Vincent snatched the knife from the floor, its cold blade glinting in the light as he pushed himself up.

A fierce resolve burned in his eyes. What did it matter if he became disabled? All that mattered was saving Katelyn; he had promised to protect her with everything he had, after all.

Katelyn turned her head, pain twisting her features, her eyes wide with panic as she shook them in frantic denial.

“No, please, no.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks, each drop a sign of her torment.

The gunshot wound in Vincent’s shoulder was already a harsh reminder of his own fragility. The thought of injuring his hands, the very tools he needed to fight, sent a shiver through Katelyn.

However, he met her gaze, his expression calm and reassuring. His voice was soft, almost tender, as if he feared shattering her hope.

“I will get you out of here.”

In that moment, Neil’s grip finally loosened.

Katelyn slumped in the chair, her face pale as she gasped for air, desperate for life.

Neil had truly lost touch with reality. If he had just held on a moment longer, Katelyn might have suffocated in his madness.

Neil clapped his hands, a sly smile creeping across his face like a shadow.

“What a delightful scene! Without me, the villain, your love story would lose all its excitement.”

His laughter echoed in the room, but there was a cold edge to it that felt threatening.

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Lise’s expression shifted with every passing moment, dread coiling in her stomach as she faced Neil, who now seemed to completely lose it.

What if she became part of his twisted game as well? Slowly, she began to move toward the door, hoping to escape unnoticed.

Neil was savoring the chaos, like a predator toying with its prey. After a fit of laughter, his expression darkened, and his voice turned sharp.

“Hurry up and chop off your hands, and I’ll let you go!”

Vincent tightened his grip on the knife, fierce determination igniting in his heart.

The blade glimmered in the light, reflecting the resolve in his eyes as he prepared for what was to come.

Katelyn felt despair closing in around her, shaking her head frantically as she pleaded, “Vincent, please don’t! I’m begging you.”

Vincent smiled slowly, but his eyes remained steady. He pressed the blade against his wrist, the cold metal a stark reminder of what he was willing to do. With just a little pressure, the blade could slice through his skin.

Madness danced in Neil’s eyes as he relished the chaos about to unfold.

Tears began to fill Katelyn’s eyes, a rare sight for her. The last time she had cried was when Earl Poulos had died.

Just when it seemed all hope was lost, the door slammed open, and a dark , puffing out white smoke, was thrown into the room.

In an instant, the air filled with a thick cloud, blurring their vision.

As the smoke surrounded them, it triggered their tear ducts, forcing tears down their cheeks.

It was a tear gas grenade, meant to subdue tough opponents.

The powerful gas soon caused violent coughing fits among the group.

Before long, the room was filled with frantic coughs and wheezes as everyone struggled to breathe in the choking haze.

Neil struggled to breathe in the thick smoke, coughing violently as the fumes clawed at his lungs and blurred his vision. Panic gripped him as he stumbled, desperate to see through the haze.

“Who’s there? Who the hell are you?” His voice trembled with fear as he fumbled for the gun beside him. Just as his fingers wrapped around the cold metal, he felt a chill against his temple—the barrel of a gun, cool and threatening.

The room fell silent, the tension rising sharply. Fresh chapters posted on Find_Novel(.)net

Then the door burst open, flooding the space with fresh air that only slightly cut through the heavy smoke. A crowd rushed in, adding to the chaos.

Katelyn’s tears streamed down her face, blinding her as she fought to lift her head, desperate to catch a glimpse of what was happening. Vincent’s men had arrived.

Two of them quickly moved to her side, lifting her gently as they guided her toward the open air.

She glanced back, her heart easing when she saw Vincent right behind her, safe and unharmed.

They sat outside for what felt like an eternity, allowing the fresh air to soothe their burning eyes and throats.

Inside, Samuel, masked and calm, grabbed Neil by the arm and pulled him from the smoke-filled room, his gas mask concealing any trace of emotion.

Neil, despite being shackled and locked into the wheelchair, fought against the restraints, his face twisted in rage.

“Katelyn! Vincent! Don’t think for a second you’ve won. I’ll hunt you both down until my last breath. You’ll pay—both of you, in blood!”

Katelyn exhaled slowly, her chest rising and falling with a sigh full of exhaustion.

How had it come to this? She couldn’t pinpoint the moment when everything between them had gone so horribly wrong.

Samuel pushed Neil closer, turning to Vincent. “Mr. Adams, what should we do with him? Mr. Adams?” He called twice, his voice growing louder, but Vincent, slumped in his chair, gave no sign he’d heard.

“Vincent!”

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