Hack! Hack! Samuel suddenly burst into a coughing fit.
He covered his mouth with a handkerchief but soon noticed some bloodstains.
Wanting to steady his emotions, he leaned against the seat, taking deep breaths.
That was when his phone rang.
“Hello?” Samuel asked in his hoarse voice.
“It's me, Mr. Macari. Have you received the item I sent you?” an elderly man's voice rang out from the other end.
“I did. How did you secure it?”
“Haha, don't you worry about that, Mr. Macari. I swear on my life that I gave you genuine goods. Now, about the item I requested...”
“I'll give it to you after the wedding.” Samuel's palm rested on his chest as he added, “You can come over now.”
“I’ve already prepared everything.” Skin-crawling chuckles came from the person as he reminded, “Mr. Macari, a word of caution. You won't have long to live after extracting the male lovebug from your body.”
“How many years will I have left?” Samuel questioned frostily.
“Three years.”
Three years? The words echoed in Samuel's mind, but he kept an unbothered expression. “That's more than enough. Remember, you're not to tell a single soul.”
“Don't worry. I won't since I don't want to invite any trouble for myself.” The old man chuckled before saying, “See you in three days.”
After that, Samuel hung up and exerted an iron grip on the steering wheel before him.
I guess I only have three more years left...
He glowered grimly at the Lewis residence as countless thoughts swirled in his mind.
Three years. What's the point of living through these last years of my life if I can't even be with her? If I have to keep my distance and watch her from afar... I'd rather die.
Meanwhile, in the Lewis residence, Kathleen glanced impassively at a man whose face was purple from being beaten up.
“Did Lauren Xenos send you here?" Kathleen interrogated sternly.
The man froze for a bit but soon uttered, “Yes.”
Not a tinge of emotion showed on Kathleen's face as she continued, “Lauren's a member of Blissful Sect, isn't she?”
The man nodded even harder.
Kathleen scoffed coldly. She sarcastically pointed out, “Two questions was all it took to see through you, huh?”
Her words startled the man.
However, she continued stating the facts while glaring daggers at him, “Firstly, Lauren does everything herself. And secondly, she's not a member of Blissful Sect. Don't you know such basic things?”
The man froze upon the unexpected revelation.
It was then that Kathleen took out a pill, pried his mouth open, and shoved it deep into his throat.
“W-What did you feed me?” the man stuttered, fear evident in his wide-eyed stare.
“Something good, of course!” came Kathleen's icy retort.
A minute later, howls of agony reverberated throughout the mansion.
“I-It hurts! Everything hurts!” the man cried while squirming all over the ground.
“That's good,” Kathleen remarked.
“While I have no expertise in poisonmaking, I've been diligently studying it this past year. The poison I fed you will simulate the grueling sensation of bug bites all over your body. What do you think? Not bad, huh?”
A glistening layer of sweat coated the man’s body at that point. “Just kill me!”
“Hah. What makes you think I’ll grant you death as you wished? I happen to be in need of a lab rat, and you'll do perfectly.”
“I'll tell you what you want to know!” The man's eyes were filled with terror. He had no desire to be tormented to death.
“Then you'd better tell the truth.”
“I'm from an organization named Windwell Corporation. My name's Noles.”
“Windwell Corporation?” Kathleen shot to her feet, accidentally dropping the box that Samuel gave her.
Shock crept up Noles' face upon seeing the box.
Wynnie frowned and spoke up. “What is your organization planning to do?”
“I'm not sure. I-I was merely following my superior's orders...” Noles muttered while trembling.
Caleb stepped in to help Kathleen pick up the box.
Once she took it from him, she spoke again. “You should know that I’ll make you suffer even more if you're lying.”
Noles shook his head at once. “I’m telling the truth. It's just that I didn't have the right or the guts to question my superior's orders. After all, I'm not a core member of Windwell Corporation.”
Kathleen's brows twisted into a deep frown.
Seeing that, Noles instantly added, “I swear I'm not lying. Please, can't you give me the antidote?”
“I'll think about it,” Kathleen coldly answered.
Her words only caused Noles to become more anxious. “I genuinely don't know anything. But my supervisor might know a thing or two. I can direct him to you guys.”
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