The man poured the liquid directly onto her wounds, and the reaction was immediate. The leeches writhed violently, their grotesque forms swelling rapidly until many burst, spraying blood everywhere.

Lise’s screams filled the room as cold sweat poured down her face. The leeches on her body became a nightmarish sight, with the dead ones falling as others crawled up to replace them, creating a horrific, living mass.

Neil watched her struggle with detached, merciless eyes.

“When you’re gone, I’ll send your son to join you,” he said coldly.

Lise’s bloodshot eyes widened in fury. Her voice cracked as she roared, “Neil, I curse you! Katelyn will never love you again! You’ll live alone forever, never knowing love!”

Her rage consumed her, and the veins bitten by the leeches burst, spilling blood in torrents. Drenched in blood and trembling, she was a terrifying sight.

Lise screamed, cursed, and begged for mercy, but Neil remained unmoved. He sat silently, watching her with unflinching eyes until her voice finally faded.

The ordeal lasted four long hours. As Lise took her final breath, the man in black approached cautiously.

“Mr. Wheeler, she’s gone,” he reported.

Neil stood, his expression unchanged.

“Dispose of her in the river,” he ordered flatly before walking out.

The faint glow of dawn lit the horizon, but the darkness in Neil’s heart refused to lift.

This wasn’t part of his plan, yet he couldn’t afford to stop now. Lise was gone, but the wheels of his revenge kept turning. Katelyn had wronged him, and she would pay for everything—down to the last detail.

For four days, Katelyn had been battling a relentless takeover attempt. A mysterious consortium was acquiring shares of the Wheeler Group at an alarming rate. Although she had vowed not to care about the company, she couldn’t abandon it—not for Carol’s sake.

But the enemy was ruthless. The consortium’s shareholding soon climbed to fifty-five percent, and if Katelyn didn’t act fast, she’d lose control of the company entirely.

As she wrestled with frustration, her phone rang. She picked it up to hear Jaxen’s voice.

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“Katelyn, Lise seems to have disappeared. She hasn’t been seen near Neil’s ward for days.”

Katelyn leaned back in her chair, pressing her fingers to her temples to ease the ache.

“And Neil? Has anything changed with him?”

Jaxen’s reply was steady.

“No, nothing unusual. But his condition seems to be worsening. He could pass away any day now.”

Since that dramatic day, Jaxen had kept a close eye on Neil, hoping to uncover something. Yet even he was baffled by the turn of events.

Could Neil’s illness really be genuine? It didn’t seem like a facade.

The issue with Neil only deepened Katelyn’s unease. The consortium’s attack wasn’t Neil’s usual style—at least not like this. Would he truly go to such lengths just to regain the company?

The idea seemed far-fetched. Neil wasn’t the type to waste resources on meaningless endeavors. And this kind of move would require a fortune—one he didn’t need to spend.

As these doubts swirled in her mind, Katelyn’s phone rang again. She glanced at the caller ID and sighed deeply. Turning back to Jaxen, she said, “Keep watching Neil. Track his every move.”

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Message from Noah: Happy holidays, beloved people. God loves you, and Noah wishes you all the best. ?( ? ? )

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