Chapter 285
Blood poured from Damon’s chest, soaking through his shirt as pain surged like fire through his nerves.
He staggered back a few steps, clutching the wound tightly. His palm was instantly drenched in red—but even as the agony intensified. Damon didn’t make a sound. He didn’t want to alarm the others inside the house.
Instead, he just stood there, shocked, stunned… staring at Noelle
Why would Noelle do this?
But in the midst of his pain–blurred vision, he saw the tears streaming endlessly down her cheeks. Her face was twisted in grief, filled with unbearable sorrow.
In that moment, one thought echoed in Damon’s mind. ‘I
‘Don’t cry, dummy today’s your birthday.
But even those simple words he didn’t have the strength to say them aloud.
His body gave way. The pain and the blood loss swallowed his senses, and he collapsed.
Noelle” she choked out his name in a broken cry as Damon hit the ground, eyes closed, the knife still buried in his chest.
She had stabbed her brother.
couldn’t even make a sound. All she could do was stand there, staring at Damon’s
She wanted to scream, to cry out for help–but she co unmoving body, her soul in pieces.
And then-
“Noelle” A voice, urgent and familiar, called from behind.
Nicolas was running toward her.
The moment she saw him, the tears came even harder.
Nicolas rushed to her side, and when he saw Damon lying in front of her–motionless, a knife protruding from his chest his heart dropped
He didn’t know what had happened, but it didn’t take a genius to guess: Noelle did this.
His face turned grim, but he didn’t waste time,
Kneeling down, he quickly checked Damon’s vitals. There was still a pulse faint but steady. The blade hadn’t hit any vital organs, but the blood loss was severe.
There was no to
was no time for proper first aid. Nicolas pressed both hands against Damon’s wound, trying to stem the bleeding.
“Don’t panic,” he told Noelle firmly. “Damon’s still alive.”
Those words were the lifeline she didn’t know she needed.
Noelle’s lungs finally remembered how to breathe.
With
a shaky voice, she asked, “He… he’s alive!”
“Yes. He is, Nicolas confirmed
But deep down, he was filled with questions. Noelle clearly didn’t want to hurt Damon. Then why…!
Just then, Brandon strolled over casually, hands in his pockets, as if nothing unusual had happened.
He clicked his tongue and sighed. “What a disappointment. You could’ve killed him instantly… but you held back.”
Noelle turned to face him, her tear stained face contorted with fear and anger.
Nicolas took one look at Brandon’s smug expression and immediately understood
d the entire picture.
“You’re insane, Nicolas snapped. “There are military units all around this house, and you still dared to make Noelle attack someone?”
Chapter 285
Brandon smirked. “Why not? Even if they gun me down, dragging a few people down with me sounds like a fair trade, doesn’t it? Besides who said I’m dying tonight?”
“You think you’re walking out of here?” Nicolas’s tone dropped, icy. “If this goes public, the lab’s human experiments will be exposed. That’s it. Game over for all three of your so–called research facilities.
Brandon let out a low laugh. “So what? You think I give a damn about those labs?”
The madness in his eyes sent a chill down Nicolas’s spine. He wasn’t bluffing–this man truly didn’t care about anything.
Nicolas’s mind raced. Brandon’s combat ability was on par with his, maybe even stronger. And it was unclear if Noelle could resist him.
To shift the odds, Nicolas needed to break Brandon’s control over Noelle.
He looked her in the eyes and said loudly, “Noelle, remember what you told me! You said you’d never hurt me. Or your family. Why are you listening to him?”
Noelle turned to him, confused and shaken. Seeing her hesitation, Nicolas pressed on. “You’re a person, Noelle–not a tool. You don have to follow orders. You have a family. Friends. Me. Do you really want to throw all that away and return to that dark, hopeless life?”
… Her lips trembled. Her body swayed.
Brandon, watching their exchange, sneered. “Can you two stop with the soap opera? It’s nauseating.
Nicolas’s glare hardened. “What, jealous?”
Brandon scoffed. “You really think your so–called ‘love can override everything? Don’t flatter yourself, Nicolas. One word from me, and Noelle listens–whether she wants to or not
He stepped toward her and grabbed her clenched fist, prying open her fingers one by one, as if breaking her will by force.
Then he shoved a knife into her hand. “Noelle,” Brandon said coldly, kill Nicolas.
The command hit her like a hammer.
The mental imprint began gnawing at her reason again. Noelle clutched her head, struggling to resist.
She didn’t want to hurt him.
Nicolas saw her pain and said quickly, “Don’t listen to him! I believe in you. You told me even if it’s the lab’s orders, you wouldn’t hurt us. I believe you can resist. You’re capable of anything, Noelle. You’re strong enough to fight this!”
“Nicolas… Nicolas… Her voice cracked.
Noelle gripped her head and shook it wildly. Her cries were choked, her body wracked with agony.
Nicolas’s heart broke watching her. He wanted to run to her, hold her. But he couldn’t–he had to keep pressure on Damon’s wound. If he let go, Damon would bleed out.
So all he could do was speak, try to reach her through words.
“Noelle,” he said gently but firmly, “think about everything we’ve shared. Your friends, your family. Do you really want to throw that away for his command? If you give in now, there’s no going back.”
She clenched her jaw, trying to force the instinct down.
Her mind felt like it was being torn apart. The pain was unbearable–like her skull would crack open.
When will this nightmare end…?
Brandon watched her struggle, unmoved
So this is what she looks like when she’s fighting for Nicolas, he thought bitterly. All this… for him. Noelle was supposed to be mine. And I will make her remember that
Then, without emotion, he gave the command again.
“Noelle What are yo
you waiting for? Nicolas is right there
there. Kill um.
ola Noelle, don’t!
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