The Ex and Her Riches

Chapter 589 Evil 

Gwendolyn had always spoken bluntly, and while that didn’t set well with Annie, the latter said nothing. Ultimately, the winner takes it all. I’ve indeed failed to kill Gwendolyn. I wasn’t meticulous enough and didn’t do a splendid job, so there’s no use in arguing.

As they walked one behind the other, Annie piped up. “My dear sister, the layout of this villa is a little different as it has been modified. Allow me to give you a little tour today.”

Right after she finished talking, she took off like lightning.

Gwendolyn immediately gave chase. As she was about to catch up, Annie quickly hit a switch on the wall.

Suddenly, a large metal cage descended from above, trapping them both inside.

Gwendolyn surveyed the cage without showing a hint of panic. “What tricks are you trying to play now?”

Despite Annie’s innocent and adorable smile, her heart was actually filled with malice.

She opened the lid of a nearby oil drum and kicked the drum over.

Yellow oil gurgled out, spreading across the floor.

Gwendolyn, I know being taken back to the Harris residence by you means another round of hellish torment. Since you won’t spare me, why don’t we perish together? What do you think?”

Gwendolyn remained completely still and incredibly calm.

“If I can’t exit this villa within ten minutes, I won’t be the only one who dies. Once Cedrick is enraged, Paul, who’s desperately protecting you, won’t be able to leave Chanaea in one piece.”

Annic nonchalantly fidgeted with her fingernails, then took out a lighter to fiddle with it. “He doesn’t truly care for me. Even if Cedrick kills him, he deserves it. He’s just infatuated with my body, while I’m merely using him for the power he can give me. Our relationship involves nothing more than mutual aid.”

Gwendolyn lowered her gaze at the oil flowing in her direction.

When the oil was about to reach her feet, she took a step back. “So, that’s why you deliberately deceive me with my mother’s death?”

Annie shook her head. That was the truth. Your mother was indeed sick, and her condition was quite severe, but what really broke her was discovering our father’s infidelity, finding out that the man she considered a good husband, Marcus, had actually had an affair.” She couldn’t stop herself from chuckling at the mention of the past. “I was young back then, but I remember it all. Our dad bought us a small villa, and your mother sneaked over to catch him in the act. When your mother saw my mom, she quarreled with Dad on the spot. All of a sudden, your mother fell ill and was rushed to the hospital.”

Annie paused and laughed louder. “My mom felt guilty, so she secretly took me to the hospital to visit your mother, wanting to beg for her forgiveness. It was I who removed her breathing tube when there was no one in the ward. I thought my mother could marry into the Harris family if I did that, and I could become the legitimate daughter of a wealthy family. Dad knew about this, but I cried a little, played innocent, and he let that matter slide. He used all his connections to help me suppress this matter. Unexpectedly, he was willing to marry Lorelai, who graduated from a prestigious university, rather than my uneducated and backgroundless mom. In the end, I could only remain an illegitimate daughter. How ironic. My mom was kind–hearted and had always been ridden with guilt because of your mother’s death. That was why she risked her life to save Asher when she happened to see him in danger. Asher helped me all these years because he felt culpable for causing me to lose my mom. Nonetheless, he was kept in the dark about your mother’s death, not knowing that I was the one who killed her.”

Gwendolyn stared at Annie’s exquisite countenance in utter shock. The latter’s face became contorted and menacing from laughing too hard.

“You were so young then. Your mother was so kind. How could she give birth to someone as evil as you?”

Some people’s wickedness was truly ingrained, and it was impossible for them to change.

The truth was more shocking than Gwendolyn had imagined. She bored her eyes into Annie with intense hatred churning within her. “Evelyn. I really want to rip out your heart and see if it’s truly black.”

Annie remained indifferent. “To achieve my goals, some people must pay a small price. My dear sister, I’ve held this secret for many years. Now that you have learned the truth, isn’t it time for you to die contentedly?”

She laughed wickedly, lifted the lighter, and was about to light the oil on the floor. “Gwendolyn, although we weren’t born on the same day, we can die on the same day. At least you’ll have someone to keep you company, right?”

Her laughter was maniacal as she slowly crouched down.

Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes coldly. While Annie was squatting down, Gwendolyn swiftly lunged at the former, raising her long leg to kick Annie’s wrist.

Annie was taken by surprise, and the lighter slipped from her hand, falling outside the cage where it couldn’t be retrieved.

While Annie was fazed, Gwendolyn wrapped her hand around Annie’s slender neck, slamming her forcefully against the edge of the metal cage with a loud thud.

The impact on Annie’s back was very painful, prompting her to let out a muffled grunt.

Gwendolyn swung her hand with all her might and slapped Annie’s delicate face while simultaneously tightening her grip around the latter’s neck. Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.

Annie could clearly feel the air around her becoming thinner. She coughed violently as colors drained from her face.

Gwendolyn gritted her teeth in anger. “This beautiful face is such a waste on you. Someone like you should’ve just gone to hell, reincarnated there repeatedly, or just reborn as an animal.”

Taking in Gwendolyn’s enraged demeanor, Annie guffawed and provoked her further with great difficulty. “That’s right. I’ve known since I was young that I have to fight for myself, so I killed your mom. Gwendolyn, you should’ve seen it for yourself. To this day, I still remember how she struggled before her death and the look of utter disbelief when she saw it was me. She probably never imagined I would do that. How delightful.”

Thinking of the scene Annie described, Gwendolyn was so heartbroken that she was on the verge of losing her mind. Intense murderous intent filled her eyes, and she exerted more force to strangle Annie.

Annie’s expression grew more pained as the air she could breathe became scarcer. She felt as if her life was seeping away. Still, she didn’t resist. Or rather, she wasn’t Gwendolyn’s match even if she wanted to.

Just as Annie was about to breathe her last, Sienna’s voice suddenly sounded.

“Gwen, it’s been nine minutes. Are you two okay in there? We’ll wait one more minute before we go in with Nico.”

Seeing that Gwendolyn and Annie hadn’t come out for a long time, Sienna borrowed a megaphone and called out at the doorway.

Hearing those words, Gwendolyn, who was close to losing her mind from the fury, suddenly regained her last bit of sanity. Nico came with his troops. If they enter and see that I’ve killed Annie, not to mention with Paul and his subordinates playing witnesses, even Cedrick will be powerless to save me from being convicted. In that case, my whole life will be ruined by this woman. Is this why she’s deliberately provoking me? Since we can’t die together, she’ll make me kill her.

Soon, Gwendolyn wrapped her mind around that matter, instantly loosened her grip, and took a step back.

With the return of fresh air into her lungs, Annie, ashen–faced, collapsed weakly onto the ground, coughing non–stop.

Gwendolyn regained her composure and looked down at Annie haughtily. “It’ll only dirty my hands to strangle you to death. A beast like you who doesn’t deserve to be a human should be judged by the law instead.”

Annie was still coughing, but she shifted her gaze upward to glare at Gwendolyn hatefully.

After the final minute ended, Nico barged into the house with a group of soldiers.

Sienna, supporting Asher, and Paul and his bodyguards all rushed into the villa.

Everyone aside from Paul was shocked to see the large metal cage in the middle of the floor.

They figured anyone who would have such a cage built and installed in their villa must have a confinement fetish.

However, their attention merely lingered on the cage for a fleeting moment before swiftly focusing on Gwendolyn and Annie.

Gwendolyn was completely unscathed, maintaining a proud and aloof air as usual. In contrast, Annie sat pathetically on the floor, coughing continuously. The marks on her neck made it seem like she had suffered some terrible torment in those ten minutes.

Paul was the first to speak. “What happened to Annie? Did you try strangling her to death?”

Gwendolyn replied indifferently, “Her body is too fragile. If I really attempted to kill her, how could she still be alive after ten minutes? Don’t you dare slander me groundlessly, Mr. Hall.”

Annie was indeed still alive, rendering Paul stumped.

Sienna and Nico were more concerned about Gwendolyn’s condition.

Nico asked in a hurry, “Are you hurt, Gwendolyn? Why are you trapped inside the cage with Annie?”

Sienna quickly noticed the oil on the floor inside the cage. “Gwen, what exactly happened?”