Chapter 450
Chapter 450:
“Step aside,” I said. My voice was devoid of emotion.
Liam blinked. For a second, the glaze over his eyes cleared. He looked at the dark circles under my eyes.
“You look tired,” he said.
It wasn’t an insult. It was a statement of fact, delivered with a strange, unexpected gentleness.
Sienna froze. She dug her nails into Liam’s shoulder.
“Liam, focus,” she hissed. “She is the enemy p>
Liam flinched at the pain. The robot façade slammed back into place. His eyes went dead again.
“Let the criminals pass,” he muttered, reciting the line he had probably been fed in the car.
I laughed. It was a short, sharp sound that echoed in the hallway.
“The only criminal here,” I said, stepping closer to Sienna, “is the one wearing a fake Chanel brooch p>
Sienna’s hand flew to her chest, covering the gaudy pin on her lapel.
“What?” she screeched. “This is vintage p>
“It’s a knockoff from Canal Street,” I said. “The plating is chipping on the left edge. You really should pay your stylist better p>
“Slander!” Sienna shrieked, looking around for support.
“See you Saturday,” I said, brushing past Liam.
My hip grazed the wheel of his chair.
A spark of electricity seemed to jump between us. Liam jolted in his seat. He clutched his head with his free hand, groaning.
“Skye…” he whispered. It sounded like a question.
Sienna looked panicked. She dragged him away quickly toward the interview room, spinning the wheelchair around roughly.
“Come on, Liam! The press is waiting p>
I walked out into the cool air. My hands were finally shaking—not from fear, but from the adrenaline of being that close to the monster and realizing the monster was just a broken man on a leash.
I climbed into my car, but before the driver could put it in gear, a black SUV swerved in front of us, blocking the exit ramp.
J𝗼in 𝘁hе cо𝗆𝗺𝗎𝗇i𝘁𝘺 𝗮𝘁 𝖻e.c𝗈m
The rear window of the SUV rolled down slowly.
Inside sat Beatrice Kensington. She did not step out. She did not make a scene. She sat in the plush leather interior like a spider in its web, her face partially obscured by the shadows. She turned her head slightly, locking eyes with me through layers of safety glass. Her expression was a mask of icy, controlled fury. She didn’t need to scream; her presence alone was a threat.
She raised a single finger to her lips in a “silence” gesture, then pointed it directly at me. It was a promise of annihilation.
Liam and Sienna emerged from the station behind her, having cut their PR stunt short when Liam started complaining of a headache. Sienna pushed the wheelchair toward the SUV, struggling with the curb.
“Mother, stop,” Liam mumbled, leaning his head back against the wheelchair’s headrest. “She just wants money. Like always p>
I opened the door. I stepped out onto the pavement. The cameras went wild, shutters clicking like a swarm of locusts.
“I have more money than your entire bloodline,” I stated calmly, my voice carrying over the distance. “And unlike yours, mine isn’t tied up in failing loans p>
Beatrice’s eyes narrowed behind the glass. She pressed a button, and the window began to roll up, dismissing me.
“Insolent girl,” I saw her mouth. “I should have p>
She stopped.