Wolf’s words cut through Gavin’s heart like a sharp blade. Compared to the wound on his shoulder, Wolf’s words hurt far more deeply.
“Your worldview and values are severely flawed, Master Gavin,” Wolf said firmly. “That’s why you’ve never lasted long in the position you’re in. Haven’t you realized that yet?”
Gavin roared in anger, his voice trembling. “You-how dare you lecture me? You’re just a servant! What gives you the right to judge me? Don’t forget who made you famous, who gave you the spotlight! Without me, do you think you’d even be standing here today?”
“I know,” Gavin continued, his tone venomous. “I know you like Sophie! But at the end of the day, you’re just a servant! Do you really think you’re worthy of her? Do you think she would even spare you a glance now? If you want Sophie’s favor, you have to kill that man. Only by killing him will you have a chance. Otherwise, you’ll never have Sophie in this lifetime!”
Wolf instinctively glanced at Sophie. Her gaze flickered, her face full of surprise. Wolf, feeling both embarrassed and determined, clenched his teeth and said, “Love is pure. Love is noble. It’s not as filthy as you make it sound! To me, being by her side and protecting her is what love means!”
Gavin, his mouth bloodied, burst into manic laughter. “Love? That’s love? That’s just groveling like a dog!”
“Enough!” Kayden’s cold voice interrupted. “I’ve given you enough time. The organization backing you hasn’t shown up, which means they’ve abandoned you. Stop wasting our time. You’re going to die now.”
The delay in killing Gavin had been deliberate, meant to lure out the organization supporting him. But now, it was clear they had given up on Gavin.
Gavin tilted his head back, scanning his surroundings with a twisted smile. “One day, they’ll come for Azure Cloud Resort. They’ll bathe this place in blood.”
“Save your empty threats. You won’t live to see that day,” Kayden said, his voice icy. With a flick of his hand, the knife lodged in Gavin’s shoulder flew back into Kayden’s grasp.
Without hesitation, Kayden hurled the blade again. This time, it pierced straight into Gavin’s heart. The blow was fatal-Gavin drew his last breath and collapsed, lifeless.
As Gavin’s lifeless body slumped to the ground, Ivy’s screams filled the air. She clutched her head, shrieking in a deranged and guttural voice.
“No! No! No!” she wailed, breaking down completely. Her son and husband were dead. Her dream, which had only just begun to take shape, was now shattered.
Staring at their bodies, Ivy suddenly grabbed a knife that had fallen to the ground. Clutching it tightly, she prepared to plunge it into herself, choosing to end her life.
But just as she mustered her resolve, something shot through the air and struck her hand.
With a sharp whizz, the object tore through her wrist like a bullet, forcing her to drop the knife.
“Ah!” Ivy screamed, cradling her injured hand. She looked up in terror at Kayden, who stood before her with an expression as cold as ice.
“If you want to die,” Kayden said chillingly, “take off those clothes first. You don’t deserve to die dressed like that.”
Ivy’s heart sank.
She raised her head, her voice trembling. “Why? Why won’t you even let me die?”
“Smack!” Before she could finish, a figure stepped forward and kicked her to the ground. The high heel pressed into her body with brutal force. Ivy groaned in pain, sprawled on the floor.
The attacker was none other than Jasmine, Sophie’s cousin.
Pointing a finger at Ivy, Jasmine spat angrily, “Why? You really don’t know why? That outfit you’re wearing-does it belong to you? It was Sophie’s mother’s! You don’t deserve to wear it, let alone die in it! Wearing it while you die would be the greatest insult to that dress!”
Ivy glared at Jasmine, shaking her head in disbelief. “You little brat! How dare you lay a hand on me! Since when do you-”
“Smack!” Another kick landed squarely, cutting Ivy off.
Jasmine jabbed her finger in Ivy’s direction again. “Who do you think you are? Let me tell you something! Ever since you killed my parents, my uncle and aunt, and my grandfather, you’ve been nothing to me but an enemy! You lost the right to call yourself my Aunt Ivy long ago!”
“I’ve stayed by your side, enduring everything, only to find the right moment to bring you down. I wanted to avenge my parents, my grandfather, and my uncle and aunt. I believed that, given enough time, I could destroy you myself. But I didn’t even need to wait-your downfall came sooner than I thought. Truly, what a joyful day!”
“Mom, Dad, Grandpa,” Jasmine cried, looking up at the sky, tears in her eyes. “Do you see this? The ones who killed you are finally dead! Sophie has avenged you!”
She stood there, gazing at the sky at a dramatic forty-five-degree angle, her voice brimming with emotion. Her display was so convincing that it was hard not to believe her.
Jasmine’s ability to play her role was remarkable. When Ivy had been in power, Jasmine had acted like a loyal dog by her side, attacking whoever Ivy commanded. Only moments ago, Jasmine had even claimed that her own parents deserved their fate.
But now that Gavin was dead and Ivy had hit rock bottom, Jasmine wasted no time switching allegiances. She immediately positioned herself as Sophie’s most loyal follower, even physically attacking Ivy to prove her devotion.
This woman was a master of theatrics. To protect herself, she would go to any lengths.
After delivering her speech, Jasmine turned to Sophie with a sincere expression. “Sophie, I’m sorry! Please forgive me for offending you earlier. That wasn’t my true intention. If I hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t have gained her trust. Without her trust, my revenge would have been impossible. The only reason I stayed by her side, enduring everything, was to find a chance to avenge our family!”
“Grandpa treated me so kindly, your parents were so good to me, and my parents were everything to me. How could I stand by and do nothing while they were killed? Sophie, you and I are the same-we just chose different methods.”
Sophie said nothing, her gaze instinctively shifting to Kayden. Lately, it seemed that every decision she made relied on Kayden’s approval. She felt utterly lost without him.
Jasmine, noticing Sophie’s silence, turned her anger back to Ivy. “What? You’re still not taking off that outfit?” she yelled. “Do you want me to strip it off for you? Wearing that dress is an insult to it! Take it off immediately!”