Ch. 421..430

Chapter 421 Chapter 421 Tiffany’s cheeks were burning, and she felt embarrassed and ashamed.

Suddenly, a hand covered her forehead.

Tiffany turned around and saw Zoe Stevens examining her with a baffled look. “You are not having a fever but why is your face so red?” For once, Tiffany felt guilty as she pushed Zoe’s hand away. She abruptly changed the subject, “Is it time for the exam?” Zoe chuckled. “It is, but what you are thinking about now is probably not the exam, but your engagement in two days, Tiffany. Thereafter, you are considered a married woman!” ‘Why is she bringing up the engagement again?‘ Tiffany cleared her throat softly before chiding Zoe, “Exams are more important!” “The engagement is more important!” Zoe countered.

“Zoe, you’ve changed. You’re no longer the lovable friend who swore allegiance to me back then.” “No, I’m only abandoning the darkness to join the light!” Zoe made it clear that she was on the side of a certain big shot. She emphasized vehemently, “So, the engagement is more important!” “You…” Tiffany pretended to raise her hand to punch Zoe. Just as the two girls were fooling around, a shadow suddenly loomed over them.

Both of them looked up and saw Kenneth Harper standing in front of them.

Zoe immediately rolled up her sleeves aggressively. “What do you want?” Kenneth ignored her and placed the book in his hand in front of Tiffany before leaving. Throughout the whole encounter, he did not utter a single word.

Tiffany looked at the book title and realized that this was the book she had been searching desperately for quite some time now.

The library was too big and once a book was misplaced, it would require lots of luck to locate it.

Tiffany had almost given up on the book after searching high and low. Thus, after running into Kenneth in the library that day, she decided to give up completely and stopped going to the library.

To her surprise, Kenneth managed to locate the book for her.

If he started searching from the time he bumped into Tiffany, that meant he had been searching for two days… Tiffany stared at the book glumly, her heart tormented by conflicting emotions.

The truth was, she had not gotten used to Kenneth’s sudden change. It was as if he had become a different person… Zoe also saw the book title and exclaimed in surprise, “Tiffany, isn’t this the book you’re looking for?” A few days ago, she had spent the entire day in the library with Tiffany searching desperately for this particular book without success.

Now, out of the blue, Kenneth brought it to them….

Zoe was incredulous. “Why is he suddenly so kind?” Tiffany shrugged. “I don’t know.” However, this book was very important to her. Tiffany stole a glance at Kenneth. She wanted to thank him, but at this moment, the bell rang for lessons to begin so she put this thought aside for the time being.

Tiffany could not wait to open the book and start reading. This was a very old book on hypnosis.

If one could grasp the book’s inscrutable essence and put into good practice the precepts, not only would one have the ability to hypnotize people but one would also be able to implement effective psychological treatment.

As Tiffany flipped through it, she couldn’t help lamenting that this was truly an ancient book. The contents were obscure and difficult to understand. Laymen couldn’t even decipher the language, let alone understand and grasp the essence.

However, in Tiffany’s case, the arcane language seemed to have been engraved in the depths of her memory. She could actually understand those totally unfamiliar words.

‘What’s going on here?‘ Tiffany frowned in bewilderment. She did not recall having learned the contents of this book. Yet, this faint sense of familiarity was too real… She shook her head and cast aside all the distracting thoughts in her mind to give the book her full attention.

When she finally tore her eyes away from the book, an entire day had passed.

Zoe felt very puzzled when she saw Tiffany so engrossed. She leaned closer and asked, “Tiffany, is this book that good? You are so absorbed in it yet I can’t understand a single word!” “Because all your intelligence has been used up by your beauty.” Tiffany’s retort was swift.

“Huh?” Zoe was taken aback momentarily. After that, she did not know whether to laugh or cry. Was Tiffany complimenting her or insulting her?

Tiffany blinked at her friend cheekily and wanted to say more when she noticed Kenneth walking past from the corner of her eye.

She hesitated for a few seconds before calling out, “Kenneth!” Kenneth stopped in his tracks but he did not turn around. He simply stood on the same spot with his back to Tiffany.

Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, the young man’s slender figure seemed to be enveloped by a surreal layer of gold which made him appear somewhat aloof and distant.

However, no one knew that his palms were sweating profusely at this moment.

Tiffany only uttered two words, “Thank you.” The phrase sounded so polite, so detached, and so… unfamiliar.

Kenneth remained standing for a long while before finally replying, “You’re welcome.” He then strode off, and his shadow cast by the setting sun gradually grew longer on the ground… Zoe was surprised that the exchange between Kenneth and Tiffany today was not confrontational, unlike in the past. “I’m still not used to this change in him. I find that he’s quite pitiful… ‘Pitiful?‘ Tiffany shook her head. She had no doubt that Kenneth was the least pitiful person in the world. “Stop staring. Let’s go.” Tiffany put the book into her bag and walked out of the school campus with her arm around Zoe.

At first, she wanted to search for the book she needed at the library again. However, now that the book had been found, she could go shopping instead.

Zoe asked as she walked, “Tiffany, are you nervous?” Tiffany was puzzled. “Huh? Nervous about what?” “It’s going to be the first soon. Your engagement party is in two days. Mr. Hampton previously proposed to you with so much fanfare. He will turn this engagement party into a grand affair too!” “I don’t know about that,” Tiffany looked doubtful. She genuinely didn’t know anything about the engagement party because she had never bothered herself with it.

After all, Richard had told her not to worry about anything as he would arrange everything. Since he had already given his word, all she had to do was wait for that day.

Zoe couldn’t understand why Tiffany was still so calm. “Tiffany, aren’t you looking forward to it at all? Aren’t you excited at all? This is a major event in your life!” “I guess so.” Tiffany could not help laughing out. Of course, she was looking forward to her engagement but she had never shown her excitement outwardly.

Tiffany quickly changed the subject. “So where do you want to go for dinner?” Sure enough, the word “dinner” caught Zoe’s attention at once. She perked up excitedly. “Shall we go to the nighttime street food lane? There’s a new barbecue food kiosk there. The taste is simply superb!” A foodie like her could always sniff out the latest street food happenings.

Tiffany beamed. “Let’s go then.” The nighttime street food lane was not far from the school. It was only two streets away.

At this hour, many food carts and kiosks were already doing a brisk business. This street food lane had always been popular. Before the sky turned completely dark, many people had already made their way to this lane.

Zoe bought different kinds of finger food as she strolled down the lane. Within minutes, she already had her arms full of paper bags of food.

When Tiffany saw her greasy hands, she shook her head helplessly, “Wait here. I’ll go buy a packet of tissues.” “Mm–hmm,” Zoe mumbled an unintelligible reply as she chewed non–stop.

There was a convenience store nearby, so Tiffany got what she needed easily.

After Tiffany returned, she offered the tissue to Zoe but the latter seemed to be staring into space at some unknown spot. She asked with concern, “What’s wrong?” She turned to look at where Zoe was staring at. Other than a few street food kiosks, there was nothing else. “What are you looking at?” Zoe swallowed the food in her mouth and said with a confounded look, “Tiffany, I think Lsaw Grelle just now…

Chapter 422 Chapter 422 Grelle? It took Tiffany a while before this name rang a bell in her mind.

Grelle was that lively, energetic, and pretty young girl from Melvor Mountain Village.

Tiffany recalled that when they were returning to Lovell City after finishing their charity work in the village, Grelle had begged Tiffany to let her follow them back to Lovell City, but Tiffany had refused.

“Are you sure you’re not mistaken?” Tiffany asked doubtfully.

Zoe shook her head. “I’m not sure. I may be mistaken. After all, it’s been a while. I’m not sure if the person I just saw was truly Grelle. Maybe it was just someone who looked like her.” Most importantly, the girl Zoe saw just now was dressed in a very youthful and trendy style. She was the complete opposite of the simple and squeaky–clean Grelle from Melvor Mountain Village. Even her bearing was very different from Grelle’s.

Zoe concluded that she must have been mistaken. She wiped her mouth with some relief.

“I must have mistaken someone else for Grelle. Let’s go, Tiffany. The barbecue kiosk I told you about is just ahead. Their food tastes so good!” Tiffany nodded and looked again at the spot Zoe was staring at earlier. After ascertaining there was nothing unusual, she turned and left.

After the two girls left, Grelle stuck her head out from behind another food kiosk. After confirming that Tiffany and Zoe had walked off, she patted her chest in relief and walked out. “That was close,‘ she thought.

Next to her, Grelle’s companion couldn’t resist asking, “Grelle, what’s wrong with you? Why are you hiding all of a sudden? It’s not like you’re not presentable when you are so pretty.” “It’s nothing. I saw two friends but I was a little embarrassed to go up and say hello so I could only hide.” Grelle broke into a smile.

Her innocent and pure appearance was appealing to men and women. She had a naturally guileless face, and when she smiled, her eyes curved endearingly into crescent moons. She was so sweet and lovable that many passersby rubbernecked to look at her.

Her companion disagreed and said disapprovingly, “What’s there to be embarrassed? You should let your old friends look at you now. You’re going to be famous throughout the country soon. At that point, they won’t be worthy of being your friends.” “Don’t say that.” Grelle lowered her he even more delicate and lovabl humbly. When she was bashful, her cheeks became flushed which made her look Her companion pursed her lips. “It’s the truth.” “Gosh, let’s go quickly. Otherwise, it won’t be good if we’re late… With that, Grelle grabbed her companion’s hand and hurried onward.

However, once she left the street food lane and got into the taxi, she turned around and looked at the bustling street. She smiled faintly and a hint of smugness flashed across her pure and innocent face.

Back then, at Melvor Mountain, she had begged Tiffany to bring her to Lovell City, but Tiffany had turned her down. She was even given a dressing down by Zoe.

Now, not only did she rely on her own ability to come to Lovell City, but she had also been selected by an entertainment company because of her outstanding looks.

The scion of that entertainment company pursued her relentlessly and was willing to spend an astronomical amount of money just to make her famous.

The tables had turned. When Grelle had established a firm foothold at the pinnacle after making use of this opportunity, Tiffany would not be able to look down on her like she was a burden.

Just you wait,” Grelle thought as the taxi drove off.

At the barbecue street food kiosk, Tiffany had eaten her fill. After Zoe drained her drink, she asked eagerly, “How is it, Tiffany? Does it taste good?” “Not bad.” Tiffany nodded.

“Hah! I knew you’d like it.” With that, Zoe rushed to pay the bill happily.

Tiffany did not stop her. She would usually let Zoe pay when the sum involved was small.

By the time the two of them left the barbecue kiosk, the sky had completely darkened.

The streetlights were already lit and the entire neighborhood was bathed in colorful neon advertisement signs.

Tiffany saw a taxi on the side of the road and gave Zoe a light push. “You go first. Let me know when you get home.” “Sure!” Zoe waved goodbye and left in the taxi.

Tiffany hailed another taxi. As she had decided to go shopping today, she told her driver not to fetch her.

Besides, her home was not far from her school, and it was convenient to take a taxi home.

After the taxi came to a stop, Tiffany got into the back seat. She told the driver her destination and took out the ancient book to continue reading.

However, when she raised her head subsequently, the taxi had driven away from the city center. The street lamps outside were still bright, but the surroundings were getting increasingly more desolate and less urban.

More worryingly, the taxi was going faster.

Tiffany casually put the book back into her bag. Despite suspecting that she was being kidnapped, she did not panic at all. She asked nonchalantly, “Hey, did you take the wrong turn?” “No, it’s the right way.” The driver’s voice was very confident as if he firmly believed that Tiffany could not escape. He even turned around and grinned at Tiffany.

Out of the blue, a bottle of water smashed into his face.

Tiffany looked disgusted and scolded him, “You look so ugly when you smile. Don’t you have any self–restraint? What if you frightened a little kid like me?” The bottle hit the driver’s face so hard that his nose started bleeding. The steering wheel unwittingly went askew and the whole taxi swerved abruptly.

Chapter 423 Chapter 423 Not surprisingly, the dozen or so suited assailants were infuriated by Tiffany’s provocative comments.

They thought they would simply use her attempts to antagonize them to galvanize themselves, but as the fighting dragged on, they realized that this infuriating young girl in front of them was just toying with them.

She could have defeated all of them quickly but instead of doing that, she made numerous feints at them to trick them into hitting their own guys accidentally.

This brat was downright sinister, cunning, and shameless!

As if that was not bad enough, she had the upper hand in every aspect and the condescending look on her face showed that she clearly despised their incompetence.

She was treating them like a bunch of bumbling fools. The assailants were furious, but they could do nothing to her.

Sensing their frustration, Tiffany asked with mock innocence, “Why? Do you guys want to have a quick end? You should have said so earlier.” After saying that, she kicked the unlucky guy closest to her. He was instantly sent flying far away as a wretched scream escaped his mouth.

The rest of the suited assailants looked at one another in shock. They had underestimated this girl.

They had no choice but to deploy that trick… The assailants signaled to one another with their eyes and nodded discreetly. Then, all of them rushed something on the ground. All of a sudden, a cloud of screening smoke erupted.

up and tossed Tiffany was very surprised that these people had such a comprehensive plan. They even came prepared with smoke grenades.

The screening smoke instantly filled the air until the whole area was enveloped in a thick white fog.

With zero visibility and the other party having the advantage in numbers, Tiffany would be at a disadvantage if she fought them alone.

Tiffany listened to the footsteps approaching in various directions. Just as she was about to parry their strikes and then counterattack, a strong gust of wind blew past and the white fog instantly dispersed.

Under the moonlight, the man’s handsome face was revealed. He was as exquisite as a painting and his bearing was akin to the Almighty descending from Heaven.

Shocked by Richard Hampton’s sudden appearance, the suited assailants no longer cared about completing the mission to eliminate Tiffany. They quickly fled in all directions.

However, that deep icy voice accompanied by an infinitely oppressive pressure boomed out, “Those who mess with my woman shall with their lives.” pay As soon as he finished speaking, a cloud of sand and dust flew up. Tiffany was still dazed at Richard’s sudden appearance but before she knew what was happening, his long coat was wrapped around her from head down.

A pristine and refreshing scent wafted into her nose. Next, she heard his overbearing yet seductive voice next to her ear, “No peeking.” Tiffany gave up on the idea of throwing off his long coat and answered meekly, “Okay.” She stood in the same spot obediently as she tried to discern which direction the wretched screams were coming from. They sounded very far away and muffled and she could not quite make out the words.

Before long, the gusts of wind died down along with the screams. After that, she felt a familiar, refreshing presence embracing her.

Tiffany blinked a few times before asking, “Are you done?” “Mm–hmm. Let’s go.” Richard wrapped his arm around her waist but he did not remove the coat that covered her.

Tiffany could only pull it off herself. However, she was shocked by what greeted her eyes. She was already back at her home!

“Holy shit!” Tiffany swore softly. Wasn’t she in the remote suburbs just now? Yet in the blink of an eye, she had arrived at the entrance of her home.

If she had not experienced it herself, she would have suspected that everything that happened earlier was an illusion.

Unless she somehow suffered amnesia and could not remember how she had gotten home… Tiffany raised her head and looked at Richard in disbelief. She asked, “You… you…” She wanted to say something, but she could not find the right words.

This was just like instant teleportation!

Tiffany was so excited that she grabbed Richard’s lapels and pleaded, “Can you do it again?” Richard raised his eyebrows and asked with a soft chuckle, “What’s the magic word?” “Plea… Hubby!” Tiffany corrected herself mid–sentence and gave the correct answer.

She clung to him with her arms around his neck and pleaded petulantly, “Can you do it again? Can you do it again please?” She didn’t get a clear look just now.

Richard wrapped his arms around her waist and was about to agree to her request when the door of the villa swung open. Charlie Kelley stood at the door, his cheeks all puffed up in anger. He glared at the intimate couple furiously.

The couple stared back helplessly. Richard swore under his breath, ‘Plan backfired. If I had known, I wouldn’t have sent my wife home so quickly.‘ He couldn’t do anything now that his father–in–law was present.

Tiffany quickly distanced herself from Richard. She couldn’t bring herself to act all lovey–dovey like that in front of her father… She lowered her head and quickly ducked into the house. However, before slipping away, she whispered into Richard’s ears, “Let’s do it another day. Drive safely.” Charlie was still standing at the door glowering at Richard. He struggled inwardly for a long time before finally asking somewhat sullenly, “Do you want to come in for a drink, Richard?” The would–be father–in–law finally extended an invitation grudgingly.

Richard kept a straight face as he replied, “Thank you but not today. I’ll join you for a drink a few days later.” The engagement party was the day after tomorrow. There would be plenty of time to bond with his father–in–law after that so there was no need to rush. At that point, he could walk into the Kelleys‘ residence with his head held high too.

Richard then bade the older man farewell. Charlie watched his future son–in–law depart with mixed feelings. He felt a little glum in his heart, but he also felt gratified.

To Richard’s credit, someone with Richard’s status carried himself with humility and was polite, well–mannered, and respectful to Charlie. As a father–in–law, Charlie could not have asked for more.

Thus, Charlie secretly made a decision. At most… if he encountered such a scenario again in the future, he would just pretend not to see it.

At the mountain villa, Morwen Xanthus had just completed her manicure. She blew on her nails and seemed very pleased with the light pink color.

After checking the time, she reckoned the person she wanted to get rid of should have disappeared from this world by now. Morwen gloated secretly. This was the price that wretched girl had to pay for snatching something that belonged to her.

After tonight, the Azure Sea Royal Family would no longer have any princesses. Regardless of whether the princess was found or not, she would disappear from this world and pose no more threat to her.

As for that wretched girl from the Kelley family….

She too, would perish from this world. There was no one left to stand in Morwen’s way.

Morwen yawned and was about to go to bed when there was a knock on her door. The maid’s panic–stricken voice rang out. “Miss Xanthus, bad news!” “Come in,” Morwen called out.

“Those guys we dispatched have all disappeared. Only one has returned. He said… he said that they have failed in their mission and he even received a warning letter…” Morwen was baffled and inquired, “Warning letter? From who? Show me!” The maid handed the letter over with trepidation. It was a piece of paper stained with blood. There was only one line on the paper. After Morwen saw the contents of the letter, her eyes widened in shock and she fell back into her chair.

How could this be… All the subordinates she dispatched had died save one guy, and it was all because Richard Hampton took action.

To think that he liked that wretched girl Tiffany Kelley so much that he did not hesitate to issue such a warning letter to make her stop.

Morwen’s face had turned pale. She did not even have the energy to throw things to vent her anger.

The maid kept quiet tactfully when she saw Morwen’s expression. Out of curiosity, she glanced at the letter, and then she became terrified.

The motif printed on the warning letter was a black devil’s trumpet. Only one person in the whole world used such a symbol as a warning.

That person was the all–powerful and cold–blooded head of the Hampton family, Richard Hampton.

And this warning letter was an omen of brutality and death,

Chapter 424 Chapter 424 Richard Hampton was warning Morwen Xanthus that if something like this happened again, even her designation as the Saintess of the Azure Sea Royal Family would not be able to save her.

The maid asked fearfully, “Miss Xanthus, are we still… proceeding with the plan to attack the Kelley girl?” This issue had now turned into a sore point for Morwen and a taboo subject that the maid should not have broached.

Morwen flung a cup at her straightaway and roared, “Get lost!” The cup smashed into the maid’s head and blood began oozing. She grimaced in pain but sensibly held back her tears and hurriedly excused herself.

Morwen was so angry that her face turned downright ominous.

She had come to Lovell City with such high hopes, thinking that everything was under control. Yet on her first day in this city, when she went to Royal Bay joyfully, she was turned away at the entrance unceremoniously. She did not even get a chance to meet Richard.

She even learned from the servants at Royal Bay that he was about to get engaged… Tomorrow was the last chance for her to take action.

At first, Morwen had planned for people to eliminate the scourge Tiffany Kelley today. To her dismay, not only did her plan not succeed, but she also received a terrifying warning letter.

In other words, Richard knew that she was the one who sent those people to kill Tiffany Kelley… Morwen shuddered at this thought. She knew this man’s modus operandi very well and the underlying meaning of this warning letter.

It would be difficult to get rid of Tiffany in the future… At the very least, she had to be extremely cautious.

It was another night before the storm.

Two inconspicuous cars cruised into Lovell City. One of the cars looked ordinary from the outside, but its interior was opulent and lush.

In the back seat of this car, a man with a treacherous air was playing with the lighter in his hand. The flame from the lighter illuminated the man’s seductive but sinister face intermittently.

This man was Felix Quaid.

In the front seat, Scarface Lorenzo turned around and asked excitedly but respectfully, “Master, what should we do next?” They had searched for this treasure box for many years. Now that they finally knew where it was, they could no longer contain their excitement.

If the Harper family noticed something amiss and moved the treasure box elsewhere, wouldn’t all their efforts have been in vain?

Lorenzo continued, “Master, why don’t we sneak to the Harper family tonight and steal the treasure box? In case something unexpected happens What’s the hurry?” Felix put away the lighter.

The lighter’s blue flame instantly disappeared, but his face looked even more enigmatic under the illumination of the Streetlights that spilled over into the car interior. “We have already waited for so long. There’s no need to rush.” Lorenzo said cautiously, “But…we have hidden our tracks on our way here, so no one knows that we have come to Lovell City. This is the best time to attack. Otherwise… “Otherwise, if Mr. Hampton finds out, everything will be over!” Felix had faked his death by using dissolving chemicals to make Sandra Olson look like him and die in his place. This trick fooled Richard for now.

However, Richard pulled all the strings in Lovell City. If he found out that Felix was still alive and had come to Lovell City with some ulterior motive, they would not be able to get their hands on the treasure box anymore. Moreover, everyone would perish here.

As he listened to his henchman, Felix smiled faintly. “What’s there to be afraid of? Isn’t it Mr. Hampton’s engagement party the day after tomorrow?” “It’s true that the engagement party will be held the day after tomorrow, but Mr. Hampton has too many subordinates. The longer we delay, the higher the risk of being discovered…” Lorenzo tried to convince his master again.

However, what Felix said next startled Lorenzo so much that he was tongue–tied for a long time.

“This is a once–in–a–lifetime opportunity. We have to give Mr. Hampton a big gift for this engagement party.” Felix narrowed his eyes.

Lorenzo gulped nervously and grumbled inwardly, ‘You are still so brazen when you are standing in your enemy’s home ground, even though you almost lost your life in earlier confrontations. What’s going on in that head of yours?” However, he did not dare to say such things out loud. He could only ask with a puzzled expression, “Master, you mean…?” “If we want to get the treasure box, we have to get rid of Richard Hampton,” Felix drawled, Lorenzo thought his ears were playing tricks on him. “What? Master… this joke is not funny at all.” It wasn’t like they hadn’t fought before. The entire castle at Isolated Riverdale had been taken down by Richard. Moreover, he did not deploy his full strength back then.

Such a terrifying opponent could not be eliminated so easily.

Felix smiled mysteriously. He lowered his voice and issued Lorenzo an instruction. “Find an opportunity to capture the Kelley couple and their son.” ‘What does this have to do with eliminating Richard Hampton? And what does this have to do with snatching the treasure box? Shouldn’t their goal be the Harper family? Isn’t this putting the cart before the horse?‘ All these questions swirled in Lorenzo’s mind.

He wanted to ask further but Felix had leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed. His master’s languid and enigmatic demeanor belied the intimidating power inherent in his every action. Lorenzo knew better than to say too much.

Thus, he chose to nod meekly. “Yes, Master.” On the day of the engagement party, it was 6:30 in the morning and the servants in the Kelley family’s villa had barely woken up.

However, a few vehicles were already parked at the entrance of the villa. The top makeup artist and hair stylist in Lovell City had arrived.

Meanwhile, Tiffany was still in dreamland when her mother wok her up. She was extremely sleepy and burrowed into her bed again, muttering, “Mom, just let me sleep for a while more. Half an hour, just half an hour…” “No, I can let you do whatever you want at other times but not today!” Thalia Kelley chided her sternly.

She then dragged Tiffany out of bed. When she saw how sleepy her daughter was, her heart ached terribly but she still coaxed the sleepyhead gently. “My dear, today is your special day. You mustn’t be late. You can catch up on your sleep after the engagement party, okay?” Tiffany’s sleepiness was finally dispelled when she heard the word “late.” Last night, before she went home, a certain man pinched her face and repeatedly instructed her to follow all the procedures obediently today. Otherwise… she could expect a drubbing!

Fully awake now, Tiffany jumped out of bed and quickly washed up.

Meanwhile, the styling team which had been waiting for a long time was led upstairs by Thalia.

Tiffany changed into the wedding gown she had tried on a few days ago. It was a unique design that was classy and elegant, and her styling team was full of praise for her.

The makeup process was quick and effortless. In the makeup artist’s opinion, Tiffany was a natural beauty who didn’t need too much makeup. Heavy makeup would only mar her youthful vitality.

Hence, Tiffany only had a light layer of makeup. Even so, she was still dazzling and captivating.

By the time everything was settled, it was still early, but the bridal motorcade was already on its way to pick Tiffany up. Naturally, Richard was in the car leading the motorcade.

When the head of the Hampton family held an engagement party, security was tightened in the entire city. Traffic diversions were made and roads were blocked to ensure a smooth motorcade route.

Along the way, bubbles accompanied the motorcade. The scenario was similar to the day Richard proposed. It was so romantic that the entire Lovell City was enveloped in joy… The majestic fleet of luxury cars arrived at the entrance of Cedar Ridge Villa without any obstruction.

When Richard got out of the leading car, a joyful twinkle flashed across his deep dark eyes. He had come to fetch his bride- to–be.

Chapter 425 Chapter 425 As she surveyed the grand motorcade discreetly from a corner, Thalia Kelley dabbed at her tears. Though she was happy. she couldn’t bear to part with her daughter. It felt as if her daughter was getting married, even though she was only getting engaged.

Charlie Kelley did not know whether to laugh or cry as he comforted her. “It’s just an engagement and you’re already weeping buckets. Are you going to cry non–stop on the day of your daughter’s wedding?” As he spoke, his own eyes became red–rimmed. “I’m going to cry too if you keep crying. As a father, Charlie couldn’t bear the thought of marrying his daughter off either.

Thalia couldn’t help laughing when she saw that her husband was on the verge of weeping too. She punched him playfully and chided him, “Why are you imitating me? You’re not allowed to cry on such a special day. How unbecoming for a strapping man like you…” “How is it unbecoming? So what if I’m a strapping man? Can’t a man shed tears of heartache…” Charlie argued back.

“I can’t be bothered with you.” Thalia gave a dismissive snort.

She turned around and went out of the house to welcome her would–be son–in–law who had just gotten out of the car. The moment Richard entered the house, there was a small commotion upstairs. Then, Tiffany slowly walked down the stairs.

Her sun–kissed skin was glowing and the gown accentuated her slim waist and curves. Her feathery eyelashes fluttered delicately as she looked downward.

When she raised her eyes, her eyebrows were perfectly arched while her eyes were as clear as spring water. They were so pristine that they seemed to be filled with stars, sparkling and resplendent. Indeed, she was a peerless beauty.

Richard gazed upon Tiffany with amazement. His thin lips curled up gradually until his handsome face was filled with gentleness and doting affection.

He watched her intently. In the crowded sea of people, he only had eyes for her. It was as if there were only the two of them in this world.

Tiffany blushed as she felt that steadfast pair of eyes boring into her. Her heart began to beat wildly.

Tiffany snapped out of her reverie when she heard her styling team’s reminder to watch her step. She continued to descend carefully in her high heels.

Thereafter, she walked up to Richard.

She smiled radiantly, flashing a set of flawless pearly whites. Her sparkling eyes resembled dancing stars in the night sky. She was unbelievably beautiful.

“Mr. Hampton, I will be counting on your guidance in the future Tiffany murmured.

Richard came back to his senses. His thin lips curled up into a charming smile, much like a glacier melting and reviving all living things. “Mrs. Hampton, I’ll be at your mercy from now on When she heard that, Tiffany smiled even more sweetly. “I will definitely show mercy.” She batted her eyelids with a sly glance.

Richard leaned close to her and said in a leisurely tone in her ear, “No need to show mercy. You can bully me in any way you want.” The double entendre was not lost on Tiffany.

Only then did Tiffany realize that the words that this wicked man said at the beginning did not mean what she thought.

She had been too naive. She was no match for this big ravenous wolf!

Tiffany blushed furiously and could only glare at him. However, her gaze was not intimidating at all. Instead, her dewy eyes only made her more alluring to Richard.

The onlookers nearby all looked away as they covered their mouths and tried to hold back from laughing out loud.

Thalia watched the whole exchange with a smile on her face. As long as her daughter was happy, everything was worth it. “It’s getting late. Get in the car. We can’t waste any time,” Thalia irged the couple.

She gave her daughter a final hug before placing her daughter’s hand in her future son–in–law’s hand. Charlie was also watching from the side. He sniffled a little as he watched Richard pick Tiffany up and carry her out of the house.

The engagement party was scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. The couple would be just in time if they set off now.

Charlie and Thalia watched the lead car drive off with their daughter inside before they got into another car with their son Eric.

At first, Eric was pestering to get into the lead car with his older sister, but he was pulled back by Thalia. She admonished the boy with a smile, “You’re not allowed to be a third wheel today!” Eric thought for a moment. Richard had always been very good to him, so he relented and happily got into the car behind with his parents to go to the hotel.

The motorcade did not encounter any obstruction on its way to the hotel thanks to the traffic diversions and roads that had been blocked. The majestic motorcade cruised down the road as bubbles floated down from the sky. It was as beautiful as a dream.

The long line of luxury cars finally arrived at the hotel.

Meanwhile, on another road, Scarface Lorenzo, who had been waiting for a long time, hit the steering wheel in exasperation.

They had been lying in wait here for a long time to carry out Felix Quaid’s instruction, which was to lure the Kelley couple away.

However, as they watched the motorcade cruise past, not only was the entire city under tightened security but all the roads that the motorcade passed by were also blocked. Unfamiliar cars were stopped from entering the restricted area in case they disrupted the engagement party.

Lorenzo rubbed the spot between his eyes as he grumbled glumly, “This guy really pulled out all the stops for his engagement party. The security is so tight that there is no loophole for me to take advantage of…” Earlier, Felix had told them that today’s engagement party was their only chance. If they wanted to obtain the treasure box, they had to get rid of Richard Hampton.

As Richard was Kenneth’s uncle, the former would not sit back and do nothing if something happened to the Harper family. With Richard around, even if they obtained the treasure box, it would be a waste of effort in the end.

It was best to eliminate all possible threats to them at the source Lorenzo gritted his teeth and drove after the motorcade. Another henchman beside him asked, “Lorenzo, what should we do now?” “What should we do? You’re asking me? If I knew, would I still have a headache?” Lorenzo blasted the hapless fellow.

Then again, Lorenzo was no fool and that was why he could get to where he was today. He growled through gritted his teeth, “We can only take the risk!” “What?” The henchman didn’t understand.

“We’ll go to the hotel. We have to get in no matter what!” Lorenzo made up his mind and drove all the way to the hotel. Infuriatingly, the entire hotel was sealed off. Other than guests with invitations, no one was allowed to enter.

Moreover, there were many layers of security checks performed by uniformed bodyguards both inside and outside. The breadth and depth of the whole setup was simply mind–boggling Lorenzo parked the car near the hotel and scanned the surroundings. He caught sight of the Harper family members getting out of another car and he did a headcount.

He then turned to the henchman beside him, “If I remember correctly, the Harper family have a daughter named Alexia, don’t they?” “Yep.” The henchman nodded.

They had done a lot of homework on the Harper family previously during their investigation of the treasure box. They knew everything about that family.

Lorenzo smiled. Among the people who had just entered the hotel, there were only Mr. and Mrs. Harper and their son. There was no sign of the daughter Alexia.

“You two go and look for Alexia Harper,” Lorenzo barked an order.

“Roger.” The two henchmen swung into action at once.

At first, Alexia was unwilling to attend Tiffany’s engagement party so she told her family that she would not be coming. However, she could not contain her curiosity and changed her mind at the last minute. In the end, she took a taxi to the hotel.

Due to the earlier incident when she landed in trouble, she had many bodyguards following her at all times.

When Scarface Lorenzo and the others found Alexia, she had just gotten out of the taxi and was about to enter the hotel. “Follow her!” Lorenzo shouted from afar, “Miss, wait for me!” Alexia turned around with a puzzled expression. “Who are you?”

Chapter 426 Chapter 426 Scarface Lorenzo lowered his head and said very ingratiatingly, I’m your bodyguard. Some time ago, the butler recruited me and instructed me to protect you from today onward.” “Really? How come I’m not aware?” Alexia Harper looked at him in disdain and pursed her lips.

“Is the butler blind? He hired such an ugly person like you to protect me? If I have to look at you every day, won’t I lose my appetite?” She was referring to the scar on Lorenzo’s chin which had a different color from the rest of his skin. It made him look particularly menacing.

When he heard this, Scarface Lorenzo raised his head abruptly as a killing intent flashed across his eyes.

He hated it the most who people poked fun at the scar on his face, especially when those people were clearly being condescending just like Alexia was.

However, the killing intent only surfaced for a fleeting instant before vanishing. Scarface Lorenzo smiled ingratiatingly, “If you don’t want to see me, I’ll just walk behind you. At any rate, your safety is the most important, Miss.” He lowered his head so much that his head almost reached his knees.

Alexia had always led a pampered life and she was arrogant by nature. She loved it when other people worshiped her like a princess and yielded to all her wishes.

Although she was a little puzzled that the butler did not inform her about hiring bodyguards for her, she did not probe further when she saw how compliant this person was. She said with a dismissive wave, “Alright. Since you’re so obedient, I’ll allow you to follow me.” Her tone was so haughty and she made it sound like it was an honor for Lorenzo to be given such an opportunity.

Scarface Lorenzo simply bowed and replied, “Thank you, Miss.” He would put up with this brat for the time being. When he went to the Harper family’s place later to snatch the treasure box, he would exact revenge on her.

Just like that, Scarface Lorenzo and his gang followed Alexia into the hotel as her bodyguards.

The hands of fate worked in mysterious ways. Sometimes an insignificant event could lead to a chain reaction of repercussions.

If a lapse occurred at some critical juncture, a foolproof plan could be knocked off course completely. This might very well lead to a… disaster.

Although Scarface Lorenzo could make use of Alexia to enter the hotel, he was not able to enter the grand hall where the engagement party was held. All the bodyguards of guests were directed to wait in a special lounge, regardless of the guests‘ statuses.

However, it did not matter as Lorenzo’s goal was to sneak into the hotel.

Now that Lorenzo’s team had successfully sneaked in, Scarface Lorenzo and his two accomplices went straight to the staff room and stole three waiters‘ uniforms.

*****

At the engagement party hall, the tables and chairs had been neatly arranged, and the entry aisle was covered in flower petals. The entire place appeared very romantic and surreal.

There were countless balloons in hues of pink, blue, and white which formed an arch over the entry aisle. One could tell how much effort was put into the decoration.

As soon as Charlie Kelley and Thalia Kelley arrived, they were surrounded by guests. Some congratulated them, some tried to curry favor with them, and some simply took the opportunity to make small talk.

The Kelley family was not considered a high–level aristocratic family in Lovell City in the past. Now that the family had connections to the Hampton family by means of this engagement, the status of the Kelley family had risen dramatically. They were in a different league now.

Even those who had a feud with Charlie were now trying to mend relationships with him. If it was just one or two guys, he could still deal with them. But when there were so many of them, he could not take it anymore.

Charlie had always made a clear distinction between gratitude and grudges. Whoever treated him well, he would return the favor. Similarly, whoever tripped him up in the past and trampled on him when he was down, he could not be bothered to feign civility now.

“Thank you, thank you.” Charlie gave a perfunctory smile and waved at all the people who came to curry favor with him.

Then, he led Thalia away while nagging at her, “Is your stomach hurting again? I told you not to drink that cold beverage in the morning, but you refused to listen. Serve you right!” As the couple walked further away, the nagging gradually became inaudible… The guests who were left hanging exchanged looks but the flattery continued unabated. “I’ve long heard that Charlie Kelley dotes on his wife and is a devoted family man. He certainly lives up to his reputation.” “Indeed,” another chimed in.

However, Charlie could no longer hear these compliments. He led Thalia to the rest lounge at the back and ordered some and drinks from the waiter. soup Soon, the hot soup was served. Charlie whipped out the medicine for stomach pain from his pocket and handed it to Thalia. “Come, have some soup first before taking your medicine.” “Okay.” Thalia reached for the medicine with a blissful smile.

At this moment, a waiter suddenly rushed up and said anxiously, “Mr. Kelley, Mrs. Kelley, your son accidentally fel! pool. Please come quickly!” to th “What?” The couple became extremely anxious when they heard this. Didn’t that brat run off to look for his sister? They had allowed the boy to roam freely because they thought that the hotel’s security was tight and there wouldn’t be any danger. Moreover, the party hall was not far from the suite where Tiffany was. How did he fall into the pool out of the blue? Despite the many doubts in their minds, the couple did not hesitate too long and shouted urgently, “Lead the way!” The waiter immediately turned around and ran up front as the couple followed.

However, the couple became increasingly puzzled as they rushed further away from the public areas. Didn’t he say that Eric had fallen into the pool? This was the hotel’s guest room block and there was no pool here.

Charlie stopped in his tracks and frowned warily. “Hang on.” He sensed that something was wrong and immediately pulled Thalia with him to turn back.

However, the moment he turned around, he was startled by the sight of a handsome man blocking their way.

The man had an enigmatic air about him. His eyes were dark and steadfast. With that ambiguous expression, he exuded a sense of treacherous cunning.

The waiter who led the way called out respectfully to the mysterious man, “Master.” Felix Quaid looked at the Kelley couple and smiled faintly. “Forgive me.” *****

The first thing Tiffany Kelley did when she arrived at the hotel was to touch up her makeup.

Someone had kissed her so vigorously in the car that her lipstick had smudged. When she saw the makeup artist trying to stifle a laugh, she blushed furiously.

Soon, her makeup was fixed and the suite door swung open.

Richard Hampton, dressed in an expensive bespoke suit, walked in.

This man was a walking advertisement for fashion labels. He was a tall strapping man with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. When he wore formal suits, he exuded an air of laid–back elegance that oozed seductiveness that bordered on forbidden desires.

He was aloof and distant, graceful and charming. He resembled a divine presence that was unattainable.

Tiffany’s styling team stole glances in awe at this man–god.

However, Richard only had eyes for Tiffany. His eyes never strayed from her the moment he entered. All he could think about was her.

The styling team tactfully excused themselves.

Richard walked to Tiffany’s side and leaned languidly against the dressing table. As he examined her newly re–applied lipstick, he could not resist chuckling. “What flavor is it this time?” Tiffany immediately shielded her mouth. “You still want to lick it? It’s toxic!” Richard raised one eyebrow. His voice was low, seductive, and very pleasing. “Then I’ll try it later tonight.” Tiffany glared at him wordlessly before her fist suddenly flew out in a fit of embarrassment. “Scum!

Chapter 427 Chapter 427 Richard caught Tiffany’s incoming punch with a chuckle.

Tiffany tried to pull her hand away but she was trapped firmly in Richard’s grasp. By now, even her cars had turned red from embarrassment.

Fortunately, someone knocked on the door at this moment.

“Mr. Hampton, Mr. Hank is here. I don’t know why he’s throwing a tantrum. Do you want to take a look?” John Ross called out.

Richard frowned and his ” instantly clouded over.

He had made thorough preparations for today’s engagement party because he did not want any slip–ups. The old man knew his intentions, so why was he causing trouble?

“Wait for me here. I’ll be right back.” Richard gently pinched Tiffany’s face, his eyes twinkling wickedly.

After he left, Tiffany’s styling team returned. They could barely keep a straight face as they examined Tiffany’s makeup. Finally, they smiled and teased her, “Whew! Your makeup isn’t ruined this time.” Tiffany blushed again. Just as she was about to reply, she suddenly thought of something which made her frown, Where was Eric?

Her younger brother was very clingy. He would most certainly look for her the instant he arrived at the hotel. However, she seen the little fellow. had been here for so long yet she had nor Although the hotel’s security was tight and there would not be any danger, it was better to be safe than sorry.

As she thought of this, she gathered her gown and dashed out. The surprised styling team called out after her, “Ma’am, where are you going?” Tiffany did not reply. Oddly enough, as soon as she rushed out of the suite, she bumped into a waiter. Before she open her mouth, the waiter spoke up. “Miss Kelley, your brother accidentally fell into the pool and was sent to the guest room. Do you want to check on him?” ‘Fell into the pool?‘ Tiffany’s heart sank when she heard him. “Bring me there now!” “This way.” The waiter immediately led the way hurriedly.

As the entire hotel had been reserved, there were no other guests around. The section housing the guest rooms was empty and particularly quiet.

The deeper they went, the more suspicious Tiffany became.

Logically speaking, John Ross, who was in charge of security, should have known about Eric falling into the pool. Even if he did not report every incident, he would certainly not have hidden this matter from her. Unless… Tiffany’s eyes turned sharp. As she followed in the waiter’s hurried footsteps, she asked, “How did my brother fall into the pool? Which pool did he fall into?” “I don’t know either, When I arrived there, Mr. Eric was soaked through and trembling from the cold. Mr. Kelley personally brought him to the guest room to change his clothes.” The waiter did not stop walking as he replied.

He then added, “Fortunately, it was nothing serious. Don’t worry too much, Miss Kelley.” Though the waiter’s explanation was impeccable, Tiffany was still suspicious.

However, when she sniffed the surroundings carefully, she could detect the soap fragrance that Eric normally used. This meant that the waiter was not lying. Eric had indeed passed through this area. Perhaps she was being paranoid….

Tiffany felt a little more at ease and less wary at this point.

Before long, the waiter stopped at the door of a room and bowed “This is the place. I’ll take my leave first. If you have any instructions, you can press the service bell and I’ll come at once “Thank you.” When she detected Eric’s scent coming from this room, Tiffany did not delay any longer and opened the unlocked door at once.

“Eric?” The guest room was spacious and beautifully decorated. Tiffany called out, but there was no response from inside. She walked straight in but left the door open behind her.

“Eric?” Tiffany called out again. After turning the corner, she saw a bright and roomy living room.

On the sofa in this room, a sinister–looking man was sitting there with a black tabby on his lap.

Tiffany got a shock. Instantly, alarm bells went off in her mind.

The man was Felix Quaid!

“Did you lure me here?” Tiffany looked into the adjacent bedroom and caught sight of Eric lying on the big bed motionlessly.

She rushed to his side and checked his pulse and breathing. She heaved a sigh of relief when she detected nothing unusual.

In the adjoining room, Charlie Kelley and Thalia Kelley were also lying on a bed. Their faces were calm, and their breathing was even. They looked like they were sleeping peacefully.

Tiffany was so angry that she wanted to hit someone.

She turned to look at Felix as anger surged in her heart. “If you have any grudges, you can come after me. There’s no need to use such despicable methods to hurt my family, is there?” This man was genuinely crazy. Back then, when Sandra Olson was presumed dead, he used the black tabby to deliberately lure her to a house so that she could see with her own eyes that Sandra Olson was still alive.

At that juncture, she could not tell if he was a friend or foe. However, there was no doubt right now that he was her enemy. Felix smiled with interest as he watched Tiffany’s reaction. “Young lady, shall we make a deal?” ‘Deal? Evil creature, dream on!‘ Tiffany straightened up and hissed, “Get lost!” Felix’s black tabby seemed to understand Tiffany’s reply. It suddenly arched its back and let out a threatening yowl. It seemed to be protecting its master and was ready to attack Tiffany at any moment.

Tiffany turned her attention to her parents. She tried to rouse them by patting their faces to no avail. Strangely, no matter how she shouted or pushed them, they did not wake up… It was the same with Eric. If not for the fact that they were still breathing normally, Tiffany would have thought that Felix had already… “What did you do to them?” Thankfully, she still had a shred of rationality left. Otherwise, she would have attacked Felix by now, even though she was acutely aware that she was not his match.

Felix smiled languidly and replied slowly, “I only made them take a good nap and have a wonderful dream.” The realization hit Tiffany at once. “Hypnosis?” The book she had been reading for the past few days was about Bypnosis. Those who were truly powerful would use hypnosis to directly control other people.

Such a person could turn the hypnotized person into a walking corpse. Those with weak willpower would lose their consciousness and be subjected to the complete control of the manipulator.

As for those with strong willpower, even if their minds were clear, their actions would still be controlled by the orders injected into their minds.

This was even more terrifying than mind–control spells… Felix looked mildly surprised. “I didn’t expect you to know so much.” Tiffany took a deep breath. She hated herself for rushing out in her gown so thoughtlessly. She did not bring her phone or the amulet that Jeremy Cooper had given her… She could only place all her hopes on the service bell, so she pretended to talk to Felix to distract him. “I don’t recall having any grudges with you.” Then she discreetly rang the hotel service bell. As long as the waiter answered, she could call for help.

Otherwise, she would not be able to rescue three people from Felix on her own.

The service bell beeped twice before it was cut off.

The waiter who led her here appeared at the door. The first thing he said was, “Master, we don’t have much time left. We can’t delay any further.” This guy turned out to be Felix’s henchman.

Chapter 428 Chapter 428 Felix Quaid was not a patient man. He immediately asked Tiffany a second time, “For the last time, do you want to cooperate with me?” “Cooperate on what?” Tiffany’s eyes narrowed.

“I need you to do something for me.” “What is it?” Tiffany knew it would not be anything good, but she was still stunned by Felix’s request.

“I want you to help me… kill Richard Hampton,” Felix said calmly Tiffany turned him down without thinking, “No way!” “You don’t have a choice.” Felix sneered and gestured with his hand.

In the next second, a dozen men suddenly appeared in the room On Felix’s command, they headed straight for the two bedrooms.

Tiffany’s eyes turned sharp. She immediately attacked ruthlessly and mercilessly.

However, the two bedrooms were at two different ends. If it was just one bedroom, she could still fend them off However, under the siege of a dozen men, it was difficult for Tiffany to protect her brother in one bedroom and her parents in the other at the same time. She couldn’t split herself into two.

After two minutes, Tiffany was out of her depth.

At this moment, she recalled when Melody Princeton dragged her into the sea with her during the reunion feast. Thalia was caught in a dilemma at that time and in the end, she chose to save Melody.

As the one who had been abandoned, Tiffany didn’t hate her mother. She only felt sad.

Now, she was facing a similar dilemma. No matter what happened, she was determined not to give up either party get lost!” Tiffany knocked out one of the attackers with a chair. She then punched another two trying to rush into the bedroom. Every one of her moves was lethal.

However, when she finally managed to secure her parents‘ bedroom, she turned around and saw that Eric was restrained on the ground in the other bedroom with a dagger pressed to his throat.

Tiffany’s eyes widened. “Stop!” During this brief distraction, one attacker behind her took the opportunity to strike Tiffany in the back with a stun gun. “Ugh!” Her whole body convulsed from the electric shock before she collapsed on the floor.

Felix was sitting on the sofa watching the whole show. From the beginning to the end, he appeared very relaxed.

However, the moment he saw Tiffany fall, his face clouded over. An ashtray beside him went flying and hit squarely the head of the person who struck Tiffany.

That ashtray was very heavy, and its strike was lethal.

That attacker’s smug expression froze when the flying ashtray struck him. He then fell to the ground with a gory hole in his head. His eyes were wide open but he was no longer alive.

The rest of Felix’s men becaune frozen in shock.

Tiffany struggled to get up from the ground. However, she could not stand steadily at all and immediately fell to the ground again.

The electric shock was not fatal, but it was extremely painful. No matter how powerful a person was, he would lose all his strength after being hit by an electrical charge.

Tiffany’s whole body was still quivering and her face was ashen. In spite of this, she still raised her head. Her clear eyes were filled with indescribable defiance and tenacity.

Her mouth trembled as she struggled to say, “No one can…. touch my younger brother.” Felix watched her with a sinister expression. After a while, he asked, “How about this? I will trade your younger brother’s life in exchange for your agreement to perform the task I have requested?

“If your younger brother’s life is still not enough to convince you, shall I add two more over there?” He pointed to the other room where Charlie and Thalia were sleeping.

Was it enough to trade the lives of three loved ones in exchange for Richard Hampton’s life?

Tiffany gritted her teeth. Her face became contorted from the inner struggle and resistance she felt. “No.” That single word was an emphatic rejection.

Felix shook his head with a cruel smile. “If you don’t have any weakness, you can still say no without any scruples. But now… you have no choice.” He reached out and caressed Tiffany’s face with his slender fingers.

Tiffany turned her head and bit his hand viciously in a desperate gamble. Like a ferocious wolf that had been cornered, she was prepared to risk her life to give the enemy a fatal blow.

Felix did not even flinch. This bit of pain was nothing in his eyes After some time, Tiffany grudgingly released Felix’s hand. She didn’t have any strength left… At this moment, Eric, who had been pressed to the floor by one attacker, woke up. He called out in a daze, “Tiffany…” Then, he struggled to free himself but his neck was nicked by the dagger pressed against his neck. “Argh! It hurts…” Eric burst into tears at once. “Tiffany, it’s so painful!” This kid was a veritable crybaby. When he was very young, he would launch into crying fits just to get candy from Tiffany whenever he had to take an injection.

Now, the sharp dagger had made such a long cut on him. It must hurt a hundred times more than an injection.

Tiffany’s heart tensed up as she shouted, “Eric, don’t move!” Eric was fully awake now. He turned his head and saw his elder sister lying limply on the floor. He realized then what was happening in front of him. He ignored the dagger on his neck and crawled forward heedlessly despite the attacker’s attempts to stop him.

“How dare you bully my sister? I’ll fight you to the death!” The little fellow yelled out, his tiny face purple with rage. However, he was only eight years old. Who would take his threat seriously? It was equivalent to throwing an egg at a rock. Felix frowned and instructed impatiently, “Kill him.” As soon as the order was issued, the henchman who was holding Eric down immediately raised the dagger in his hand.

“Stop!” Still trembling. Tiffany grabbed Felix’s arm and closed her eyes. “I’ll do it.” It took a lot out of her to utter these words.

“Good girl.” Felix signaled to his man. He put away the dagger bin still knocked Eric out to prevent him from giving trouble.

Tiffany forced herself to get up from the ground. She recovered her strength gradually and said, “I will do what you want me to do, but I have to take them away.” She would never feel at ease leaving her family with this demon.

“Sure,” Felix agreed readily.

Tiffany was caught by surprise. ‘He agreed so quickly?‘ She was planning something but she did not reveal any hint outwardly as she got ready to leave. However, Felix pulled her back.

He stared at her steadily. His pitch–black eyes seemed to exude some kind of magic which made people sink into his eyes helplessly and fall into a trance.

It was hypnosis!

Tiffany instantly snapped out of her daze and resisted vehemently. However, Felix grabbed her chin with such force that it felt like he was crushing her jaw.

Tiffany tried to avert her eyes but her efforts were futile. Under this strong and overpowering hypnosis, her eyes gradually glazed over.

In the end, she fell into a trance.

As the last shred of consciousness was about to slip away, Tiffany bit her tongue so hard that blood filled her mouth. ‘No, I don’t want to be hypnotized. I don’t

Chapter 429 Chapter 429 Kill Richard Hampton? Kill him?

Tiffany bit her tongue again and tried to break free mentally. Every cell in her body was resisting vehemently.

However, this command… these words were like a curse that swirled in her mind.

She felt her body moving despite having been weakened after the electric shock, and then… She accepted the dagger.

The dagger resembled a garter knife, and the sharpest edge was coated with a layer of lethal poison.

The alien command reverberated incessantly in Tiffany’s mind and almost crushed the last shred of her rationality. Tiffany grunted as blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. Her exquisite face was completely devoid of color.

‘Don’t listen, don’t listen. Please… she railed mentally.

Her entire body trembled as the command and her rationality played out a mental tug–of–war. Her head hurt so much that it felt like it was about to explode.

The pain was excruciating. Tiffany was on the verge of tears, and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead.

Felix gave a condescending smile and his heartless eyes did not show any pity. “You still want to fight to the death? You’re the same as before. You haven’t changed at all.” Tiffany’s head was hurting so much that she did not hear what he said at all.

Just as she was trying to force the foreign consciousness out of her mind, Felix tightened his grip on her chin and forced her to look into his eyes again.

The almost soul–sapping hypnosis slowly ate away at Tiffany’s last shred of rationality.

“Go. Kill Richard Hampton,” Felix commanded.

“Yes…” *****

Meanwhile, at the grand hall, Hank Hampton threw a massive tantrum. He picked on everyone and everything was an eyesore to him.

Whenever any bodyguard or waiter tried to pacify him, they would be scolded by the old man.

By the time Richard showed up, the old man was still yelling at people. In the end, Richard told John Ross crisply, “Throw him out.” “Throw me out? How dare you! I’m your father!” Hank became more incensed.

However, Richard meant what he said. When he ordered his men to throw people out, he expected them to act immediately. “What are you waiting for?” Richard barked.

To stop things from spiraling out of control, John resisted the tremendous pressure from Richard and approached the old man to smooth things over. He asked, “Mr. Hank, who made you so angry on this fine day?” In all fairness, although the old man was old–fashioned and had a bad temper, he was not the kind of person who would wantonly throw a tantrum regardless of the occasion, especially when the occasion was his son’s engagement party.

When he heard John’s inquiry, the old man snorted and said, “I think some people just don’t take me seriously. Our offspring are already engaged, yet these people still don’t know how to come out and welcome me?” By “these people,” Hank was referring to the Kelley family.

Since the two families were already connected by an engagement, the Kelleys should make some effort to contact him.

In particular, Charlie Kelley should still accom to be on equal footing.

older man some respect though they were now in–laws and were deemed However, the Kelley couple were nowhere to be seen.

Thinking that he had been snubbed, the cranky and stubborn old man was naturally angry.

After finding out what had upset the old man, John heaved a sigh of relief and tried to soothe him. “Gosh, here I was, wondering what could have upset you so much. Mr. Kelley must be in the grand hall now. You haven’t even entered the hall so why are you throwing a tantrum?” John’s words unwittingly made Richard frown.

If John hadn’t mentioned this, he wouldn’t have noticed. Now that he thought about it, the Kelley couple weren’t in the grand hall either.

On such an important occasion, the couple would never leave for no reason. If that was the case… Richard’s expression changed abruptly. He immediately ordered. “Check the surveillance cameras and look for the Kelleys!” After that, he strode to the suite.

However, the suite was empty. There was no sign of Tiffany at all.

The guests present did not know what had happened. They only knew that the entire hotel was suddenly put under lockdown. Countless well–trained bodyguards rushed in and they seemed to be looking for someone. They practically turned the whole hotel upside down.

Not surprisingly, John knew the gravity of the matter. He immediately checked all the hotel’s surveillance camera footage and found that Eric was taken away by a waiter at first. After that, the Kelley couple was led away. Lastly was Tiffany All of them were led to one place, and that was the guest room at the back of the hotel.

Richard’s handsome face turned frosty and his eyes were shockingly icy. The sense of impending storm that his demeanor exuded made everyone shudder.

John’s knees almost gave way. He was the one who planned the security measures in this hotel. He thought that no one would have the guts to try and stir up trouble, yet in spite of his meticulous planning, he still overlooked a minor detail.

“Mr. Hampton, I…” Before he could say anything, Richard had stormed off to the aforementioned guest room.

When Richard kicked open the door of that guest room, he saw Tiffany standing in the center. At her feet, a few waiters were wailing on the ground. One of them even had his head smashed by an ashtray until he was covered in blood.

Richard could finally breathe easy again.

He strode up to Tiffany and hugged her. His voice was brimming with anxiousness. “Are you hurt?” Tiffany slowly turned around. Her beautiful gown was a little dirty, and her exquisitely styled hair was a little messy. However, her beauty was not diminished and she was still dazzling.

What surprised Richard a little was that the moment Tiffany raised her head to look at him, her clear eyes glinted with a vixen–like glow. She appeared even more flirtatious than normal.

she threw herself into his arms. She whined coyly, “Hubby what took you so long?” Her coquettish tone was extremely seductive.

Soul. He hugged her firmly and said softly, “I’m sorry. It’s my Richard’s eyes gradually darkened. He felt a little guilty fault.

All of Richard’s subordinates tactfully waited outside the guest room in silence when they stumbled upon this sight after rushing here.

Tiffany snuggled into Richard’s arms with a smile but the hand behind her back was holding an extremely sharp dagger, a dagger that had been coated with lethal poison.

At this moment, a thought was clamoring madly in her mind, ‘Kill him, kill him!‘ However, there was another inner voice resisting this force. ‘No Tiffany’s headache was becoming unbearable as her consciousness was torn apart again and again.

Her remnant rationality enabled her to know what she was doing, but all her actions were totally not under her control. She could only watch helplessly as she raised her hand.

Tiffany was on the verge of a mental breakdown. ‘Richard, leave quickly! Leave!‘ However, no matter how she screamed inwardly, she had already raised the hand holding the dagger discreetly In contrast to the inner struggle going on in her mind, she had a sweet and lovable smile on her face.

“Hubby,” she called out to Richard sweetly and coyly. A hundred stars seemed to be sparkling in her clear eyes, and Richard was the only one reflected in her pupils.

Richard’s eyes twinkled. “Are you seducing me, my dear wife? Hmm?” Judging from Tiffany’s behavior, she did seem to be seducing him, silently but surely.

However, what Richard didn’t know was that when he approached this woman in this unguarded fashion, what awaited him underneath the honey–coated veneer was arsenic… Tiffany raised her head and smiled. “I love you.” She uttered the most passionate declaration of love and then stood on tiptoe to kiss his lips.

Richard was extremely shocked. After the initial bewilderment, his slender fingers ran through her hair and he responded ardently.

At this moment, a steely light flashed past and the sound of a sharp weapon stabbing into flesh was heard.

Chapter 430 Chapter 430 All the tender affection vanished.

Richard was stunned. He slowly looked down and saw that his white shirt was stained with blood, and an extremely sharp dagger was stabbed into his heart.

In front of him, Tiffany’s eyes were cold and distant. Little did anyone know the struggle in her heart and how hard she was resisting internally.

How she wished that it was all a dream. But it wasn’t. The reality was she stabbed him, and she was pushing the dagger further in inch by inch.

Tiffany could feel the dagger in her hand ruthlessly pressing into Richard’s heart. Bit by bit, it cut open his flesh, and blood oozed out. She pressed harder into his heart without hesitation.

Richard didn’t dodge or move, but his dark and deep–set eyes were filled with disbelief. “Tiffany…” He called out her name, and it was a cry of pain and shock.

John and the others, who were guarding outside, sensed that something was wrong. They immediately rushed in and saw what happened. Tiffany was smiling beautifully like an angel, whereas Richard stood straight and tall.

The two of them stood close to each other, and it was supposed to be an extremely loving and beautiful scene. Sadly, a dagger had penetrated Richard’s chest as he shared this intimate moment with Tiffany.

Bright red blood trickled down the handle of the knife, staining the carpet under their feet. The warmth was gone. What was left was and there was only coldness and a heart of stone.

John widened his eyes in shock. In the next second, his heart was filled with anger and worry. He immediately rushed forward with his men. “Mr. Hampton!” he cried.

“Get out!” A strong gust of wind blew, and all the men, including John, who was worried about Richard’s wound, were sent flying.

The entire room was in a mess, and the gust of wind wreaked havoc. All the men who were sent flying were smashed heavily against the wall.

Richard became extremely hostile and wrathful. His handsome face had turned vile. His eyes were filled with monstrous anger and murderous intent, and the temperature of the room dropped to the freezing point.

Seeing that, John, who was lying on the ground, felt his nerves taut. When the king rages, a massacre follows. The brutal and ruthless demon has returned,‘ he said to himself.

No matter how violent the gust was, Tiffany was left unscathed. Even though Richard was furious, he could not bear to hurt her.

Tiffany closed her eyes. Her remaining consciousness almost tore her to pieces. Her heart was hurting so much. It was as if she was being clasped tightly by a pair of invisible hands. so tight that she could not breathe.

Despite that, her body was out of her control. She heard herself saying, “Richard, do you think I really like you? You’re just tool.” ‘I’m just a tool? Richard murmured in his head and stared fixedly at Tiffany. His scorching and sharp gaze was about to put a hole through her. “Do you really mean that?” he asked.

Even though her mind resisted, her body betrayed her. “Yeah,” she murmured. “I hated you from the very beginning. All I wanted was to get back at Kenneth. Now that I’ve got what I wanted, the only thing left that’s useful to me is your blood–to open the Treasure Box.” Her smile was like a rose in full bloom, and her flawless face radiated the confidence of someone who’d already won. “People Mr. Hampton’s untouchable, so I figured, why not see for myself?” Tiffany leaned in close to Richard’s car, her voice dripping with lazy mockery. “Didn’t think you’d be this easy to break.

The moment she finished speaking, Richard hurled his arm and grabbed her neck. Tiffany didn’t struggle. Instead, she said firmly, “You won’t kill me because you just couldn’t.” Richard really couldn’t bear to. This man, who had no weaknesses, was defeated by the woman he loved most. He could’ve killed her right there and then, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“You know me. Very good.” Richard slowly released his grip on Tiffany’s neck. Very shortly, the poison spread, and his hands began to turn black.

‘What a ruthless woman. She smeared the dagger with poison. Was she worried that I wouldn’t die from the fatal blow? She actually had a plan B?‘ Richard wondered.

He realized just how foolish he’d been, letting himself fall for Tiffany. Her smile had him wrapped around her finger, making him look like a complete fool. Richard stumbled back, utterly defeated, and landed flat on his back.

“Mr. Hampton!” John quickly got up from the ground and dashed to support Richard. The latter’s wound was too deep and the bleeding wouldn’t stop.

Moreover, the poison was spreading rapidly. It looked like Richard was going to die.

John’s eyes were bloodshot as he looked at Tiffany with hatred. He looked at her as if he wanted to eat her up. It was the _complete opposite of how he used to smile at her like a silly kid.

“Miss Kelley, if it wasn’t for the fact that Mr. Hampton didn’t want to harm you, I would’ve killed you myself!” After saying this, he immediately carried Richard and left the place with his men. “Where’s Mr. Pauley? Find Mr. Pauley! Hurry!” John was anxious and flustered.

After they left, Felix walked out of the room next door. He gently stroked Tiffany’s cheek and said approvingly, “Not bad, you did well.” Tiffany did not answer as she had yet to regain her consciousness. However, Felix continued, “In return, I’ve already sent your family back. Don’t worry, they won’t know what happened today.” With that, Felix left with a smile.

The meticulously planned engagement party was ruined. For some reason, this incident spread. Everyone knew that Richard had been stabbed by his bride–to–be on the day of the engagement party.

The stab was fatal. Everyone doubted that Richard could survive this time. Unlike most of the people, who were worried, there were two people who were pleased with what had happened.

One was Melody, who had been looking forward to this day. Ever since she helped Felix find out the whereabouts of the Treasure Box, she had been wanting to know how Felix would deal with the Harper family.

She learned from Lorenzo that the first thing Felix was going to do was to mess up the engagement party. As planned, the party had been ruined, and it was even more horrible than she had imagined.

‘Who would’ve thought that Tiffany would do such a thing? In the future, she would become the target of public criticism. She would be that ungrateful bitch and everyone is going to hate her!‘ Melody sneered and found it gratifying.

The other person, who was more excited and happy about the incident, was Morwen. Previously, she had tried her best to get rid of Tiffany, but to no avail. She couldn’t even stop this engagement party.

She didn’t expect Tiffany to ruin the party herself by trying to kill Richard on the day itself.

‘How wonderful this is! In the future, not only won’t Hank accept Tiffany, but even Richard, who Tiffany harmed, will no longer stand by her side. That’s when I can hurt her without any worries!‘ Thinking of this, Morwen stood up and asked, “Where is Mr. Hampton?” “They’ve sent him back to Royal Bay. We don’t have any updates yet, but his situation doesn’t seem good.” “Get my car ready.” Morwen smiled faintly. It was time for her to put on a show.