Betrayed, Then Back For Blood

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Reece and Hamish had just lifted their cup, ready to take a sip, when the words reached their ears. The sex that

went down almost cright back up.

Coughing, Hamish shot Briar a thumbs-up, his admiration sincere. “Priar, your love for Ashton is truly one of a

kind!”

Reece, meanwhile, cast Ashton a look that hovered somewhere between envy and pity. “Ashton, it looks Per Briar

will love you deeply for the rest of her life. And when you die, she'll love you even more

Reece and Hamish thought, ‘Of course she would. She would love Ashton enough to split open extract the bones

one by one, and carefully preserve them as a specimen.

his

corpse

‘Maybe she’d even hang the skeleton in her bedroom, and talk to it every day.

‘Hiss-just imagining it was enough to make one’s scalp prickle!

Completely unaware of the scenes they had conjured in their minds, Briar remained utterly absorbed in the data

scrolling across her micro-computer screen. Their conversation washed over her as though it didn’t exist at all.

But only Briar knew how distracting Ashton’s searing, probing gaze had become.

In the end, she could only hesitate, then reluctantly turned her head to meet Ashton’s eyes. “Hubby, don’t look

atlike that.”

The corner of Ashton Wade's eye twitched violently. She had called him “hubby” in front of everyone. It seemed

that the girl was truly flustered.

Ashton pondered, ‘Was she afraid I'd press for details? That's very interesting

Ashton felt a pang of jealousy, wondering what kind of dazzlingly handsmen those thirty-seven skeletons

Briar had hidden away once belonged to.

Yet, in the end, Ashton said nothing. He only reached out, pulled her into his arms, and lowered his head so that

his cheek brushed lightly against the curve of Briar's neck. “Alright, | won't ask anymore.”

‘Not asking didn’t mean | couldn't investigate in secret! Ashton thought.

Briar remained expressionless, enduring the teasing, knowing glances that accused them of shamelessly

flaunting their affection.

Even Alexia and Alex, the bona fide young lovers in the group, couldn't bear to watch and scooted a little farther

away.

Briar was speechless as she thought, ‘If it weren't just to shut Ashton up, | would never lower myself to such

humiliating public displays of affection.

Half an hour slipped by in no time.

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Chapter 288

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In the final minute before the explosion, Brandon and fan dragged Harith Lopez out, battered, broken, and

unconscious. Without hesitation, they tossed him into the open ground outside the courtyard.

The area had already been cleared, so when Hairth’s body exploded in front of everyone, it didn’t cause much of

a commotion, aside from the unpleasant sight of flesh and blood scattering in all directions.

Reece volunteered to handle the aftermath. He pulled out his phone and instructed his men to call a cleaning

crew.

Brandon, meanwhile, removed the memory card from the camera and handed it to Briar. “Young Madam, this

contains the full record of Harith Lopez's interrogation. Please review it.”

In truth, everyone had already watched the full interrogation of Harith Lopez on Briar's mini-computer. Watching

it again was less about curiosity and more about the slim hope of uncovering soverlooked detail.

“Alright, good work.” Briar took the memory card, inserted it into her computer, and pulled up the footage. She

set the device on the low table in the centre of the room so that everyone could see.

The image was crystal clear. Too clear. The scenes were brutal, the sounds raw and bloody. Yet no one looked

away. This was their only path to any real clue from Harith.

Unfortunately, despite Brandon and lan’s seamless, merciless interrogation, Harith had little to reveal. As for the

true mastermind behind him, the hidden boss, he had chosen silence. Silence to the death.

“Damn it! How is this bastard so tight-lipped? He's still not talking?” Reece exclaimed.

Even after watching the footage twice, Reece, who was no stranger to ruthlessness, felt his skin crawl at the

interrogation methods he had just witnessed.

And yet, Harith had endured it all, giving up nothing. Not a single word. That alone, Reece had to admit,

deserved a measure of respect.

Hamish stroked his chin thoughtfully. “If Harith refused to reveal the mastermind’s identity even at that point,

doesn’t that in itself suggest just how powerful the man must be?

“Powerful enough that even on the brink of death, he wouldn't dare utter a single word.” Reece nodded,

conceding the logic.

Ashton also agreed, “Exactly. For someone to terrify a man as fearless as Harith, what level of power do you

think they have?”

No one needed further explanation. Everyone present was a veteran at reading between the lines. They

immediately understood the implication of Ashton’s words.

Alexia glanced worriedly at Briar before asking Ashton, “If this man is really that formidable, then what do we

do? If we can’t beat him, won't he simply turn the tables and wipe us out?”

It hasn't been easy for Briar to make it this far.

If Ashton’s suspicion was right, that the mastermind was truly too exalted to touch, then the consequences for

6:04 Sat, Sep 27 A

Chapter 288

Briar would be devastating.

Briar scoffed nonchalantly. “Kill me? They'll never get the chance.

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Her words, laced with cold indifference and quiet arrogance, left a faint unease in the hearts of those present

Ashton pulled Briar closer into his arms, his gaze softening with warmth as he murmured, “You're right. They'll

never have that chance.”

Before, Ashton had been unsure who Briar’s true enemy was-the one who had killed her mother. That

uncertainty had left her vulnerable. But now that the target was clear, there was no reason to hold back

His father’s warning had not only guided him toward where to dig, but also reminded him of something deeper-t

-the unshakable stance of the Wade family.

Ashton’s words might have been few, but the meaning beneath them was unmistakable. He would protect Briar

to the very end.

Hamish and Reece exchanged a glance, and in each other's eyes, they saw a knowing smile.

To shield his beloved, even to the point of angering all under heaven-this was Ashton.

Hamish chuckled, “Don’t forget, with the Wade family’s place in Shoneport, even the highest powers in Dasmicca

wouldn't dare cross them directly.”

Reece chimed in with confidence, “Exactly. Not to mention, you'll have the support of both my family and

Hamish’s. Rest assured, this won't be hard to handle.”

Jan leaned back against the sofa with his arms crossed, his face solemn. “If that’s the case, we can get revenge

for Briar soon! Right, Ashton?”

But his words had a disingenuous tone.

Ashton glanced at lan briefly. Just as he was about to speak, the sound of engines rumbled through the

courtyard. Shouts and cries erupted one after another.

His gaze shifted, landing squarely on Reece. “Have your men gotten this timid?”

Reece's lips twitched. “After a blast like that, who wouldn't be shaken by the sight?”

With that, he rose, straightened his jacket, and strode toward the door. “I'll go supervise them myself. You all

continue.”

Chapter 289