Chapter 706 Tangled Bloodlines

    The faint brush of Marie’s weak struggle–if one hadn’t known her before–could easily be mistaken for the gentle nuzzle of a kitten.

    And the way she cursed him, breathless and soft, only made her look like a ruffled little cat with no ws left.

    At the words “hard–to–get,” she’d already been fuming. Now Derrick dared use her of “rubbing against him“? That made her snap.

    “Who the hell’s rubbing on you? You stink so bad I’d suffocate before I did that!”

    Her fury was adorable, a puffed–up kitten baring tiny teeth.

    Derrick chuckled low. “See? You’re doing it again.”

    He held her wrist with ease, no resistance at all. Something that never would have happened with the old Marie.

    And when she failed to break free, she looked exactly as he said—fragile, like some coy debutante pretending to resist.

    Sebastian watched the scene, and to him it looked like bickering lovers.

    He cleared his throat twice. “Come on, let’s go. Don’t disturb their… newlywed moment.”

    He waved the others off and even slung an arm around Sophia’s shoulder, steering her toward a car. “Don’t worry, they’re together. Safe and perfectly legal.”

    “Wait, that’s not-” Sophia started.

    She wanted to exin Marie was still under the drug’s effect.

    But Marie was already exploding from Derrick and Sebastian’s teasing.

    “I was drugged, you idiots! Can’t you see?”

    The word drugged killed the air in an instant.

    Danger flickered across Derrick’s face.

    Sebastian, uneasy, asked, “Should we leave now? I can request a jet immediately. This is Dan’s turf–we shouldn’t linger.”

    But Derrick’s gaze dropped to the limp woman in his arms. A coldugh escaped him. “Leave?

    Chapter 706 Tangled Bloodlines

    No. I’m staying in Noctarth for a week.”

    “bA /bbweek/bb?/bb” /b

    Sebastian understood at once–Derrick wanted revenge.

    +8 Pearis

    Dan had done many things, but drugging Marie? That was a de straight into Derrick’s lungs.

    “Don’t joke around,” Marie muttered.

    “Weren’t you looking for Tessa? Have you even found her?”

    Marie was speechless.

    The name made her chest ache. She looked at Sophia.

    Sophia quickly told Derrick she had already searched the entire castle–no trace of Tessa.

    Derrick’s gaze returned to Marie, darker now, weighing thoughts. Then he spoke. “What if Dale

    took her?”

    Marie blinked. “Dale?”

    That was Tessa’s father.

    The former head of Ashen Pact. If he wanted to spirit her away, no one could stop him.

    “But… he’s her father,” Marie said, conflicted.

    If Dale had taken Tessa, wouldn’t she be safer than with Dan?

    After all, he wouldn’t harm his own daughter.

    Derrick

    gave a sharpugh. “Let me remind you–Dale’s first two wives were nothing but tools. He never loved Diana, nor Dan’s mother. And he sure as hell never cared for their children.”

    His voice turned cold. “So tell me–do you still think Tessa is safe with him?”

    Marie couldn’t say a word.

    The truth hit like ice water.

    Dale had loved his mistress more than any of his other wives, more than their children.

    And now-

    “Tessa is the perfect pawn to control Diana,” Derrick finished.

    Marie’s chest tightened.

    God. Could she really bring Tessa back safe and sound? Deliver her into Victor’s hands like she’d promised?

    For the first time, true fear prickled her.

    b“/bbIs /bthere any family mess worse than this?b” /b

    She scratched at her head. Compared to all this, the Dawsons were practically simple folk.

    Derrick’s tone was brisk. “Victor’s men just arrived. We need to move faster.”

    Marie froze. “Victor’s men? They’re here already?”

    Cold dread swept her. She nced at Sophia, who looked just as stricken.

    If Victor’s men were here, that meant Tessa wasn’t with him.

    Derrick confirmed with a hum.

    Marie groaned. “Then what are we waiting for? We need to track that girl down, figure out if her dear daddy really dragged her off.”

    What a cursed bloodline.

    Brothers who weren’t brothers, fathers who weren’t fathers.

    iWhat /iikind /iiof /iihell/ii–/iistart /iilife /iwas ithis/i? Marie could only feel pity for Tessa, tangled in such a mess.