This was no time to back down.
Summoning all his courage, Cenzo steadied himself. "Whatever you have against us, take it out on me. I don't think violence is the answer. Let's step outside and talk this over. How does that sound?"
"No need to go outside. I'll end you right here!"
Charles's face contorted with rage. He tightened his grip on Cenzo with one hand and clenched his other into a fist, swinging it toward Cenzo's face.
"Aah!"
Cenzo shut his eyes tight, bracing for the blow. But the expected pain never came. Holding his breath, he opened his eyes and saw that Diana had intercepted Charles's fist with her hand.
The massive, brick-like fist contrasted starkly with Diana's delicate, pale fingers. The surprising thing was, Diana had actually stopped Charles's punch!
Cenzo was stunned. Before he could process what had happened, Diana grabbed him by the collar and yanked him out of Charles's grip as easily as picking up a chicken. Sh
Leah grabbed Diana's arm, her face full of concern and surprise. "Don't move, we'll take you to the hospital right away!"Diana's heart skipped a beat, but she forced a reassuring smile."It's nothing, just a nosebleed. Don't make a fuss..."Before she could finish, her vision suddenly darkened, and she collapsed forward....Diana was jolted awake by a slight pricking sensation on the back of her hand.She groggily opened her eyes and saw Dr. Myers, carefully administering an IV drip."Dr. Myers?""Ms. Thompson, you’re awake. Don’t worry, it's just a nutrient solution," he hurriedly assured her, evidently trying to allay any fears she might have had.A concerned voice called out from nearby, "Big sis, are you okay?"Diana turned her head to see that several people had gathered in the spacious bedroom, including Cenzo and Gates, who were both still in awe of the opulent surroundings, their mouths agape.Dia
Diana struggled to maneuver her hand, which was hooked up to an IV, so as not to get tangled.With her free hand, she gently patted Leah on the back.“Not that long... a few months, maybe...”Leah's grip was a bit too tight.Diana was about to ask her to ease up when she felt warm tears on her neck.Her chest tightened, and her nose started to sting with an unexpected wave of emotion.Trying to regain her composure, she forced a smile, “What are you doing? I’m not dead yet, you know...”“Shut up! Don’t talk about dying!”Leah’s voice was choked with tears.Diana continued, “You really don’t have to worry. I’m getting treatment, so...”She was cut off by a sudden wail.Diana froze.Leah instinctively loosened her embrace.They both turned to see Dr. Myers standing off to the side, tissues in hand, crying uncontrollably.Leah: ...Diana: ...Seeing their stares, Dr. Myers sn
Mitbahl had called, his voice urgent, to inform them that Diana had collapsed, a nosebleed preceding her fainting spell. John’s demeanor had shifted instantly upon hearing the news, canceling the trip and rushing back as if in a frenzy.The last time Xavier had seen his boss so unhinged was when Ms. Thompson had gone missing.“Boss...” Xavier began, his voice trailing off as John crossed the threshold of the villa, casting a cold glance in his direction. The frigid look made Xavier shrink back involuntarily.“I...I...” he stammered, but gave up. Partly because he realized that any attempt at comfort would be futile, and partly because his own stutter made it impossible to convey any reassurance.John swiftly ascended to the third-floor bedroom. Standing before the door, he took a deep breath, attempting to steady his emotions before gently reaching out to open it.Inside, the room was enveloped in silence. Thick blackout curtains blocked any hint o
The SUV jolted along the winding road, speeding through the rugged terrain.The ground was muddy with yellow clay, and there were no signs of life around.In the car, Patrick glanced worriedly at Yosef in the back seat."Mr. Nelson, are you okay?"The man slightly opened his eyes, his already pale face looking even whiter.He spoke, "How much longer?""About half an hour. Kirin went ahead and took care of everything, losing about ten men, but they cleaned it up. They caught a few survivors, some were Nelson family members, but no sign of Carl.""Good."Yosef replied faintly, then reached for a few pills beside him and swallowed them.As the medication took effect, the discomfort in his body eased a bit.Yosef turned to look out the window.All he could see was a sea of vibrant flowers, their red waves rippling in the breeze.Fields upon fields of poppies.Beautiful, yet poisonous.This
The kneeling men, though not understanding the conversation fully, had a pretty good idea of what was happening.They turned pale, fear draining the blood from their faces, and began pleading with Yosef."Mr. Nelson! Carl isn’t here. We don’t know who Natalie is, but… but there’s a secret basement that Yosef set up here...""Where’s the basement?" Patrick asked, "Take us there.""Right away, we’ll take you there now..."They were yanked up roughly and stumbled towards the backyard.Just as they reached the yard, the sound of helicopter blades whirring filled the air.A helicopter appeared, circling in from nowhere, preparing to land on the rooftop of the mansion.Suddenly, a slender figure, agile like a cat, darted across the rooftop, heading towards the helicopter.Kirin's eyes widened."Is that Natalie!?"Yosef waved his hand, and the men below immediately raised their guns, unleashing a barrage of bullet
At the mention of "Voodoo Lwa," Yosef's expression changed momentarily.It was then that he remembered why the man's clothing seemed vaguely familiar.At the "Mirage" auction, there was a Voodoo Lwa named Ivana, and her attire was quite similar to this man's."Let him go," Yosef commanded.Hearing this, the guards instantly released the man.He collapsed onto the floor, clutching his chest with a pained expression.Kirin's earlier kick had broken several of his ribs.Yosef spoke again. "Can you really create Voodoo Lwas?"At this, the man's previously dull eyes lit up with excitement."Of course! It's been centuries since our tribe last saw a Voodoo Lwa, but I... I am the only one who has succeeded! My daughter, my dear daughter, she is my only creation!"The man's eyes gleamed with an almost fanatical light.But then, as if remembering something, his expression turned to one of anger."But my daught
The woman, visibly shaken, managed to stammer, "Sir, that's not a very funny joke."With Kevin's pajamas in hand, she hurried away toward the register. Godber turned his attention back to Kevin."Are you alright, Kevin?" he asked, a note of seriousness in his voice."Why wouldn’t I be?" Kevin retorted, giving Godber a look of disdain. "You write novels, but you're not exactly a gentleman to women. No wonder you’re single, just like my brother."With that, Kevin walked off, heading toward the checkout with a confident stride. Godber watched him go, rubbing his forehead. Maybe he was just being paranoid.After Kevin paid for the pajamas, the group left the store and headed back to their car. As they settled into their seats, Godber couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Kevin, on the other hand, was lounging comfortably, sipping his bubble tea with his legs propped up.Unable to hold back any longer, Godber asked, "Kevin, did that woman do anyt
Without another word, Carl walked out of the orphanage grounds. Outside, two black SUVs were waiting silently. As he approached, a man stepped out of the front vehicle and opened the back door for him.Carl slipped inside the car, the door closing behind him with a quiet click.The moment Carl got into the car, his expression hardened, his usual calm giving way to a cold, calculating look."Did we get news from Mexico?" he asked, his tone icy.Seated next to him, Doom replied, "Yosef got to Mexico. He teamed up with Pablo and wiped out Amparo's former men. Natalie was injured and fled, but they didn’t have time to get Mutoto out."Carl's face grew even darker. "I warned Fabinho to keep an eye on the opposition’s movements. That idiot didn’t listen to me!"After Amparo’s downfall, his lieutenants had turned on each other, each vying for control. Carl had backed Fabinho, the strongest faction leader, hoping he would be a valuable ally. But Fab