Chapter 285

Chapter 285:

His eerie calm finally pierced Marie’s defenses. Real fear bloomed in her chest. If she defied him, he had both the means and the will to make her life worse than death.

Regret crashed over her like a wave. How could she have been so catastrophically blind, trusting a man who wore meekness like a carefully crafted mask while plotting her destruction? Now she lay paralyzed, trapped at his mercy.

He locked the door, then returned with a steaming cup of water.

Marie’s paralyzed body needed assistance. She instructed, “Prop me up.” Dustin complied, but his obedience was cold. His movements were efficient, mechanical, and completely devoid of warmth as he arranged her against the pillows.

𝖣𝘪sc𝗼𝗏е𝗿 𝗁𝘪𝘥𝘥𝖾𝗇 𝘨𝗲𝗆ѕ 𝗼𝗇 g𝖺𝘭ոo𝘷е𝘭s.c𝘰𝗆

Without warning, Marie’s one functional hand hurled the scalding liquid at his face.

The water hit perfectly. Dustin’s agonized roar tore through the room as his hands flew to his burning skin. “Have you lost your mind completely p>

“You never replaced the poison with cola, did you?” Marie’s words cut through his pain like sharpened steel. “You wanted me dead p>

Dustin’s rage hardened into something far more dangerous — a laugh with no trace of humor.

He dabbed at his scalded skin with clinical detachment. “I followed your instructions to the letter. Replaced the poison with cola, exactly as ordered. Perhaps residual toxins remained in the bottle. That’s why you suffered p>

“Do you honestly believe I’m that gullible?” Marie’s voice shook with fury. “You’re more ruthless than I ever imagined. What could you possibly gain from my death p>

Dustin shrugged with infuriating indifference. “Does that matter? You got what you wanted — Gabriela’s reputation is in ruins. Shouldn’t that satisfy your thirst for revenge p>

Marie’s mouth opened to unleash another round of accusations, but Dustin silenced her with a single raised finger.

“Listen. Let’s keep this between us — and please, don’t ever speak of it again. Do you understand your current celebrity status? Your name is echoing across the entire nation. Strangers are weeping for you, praying for your recovery, and cursing Gabriela with passionate hatred. Meanwhile, tabloid vultures are circling overhead, desperate to monetize your tragedy for clicks and profit. Remember — walls have ears. One careless word from you will bring consequences you can’t imagine p>

Dustin’s expression stayed eerily calm, but something in that stillness finally cut through Marie’s anger. Real fear bloomed in her chest for the first time. If she defied him, he had both the means and the will to turn her life into something far worse than death.

Regret crashed over Marie like a breaking wave.

How had she been so catastrophically blind? She had trusted this man who had worn meekness like a carefully crafted mask while plotting her destruction. Now she lay…

Helpless, her vulnerability completely exposed to his manipulation, Marie’s voice broke into a desperate prayer. “Your cruelty will come back to haunt you p>

Dustin’s smile held the warmth of winter frost. “Don’t get worked up, Marie. Your doctor emphasized the importance of rest. Who can say? Perhaps your recovery will surprise everyone p>

With theatrical gentleness, he eased her back onto the mattress and smoothed the blanket around her.

Neither of them noticed the tiny camera lens aimed at them from the window, recording every damning word.