hapter b97 /b

julian was making –

4 gainble. He bet that Dexter wouldn’t dare to do anything too extreme.

The two of them hand yedni less games of strategy against beach /bother, and tulian had never lost. But this time, hest to something unexpected.

Esther froze for a moment, then quickly understood. She immediately arranged for a rescue operation for Willow.

Julianstealled his time band /bspoke caludy to Dester. “I will not babandon /bthe signing, Dexter, release Willow now, and I won’t pursue this matter. But if you insist on -tids foolishness, let me make site thing clear–Tonly see Willow as a tool in my power struggle. You know bthis/bb, /bDexter

“In the Zieglers, there has never been love. I don’t love her, so don’t think you can use her to threaten me “

On the other end of the call, Dexter let out a coldugh. “As expected of Julian! Truly nathless.”

Julian pansed for a moment. He knew Dester had softened, so he ended the e call decisively. He nned to finish the contract signing before returning to Brindley to bdeal /bwith everything.

pside the abandoned warehouse, Dexter looked down at his phone and then tumed to Willow. “Did you hear what he said? Do I need to repeat it for you?”

Willow didn’t need him to repeat it, because julian’s words kept echoing in her mind.

“I only see Willowasa tool in my powerstruggle.”

In the Zieglers, there has never been love.”

“I don’t blove /bher, so don’t think you bcan /buse her to threaten me

Willow let out ba /bsoft chuckle. Sheughed at her bown /bfoolishness and naivery

She had actually hoped that Julian would abandon the contract signing ande back to save her.

How ridiculous and naive!

Lately, Julian had said so many sweet words to her. Had she forgotten that any bit of affection he had for her was balways /bcarefully weighed against its benefits?

How could love exist in the Zieglers?

How could she have believed that jun possessed normal human emotions? For him, power had alwayse first.

Tears welled up at theers of Willow’s eyes,

Dexter’s expression was alsoplicated. He had lost to bJulian’s /bruthlessness, Julian’s cruelty was unrivaled, and Dexter could only concede defeat.

entrance of the dpidated warehouse, a woman stumbled in, shouting, “Dexter, stop this!”

Arther

It was Eleanor. She had secretly followed them here.

Dexter looked at her and said in a defeated tone, “I lost.”

Heanor’s eyes reddened, She walked closer to him and said softly, “Dexter, you still have me! Go back band /bbplead /bwith Mr. Ziegler Senior properly, and everything will be for Let Ms. Harperen.”

Dexter nced at Willow. After a moment, he started wallding toward her.

The emply warehouse suddenly rang with a sharp female voice. “Don’te any closer! If you take another step, bnone /bof you will get out of here alive! I’ve nted bonds in this warehouse. In so seconds, they will explode. That bitchcan only die here. If you don’t want to be buried with her, you’d better run now!–

It was Catherine She was wearing a tattered white dress, and her expression was deranged–she bwas /bbalready /bhalf–mad. She started counting bdown /bin a singsong

voler, “?o serumuts.

Dexter’s eyes turned blooddiol

Fanor grabbed ?ils atm as tears streamed down hier Tare “Let’s save Ms. Harper, okay? Dexter, we can’t leave her behind.”

beater wanted to save her, but when he looked at the red countdown numbers on the bomb, hew he couldn’t make it in time.

He dragged Eleanor and spainted toward the

he thought–deep down, be really didn’t want Willow to dir

The red numbers on the bomb reached the final few seconds, and Catherine silently slipped away

Willow fell over, herchair toppling with her they sprawled on the cold ground, and a thin chain slipped out from aro the good luck charm julian had given heron New Year’s Eve

“It’s very powerful ”

“I want you to be sade, to be happy, and bto /bbe free from worry for all your years.

b“/bbWillow/b,e to Yarrowmere with me.

“Willow, think of it as bgiving /bus one more chance. bTo /bme, you’re still the most important.

Willow’s face was drenched in tears as she recalled those words.

Was this what Julian meant when he said he wanted her to be bsafe/bb, /bbhappy/bb, /band free from worry

y bfor /ball her years?

rest of her years

She really couldn’t ept it. With her tragic birth and Grace’s hard work in raising her, how could she die bhere/b? Who would be good to Grace for the rest and take care of her in her old ageb? /b

A tear fell onto the emerald pendant.

Then came the sound of an explosion. A warm body tightly embraced her, band /ba deep voice seemed to echo in her ears, “Don’t be afraid. bI’m /bhere.”

Who was it? Who protected her?

Who blocked most of the bfire /bfor bher/b? who refused to let go, even in death? Who, with one bhand /bcovered in blood, held her and hid in the cracks between the exploding bwalls/bb? /b

Outside the warehouse, Dexter stood dumbfounded. Tears had welled up in his eyes when the explosion sounded. He didn’t know why he was crying–bwas /bit because of his own cruelty, or because of Willow’s tragic fate?

He even remembered that day of her and julian’s grand wedding, when Willow bhad /bsweetly called his name,

But now, he bhad /bkilled her with his own hands. He had lolled Willow!

In the distance, the sound of police sirens could be heard, along with ambnces and fire truck.

Suddenly, Dexter felt like he had lost himsell

bBack /bin Yanowmece, Julian finished signing and exchanged pleasantries with Timothy before heading toward the door. He needed to retum to Brindley Immediately.

Esther closely followed him…

As soon bas /bthey stepped outside, they saw the TV screen in the conference room switch to a frame showing the explosion, and a female anchor spoke with a tragic Lone to announce breaking news.

“At 10:00 am this morning, a major ident urred in Brindley. The wife of Neb’s CEO was a victim of a bombing at the Taynton warehouse and is currently missing. Her condition is unknown. It’s reported that 125 police officers have been dispatched for the search, but no signs of life have been found.

e will continue to follow up on Mrs. Ziegler’s condition

-We

Julian watched silently with a bpale /bface.

He froze for a long while, then quietly asked Esther beside him, b“/bbis /bthat Willow they’re btalking /babout? Did Dexter take Willow to the Tayton be ba /bmistake? Dexter wouldn’t dare to bdo /bsomething this extreme,”

He basked /bagain, “Is that Willow?”