Judith's face drained of color.
How on earth could Percival know about this?
She had confided this secret to no one in the Brooks family, not even her own flesh and blood.
She had taken the solitary trip to Emerald Mountain to ensure there were no loose ends.
But why?
Why did Percival know?
Judith's expression flickered with panic before she fought to regain composure, irritation lacing her voice. "What are you blabbering about? When have I ever brought a hitman there? Vivienne knows the truth. She saved me. I was the one being hunted!"
Percival chuckled, a knowing smirk on his face. "You seem to be unaware that my teacher founded the very organization of hitmen you sought out. What a coincidence, isn't it?"
"What?" Judith was utterly stunned, disbelief etched on her face.
They were Karen's people?
No wonder they turned on her!
She vividly recalled hiring the organization and them assigning a hitman to accompany her. All had been well until they reached Emerald Monastery. The hitman leader's face turned ashen when she mentioned Karen's name. They even double-checked with her, asking if her target was indeed Karen's child.
She had confirmed it without hesitation.
And that was when they turned on her.
Unknown to them, Judith was skilled in fighting arts, a secret she had kept hidden for decades. Cornered, she had no choice but to fight for her life.
Thus, she fled in desperation.
But these were trained hitmen. How could she possibly escape their clutches? The terrain of Emerald Mountain was treacherous, and despite her efforts to elude them, she was eventually captured.
In a moment of sheer panic, she claimed to possess something left behind by Karen, bargaining for her life in exchange for the item.
Perhaps the hitmen harbored deep feelings for Karen, for the mere mention of her name stayed their lethal hands.
They demanded she hand it over, but she had nothing, especially after her frantic escape had left her without even her phone or purse.
It was then that Vivienne appeared.
Judith only saw Vivienne toss a handful of white powder before the attackers collapsed. Recognizing Vivienne's extraordinary abilities, Judith clung to her for safety and begged to be escorted home.
Despite her cold exterior, Vivienne's warmth shined through as she reluctantly ensured Judith's safety every step of the way.
When the hitmen caught up with them again, Vivienne dealt with them swiftly.
Whatever Karen had left behind must have been of vital importance, but Judith was clueless. All she knew was that the chase persisted until they reached the boundaries of Havenwood, at which point the hitmen vanished.
Judith could not fathom why at the time, but it all made sense now.
Havenwood had been Karen's sanctuary and Vivienne's home. Perhaps the hitmen refrained from disrupting Vivienne's peace.
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