Katelyn remained silent afterward.

After dropping Katelyn off at her place, Jaxen turned his car around and headed back to his own apartment. As soon as he arrived, he began to delve into Lise’s history. This time, he felt a greater sense of control.

Later that night, at the hospital, Neil, who was presumed to be soundly asleep, slowly opened his eyes. They showed no sign of fatigue, only a sharp, crystal-clear alertness. He sat up, detached the sensors, turned off the monitors, and climbed out of bed.

With a steely gaze, he picked up his phone and called his assistant.

“Send in the double,” he commanded in a low, authoritative tone.

“Yes, sir!” his assistant replied, as respectful as always.

An hour later, on the outskirts of Granville, in an abandoned and decaying factory, Neil sat in the heart of a crumbling slaughterhouse, dressed in a pitch-black suit, no longer in the hospital.

The sharp smell of blood and decaying meat permeated the air, almost overwhelming. His eyes were as sharp as blades, giving the impression that the god of death had come himself.

Suddenly, the factory doors creaked open. A figure with a black hood over her head was forcibly brought inside. She struggled fiercely, screaming, “Let me go! If my darling finds out, he’ll make you regret this!”

This person was Lise, whom Neil had earlier dismissed.

Once her hood was removed, she squinted against the harsh light flooding her eyes. After adjusting, her gaze fixed on Neil. Her expression turned to one of shock.

“Honey, is that you? You scared me to death!” A smile of relief spread across her face, and she moved to embrace him.

But… The sturdy men behind her held her back, not loosening their grip.

She turned and glared at them, her voice piercing as she commanded, “Let me go! Can’t you see my honey is here? Do you all have a death wish or what?!”

She issued commands as though she ruled over them. Yet, the men stood unmoved, their expressions rigid.

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For the first time, a sense of unease began to dawn on Lise. She looked back at Neil, noticing that he appeared far less ill than at the hospital. There was no sign of the paleness or weakness typical of someone near death. Instead, he looked remarkably healthy.

Swallowing hard, her anxiety tinged with a foreboding sense, she forced a smile and said, “Honey, you’re looking better, aren’t you? That’s wonderful.”

At Neil’s subtle nod, the men released her.

Her face brightened with joy as she rushed towards Neil.

Then…

Bang!

With an unexpected surge of strength, Neil kicked Lise with force, sending her sprawling. Lise cried out as her body was flung backward. She hit the floor, kicking up a cloud of dust around her.

Clutching her abdomen where Neil had kicked her, Lise looked up at him in disbelief and murmured softly, “Neil, your legs…”

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