Chapter 1130:

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Realization dawned on her. This was no accident. It was a carefully laid snare. The rushed wedding, the sentimental photo album, mere pretexts to lure her here. From the very beginning, Claude’s true prey had been her. He had orchestrated everything to confine her in this room. But to what end? What did he intend to do?

Survival instinct overrode every other thought. She had to find a way out, and fast.

She began a systematic search of the study, examining every surface for anything useful.

The desktop held little: a sleek all-in-one computer, a brushed-steel pen cup, and scattered paperwork.

Then her attention snagged on a matte-black safe tucked into the lower shelf of the bookcase.

Its door hung slightly ajar. Instead of cash or valuables, a lone USB stick rested inside.

𝖥in𝘥 𝘯𝘰vel 𝖯D𝗙𝗌 𝗼𝘯 g𝘢𝗅n𝘰𝘃𝗲𝗅𝘀.𝘤o𝘮

Driven by a mix of dread and compulsion, Hannah retrieved it.

A single word was scrawled on the label in Claude’s unmistakable handwriting: Confession.

She blinked. Confession? What was he confessing?

She plugged the drive into the computer.

Seconds later, a video file began playing automatically.

The recording had been captured by a vehicle’s dashboard camera.

As the scene unfolded, Hannah’s pupils constricted. It was a recording of her parents’ fatal collision.

As the label’s meaning slammed into place, the blood drained from her face. Claude had been involved in her parents’ car crash. She stood paralyzed, her thoughts scattering like shattered glass.

Another faint click echoed behind her.

A section of the bookcase glided aside without a sound, exposing a concealed passage that linked the study to the adjoining master bedroom.

Claude stepped out of the shadows and found her at the computer, clearly reacting to what she had just seen.

“Anna, that’s not appropriate behavior,” he said, shaking his head with a mildly indulgent note of disapproval. “Don’t tamper with my belongings. Certain secrets are safer left undiscovered.”

Rage surged through Hannah. She whirled to face him, her voice shaking. “You had something to do with my parents’ car crash! They took you in and raised you like their own son for years! How could you betray them like that? You’re not human, you’re a monster!”

She lunged, her palm slicing through the air toward his cheek.

Claude intercepted her wrist with effortless precision, faint amusement glinting in his eyes. “You haven’t changed. That fiery temper is still there.”

His chuckle was low, his thumb tracing a slow, possessive circle on her skin.

In the very next instant, Hannah used his hold against him, twisting sharply and hooking his ankle with a quick sweep of her foot.

With a judo move she had long since mastered, she threw Claude off balance and sent him crashing to the floor.

He landed with a heavy, resounding thump.

Having delivered her strike, Hannah pulled back at once, putting space between them. Still seething, she spat out, “You should go rot in hell!”

For a moment, Claude lay there, winded. Then a low, chilling laugh escaped him, growing until it filled the room. “I had forgotten how capable you are,” he admitted, rising unhurriedly and smoothing nonexistent creases from his jacket.

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Message from Noa: My beloved little oneeeees, just letting you know that there’ll be some revamping on the site soon, with lots of new features that I hope you’ll love so so much. It’s taking a little while, but everything will be ready this week. Hope you like them, and remember that most of the options will only be available to the little ones who are registered and logged in. God loves you and Noa wishes you all the best. (>‿=)✌

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