Chapter 273
Jericho Kane couldn’t sleep.
Anxiety gnawed at him relentlessly, twisting his stomach in knots
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He had explicitly warned his helicopter pilot to avoid any confrontation with Alex, praying silently that no trouble had ensued.
But at that very moment, a violent roar pierced through the night air–the unmistakable thunder of helicopter blades slicing the darkness.
His pulse quickened as he rished outside.
The chopper descended heavily onto the square, sending dust and leaves spiraling chaotically.
The pilot stumbled out, his face ghostly pale, eyes wide with terror
“What happened? Where is Mister Alex?” Jericho demanded urgently, grabbing the pilot’s trembling shoulder.
The pilot struggled to form words, each one choked out in panic.
The more Jericho heard, the more his blood ran cold, a bone–deep dread settling over him like a suffocating fog.
“Promise me you’ll keep everything you’ve seen tonight a secret, Jericho ordered sharply.
“Believe me, sir, I want nothing more than to erase this night from my memory forever,” the pilot stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.
With dread thickening his steps, Jericho stormed back inside, his voice echoing harshly through the hall.
“Butler! Summon Bella and Scarlet to the main hall immediately!”
Minutes later, Bella and Scarlet hurried in, confusion and unease shadowing their faces.
“Father? Why have you called us at this hour?” Bella asked cautiously.
Without warning, Jericho’s palm crashed mercilessly against Scarlet’s face.
The brutal slap hurled her body against the nearby table, the crash resounding throughout the hall.
“Father! What on earth are you doing?” Bella cried out, rushing forward to aid Scarlet.
“Ask her yourself!” Jericho snarled, his face twisted with fury.
He swiftly drew a sword from its ornamental sheath on the wall, tossing it roughly to Scarlet’s feet.
“If you truly comprehend the gravity of your mistake, Scarlet, then cut off your arm with that blade! It’s the only way I might spare your worthless life–but know this: from tonight onward, you are no longer my niece!”
Bella’s eyes widened in horror. “Father! What has gotten into you? Scarlet couldn’t possibly deserve this!”
Jericho’s rage surged uncontrollably.
“She dared defy my explicit orders! She deliberately contacted the Dupont family, betraying Alex’s location to them. This is betrayal, pure and simple!”
“No–you’re mistaken!” Scarlet whimpered, still attempting to maintain her lie.
“Mistaken?” Jericho roared, his foot violently colliding with Scarlet’s face this time, sending blood splattering across the polished marble.
“The Dupont family themselves called me when their men vanished from contact!”
Bella desperately grasped Jericho’s arm, pleading, “Father, please calm yourself! Think of what Aunt–your sister–would say if
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she saw this!”
Jericho’s glare sharpened dangerously, his voice trembling with barely restrained fury.
“You think I don’t know what I’m doing? Did you hear what happened to Owen Whitman?”
Bella’s eyes clouded with fear. “What happened to Owen?”
“He lost all four limbs–forced to live a pitiful existence, a living corpse as punishment!” Jericho spat, his voice trembling. Scarlet’s face drained completely of color. “Impossible! His family won’t allow such humiliation!”
“What family?” Jericho hissed venomously, delivering yet another brutal slap.
“Owen’s father was executed for his son’s sins! The Whitmans, one of Texas’s most powerful families, tremble and pray that their lineage won’t be completely exterminated because of Owen’s reckless stupidity!”
“But…Alex is just a lowly doctor from the slums,” Scarlet whimpered, blood trickling from her split lip.
“He’s nobody!”
Jericho’s eyes darkened dangerously, and another savage kick fractured Scarlet’s ribs.
“Nobody? What gives you the right to judge his worth, you foolish girl?” He struggled to contain the sheer terror that gripped him at the mere mention of Alex’s hidden power.
“Then who is he, really?” Scarlet shouted defiantly through bloodied teeth, her stubbornness pushing Jericho to his limits.
Jericho clenched his fists, frustration boiling within him, knowing he must keep Alex’s true identity secret.
“Just assume he’s ordinary. But know this: Alex works under people so terrifyingly powerful that even the governor of Texas himself would grovel like a coward if he knew the truth!”
Bella, fear gripping her voice, asked softly, “Father, are you absolutely certain?”
Jericho’s voice lowered ominously, each word carrying the weight of grim warning.
“Do you really think I can’t distinguish between ordinary men and those who walk among devils? Alex is someone you never cross. Befriend him, and fortune will smile upon you. Provoke him, and pray that he’ll see you as too insignificant even to destroy.”
“What happened with the Dupont soldiers?” Scarlet whispered in terror, the reality of her actions finally sinking in.
“Dupont’s elite men were crushed–utterly humiliated,” Jericho replied, his voice trembling.
“They knelt, begging desperately for mercy, just for the slim chance of surviving Alex’s wrath.”
“Impossible…” Scarlet gasped, her face deathly pale, horror gripping her heart.
Jericho’s eyes glowed with grim finality. “Pick up the sword and cut your arm off. I’ll send it to Alex as penance.”
Scarlet nearly fainted, her trembling fingers unable to grip the weapon.
Bella, frantic with desperation, threw herself at Jericho’s arms.
“Father, please… don’t go this far,” Bella begged, her voice strained with desperation.
“I know Alex–he’s not a man who enjoys hurting others. He’s a doctor, a healer. Violence goes against everything he stands
for.”
Jericho’s eyes burned with fury, but beneath it was unmistakable fear.
“You don’t understand, Bella. If Alex loses control because of this woman’s stupidity, we could all pay the price.”
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“I AM TRYING TO PROTECT THIS FAMILY!”
“Then let me fix it,” Bella insisted, stepping closer.
“Tomorrow, I’ll bring Scarlet to him myself. We’ll apologize, face–to–face. He’ll understand. He’s not unreasonable.”
Jericho shook his head grimly.
“It’s too late. He’s already furious. First, Owen kidnapped Alex’s friend–and if what I suspect is true, Owen may have gone even further.”
“Whatever he did to Alex’sriend… it unleashed something terrifying. Alex is in a rampage. People are dying.”
Scarlet’s face turned sheet white.
Her knees nearly buckled under her. She had been the one who pushed Owen to rape that person… to break Alex.
Jericho locked his cold, piercing gaze on Scarlet. His voice turned deathly quiet.
“You better pray you had no part in that. Because if you did–if you’re the reason his friend was hurt–then even if he demands your mother’s head or your entire bloodline wiped out, I’ll raise the sword myself. Safe his effort.”
“Father, no!” Bella cried, throwing her arms around him.
“You’re letting fear consume you. Alex wouldn’t ask for such things–he’s not like that. I’ll speak with him. Please… don’t mutilate Scarlet. That won’t make anything right.”
Jericho collapsed back onto the couch, his strength drained.
For a moment, he was just a man–broken, afraid, and powerless. Maybe Bella was right.
Maybe fear had made him irrational.
Maybe Alex wouldn’t go that far.
He exhaled slowly. “Take her. Ask for forgiveness. If he kills her… then so be it. I don’t know what else to do anymore.”
Bella knelt beside him, placing a gentle hand on his arm. “Don’t worry, Father. Alex is still human. He won’t do something unforgivable.”
But across the room, Scarlet stood frozen, her lips trembling.
She knew the truth. She had encouraged Owen to violate Alex’s friend. And if Alex found out…
There would be no forgiveness.
Only death.
Why did she do something so terrifying over just a slip of anger? Now all that’s left is regret.
