Katelyn froze, her eyes fixed on Neil, disbelief spreading across her face.

Slumped in his wheelchair, with that twisted smile, he looked completely out of his mind. How had Neil turned into this?

Her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

“Neil, you’re disgusting! How could you even ask for something like that?” she snapped.

Neil’s eyes gleamed with something dark and mocking, as if he enjoyed watching her anger.

At that moment, the lives of both people standing before him seemed worthless, like they were nothing more than s.

The cold muzzle of his gun pressed hard against Katelyn’s head.

“I’m only like this because you made me,” Neil hissed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “You should be thanking me. I’m giving you a chance to see who he really is.”

Katelyn’s face burned with rage, her words cutting like ice.

“You’ve lost it, Neil. You need help.”

Neil leaned forward, his voice a low growl.

“If I’m going down, I’m taking both of you with me.”

Neil’s final words came out in a near scream, his voice shaking with anger so fierce it seemed to ripple through his whole body.

No one could grasp the level of hopelessness he felt when the doctor told him post-surgery that he might never be able to walk again. The words had crushed him.

He had been the golden child—president of the Wheeler Group. How could he, of all people, be stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of his life? Updates are released by fι?dnοvel.net

His face twisted into a crazed expression, something wild flickering in his eyes. Even Lise, standing next to him, shifted slightly, a trace of fear creeping into her expression as she watched him.

This wasn’t the Neil anyone recognized. This version of him was terrifying.

Vincent stared at the knife on the floor, his expression hard to read. His face was calm, but something dark was hidden behind his eyes. No one knew what he might do next.

Neil let out a sneer, his lips pulling into a cruel smile.

“All you have to do is follow my demand, and I’ll let you both go. One pair of hands in exchange for her life. That sounds fair, right?”

He laughed again, the sound sharp and cold, before adding, “Or you can walk away now. But don’t forget—you’ll never see Katelyn again.”

The choice was clear, but it offered nothing good. It was up to Vincent to decide which path to take.

Neil, now crippled and filled with bitterness, wanted Vincent to be as broken and useless as he was.

Katelyn didn’t hesitate. “I’m the one who ruined your legs. I knew what would happen the second I fired that gun. This is my fault, and no one else should suffer for it.” Her eyes flicked to Vincent, silently begging him to go before it was too late.

Neil hated her more than ever, but that hatred was cold and deliberate. He wouldn’t kill her right away; he wanted her to suffer, painfully. Vincent, though, was in real danger.

He couldn’t stay—not with the gunshot wound slowing him down and the growing threat in Neil’s eyes.

Vincent’s stare dropped to the knife and then back to Katelyn. The promise he made to protect her weighed heavily on him. He couldn’t break it.

Neil suddenly jammed the gun under Katelyn’s chin, forcing her to lift her head.

“I’ve never understood,” he hissed, his voice low and sharp. “I was just as outstanding, yet you dropped me so fast and ran to him? Did nothing we had matter to you?” His words were soaked in bitterness, each one filled with hurt and anger.

His hand clamped around her throat, tight enough to make her breathing come in short, painful gasps. Her face turned red as the air slipped away, her chest burning for oxygen.

On her toes, Katelyn struggled, trying to ease the pressure on her neck. But no matter how much she fought, Neil’s grip didn’t budge. Despite the choking pain, she didn’t look away. Her eyes stayed locked on his, steady and unafraid.

“Because you never deserved my love,” she said, her voice strained but firm. “Being with you was the biggest mistake I ever made.”

Neil’s eyes, bloodshot and wild, narrowed with fury. “And him?” he spat, his face twisted in anger.

Numerous sleepless nights ever since the incident now showed in the redness around his eyes, a sign of the torment he had endured since that day.

“Does he deserve everything?” Neil’s voice shook with rage. “I thought about forgiving you, Katelyn. I really did. But you never know what’s good for you,” he snarled, his hatred pouring out with every word.

His mind seemed to crack right in front of her, a dangerous look crossing his face.

One part of him wanted to end her life right there, but the other part seemed to want her to suffer a slow and painful death.

The two desires collided in his mind, feeding his frustration. Neil’s hand tightened around her throat as his anger intensified.

His legs may have been useless, but his arms were still strong enough to hurt her.

Katelyn’s feet lifted off the ground as she dangled in his grip, struggling to breathe. Her vision blurred, the room spinning as the lack of air pulled her toward unconsciousness.

Just when she thought she might black out, Vincent’s voice rang out, clear and commanding. “Let her go!”

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