CHAPTER 177: CHAPTER 177: TRUTH AND BLADE

Outside the car, the sunset had already fallen below the horizon, setting the sky ablaze in a fiery red.

The clouds hung low.

In the distance, the gradually encroaching darkness was like a tightening net of shadows.

By the desolate riverside, only the sound of wind rustling through the reeds could be heard.

Her throat aching dryly, Holly swallowed with difficulty, her voice hoarse, "Mia, listen to me first..."

"Listen to what?"

Mia turned to look at Holly, her eyes devoid of warmth, leaving only a lifeless black: "Listen that I deserve this, that I’m greedy, that I’m wicked?"

She smiled a smile uglier than crying, "I just wanted to get what I wanted, I wanted money, I wanted status, I wanted to be loved, what’s wrong with that?

Why do all of you have to push me onto a dead end? Zion Pence, Shannon Yarrow, Blake Sinclair, and you, Holly! Why?"

Holly looked at her in this state, her heart a mix of emotions.

She couldn’t believe that Mia’s obsession had twisted to this extent.

"Mia, a failed surgery isn’t irreversible. With today’s advanced technology, we can help you find better doctors to perform reconstructive surgery. It’s not too late, it’s not too late..."

"Reconstructive surgery?"

Mia seemed to hear the biggest joke in the world, suddenly pulling out a lighter from the glove compartment and playing with it in her hand.

"So what if it’s reconstructed? Daniel is already gone, my child is gone too, and Zion Pence’s eyes are full of disgust for me now."

"Holly, do you think it’s funny? He used to say he only loved me, but now he says he never loved me, that it was always you he loved! Why! What am I?"

She became increasingly agitated, the lighter clicking open and closed, with flames occasionally flaring up.

The hideous scar on her face looked even more terrifying in the red firelight.

Holly: "Mia, don’t be impulsive, let’s talk this out..."

"There’s nothing more to say."

Mia cut her off, her voice eerily calm, "Holly, let’s die together."

"Look, I’ve already filled this car with gasoline. Soon, this fire will be beautiful, more beautiful than any fireworks you and Blake Sinclair have ever seen."

The smell of gasoline in the air grew thicker, almost suffocatingly so.

"No! Mia! Calm down!" Holly’s head felt like it was about to explode, tears uncontrollably streaming down her face.

"You can’t do this! You have a long life ahead, you still have a chance, don’t....."

"A chance? I lost my chance long ago."

Mia laughed maniacally, tears mixed with pus from her face, looking especially tragic, "From the moment Daniel left, I lost my chance, from the moment the surgery failed, my life was completely destroyed!

Now, I have nothing left, might as well take you to hell with me, having you as my company in death, would make it worthwhile."

She pressed the lighter again, a flame burst forth, illuminating her face.

Holly trembled with fear, wanting to struggle, but was unable to move.

Just then, the sound of engines grew louder and louder from the distance, as if several cars were rushing towards them.

Mia’s expression changed as she looked out the window.

Several police cars were coming down the bridge, the alternating red and blue police lights particularly glaring against the burning sunset.

At the very front of the police cars was a black Maybach.

The sound of sirens drew nearer and nearer, as a voice from a loudspeaker came through, "Mia, whatever conditions you have, we can meet them. We can talk! Don’t harm the hostage!"

Hearing this voice, Holly’s eyes welled up with tears she could no longer hold back, finally breaking down.

Tears mixing with blood from her bitten lips, tasting both salty and bitter.

He came, he finally came!

But that voice only fueled Mia instead of frightening her.

She stared at the approaching convoy, her eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness.

She became even more frenzied, suddenly flooring the gas pedal, the van started again, rushing towards another small road by the river.

"Ha, you really do have a tough life! Then let’s all die together with you!"

The van’s wheels crushed through the reeds, bumping along the uneven path, picking up more and more speed.

The police cars and the Maybach immediately gave chase, the van sandwiched in the middle, with cars pursuing from both sides, but Mia continued to madly steer, even crashing directly.

The pursuing vehicles closed in, and seeing the relentless pursuit in the rearview mirror, her eyes filled with bitterness.

With a screeching halt, the van stopped again.

Mia turned around, grabbing Holly’s hair and dragging her to the front seat.

Holly, in pain, instinctively tried to struggle, but her mouth was soon taped shut, leaving her only to make muffled whimpering sounds.

Mia rolled down the window halfway, letting in the river breeze that tangled through Holly’s hair.

Blake Sinclair had already gotten out of the Maybach, the hem of his black suit wrinkled, his tie disheveled on his neck.

He stood a few dozen meters away, staring into the van as the river wind swept through his hair, though he seemed oblivious to it.

His world, since the moment the window rolled down, had already shattered!

Holly, held by Mia, eyes that always bore smiles now churned with fear and helplessness.

Blake Sinclair felt as if his chest were being ripped open, engulfing him in endless agony.

"Holly." He called out, trembling as he stepped forward.

But was sharply halted by Mia’s shout, "Stop! Stand right there!"

Blake Sinclair had to stop his steps.

"Mia, let her go. Whatever you want, I can give you, money, status, or anything else, as long as you let Holly go."

"What I want?"

Mia tightened her grip on Holly’s hair, causing Holly to wince in pain.

"What I want, you can’t give! I want Zion Pence to keep loving me! I want my child back, to go back to when nothing happened, can you give me that?"

Her frenzied voice echoed in the wind, carrying the resolve to perish together: "Holly, do you really know Blake Sinclair? Hahaha...."

The instant Blake Sinclair heard her words, his expression changed dramatically.

"Do you know who sent you the video of Zion Pence and me in the car?"

Mia’s voice suddenly lowered, as if whispering a secret, but every word reached Holly’s ears clearly.

Holly seemed to have guessed the answer, subconsciously looking at Blake Sinclair.

His shoulders trembled slightly, he opened his mouth as if to say something, but finally just closed his eyes, eyes filled with crimson, unable to refute.

"Hahaha! It was your dear husband!"

Mia suddenly shouted aloud, "It was Blake Sinclair! It was he who sent you that video! He wanted you to give up on Zion Pence completely, so he could have his chance! What a paragon of gentlemanly virtue from the Sinclair Family, in truth a vile monster!"

Holly’s head ached so much she couldn’t think, looking at Blake Sinclair in disbelief.

She wanted to speak, but could only make sobbing sounds.

Mia relished in Blake Sinclair’s expression, laughing wildly with satisfaction.

"You found out about Zion Pence’s affair from that video, and though we were both using each other, wasn’t it nice to pretend nothing happened? It’s all his fault, tell me, isn’t he detestable? But do you think that’s all? He’s done more than that?"

Mia looked at Blake Sinclair, her hatred nearly bursting forth, "Blake Sinclair, if it weren’t for you sending me to Zion Pence’s company four years ago, would I have ended up like this!"

She almost screamed it, tears dripping onto Holly’s clothes, staining them dark.

Only when Shannon Yarrow threw those investigation files in front of her did Mia finally understand that she had been nothing more than a pawn meticulously designed by Blake Sinclair to win Holly!

Holly’s scalp throbbed with sharp pain; she was completely stupefied.

Four years ago?

Four years ago she hadn’t even reunited with Blake Sinclair, how did Mia become entangled with him?

Mia recognized her confusion and explained with a cold laugh.