Vivienne's smile was like frost on a winter's morning - stunning, yet sharp enough to cut.
Even Raquel, who was known for being less than bright, could tell that Vivienne wasn't asking for her opinion.
With trembling hands, Raquel tried to pry away Vivienne's firm grip, her eyes rolling back as she scanned the bystanders.
Those who had been united with her in opposition against the Littletons, who they had considered a thorn in their side, were now nowhere to be seen.
As their eyes met hers, they all looked away.
No one dared to intervene or even utter a word of encouragement.
It was clear to anyone with eyes that Vivienne was not to be trifled with, especially with Leopold at her back.
His fighting skills were the talk of the town!
The two bodyguards had seemed formidable, able to kick down the steel doors of a gated community with ease, but Leopold could take them both on as if it were child's play, without breaking a sweat. Raquel finally managed to speak, her voice barely a whisper, "I... I agree...
"Smart choice," Vivienne nodded, satisfied, and finally released her stranglehold on Raquel's throat.
As Raquel gasped for air, clutching her chest and coughing violently, she shot a venomous glare at Vivienne. But before she could react further, she felt a sharp pain at her neck and darkness swept over her. Vivienne stood up slowly, brushing her foot against the hem of Raquel's dress.
Her gaze swept around the room, settling on the darkened security camera, then moved to Elwood, the property manager.
Elwood shuddered visibly, his voice trembling, "Ms. Hawthorn, rest assured, our cameras are out of order today. There won't be any gossip spreading from here!"
Vivienne didn't respond, just coughed lightly, "Leopold, stop playing around."
speeding up his actions, and within seconds, the two towering bodyguards were sprawled on the
to Raquel, now lying behind Vivienne. His eyes, gleaming with mischief, swept over two children, "I assume you two know how
a run-in with him, cowered in the corner clutching the table
"Remember to tell your folks that the bruises you got today are because of
understand," the
paused
passed the onlookers,
nodded earnestly, "We
they didn't, they
It was too frightening!
It felt like if they disagreed, he would be
not far from
her in like a sack of potatoes, his movements as smooth as a seasoned kidnapper. Vivienne watched, her brow furrowing. What
keen on sharing a car ride with Raquel, so she didn't object, only urging Leopold to make
they were busy, two figures
on plush grass, yet Vivienne could hear
They were soldiers.
tensed and reached to close the trunk, but the two had
What have you got in there?!" one of
in and slamming the trunk shut. "Gentlemen,
on the
with the car keys, her pale fingers pressing
pushed Leopold into the passenger seat, "We're following protocol, step
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!