The revelations uttered by Harrell were of such magnitude that Britton felt a wave of dizziness wash over him,his breath hitching in his chest.He clutched Corinne’s arm for support,lest he succumb to the overwhelming vertigo.
Observing Britton teeter on the brink of unconsciousness,his complexion alarmingly flushed,Harrell interjected with feigned concern,”Mr.Scott,please try to contain your grief.We’ve made arrangements for an extravagant send-off for our fallen comrades, a funeral befitting their heavenly ascension.”
“Harrell!”Britton erupted;his gaze hardened with fury directed at Harrell.”I refuse to believe it!I groomed them personally!It’s inconceivable that they met their end this way!”
Harrell’s face was etched with regret.He spread his hands in a placatory gesture, responding,”Mr.Scott,I’ve no reason to fabricate such a tale.”
Despite his face purpling with rage and disbelief,Britton choked out his denial,”I refuse to accept it.They can’t be dead! You’ve likely stashed them away.If you value your life,ensure they present themselves before me posthaste!”
Britton’s irrational behavior had Harrell frowning in helplessness. “Mr.Scott,I’m afraid the reality is that they have indeed perished.If you insist on seeing them,all we have left are their remains.”
At Harrell’s pronouncement,Britton’s fury reached a fever pitch,threatening to render him unconscious.
Corinne,a pillar of strength beside Britton, gripped his arm for support.Her innate sensitivity alerted her to the odd undercurrent in the air—the abnormal behavior of Harrell.Swallowing her disquiet, she challenged him coldly,”What exactly is your endgame here,Harrell?Remember,this is the Darkmoon,not a playground for your recklessness.”
Corinne’s words seemed to soften Harrell’s demeanor.His gaze fell to the ground as he reiterated,”Everything I’ve said is the truth.”
Corinne’s eyes narrowed,her voice a frosty whisper.”We demand to see them,alive or dead.You claim they’re deceased,then produce their bodies as evidence.”
“Certainly.”Harrell’s lips curled into a slight smile,and with a clap of his hands,he instructed,”Bring out our departed brothers remains,so Mr.Scott can personally ascertain their identities.”
His men dutifully hauled in severalstretchers, each draped with a solemn white sheet.
Harrell’s voice echoed with sorrow as he lamented,”These were the Darkmoon’s valiant warriors.In an effort to protect Mr. Scott’s domicile,they met their cruel end at the hands of those thugs.”
Corinne’s brow furrowed as she reached out to pullback the white cloth.Harrell,however, intercepted her,grabbing her wrist as he warned,”These men have been severely charred.Brace yourself for the sight.”
With a jerk,Corinne freed her wrist from Harrell’s grasp,her gaze icy as she snapped at him,”Your concern is unneeded.”
Harrell shrugged nonchalantly,steppingback.
“Very well,proceed as you wish.”
Corinne, her features set in grim determination,drew back the sheet.
The grotesque visage of a charred body caused her to involuntarily recoil.
“I warned you that their bodies were disfigured.Why insist on viewing them?” Harrell’s tone carried an undertone of resignation.To his subordinates,he ordered, “Unveil the remaining corpses,so Mr.Scott and Miss Scott can identify them.”
As the white shrouds were progressively removed,Britton was presented with the horrific sight of his once-vibrant confidants reduced to unrecognizable,charred remains. His blood pressure skyrocketed once more, and he staggered back,clutching his forehead and squeezing his eyes shut to block out the nightmare before him,teetering on the edge of fainting.
Corinne,clutching onto queried,”Grandpa,are you Britton,anxiously alright?”
Witnessing this,Harrell wore a look of concern,saying,”Mr.Scott,excessive sorrow isn’t conducive to your health.”
Corinne shot a deathly glare at Harrell, snapping,”Silence!”
With an unconcerned shrug,Harrell clamped his mouth shut.
Britton,seemingly oblivious to their exchange,scrutinized the charred corpses with rheumy eyes. Despite their severe disfigurement,he could discern familiar traits,etching their faces into his memory.
A wave of profound rage and irrepressible fear swelled within Britton.
Thesemen,whom he had personally molded, were indispensable cogs in his dark operations and instrumental in securing enormous profits.To think that within mere hours of his absence,the men he had cultivated over decades were mercilessly snuffed out.
His lifetime of effort had been razed!
Britton’s gaze remained riveted on the stretchers bearing his fallen men.His eyes widened in disbelief;his lips trembled uncontrollably;speechlessness overtook him.
The overwhelming shock madeCorinne mute when she saw the macabre array of dead bodies on the stretchers.In her stunned silence,she failed to register the ominous transformation seizing Britton.
Harrell’s gaze skated across Britton’s visibly altered state before shifting away,resting on the fallen bodies.He chose to remain silent, withholding the concerning developments from Corinne’s attention.
Britton’s deteriorating condition didn’t escape Brandon’s and Frank’s attention.The pair exchanged a glance,silently agreeing to withhold the disturbing news from Corinne.
Witnessing Britton’s gaze lose its focus,Natalie felt a chill of alarm.Stealthily tugging at Brandon’s sleeve,she murmured,”Mr.Scott appears to be on death’s doorstep.Shouldn’t we alert Corinne?”
Frank,hearing Natalie’s concern,chuckled and said,”Brandon,your wife’s compassion knows no bounds.Is she oblivious to how she went missing?”
A warning glance from Brandon silenced Frank,who promptly mimed,zipping his lips shut.
Brandon’s gaze softened as he tenderly stroked Natalie’s hand,his voice soothing. “Don’t fret over him.Let’s simply enjoy the unfolding drama.”
Natalie’s eyeswidened in confusion.”What did Frank imply?”
“I’ll elaborate once we return ,”Brandon reassured her,his fingers running through her silky tresses.”All you need to understand is that they are undeserving of your sympathy.”
Despite her lack of comprehension,Natalie nodded in assent,placing her implicit trust in Brandon.
Seeing the adoring expression on Natalie’s face elicited a fond smile from Brandon.He whispered affectionately,”Such a good girl.”
A blush warmed Natalie’s cheeks.Before she could articulate a response,she caught sight of Britton’s alarmingly crimson face, indicating his impending demise.Panic surged within her, causing her to instinctively draw closer to Brandon.
Noticing her subtle movements,Brandon glanced down at her inquisitively and asked, “Is something amiss?”
Nestled against Brandon’s formidable physique,Natalie gripped his hand,her voice quavering,”I’m slightly terrified.I feel safer when I’m close to you.”
A hint of satisfaction laced Brandon’s chuckle. In a tone as soothing as a lullaby,he suggested,”If fear grips you,you can retreat to the helicopter and rest.I’ll join you once my duties here are concluded.”
Natalie nestled deeper into Brandon’s comforting embrace,her body trembling subtly.Despite her apprehension,she shook her head determinedly,asserting,”I have no desire to retreat.I prefer to remain here,by your side.”
Brandon heaved a sigh,his smile brimming with tenderness.”There’s no cause for Concern.”
However,Natalie’s gaze hardened with resolve.
“I’m worried about you.”
Brandon appeared taken aback by Natalie’s proclamation.The anxiety mirrored in her eyes tugged at his heartstrings.”You..”
Brandon’s evident affection caused Natalie’s cheeks to deepen their blush.Lowering her gaze,she mumbled,”We were apart for merely a few hours,and you sustained burns and a reopened wound.You disregard your well-being.Presently,in the midst of the Darkmoon’s treacherous environment,how canIbe atease when you’re unaccompanied?”
Hearing her concern,Frank countered,”I’m here too.I can ensure his survival.
Additionally,he’s flanked by a battalion of bodyguards.His safety is guaranteed.Your worry is unwarranted.”
Refusing to be bested,Natalie shot back,”If you were as capable as you claim,Brandon’s wound wouldn’t have ruptured,bleeding anew!”
Speechless with indignation,Frank huffed dismissively and averted his gaze.
After directing a dismissive eyeroll at Frank, Natalie turned her attention back to Brandon. Taking his hand,she promised softly,”I’ll be your vigilant guardian.I won’t allow you to engage in perilous pursuits any longer.”
Gazing at her,Brandon’s lips pressed into a thin line as he swallowed.
Had the circumstances been different,he would have swept her into his arms,pressing a passionate kiss on her blushing lips to express the depth of his love for her.
Brandon’s gaze softened as it settled on Natalie, radiating affection that touched every corner of her being.
Natalie’s cheeks warmed under the weight of his loving stare,and she coyly lowered her gaze,a gentle blush creeping up her cheeks.
Just as a tantalizing air of romance began to weave its magic around them,Corinne’s sudden shriek shattered the tranquil atmosphere.”Grandpa!Are you okay?”she cried out in terror.
Corinne’s alarmed cry jolted Natalie,her attention instinctively pivoting towards the origin of thedistressing sound.
However,darkness suddenly engulfed her vision before her eyes could fully take in the scene playing out in the distance.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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