novelnext Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Drake's panic was impossible to suppress. He dialed Narissa's number again, hoping to explain, but the call wouldn't go through. In a daze, he turned to Evan, but it wasn't just Narissa's number that had been blocked—Evan's contact information had been too.
Drake's lips trembled, his eyes reddening. "Evan, do you think Narissa saw the news? Is she angry with us?"
Evan stood frozen, staring at his phone, his body shaking. After a long pause, he muttered, "Drake... come look at this."
On the screen was a video that made Drake's stomach drop. Narissa was locked in a private cell, her hands bound, electrocuted repeatedly by a man. Her body writhed in pain, her breath ragged. She collapsed to the floor, bruised and battered, her voice hoarse as she begged, "I'm sorry, I was wrong. Please... let me go."
The man sneered down at her, his voice cruel. "This isn't enough. Miss Liora specifically ordered us to treat you well here."
Drake's heart stopped as he watched. His body tensed with fury, eyes burning with rage. He wanted to tear through the screen, rip the men apart with his bare hands. But he was powerless, only able to watch in horror as Narissa's suffering echoed in his ears.
His hatred for Liora surged—uncontrollable and all-consuming.
Evan, beside him, was equally shaken. He'd always assumed Narissa's time in captivity would be short and manageable. He never imagined the depths of the torment she had been enduring.
His mind reeled, recalling the day Narissa had been released. His father had stopped him from going to pick her up, saying, "Narissa causes too much trouble for Liora. Liora's finally settling into the Sterling family. If Narissa comes back, she'll only stir things up again. Let this be a lesson for her."
Evan had agreed, believing Narissa strong-willed and Liora too fragile. It made sense at the time to let Narissa learn a lesson. But now, seeing the evidence of her abuse, all his assumptions crumbled.
Liora, far from weak, was cold and ruthless. She had orchestrated the whole thing—the torment, the framing, and even the assassination attempt on Narissa. The conversation Evan stumbled upon confirmed it all.
Liora's voice was dripping with mockery. "Help me stage the attack. Make it look like Narissa hired you, and I'll pay you four hundred grand once it's done."
The man hesitated. "But... isn't she your sister?"
Liora's laugh was sharp, cruel. "Exactly. That's why I have to do this. Narissa's been spoiled all her life. It's time she learned what the world's really like. Once she's gone, everything will be mine—Liora, Evan... all of it."
Evan could no longer hold back his fury. His mind flashed back to their mother's deathbed. He'd promised to take care of Narissa, to protect her. But instead, he'd believed Liora's lies. He'd let Narissa be bullied, and for that, he would never forgive himself.
Drake's anger matched Evan's. His face was set in a cold, hard mask. He looked at Evan, their eyes locked with a shared determination.
"Liora," Drake spat, his voice low and threatening, "You will pay for this."