Although he did not know the specifics of that organization, the fact that Scott was second-in-command was a testament to his high status.
And from the moment Vivienne began to settle scores with the Brooks family, he knew Scott's deeds would one day come to light.
Vivienne was somewhat of an enigma to him. Their interactions had been few, and it was hard to say they shared a close bond, but he could tell that the face she presented to the world was not her true self.
Her arrival at the Brooks family was driven by Karen's death and possibly by the organization lurking behind Scott.
So, he stripped Scott of his position as head of the family, hoping to distract Vivienne and Percival while secretly aiding Scott.
All these actions were his way of making amends.
Scott's smile froze on his face, and perhaps it was the way the light hit him, but his usually calm and composed features now seemed twisted and terrifying. "Offset? Haha, offset, you say?"
Scott's gaze followed Baron's retreating figure, a glimmer of hatred flashing in his eyes.
"You have no idea what I've been through, so you have no right to speak to me of forgiveness!"
Scott would never forget the poison injected into his veins, the whip marks that had scarred his flesh, and the relentless crushing of his spirit.
These were cold memories that still sent shivers down his spine.
Vivienne, observing Scott's expression, could imagine what he had endured.
Some choose to either perish or be reborn in the Abyss, but others, like Scott, only continue to drag more innocents into its depths.
He inflicted the pain he had suffered on others, finding satisfaction and validation in their torment.
Baron slowly stood up, using the back of the sofa for support, and approached Scott.
"If you harbor hatred, I won't blame you. I have failed you regardless of whether you are my flesh and blood. If you want to kill me, go ahead."
"Grandpa!" Ronald stepped in front of Baron, his voice desperate. "Uncle, if you must kill, then kill me, but don't harm Grandpa, please!"
Scott pushed Ronald aside fiercely and wrapped his arms around Baron in an embrace.
Through the shoulder he was leaning on, Scott stared deeply at Vivienne. "Vivienne, I placed the new bomb in Percival’s car and crafted it, too. I know you’re here today for my life, so here, take it."
Suddenly, a bomb remote appeared in his hand, his thumb pressing hard on the red button.
"No!!"
Melissa's scream pierced the silence, but the explosion that everyone anticipated never came.
Scott pressed the button repeatedly, but no blast followed.
Vivienne's laughter broke the silence, sounding remarkably crisp.
"Surprised?" She looked at Scott, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Scott stared at her in shock. "How? What did you do?"
Her smile deepened. "I overestimated your intelligence. Hiding the bomb inside Baron's cane? Such a lame trick. How did Mr. B ever see your potential to be his double?"
Scott looked at Vivienne as if she were a monster. "How did you know?"
He had considered every possible way Vivienne could discover his plan and had taken precautions against them, yet she had still found out.
"The bomb wouldn't have caused a significant explosion. At most, it would've been enough to kill the two of you," Vivienne said as she walked forward and picked up Baron's cane.
She glanced at Scott, her voice steady. "You made a mistake using a remote device. If it were like the old times, requiring a physical trigger, I would not have been able to reprogram the remote."
It dawned on Scott that Vivienne had known about the new bomb all along.
He had lost.
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