Chapter 142

Darleen made her way to pick up the contract,keeping herself disguised from head to toe.

Yet Lainey knew her too well. The minute the receptionist sent over a clip from the lobby cameras,Lainey recognized Darleen with barely a glance.

So it was Darleen. That bitch. If she wanted trouble,she had found it.

Hatred boiled in Lainey's chest as she snapped her phone shut and wasted no time dialing Horace. "I want Darleen Faulkner handled. She's in Elepdon right now. Take care of her for me, and I'll add 2% to your cut when it's done."

Horace lived outside the law. Jobos like this were just another day for him.

He saw the upside, so he didn't hesitate. "Alright,"he responded.

Meanwhile, Darleen had no clue what was brewing behind her back.

She left the law firm with a spring in her step, feeling like the world had just handed her a crown.

Clutching the authentic share transfer papers, she could hardly believe her luck. She had just secured a fortune, and nobody in the Faulkner family could look down on her now. The future was hers-she would be the one calling the shots.

Lost in her triumph, Darleen never saw the danger coming. A coarse sack landed over her head out of nowhere,cutting off her vision in a blink.

Within seconds, she was shoved into a waiting van.

By the timne the sack was removed, she was choking on the smell of dust and decay.

She glanced around and realized she had been dumped in a derelict factory. Rough ropes dug into her wrists and ankles, leaving her completely at the mercy of her captors.

Footsteps echoed through the emptiness as a burly man stalked toward her, a wicked-looking knife catching the light.

Terror took over, making her voice shake. "Who are you? What do you want from me? I'm from the Faulkner family! If you lay a finger on me, you'll regret it-my family won't let this slide!"

The man only laughed, flashing a mouth full of stained teeth. His eyes glinted with cruel amusement. "Faulkner, huh? That's exactly why you're here. You crossed the wrong person,sweetheart."

Her mind raced as she tried to make sense of his words.

Only one name came to mind.

Lainey.

It had to be that snake. So she was willing to go this far? That two-faced bitch had betrayed her without a second thought!

The moment Darleen stayed quiet, the man smirked -he could tell she had pieced everything together.

Without warning, he tossed a notepad and pen at her feet. "Go on, write a confession. Say Eleanor Warren kidnappedyou and planned to kill you for money."

Darleen recoiled in horror. "No, absolutely not!Eleanor is with Nolan. If he hears about this, I'm finished!"

He clearly had no interest in hearing her protest.

With a dark chuckle, he slashed through the rope around her wrists and pressed the cold blade against her neck. "You've got two options. Write what I told you,or you won't leave this place alive."

The knife dug into her skin, and warm blood trickled down her neck, sending a jolt of pain straight through her.

Having lived a sheltered life, Darleen had never faced anything so terrifying. Fear took over.

Her voice shook as she surrendered. "I-I'll do it."

Her hands barely stopped trembling as she gripped the pen.

Each word took everything out of her, and it was a long,agonizing few minutes before she managed to scrawl the forced confession across the page.

As soon as Darleen finished scribbling, the man yanked the notepad from her grasp with barely contained impatience.

He scanned her shaky handwriting, lips curling into a satisfied grin once he saw everything was in order.

When she saw that, Darleen's voice broke as she tried to bargain. "I did what you asked. Can I leave now?"

His response was a mocking snicker. "Do you think I'll let you off so easily?"

"What are you talking about?" Darleen stammered, confusion clouding her features. Panic surged as realization dawned in her wide, terrified eyes. "Wait,you're not-no, don't-"

She never got to plead for mercy. The man's blade flashed,striking before she could react.

Bound and helpless, she had no way to run. Agony ripped through her, hot and sharp, as the blood drained from her body.

Her vision blurred. Somewhere in the haze, she heard the man's voice, low and businesslike, making a call to Horace to confirm the job was done.

After that,everything faded into black.