hapter 0188
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Maximus arrived at one of Frank Levett’s houses. Alexa, deeply concerned about his battered appearance, quickly ushered him to the room they would be staying in. She demanded the staff attend to his wounds and called for a doctor to examine him.
Meanwhile, Frank bid farewell to his friend, profusely thanking him for resolving their “small problem. “Once alone, Frank retreated to his study. The house was rarely visited, meaning security wasn’t tight, and in the rush, he hadn’t informed anyone of his arrival.
His phone buzzed suddenly. He hesitated upon seeing an unknown number but decided to answer.
“Who is this?”
“Frank Levett, I’m sure you know who I am.” The voice was deep and menacing.
“Marcus Bartz…”
“I’m outside your house. We need to talk.”
A shiver ran down Frank’s spine. He felt invincible when surrounded by his security detail, but this time, he had traveled with only one guard who was currently out on an “errand.” He was vulnerable, and the realization made him sweat.
“Mr. Bartz, I believe our conversation earlier settled everything. Your authority ended with the decree of my friend.”
“You know this isn’t about that. If I’m at your house, it’s for something else.”
“You insolent bastard! You have no idea who you’re dealing with!”
“I’ve already told you–I’m outside. If you don’t come out, this will get worse. Or do you want your court friends to find out who you really are?”
Frank had no choice but to comply. With reluctance, he unlocked the electric gate, allowing Marcus to drive in. Marcus didn’t turn off the car. Instead, he grabbed something from the glove compartment and strode toward the mansion. Frank was waiting at the stairs.
“Go ahead, Mr. Bartz, lead the way,” Frank said, trying to maintain composure.
“No. This is your house. You lead me,” Marcus replied coldly, gripping Frank’s neck tightly.
Frank forced himself to remain calm. He liked to think of himself as the devil incarnate, but without his bodyguards, he felt like prey beside Marcus, whose towering presence made him seem even more dangerous. Still, Frank clung to the belief that Marcus had no concrete evidence against him.
Once in the study, Frank took a seat, swallowing hard as he tried to maintain his composure.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Bartz?”
“I just came from Peter’s house. It seems your granddaughter enjoys snooping around properties that don’t belong to her. I’ll be conducting a full inventory If anything is missing, you’ll be sent the bill.”
“Forgive her, Marcus,” Frank said, feigning a placating tone. “My granddaughter is spoiled and
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Chapter 0188
impulsive, but she’s no thief.”
“That’s what you say. I don’t know her well enough to agree. And by the way, she had the audacity to threaten the rightful owner of that house. Were you aware of that?”
“Of course not! How could you accuse her of something like that? I’m a man of honor. I respect others and don’t condone such behavior. Please, forgive her she’s hormonal because of her pregnancy.”
Marcus’s expression darkened. “I don’t think it’s just hormones. But let me make this clear–I know you’re showing me one face while hiding another. I’m well aware of your connections to unsavory and unmentionable individuals in Valentia. Funny, isn’t it? Many of them no longer answer your calls. 1 wonder why.
“What are you insinuating, Bartz?” Frank said, his voice trembling.
“Nothing. Just a friendly warning–watch your back. Sometimes, people in positions of power make enemies who are patient enough to collect their debts in ways they don’t expect.
“Are you threatening me?”
“No. Not yet.”
In one swift motion, Marcus stabbed a knife into Frank’s hand, pinning it to the desk. Frank screamed, but Marcus quickly covered his mouth with a handkerchief, leaning close to whisper in his ear.
“This is a promise. Your death will be slow and agonizing. I’ll keep you alive long enough to watch your family and your so–called empire crumble. And when you beg for death, I’ll deny it just to prolong your suffering.”
Frank’s eyes filled with tears from the searing pain. Marcus withdrew the knife and severed one of Frank’s fingers in one fluid motion. Holding up the finger, he whispered:
“I’ll take this as a souvenir. And you’ll remember me every time you look at your hand. Remember, someone out there is thinking of you and ensuring your downfall. Oh, and tell Theodore to stay away from Mary. She’s leaving the country, but if I hear that even a hair on her head is touched, I’ll make sure every last one of your dirty dealings is exposed, including the massacre of my family.”
Marcus slowly removed his hand from Frank’s mouth making it clear that screaming would result in his neck being snapped. Frank’s survival instincts kicked in, and he stayed silent as Marcus walked out of the mansion, unscathed.
Frank sat trembling in his study, clutching his maimed hand. His fear outweighed his pain as he contemplated Marcus’s words. Biting his lip to stifle his groans, he used the handkerchief Marcus had left behind to fashion a crude tourniquet around his injury.
Once somewhat composed, he called Theodore.
“Where are you?”
“I’m following the Preston woman. She’s headed to the airport.”
“Let her go! I need you here now. I’m in trouble, and your so–called ‘security‘ was useless.”
Chapter 0108
“Sir, where are you?”
“I’m heading to Galea’s central hospital. I need Spencer. Call him and tell him I’m coming”
“Yes, sir. I’ll meet you there.”
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Theodore ended the call, torn between his orders and the situation at hand. Meanwhile, Valeria security had already identified Mary’s vehicle, tracking her to the airport.
Frederick arrived at the airport just as Theodore was leaving. He spotted Mary and quickly approached
her, discreetly slipping two bundles of cash into her bag
“Take this,” he said urgently. “Go. Don’t come back to this country. Get on the first flight you can find. My boss can’t protect you right now, but we’ll come for you when it’s safe.”
Mary could barely process his words. She nodded numbly as Frederick guided her toward the airport entrance. From a distance, he kept a vigilant eye, ensuring she safely passed the threshold.
For now, Mary was free.
