“What befell you after you left me?” he demanded.


    Mavis’ eyes flickered, hesitation evident in her face. She didn’t want to remember the horrendous


    events that had transpired. She shook her head and replied, “Nothing happened. I went straight home


    after I left you.”


    He knew she was lying! In the past twenty minutes, he’d had someone look into Mavis’ whereabouts.


    She had indeed been taken away after leaving.


    “Mavis, I’m tempted to kill you.” Suddenly, Han was holding a ck gun, the barrel aimed squarely at


    Mavis’ forehead.


    As the icy metal touched her temple, her hand involuntarily loosened its grip, and the fruit basket she’d


    been carrying plummeted to the ground.


    “Han, why would you do this to me?”


    “Don’t act so innocent. You know precisely what you’ve done. Derek’s life hangs in the bnce. You


    must answer for this,” Han’s voice quivered with rage.


    Stammering, Mavis asked, “Is Derek in danger?”


    “You still refuse to talk? Fine, I’ll tell you. After you left my vi, Bruce’s people abducted you. They


    forced you to reveal Marcus ‘injury, and youplied. They used that information to ambush Marcus at


    night. Derek was shot because of your betrayal. You will pay for what you’ve done, Mavis.”


    Han’s words were heavy, spoken through gritted teeth. Mavis could feel the threat in the air, her


    palms slick with perspiration.


    She never thought the man she cared for would summon her to a confrontation like this.


    But Han was mistaken. She hadn’t disclosed anything about Marcus‘ to her.


    Her affection for him drove her to endure injury captors.


    their threats and abuse rather than yield to their demands.


    A N G E L A ‘s L I B R A R Y


    “Han, you misunderstand me. Yes, I admit I lied earlier. I didn’t go directly home. I was abducted and


    taken to a run-down house. They tried to force me to speak of Mr. Thomas’ injury, threatening me,


    even… But you must believe me. I never said a word about Mr. Thomas’ injury. If I did, may lightning


    strike me dead.”


    The word she couldn’t bring herself to say was “rape.”


    Her voice sincere and pleading, Mavis sought to convince Han of her innocence. His eyes shifted to


    Marcus, who stood nearby, his face a mask of icy indifference.


    Marcus’ eyes narrowed, his gaze sharp and unsettling. Though Derek was merely a subordinate, he


    was irreceable as a trusted aide.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Marcus remained silent, but the look in his eyes conveyed his thoughts clearly to Han.


    Turning his head, Han met Mavis’ gaze. Herrge eyes were fixed on him, pleading, filled with tears,


    begging for him to believe her.


    Derek’s well-being was of utmost importance to Marcus.


    Had Mavis not disclosed Marcus’ injury to Bruce, perhaps they wouldn’t have acted tonight, and Derek


    would have remained unscathed.


    Worse still, Derek had sustained his injury while defending Marcus.


    Han couldn’t shake the feeling that Mavis was still withholding the truth.