Chapter 1440

“There aren’t many remaining in the Gordon family now. The possibility of them rescuing you is out of the question. Remember your sidekick? Howard has already taken his life. His body has grown cold, rendering any hope of him coming to your aid futile. Regarding the other members of your family, I suspect Bartitsu Guild has almost eradicated them. Oh, and about your husband, cousin, and uncle-

they’re still in District Five. I should inform you that Bartitsu Guild has cordoned off District Fourteen.

They won’t permit them to enter until this situation is resolved.”

Neera took a deep breath, maintaining a stoic silence, cautioning herself not to trust a single word that Phoebe uttered.

It seemed as though Phoebe could discern Neera’s thoughts, as she let out a scoff. “What’s the matter? Don’t you believe what I’m saying?”

Neera preferred not to delve into this conversation further. Firstly, she was wary of being deceived and having her peace of mind disrupted. Secondly, she had no desire to hear even the slightest bit of distressing news.

So, she shifted the topic, suppressing her shivers, gritting her teeth as she said, “You won’t kill me.

Howard has made it clear; he instructed you to spare my life and hand me over to him.”

Upon hearing Neera’s assertion, Phoebe indeed felt as if she were being led by the nose. A sarcastic curve hooked up at the corner of her mouth.

“Yes, according to our agreement, I can’t kill you. But what does that matter? Sooner or later, you won’t be able to escape our grasp. Your pathetic life is already determined by Bartitsu Guild. And what I’m going to do now is to thoroughly torture you. I’d prefer to torment you to the point where you’re half-

dead, neither human nor ghost. That’s what would make me happy, you know? This was the condition I proposed when I exchanged information with Bartitsu Guild. Fortunately, they’re reasonable. As long as you end up dead in the end, I don’t mind if the process is a bit slow.”

As she spoke, a sudden glint of malice flashed in her eyes. She leaned in closer, articulating each word, “Neera, you have finally fallen into my hands. I will make you pay a hundred, a thousand times for the humiliation I suffered in the past. I will make you taste the torment of wishing for death!”

The venom in her words sent a shiver down Neera’s spine.

However, Neera remained silent, her expression indifferent, as if she were entirely indifferent to Phoebe’s threats.

This apparent lack of reaction instantly infuriated Phoebe.

Suddenly, Phoebe raised her hand and delivered a sharp slap to Neera. The sound echoed crisply in the air.

Neera’s head knocked askew, and on her face, numbed by the cold, she felt a thread of pain.

In the next moment, another harsh slap landed, causing the corner of her mouth to bleed.

A burning sensation gradually spread across her face. Though she attempted to raise her hand to touch and wipe the blood away, it proved futile.

At this moment, Phoebe stood up, assuming a superior position as she looked down at Neera. Once again, she seized Neera’s chin, lifted her face, and delivered another forceful slap.

After about a dozen strikes, Phoebe finally released her grip, panting heavily as she rubbed her palms and wrists. With satisfaction, she regarded her “masterplece” and remarked, “Do you want me to bring a mirror over so you can see what your face looks like right now? It’s quite a sight to behold.”

11:42 Mon, 4 Dec Neera’s face, now marked by numerous slap imprints, was swollen and bruised from the blows. The corners of her mouth were split open, blood incessantly oozing out, presenting a shocking sight.

Her head felt heavy and dizzy, stars danced before her eyes, and a constant buzzing sound enveloped her, causing her ears to throb with pain.

Despite the agony, she remained silent, never once crying out.

The curve of Phoebe’s mouth dropped slightly. She emitted a cold laugh and resumed her seat in the chair beside Neera.

“You know what I despise the most? It’s this facade of yours, pretending to be strong and calm, as if you’re invincible, as if nothing affects you. You’re clearly a woman who only knows how to cling to men, so why do you put on this air of arrogance with me? Others may think you have backbone, but I see you as the epitome of hypocrisy! I really don’t understand how no one can see through your deceitful and ugly face. It seems you truly have a knack for deceiving people.”

Neera kept her eyes closed, enduring the nauseating feeling, swallowing her saliva, and remaining silent.

Observing this, Phoebe’s eyes narrowed slightly, her expression growing increasingly grim. “There’s no one else here now, so who are you putting on this act for? Don’t you get tired of all this pretending?”

Neera chose not to answer.

Her indifference, more powerful than a thousand words, instantly fueled Phoebe’s anger, burning all the way up to the top of her head.

Suddenly, she leaned forward, gripping a handful of Neera’s hair from the back of her head. With force, she compelled Neera to lift her head and meet her gaze. “I’m talking to you; are you deaf or mute?

Hm? Since you refuse to learn your lesson, I might as well let you taste the consequences of your actions.”

Following her words, she retrieved an eyebrow razor from her pocket and brought it close to Neera’s face. “You tell me, with a face as beautiful as yours, what would you do if it were to be disfigured?

Then, you wouldn’t be able to charm people anymore…”

Neera felt the blade against her skin, her heart pounding in her chest, yet she remained motionless, only meeting Phoebe’s gaze with indifference.

Originally intending to cut her, Phoebe, upon looking into Neera’s eyes, suddenly found the prospect extremely uninteresting.

She yearned to witness this wretch crumble and beg for mercy, to observe her frantic and disheveled state of madness, instead of facing such indifference and disdain.

With that thought, Phoebe gritted her teeth, withdrew her hand, and pushed Neera’s head to the side.

Neera bumped into the edge of the bathtub, as the feeling of nausea surged again, causing a tumultuous churning in her stomach.

Seeing Neera’s grim expression, Phoebe believed she had instilled fear, somewhat lifting her spirits.

“Tsk, tsk, it seems you’re not as composed as you appear. You do care about your looks after all. But it’s a pity, this face is destined to lose its value. After all, you’re about to become a dead man. Let’s just let you stare at this face a little longer.”

After uttering these words, Phoebe retrieved something else from her pocket-a small bottle.

Neera shot a sidelong glance and immediately had a bad premonition.

Phoebe was seen pouring a small pill from the bottle. Holding the pill, she chuckled with a hint of mischief.

“Neera, as I’ve said before, the humiliation I’ve endured, I will surely return twofold. But after much thought, the only way I could think of to completely shatter your psychological defenses was this clichéd method…”