Chapter 33 No Room for Mercy
+8 Pearls
“Dare?” he repeated the word under his breath, then slowly crouched until he was eye level with the man pinned to the floor “Mr. Gavin, I’ve never needed to ask myself whether I dare or not.”
Gavin was completely crushed by his imposing presence. Speechless, all he could do was glare at him viciously. That’s when a sharp, frantic voice suddenly broke the tension
“Stop! Stop it, all of you!”
Everyone turned toward the sound, and a slim figure burst through the crowd–it was Michelle. Her face was pale with fear as she rushed to Gavin’s side, shoving away the bodyguards and shielding her brother. She looked up at Justin with pleading
eyes.
“Mr. Justin, I’m begging you–please let my brother go! This was our fault, and we’re willing to apologize, but please don‘ make things worse for him!” Her tear–streaked face and fragile, desperate voice could have softened any man’s heart.
But Justin just looked down at her coldly, completely unmoved. He didn’t even bother to respond. Instead, he simply turned his head and gave a small wave to the bodyguards. “Continue.”
The bodyguards immediately regained control of Gavin, and Michelle, still kneeling, was pushed aside. She cried out in pain as she fell, but quickly got up and threw herself forward again in a futile attempt to stop them.
The crowd started murmuring. Some began to feel sympathy for the siblings, while others silently applauded Justin. On the edge of the commotion, Christopher and Paige finally stepped forward, unable to hold back any longer.
“Mr. Justin,” Christopher said gently, though with a cautious undertone, “we all know each other. There’s no need to make things this ugly. For the sake of the ties between our families, maybe it’s time to let this go.”
Paige added, “Exactly. Making a scene like this in public doesn’t help anyone. Why don’t we all take a step back and let this end peacefully?”
Their words slightly eased the atmosphere, but didn’t actually change anything–because from start to finish, Justin hadn’t shown the slightest intention of compromise. He just stood there in silence, watching each of them like a predator observing its prey
After a pause, he finally spoke. “Take a step back? Tell me, Mr. Christopher–if the one who got hit today was your sister, what would you do?”
Christopher froze. For a moment, he had no answer. Paige lowered her heat, saying nothing more–because they both knew. There was no walking away from this.
Suddenly, Adeline, who had been silent this whole time, softly said, “That’s enough.”
She gently tugged on Justin’s sleeve and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, “Please stop. This is only going to make things harder for me.”
Justin looked down at her. A flash of something unreadable passed through his ocean–deep eyes. But in the end, he nodded, then gave a signal to the bodyguards. “Let him go.”
The bodyguards stepped back, and the disheveled Gavin scrambled to his feet, face flushed with humiliation. He didn’t say a word, only stared at Justin and Adeline with eyes full of seething hatred–as if vowing revenge.
But no one paid him any mind. Because in the very next moment, every gaze turned toward something else entirely-
Justin bent down and scooped Adeline into his arms, holding her frail but stubbornly upright body close to his chest. Under the stunned, envious, or conflicted stares of the crowd, he walked away without looking back.
The grand hall was left in chaos, filled with whispers that refused to fade.
“This whole thing une wild
1/2
11:20 AM
다
Chapter 33 No Room for Mercy
“No way this ends here. Things are just getting started.”
+8 Pearls
At the VIP intensive care wing of Vale City Central Hospital, sunlight streamed in through the gap in the curtains, casting soft but glaring streaks across the white bedsheets.
Adeline slowly opened her eyes, blinking in confusion as she scanned the unfamiliar surroundings. The room was so quiet she could hear her own breathing, punctuated only by the steady beeping of a heart monitor–proof that she was still alive.
She tried to sit up but found herself completely drained, unable to even lift her arms. Pain shot through her shoulder, sharp like needles and deep like a dull blade scraping along her nerves.
“Don’t move!” Eden’s voice came from nearby. She stepped forward to prop Adeline up and adjust the pillows. “The doctor said you need to rest.”
Adeline frowned slightly, her lips parting but no sound coming out. She hated being taken care of like this–hated how weak and useless she felt. But she knew there was nothing she could do about it right now. All she could do was accept the help.
“Madam Lauren was here just a minute ago. She went to have some porridge made for you,” Eden said softly, her tone meant to comfort. “You don’t need to worry. She really cares about you
Adeline didn’t respond. She simply shut her eyes again and turned her face toward the window. The sunlight touched her pale features, tracing out the cold, clean lines of her profile.
