Chapter 158

Keaton’s hair was a tousled mess, a clear sign that he’d just rolled out of bed in a hurry. His usually perfect hair was in wild disarray as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and tried to make sense of the commation.

“What the hell is going on here?”

Oriana was on the floor, her body shaking like a leaf in a storm, tears streaming down her face. When she saw Keaton, it was as if she had seen an angel. She finally allowed herself to cry out, “Mr. Huber, please, save me! Oh God, save me.”

Keaton glanced at her briefly before his eyes found Elysia cradled in Tarquin’s arms. His heart raced with panic. “What in the world happened?”

Lowell looked at him with pity “Your ex–girlfriend’s a real piece of work! Keep her in line, will ya? I never want to see her face again!”

Tarquin’s roar was so fierce it could have blown the roof off the building.

Anyone who knew Tarquin knew that he was seriously pissed off. This wasn’t just anger, this was fury.

Keaton stood there, dazed, watching Tarquin’s retreating back. Lowell leaned in and whispered, “That ex of yours kidnapped Ms. Thorne and brought a gang to… well, you know. Tarquin was supposed to meet Ms. Thorne for coffee and couldn’t get ahold of her. He went to her place and found out what happened. Man, you need to sort this mess out. Tarquin’s really furious. Your ex… she’s really something else”

Lowell cast a glance at Oriana, shook his head in disgust, and walked away. He didn’t even mention that Tarquin had been slapped, not wanting to embarrass him further.

Once everyone had left, Keaton turned to Oriana, his normally warm brown eyes now icy cold. “So, did they get it wrong? Are you innocent?”

Oriana was too frightened to lie, her tears unstoppable as she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Mr. Huber, I just… I was just so mad, I…”

“Mad? What gives you the right to be mad? You blame others for your own failures in the market?”

“L… I just…..

“Oriana, I underestimated you. You had the gall to mess with Tarquin’s lady.”

“Tarquin? Tarquin Bradford?”

“Who else?”

The fear in Oriana’s eyes intensified as realization dawned on her. She had never met Tarquin, so she didn’t recognize him earlier. Now, understanding who she had crossed, she was terrified, bowing her head repeatedly in desperation.

“Mr. Huber, please, I didn’t mean to, I swear. I didn’t know she was with Mr. Bradford. Please, have mercy!”

Keaton looked at her, devoid of any sympathy, “Ever hear the saying ‘Play stupid games, win stupid prizes“?”

Oriana gasped.

“And another one, ‘You reap what you sow.”

The murderous intent in Keaton’s gaze was unmistakable.

“Mr. Huber, I’m begging you, don’t kill me! It was all Nola’s idea. She said she would help me get even.

She told me if I could force Ms. Thorne to confess to Gage’s mess, I could take my anger out on Elysia.

Nola promised that even if the sky fell, Mr. Bradford would have my back. I didn’t know Elysia was his woman, I swear…”

“Nola?” Keaton’s brow furrowed.

“Yes, yes, I’m telling the truth–you can check! Please believe me…”

Keaton’s eyes flickered with thought, then he turned to his bodyguard, “Looks like it’s time for the Suttons to vanish. Tarquin doesn’t want to see her again. Let her and the Sutton family disappear together.”

Oriana’s eyes widened in horror. “Mr. Huber, please, don’t kill me, I’m begging you…”

“Kill you? Why would I dirty my hands? Murder is for those without class,” Keaton said flatly, already turning to leave.

As Oriana watched him walk away, the phrase ‘worse than death‘ echoed in her mind. She screamed after him, “Mr. Huber, please… Mr. Huber!” But her pleas were swallowed by the chill of the morning air.