The Best Revenge It Wasn't Even Your Child novel Chapter 509

They always say you should worry less about enemies turning into friends, and a lot more about friends turning into enemies.

Aaron had known Lance for years. He knew every button to push, what Lance hated most, what he would fight tooth and nail to protect. The plan this time was simple: try to talk Lance into shifting the blame to Gavin. It would help Lance stay clear of trouble with the people from Eldervale and keep the James family from putting all the heat on him.

But Aaron got nervous, worried that Lance wouldn’t listen, and ended up saying too much.

Lance’s face went cold in an instant, his jaw tightening and his eyes shadowed. “Just do what I told you. Start running your mouth again and I’ll send you straight back to Cabinda.”

Aaron shrank back, clamped his lips shut, and left to do exactly what Lance wanted.

Over on Gavin’s side, progress was frozen. Every lead stopped at the same dead end: Amanda’s disappearance.

One of Gavin’s guys came in with an update. “It’s not just us. The James family is on the hunt for that woman too.”

“Lance?” Gavin’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

He was confused. Why would Lance get himself tangled up in Catherine’s business? Lance didn’t even know that Catherine’s kid was his.

This just keeps getting crazier, Gavin thought.

He tried to force a grin, but couldn’t muster even that. He dropped heavily into his chair, rubbing the tension from his forehead.

“So what’s this got to do with Lance? Stick someone on him. Keep watching. If he makes a move, I want to know about it and swoop in before he does.”

There was no way he was letting Lance come out on top, not with everything at stake.

Getting Amanda out came at a price. The casino’s demand was outrageous: twenty million.

All that money for an older woman, a gambler with nothing but trouble attached to her name. She wasn’t even worth two hundred, in Gavin’s eyes. The price nearly gave him a stroke.

The casino boss raised an eyebrow. “Not happy with the offer? Fine. I could just go to the James family instead.”

Gavin rolled his eyes. “You think I’m stupid enough to fall for this? If I won’t pay, you think Lance will? He’s even tougher than me.”

He tried cutting a deal. “Listen, I’ll give you two hundred thousand, with an extra twenty on top. That’s the best you’ll get.”

When he was already halfway out, the casino boss called after him. “Deal.”

Gavin could have screamed. He knew he’d offered too much, should have started way lower. But the deal was made, and he couldn’t take it back. Grinding his teeth, he handed over the money.

Five minutes later, Amanda shuffled out of the casino in a faded gray uniform. She was quietly ushered into Gavin’s car.

She blinked in shock. “Gavin?”

He shot her a look full of irritation. “Do you even know how close you were to dying in that place? The Lee family cut a deal with the casino to make sure you wouldn’t walk out alive.”

Amanda started shaking. After everything she’d been through, she looked like she’d break at any moment.

Now that the truth was out, fear crashed into her all over again. She could barely get a word out.

Gavin kept the car door open, silent warning hanging in the air. “You want to live? Tell me the truth about Catherine. The real story. If you talk, I’ll get you out of this mess.”

Outside, casino bodyguards waited, their eyes heavy on the car. The air was thick with threats and secrets, and Amanda knew she might be out, but she wasn’t free yet.