Page 34 of Billionaire’s Cruelty

A sudden thud against my back yanked me out of the moment.

Everything blurred. My perfect 20/20 vision faltered, replaced by a hazy mess. The sounds around me faded, swallowed by a sharp ringing buzz in my ears. It wasn’t until I felt myself being lifted off the floor that I realized what was happening. The pounding I’d felt—someone’s hand on my shoulder.

Trevon.

My best friend from college. What the hell was he doing here?

“We need to go.”

We need to go. Those words. Everyone kept saying them to me.

Mario had said them earlier—over and over. My mind scrambled to catch up. Had I blacked out again? With my eyes open? It hadn’t happened in years.

I spotted her—Jenny. Blood stained her clothes, her hands, everything. She was hunched over her husband’s lifeless body, silent tears streaking down her face.

“Qing,” I called out, forcing the words through my brain fog. “We need to go.”

Trevon’s grip tightened—one of my arms now pinned beneath his broad, dark hands. His voice was low but urgent.

“The police are on their way here. We really have to go.”

Jenny shook her head stubbornly. “I should stay. This is all my fault.”

I shrugged out of Trevon’s grip and crouched down beside my devastated cousin. Her face was pale, streaked with tears, her hands trembling as they clung to her husband’s bloodied shirt.

“This is not your fault,” I said softly. “You should’ve never married him. I should’ve stopped you. You were a victim of your family’s politics.”

As the words left my mouth, the truth settled heavily on my chest—I wasn’t just talking about her. I had been a victim too, trapped and controlled by the same ruthless machine. And worse, I had let them do it.

Jenny’s eyes flashed with defiance.

“But we are different,” she snapped. “I did love him. He’s the father my children, and I still love him⁠—”

“Despite everything…”

“Yes!” She cut me off sharply. “None of this would’ve happened if I had just played along with his sick game.”

At least she knew it was sick.

Trevon crouched beside us. “Why don’t we get out of here for now? You’ll think more clearly once you’ve had a chance to breathe.”

“He’s right.” I murmured, running my fingers gently through Jenny’s matted hair—the same hair she spent hours and thousands of dollars every month perfecting. “Honey, have you seen Lucy? We need to take her with us.”

The realization hit me hard—I hadn’t seen Lucy since I arrived.

Jenny’s face twisted in confusion as she shook her head. “I don’t know. She left in a different car at the airport.”

Dread slithered over me. “Is she safe?”

“What?” Her frown told me—she couldn’t even process the question, too shattered by grief and guilt.

“Shit. Shit. Shit.”

I caught Trevon’s gaze, and he didn’t look away. I knew the same terrifying thought raced through both our minds.

I turned to Mario, my voice sharp and urgent. “Find Lucy.”

“Go, Kai.” Jenny demanded, her voice trembling but final. “I’ll handle the police when they get here.”