Chapter 996:

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Mike slowly crouched in front of him, grabbing a fistful of his blood-soaked hair and yanking his head up. “I heard the Davis family threw you out because you tried to seduce Carole. And even after that, you still didn’t know when to quit. Sneaking in at night, planning to run away with her?”

His lips curled with contempt. “Take a good look at yourself. What makes you think someone like you deserves a woman I’ve already set my sights on? A nobody reaching for the moon.” Mike let out a low laugh. “But I suppose dreaming is free.”

His voice turned even crueler. “I know that night was her first time. You stayed by her side for years, yet you never got to see her that way, did you?” He clicked his tongue as though savoring the memory. “A noble lady truly is different.”

Kole’s eyes burned red with rage. “You asshole! I’ll kill you!”

𝗥𝖾𝗮d 𝘵𝗁𝗲 𝘭𝘢𝗍e𝘀𝘁 𝗍𝗿eո𝗱𝘀 o𝗇 𝗴а𝗹ո𝘰𝘷𝖾𝗅ѕ.𝗰𝗼m

Though his hands and feet were tightly tied, he still lunged forward like a cornered beast, desperately trying to smash his head into Mike.

“If you’re really a man, untie me!” Kole roared, blood and tears mixing across his battered face. “Fight me alone! I’ll kill you myself!”

Mike instinctively staggered back, startled by the madness in Kole’s eyes, nearly losing his footing. After regaining his balance, he brushed the blood off his expensive suit with visible disgust. “A duel?” he sneered. “Only savages solve problems with their fists.”

He waved his hand dismissively, as though deciding someone’s fate was no different from ordering dinner. “Break his limbs, tie him to a rock, and dump him into the sea.”

Mike picked up his wine glass again and raised it toward Kole in mock celebration. “Accept reality and die quietly.” His smile deepened with cruelty. “Once she marries me, she’ll forget you ever existed soon enough.”

Kole fought wildly, trying to resist, but the ropes around him were too tight, and the strong men holding him down didn’t loosen their grip for even a second. Then heavy iron rods slammed into his joints one after another. The horrifying crack of bones breaking echoed through the air. Pain ripped through his body like fire.

The next second, there was a loud splash as the freezing seawater swallowed him whole. Cold saltwater rushed into his ears, nose, and throat. The massive stone tied to his ankle dragged him mercilessly toward the bottom of the sea.

At that moment, a thought crossed Kole’s mind. Maybe this was the end. It had been far too long since he had truly rested. He was so tired. If he simply sank into the darkness like this, he would never have to think about anything again.

But just as consciousness began slipping away, a tear-stained face suddenly appeared in his mind. Carole. She was still trapped in that filthy place, still waiting for him to save her. If he died, no one would protect her anymore.

He couldn’t die. He absolutely could not die.

A terrifying strength burst out from somewhere deep inside him. With all his remaining power, he tore apart the rope around his ankles. His body slowly began rising toward the surface.

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