The CEO's Hidden Love: Midnight Temptations and Deep Desires novel Chapter 998

In the hotel, Quincy's heart raced as the ominous sound of footsteps approached from outside.

Using Dorothy's life as leverage over Everett was like dancing on the edge of a cliff. To say she wasn't scared would be a lie. But it was her only shot at gaining some control over her life. She had no other choice.

The door burst open with a loud bang, hitting the wall before bouncing back slightly. Quincy looked up, meeting Everett's chilling gaze.

"Pushing your luck?"

The moment he entered, the room seemed to suffocate with tension. Despite Everett just staring at her, Quincy felt as though she was being choked, struggling for air.

"Isn't it just a simple question? How are you feeling about marrying me, Mr. Lopez?" she asked, trying to sound calm, though her body instinctively moved back, trying to put some distance between them. He only showed his soft and warm side to Dorothy. To Quincy, he was always cold, or looked like he wanted to crush her.

"Not happening."

"So, Mr. Lopez doesn't want the antidote either?"

Everett clenched his jaw, clearly struggling to contain his anger. If he wasn't holding himself back, Quincy would already be on her way to the morgue.

"Quincy, I've met your demands. Don't cross the line," he warned, his tone heavy with threat. Quincy knew this was Everett's way of giving her a moment to rethink, but her mind was made up. The moment Dorothy decided to drink that poison, there was no turning back.

"Mr. Lopez, I'm only asking for your hand in marriage. I promise, whatever happens between you and Ms. Sanchez, I won't interfere or play the wife card. If you agree, I can ensure you get the antidote monthly. Should anything go wrong, you can take my life at any moment."

Everett dismissed her words as nonsense and turned to leave. Quincy caught up in a few strides. "You're running out of time! Once the antidote stops, Ms. Sanchez's condition will worsen immediately. The damage will be irreversible! And if she keeps missing doses, it could even reduce her organs' lifespan!"

Everett froze. Thinking she had swayed him, Quincy opened her mouth to continue. The next second, Everett's hand was tightly around her neck, pushing her against the wall. Quincy felt her feet lift off the ground as the air thinned around her.

"Mr... Mr. Lopez..."

"I'm not touching you because I don't want to dirty my hands, not because you're formidable," Everett's eyes narrowed, his gaze darkening with intent to kill, "Dorothy is my red line. The only reason you're not meeting your maker is because I'm tolerating you. Understand?"

Quincy had made some minor requests, and he had indulged her thus far. With the antidote still in development, he had no choice but to bide his time. But he knew Quincy wouldn't dare let anything happen to Dorothy. Their lives were intertwined, but if Dorothy were to die, Quincy wouldn't survive either. She knew that.

After Everett's warning, he turned and left with long strides. Quincy coughed violently before shouting at his retreating figure, "Mr. Lopez! Don't kid yourself about developing an antidote! I've been working on this poison since my college days. Cracking it is impossible!"