that fucking incident have to do with me? Isn''t this... all because of your own arrogance... your blind confidence in yourself?


    "If you hadn''t trusted him so much... If you''d listened to me and gotten rid of him earlier... things wouldn''t have turned out like this, would they?"


    The words poured out, carrying all the resentment she had buried for so long. She had endured everything in silence, believing that if she gave him her loyalty, he would at least grant her a dignified end.


    She had been wrong.


    Everything had been a one-sided delusion. She had been used, manipted, drained of all value, then discarded like trash.


    She was a fool. Aplete fool!


    "Say whatever you like," Justin replied indifferently. "I won''t be angry."


    He pulled out the King of Spades from his pocket, brushing his finger over the gold- stamped letter as though savoring it. A twisted glint flickered in his eyes, as if the card itself held some deeper, perverse meaning—as if it was his lover.


    "I won''t be angry," he continued, "because I''ve already achieved what I set out to do. After tonight, every obstacle in my path will be gone. No one will be able to threaten me anymore."


    His voice grew darker, almost feverish. "Soon, it won''t just be Beckett Group. The entire Sna City will be at my feet!"


    Hisposure cracked, and he broke into unrestrained, manicughter. The polished, gentlemanly face he wore so effortlessly shattered, revealing the cruel, bloodthirsty monster beneath.


    "Then... what am I to you?" Tears streamed down Sheryl''s face, but she refused to look away. She pressed him, desperate for an answer that made sense. As much as she loathed the man standing before her, she couldn''t stomach the reality of being heartlessly discarded yet again—especially not by Jasper''s brother.


    "Who are you to me?" Justin repeated, looking down at her with naked disdain. His voice was icy. "A pet. An obedient dog. A caged bird. You were never a human being."


    "Why, you—" Sheryl''s eyes burned red with fury.


    "The thought of any woman Jasper has touched disgusts me," Justin went on, his tone dripping with contempt. "Your past with him was the only reason even bothered to Save you. Serving me is a privilege. And yet you dared to imagine I''d see you as an equal?"


    Heughed. "How could you be so stupid and naive? How utterly ridiculous."


    Each word cut deeper than thest, tearing through what little remained of her resolve. She cried, her voicez breaking, "What about Alyss?? Isn''t She Jasper''s woman too. Theyve been together! They were even married! She carried his child once!


    "Why isn''t she tainted in your eyes? Why are you so obsessed with making her yours?"


    "How dare youpare yourself to Lyse?" He red at Sheryl. "No onepares to her. She''s the exception."


    Sheryl''s face fell.


    "Tonight will be yourst night here," Justin said tly. "Tomorrow morning, you''ll be sent out of Sna City. You''re never to return."


    Before he could finish, Sheryl


    suddenly moved. With thest shred of strength left in her battered body, she pushed herself up from the bed and lunged at him with a hoarse scream.


    It happened so fast that Justin had no time to react.


    Extreme anger and despair had a way of unleashing a dormant, supernatural strength.


    A split secondter, a blood-curdling scream tore through the night, deafening and


    raw.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!