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Chapter 23
Last Updated:
2024-10-31 23:35:59Related chapters
Beyond the betrayal Chapter 24
ANNA'S POV After listening to the rumor from Kaff, a part of me indeed felt jealous and unable to think straight. Asking Dorian was the only thing I could do, and his reply made me extremely satisfied, but what was this feeling?Just when I thought he was going to change the conversation, his eyes suddenly turned to that of a predator, and he stood up. Unable to calm my racing heart, I decided to stay away from him. At least he heard it, but he followed me instead. He continued moving closer until my back hit the wall. I was flustered and needy... My knees were weak, and if not for the support of the wall, I might lose my balance. Dorian's closeness was doing wonders to my mind, giving me no chance to think straight, but there was one thing I needed at the moment, and that was to kiss that beautiful lips."Would you think it's inappropriate to kiss you in my office right now?" His question was like a bowl of ice cream. Sweet and attractive. It made my throat die, and I couldn't h
Last Updated : 2024-10-31Beyond the betrayal Chapter 25
Marcus’ POV “What's the matter with you?” Rachel asked me for the umpteenth time as we laid on the bed.It was the middle of the night yet for some reasons she was still awake and disturbing me like it was daytime.“Nothing, can you just let me be and stop pushing!”“Alright, you didn't have to yell. Sorry for disturbing you,” She said in an injured tone as she removed her hand from my body.I realised my mistake and reached out for her but she moved away before I could. It was clear that she was mad at me. She hadn't been receiving the level of attention she was used to getting from me anymore.It wasn't my fault though as she had been on my neck since I came back from the meeting with Dorian.I thought that I had done a good job in hiding my emotions but she appeared to have a sixth sense about it as she knew instantly that something was off with me as I came back.Seeing Anna in Dorian's company had thrown me off as she was the last person I expected to see. Truth be told, I had
Last Updated : 2024-11-01Beyond the betrayal Chapter 26
Anna's POVI was just going to bed after a long day of work when my phone pinged. I had a new message and I looked at the phone in dread before I picked it up.The message was short and went straight to the point.; You have a meeting with Marcus tomorrow.I glanced in confusion at the message and wiped my eyes to make sure that I was reading the right thing. It was indeed the right thing. The message was from Dorian.It couldn't be right though as he had told me that it was in a few days. I was yet to brace myself for that and here he was springing it up on me. Tomorrow was too sudden.My first instinct was to call him and I was just about to do that when I checked the time. It was almost midnight. Certainly too late for a call. Obviously, he wasn't asleep as he had just sent the message but I didn't want to risk annoying him by calling him this late.I had to be content with dropping a message of my own. I typed it out quickly and then read it one more time to be sure that there wer
Last Updated : 2024-11-02Beyond the betrayal Chapter 27
(Dorian's POV)From the vantage point in my office, I observed Marcus and Anna through the tinted glass talking below. I’d set the meeting up knowing it would force her to face Marcus, curious to see how she would handle the whole thing.I couldn't hear what they were saying but as the conversation unfolded, it became clear she was handling herself far better than even I’d anticipated.There was a calmness about her as she didn’t let Marcus’s usual arrogance get to her. She barely flinched at his condescending tone or his smug expressions, and something about her composure made me smirk in approval. I leaned a bit closer, watching as Marcus’s expression shifted from confident to rattled. The subtle changes in his demeanor were easy to spot: the slight stiffening of his posture, the narrowing of his eyes, the irritated twitch of his jaw. He wasn’t used to this side of her, and it was throwing him off-balance.There was a satisfaction in watching him squirm under her steady gaze, and
Last Updated : 2024-11-03Beyond the betrayal Chapter 28
Anna's POVI was dead tired by the time I was done with work and I wanted nothing more than my comfy bed at home so I could sleep.Coupled with the stress of handling Marcus, it was more than deserved. He had left in a not so gentle way after the meeting.His frustration was clearly based on the fact that he could no longer get to me as I addressed his bullshit directly and stayed on the business at hand.As I was the more experienced person between us, he couldn't stand me on that and was thrown off by the complex business titbits. My initial anger and confusion at Dorian for throwing us together had lessened as I now understood the reasons for his actions.First, he wanted me to face my fears so I could be over it quickly. Second, he was offering me the choice to take revenge for what he did. It was up to me to choose what I wanted to do.I was sure Dorian would deny it if asked but it wasn't as if I expected him to admit it. People aren't always forthcoming about their intentions
Last Updated : 2024-11-05Beyond the betrayal Chapter 29
Anna's POV “What was that about?” Dorian asked as soon as we got out of earshot.“You wouldn't believe what just happened now,” I said, my face still flushed from what had happened.I was struggling to keep up with him as he had long strides. I was about to complain but stopped myself from doing so.Whatever happened, he was still my boss so I had no right to complain. If he noticed my discomfort, he did nothing about it and I was relieved when we reached his office. As we got inside, I saw Brenda already there. It seemed she was reporting to him and they had been working together before Dorian had stepped out to check what had happened.She acknowledged me with a small nod as our eyes met. I didn't know why I always felt slightly sorry for her whenever I came across her. Perhaps it was due to the fact that she worked long hours at work and appeared to have no life outside the company.“You can tell me what happened now,” Dorian said, reclining in his chair as he folded his hands
Last Updated : 2024-11-06Beyond the betrayal Chapter 30
Anna's POV For a long time, I sat cross-legged on my bed, hugging my knees as I replayed the previous day’s events in my head. I was so focused on it like a detective watching a grainy video on CCTV searching for clues.Dorian’s composure, his complete lack of surprise, Brenda’s darting glances—every tiny detail replayed in my head, stirring up doubt and confusion that tangled together, tighter and tighter. I could feel something festering beneath the surface, something that I couldn’t quite name, but the suspicion had taken root in my mind and since I was alone, it flourished and took shape.Try as I might, I couldn’t make sense of it. I wanted to believe there was a logical explanation, but every angle I considered only left me feeling more lost. I didn't know what to believe.Sighing, I glanced at my phone lying silent on the nightstand, as if it, too, was holding its breath. Finally, I picked it up. There was only one person who would listen to me without judging, who’d talk me
Last Updated : 2024-11-08Beyond the betrayal Chapter 31
Anna's POV Seeing Dorian standing on the other side of my door sent a chill through me. For a moment, I didn’t move as I just watched him through the peephole.I was curious as to how he knew my place but I was sure that it hadn't been hard for someone of his caliber.I wanted to pretend that I wasn’t home but I was sure that he saw my car outside and wasn't going to leave till I let him in. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door.“Hey,” he said looking up as our eyes met. The first thing that hit me was his expensive scent and how dapper he was looking.“Hey,” I replied, leaning back against the doorframe. “It’s late.”“I know,” he said, his gaze steady. “But I couldn’t leave things the way they were. You were missed at the office today. Can we talk?”I hesitated. For a second, I thought about telling him to leave but there was no reason for me to be rude just yet. I owed a great deal to him and he was my boss after all.With that thought, I found myself stepping back, gesturing fo
Last Updated : 2024-11-08
Latest chapter
Beyond the betrayal Chapter 117
Beth's POV I woke up the next morning pensive and annoyed, partly because I had a restless night punctuated with brief dreams and overthinking. I was motionless for a minute as I tried to remember the details of the dream but gave up when I couldn't recall it.I looked at my phone and groaned as I saw the time. I had overslept which was something that happened rarely as I was a stickler for routine. With a manic burst of energy, I got up and began preparing for work. I needed no one to tell me that my day was only going to get more weird.Once my schedule was broken, it was only natural that the rest of the day became shitty. I knew that much from experience.My pensive mood continued as I drove to the office and I only heard my name after I had been called at least thrice. I snapped at Brenda when she got in my business then asked her to call a mandatory meeting for all employees.She didn't hurry to do it but hesitated a bit and I knew she was curious as to why I was calling a me
Beyond the betrayal Chapter 116
“What do you think about all this, Aldred?”As Rey’s question echoed in the air, Aldred gave a knowing smile—as if he already expected the question.“It’s probably a ruse. The actual Warehouse must be hidden underground.” Rey made a slight grimace underneath his mask.‘Just as I suspected…’Even with this discovery, it didn’t change what they had to do. ‘We still have to invade. The entrance to the underground passage must be here somewhere.’Rey almost felt like he was invading the territory of a mafia group or some sort of cartel. He hadn’t done it before, but it seemed like this was how it would feel.“This establishment is run by Evals Redart, the biggest guy in business in the South.” Aldred went on, his tone still retaining the same hint of amusement from earlier.“I don’t imagine that we’d run into him here, but if we do, then the KariBlanc Group would like to stay out of it.”Rey let out a sigh and shrugged lightly.“I hadn’t planned for both of you to come inside with me a
Beyond the betrayal Chapter 115
‘Ah… I see. So that’s how it is…’Rey smiled as he stared at his opponent.Even though his eyes were on the BigFoot-like creature, his senses also observed the ceiling where it fell from.‘There are more of them lurking above.’ Rey couldn’t see them even if he tried. There was a reason he hadn’t detected any until this one landed to confront him.‘A Camouflage Skill, maybe? Interesting…’ These creatures were masters of blending into their environment, making them nearly impossible to detect unless someone paid close attention.‘Even now, I can only detect their movements due to the sound they make and slight distortions they cause in space.’He still couldn’t see them properly.‘I already have [Stealth], which basically allows me to be invisible. But I guess this isn’t too bad either.’ When Rey raised his head and studied the Skill, he figured that the camouflage ability would be more than enough for it to be registered by [Doppel].He sighed softly and turned his attention back to
Beyond the betrayal Chapter 114
The deal was sealed after that.Aldred Winsley used an Enchanted Item to calculate the amount of Monster Cores in each sack, and by multiplying them with the agreed price, they arrived at the selling price.It turned out to be a whopping 4,650 Platinum Coins!‘I still can’t believe this…’Rey was trying his best to remain composed after hearing such an insane number, but his heart raced uncontrollably.Adding that to his balance of 1,251 Platinum Coins, he now possessed 5,901 Platinum Coins in total.‘I never thought I’d get this much at once… let alone now!’ Rey felt like he was pulling off a scam, but he didn’t feel guilty. Why would he? This was the Black Market, after all.‘Once the Monster Cores start flooding in, these guys will be in trouble. I should probably avoid this place for a while…’Rey felt a sense of satisfaction knowing he had enough money for the moment. Now, it was time to focus on training; distractions like this were unnecessary.“As always, it’s a pleasure d
Beyond the betrayal Chapter 113
“Haha! Is it all done?” A hefty man, his belly protruding, emerged from the 'staff-only' room.He had blood stains on his hand, and each finger had rings on them. His fat-ridden body moved slowly as he cleaned his bloodied hands with a rag and flung it to the side once he was done.“Oh, Leader? Did you kill that woman already?” One of the men who had secured both Alicia and Billy said with a somewhat disappointed face.“What do you think?” The fat man replied, a twisted grin on his faceThough he had cleaned his hands, stains of red still appeared in some areas.“I-I see… I shouldn’t have asked in the first place."In all honesty, this man—as well as the rest of his six comrades—wanted to have his way with her.He had been looking forward to enjoying the waitress for some time now.‘When we killed her Boss and took over this shop, I expected my time to come soon…’He felt frustrated that his Leader had done away with her already.“She intentionally tripped, that woman. I was watching
Beyond the betrayal Chapter 112
“This isn’t how it’s supposed to go…”Adonis muttered to himself, his gaze fixed on the night sky. While he couldn’t recall every single detail from the past, this particular incident was engraved in his memory.‘The kidnapping of Billy and Alicia… it’s supposed to happen way further in the future!’Sure, a lot of things had been altered now, but he hadn’t expected such a drastic change to the original timeline.‘They’ll nearly be sold at the slave auction a few days after being captured, but thankfully the investigation was done before the auction was completed.’As a result, the Royal Knights swooped in and apprehended a lot of criminals in the Black Market and Slavery World.Unfortunately, this huge victory came with a great loss.‘Alicia’s mental state became unstable and she went insane. Billy was fine, but he was so concerned with Alicia’s health that he didn’t focus on training any longer…’Eventually, Alicia’s mental health deteriorated to the point where she eventually commi
Beyond the betrayal Chapter 111
“Sir! It’s such a pleasant surprise to see you!” Rey was instantly greeted by a very excited Aldred Winsley.The man was grinning sheepishly at him. He seemed almost starstruck, like a fan meeting their favorite celebrity for the first time.‘He’s literally gushing…’ was Rey’s impression as he nodded slightly, entering the room.‘I was just asking your subordinate here when we might see you next.’Rey glanced at Noah and noticed him giving an uncomfortable smile.‘Were they pressuring him to convince me to come? Is that why he took so long?’It was just a guess, so Rey dismissed it.“In any case, it really is good to have you here. We have a lot to discuss.”Taking a seat on the sofa, Rey observed as Noah quickly positioned himself behind him.‘Good. He knows how to keep appearances without me needing to tell him…’ Rey felt relieved.Noah seemed to be able to handle himself in business now, but sometimes he was still an indecisive klutz.Like now, when he allowed his time to be delay
Beyond the betrayal Chapter 110
The KariBlanc Group’s Central headquarters was a three-story building.Its Ground Floor was used for commerce. Its First Floor was used for brokerage and special transactions—as well as the storage of regular Items.As for the Second Floor, it was used for three major purposes.First, it housed the cream of the crop in terms of products. Second, it was where those products received their final touches, ensuring excellence.And as for the final reason, it lay behind the door that Aldred was about to open.The manufacturing stations were situated in the bulkier half of the building, which served as an extension to the back.Since the building had a lot of space—especially at the rear, it wasn’t surprising that manufacturing operations occurred there.That place was also off-limits to those without authorization, but compared to those areas, it was the real deal.The Holy of Holies.‘I haven’t taken permission from father to do this, but…’He already knew what his father would say in thi
Beyond the betrayal Chapter 109
Rey’s heart was racing as he stared at the coordinates.His fists were tightly clenched, and he felt his eyes growing bloodshot.‘Why would Alicia be in the Black Market?’ Instantly, he knew she couldn’t have been there willingly. She was clearly in some kind of trouble.‘Is it because of Billy? I’m sure it’s him!’Remembering the face of his former best friend was enough to make him grit his teeth.He was extremely annoyed.Despite his annoyance, Rey felt a wave of relief wash over him. ‘At least I found her. Ditching the rest and coming here on my own really was the right move.’Rey managed to slip away from the watchful eyes of the Investigation Squad and come here on his own after they split up to look for clues.Thanks to that, he managed to slip into the Black Market space.‘I simply guessed that I could use their network or information channels to find Alicia.’Rey had figured they would use Tracking Magic on their Items, but he didn’t expect it to be this detailed.He also d
