I conceiving our first child.” The malice in his voice was more chilling than when he gouged out my eyes in the eigh- th lifetime.
The prison guards cuffed me to a chair. My eyes were vacant. I thought of the one I had wronged most in this world–the child he had so cruelly made me lose countless times. Why could Seraphina, of all people, bear a child?
Heh.
My baby…
Mama was useless, unworthy of you!
Seraphina feigned shyness. “Alistair, not here…”
Alistair pinched her chin, a cold smile playing on his lips. “What are you afraid of? She won’t understand anyway.” Through the glass, I saw his knuckles whiten as he squeezed Seraphina’s waist, identical to how he had strangled me with a string of pearls in the ninth lifetime. At that moment, I suddenly understood: the depth of his hatred for me mirrored the depth of his love for her.
Afterward, he emerged, impeccably dressed, then dragged me by the collar like a piece of refuse. Pointing to the foul mixture on the floor, he commanded, “Lick it clean.” I dry–heaved violently on the ground, but he stepped on my fingers, preventing me from moving.
“Not playing crazy anymore, but switching to Innocence? Weren’t you quite eager when you drugged me and crawled into my bed?”
His gentle gaze from our first encounter in the first lifetime felt like yesterday. I had once believed that was the true compassion of ia High Acolyte, here to bring salvation. Instead, he was the Archon of Hell, destined to torment me for ten lifetimes!
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a High Acolyte, here to bring salvation. Instead, he was the Archon of Hell, destined to torment me for ten lifetimes!
The moment the pain of his foot on my fingers hit, I suddenly let out a cackle, then leaned down to lick the repulsive liquid. I felt his body stiffen slightly, surprised I would actually comply. Seraphina leaned into his embrace, her voice delicate. “Alistair, why is she laughing? I’m a little scared…”
He gently carried her away, turning back to force a cold sneer. “There’s more to come tomorrow.” As he passed me, I heard him whisper chillingly, “I’ve arranged ten death row inmates as your cellmates.”
In the past, I would have wept in despair. Today, I simply wiped the blood from my mouth and decisively activated the System. “Sys-
tem, immediate departure.”
Alistair Valerius, this will be my final gift to you.
Seven days after Clara Hawthorne departed the world.
In the top–floor office of Valerius Holdings, the air was thick with tension. Alistair stared at the motionless interoffice phone on his desk. It had been a week. That woman still hadn’t sent any message from prison, begging for mercy?
CRASH!
