Mara finally came to, her return to consciousness apanied by the cold, hard reality of the floor beneath her and an awkward
blush creeping across her cheeks.
Vivienne, having just finished checking Karen''s pupils for any irregrities, heard Mara stir and casually tossed her a
smartphone.
"Didn''t forget our chat fromst night, did you?"
Mara pushed herself upright, a thread of hope in her voice. "So, if | help you out, we''re square?"
Vivienne chuckled while adjusting Karen''s nket, her gaze still fixed on Mara. "You should get it straight, Mara. You''re helping
yourself.”
Mara paused, the warning in Vivienne''s words chilling her to the bone. She dropped to her knees, desperation quivering in her
voice. "Vivienne, please, I''m begging you. Save my brother. I''ll do anything, work day and night, anything at all. | had no choice!"
Vivienne perched herself on the edge of Karen''s bed, her eyes dancing with amusement at Mara''s plea. "And what exactly can
you offer me in terms of service?"
Mara bit her lip, words failing her.
Compared to Vivienne, she felt utterly powerless.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.
Watching Mara''s flustered attempts at negotiation, Vivienne lost interest in prolonging the conversation. "Keep your nose clean,
follow my instructions, and once your treatment is done, I''ll see to it that you keep your life."
Mara''s tears, unbidden, streamed down her face. "My brother''s stuck in some godforsaken asylum in M State, Vivienne. It''s a
loony bin! For the love of all that''s holy, he never did you wrong. Please, get him out. He''s all the family I''ve got left in this world!"
Vivienne nearlyughed at the absurdity of it all.
What did that have to do with her?
Was she expected to forgive and go out of her way to rescue Huxley just because he''d never crossed her?
Ridiculous.
Disinterested, Vivienne''s voice turned icy. "Do as | say, or not even you will make it out alive."
With those final words, she stood and left the room.
Mara slumped to the floor, a portrait of despair.
If Gillian found out she had betrayed her, Huxley''s fate was sealed. Yet, failing toply with Vivienne meant her own demise.
Mara was caught between a rock and a hard ce.
Wi, who had been watching the drama unfold with a detached curiosity, couldn''t fathom Mara''s hesitation.
In such dire straits, shouldn''t self-preservatione first?
Wi couldn''t understand it.
She thought, if it were her, she wouldn''t hesitate. Even if it meant choosing between her own life and Sasha Perez''s, she would
save herself first, then find a way to rescue Sasha.
Meanwhile, Gillian waited for a call at her ce. With Flynn missing, the boss unreachable, and having been kicked out of
Vanguard Agency by Vance, she needed to find a way out of this mess fast or risk bing expendable.
Uneptable. She hadn''t exacted her revenge and hadn''t seen Percival grovel. She wouldn''t be cast aside after all she had
suffered to get here.
At this moment, her phone suddenly rang.
Gillian snatched it up, "Boss, is Flynn..."
"It''s Mara."
Gillian''s heart sank. "What do you want?"
"|... [killed someone."
"Come again?" Gillian scoffed. "You, a killer? If you had the guts, you wouldn''t be in this mess."
Through sobs, Mara insisted. "I''m serious! It was Karen, Vivienne''s mother. Boss made me do it. What now? I''ve pinned it on
Aaron, but Vivienne will trace it back to me. Please, get Boss to help me!"
Gillian, unsure, demanded, "You actually did it?"
"Why would | lie? If Vivienne catches me, you''re the first name I''ll give up. Fix this!"
With that, Mara hung up.
Gillian called her contact immediately, "Boss, | shouldn''t disturb you, but Mara''s killed Vivienne''s mother, and..."
Aman''s deep voice interrupted, "Mara killed Karen?"
Gillian nearly gasped aloud. She double-checked the number, correct indeed.
But why was a man answering?
Confused, Gillian pressed, "Who are you? Where''s the boss?"
"Don''t worry about who | am, Gillian. Your mission is over."
The call ended, and before Gillian could process what had just happened, her phone exploded in her hands.
She stumbled back as the phone''s remnants scattered on the floor, sparking and hissing before falling silent.
The phone was beyond repair; its insides turned to ash.
Stunned, Gillian copsed, sweat beading on her brow.
Was this it? Had she been discarded?
Panic set in.
She paced her house, unsure of her next move.
No, she couldn''t be a castaway again.
With that resolve, Gillian stormed out, driving off into the night.
Watching from the shadows, Draven
reported to Vivienne, "Y ngdvestet,
awe apemave San her phone''s
O Bhsmission No trace of her
call." Please read the original content
at NovelDrama.Org.
"Her destination?"
Checking his tablet, Draven replied, "Judging by the GPS, she''s headed to the Linter Mansion."
The Linter Mansion? What could Gillian be seeking there?
Vivienne''s lips curved into a faint smile. If Gillian didn''t remind her of it, she was in danger of nearly forgetting about the
Linters.
It was Dracon Linter who had sent Gillian over to the Vanguard Agency in the first ce.
But now, Gillian had decided to go to Dracon again.
It seemed F-Poison had cast her aside.
Another lead had gone cold!
Meanwhile, in a nondescript corner of Rivenwood.
F-Poison peeled away Gillian''s fake face, revealing a new one brimming with youthful exuberance.
This face couldn''t be more than seventeen or eighteen, fresh out of high school, and unbearably cute.
She nodded at her reflection with
satisfaction, meticulouslybirg
through her fain Cyuhet happened?
Suth A ene pawn... Why
discard her so readily?" Please read
the original content at
NovelDrama.Org.
"He''s no longer of any use," the man replied.
F-Poison turned to face him. "Do tell.”
"If my hunch is right, Mara''s been
made by Vivienne. She''s turn ￠-o0￠et,
and that all Giljam a6 Was Bat,
oan aew you out. So, a
compromised pawn is better off the
board." Please read the original
content at NovelDrama.Org.
“And what makes you so sure Mara''s flipped?"
"If Karen were really dead, Vivienne wouldn''t be soposed. She''s not the same naive girl from a decade ago."