Chapter 275

Verena's words struck Carl like a bolt of lightning, freezing him in place. The smug arrogance on his face hadn't yet faded when shock came crashing in like a tidal wave.

His eyes widened, pupils shrinking to pinpoints-dark whirlpools spinning with fear and disbelief.

Luis?

"What do you mean? What the hell are you saying?"

Carl's voice shattered into a sharp, quivering roar, raw with panic.

Why on earth would she be in touch with Luis?

Confusion clouded Carl's gaze-until a thought slammed into him, cold as ice, sinking his heart to the floor.

Could it be that Luis had already realized Verena was his sister?

Otherwise, Luis would never have turned against him.

Carl realized that if it were true-if Luis had seen through the ruse all along-then, knowing Luis, he was a dead man walking.

Panic tore at Carl from the inside, a feral beast he could not contain. His gaze fixed on Verena, desperate to read some answer in her expression.

Then his eyes darted to Verena's slightly rounded belly-and in that instant, his madness crystallized into ruthless resolve.

He couldn't lose here.

If he failed, he'd never have another chance at Verena.

He knew all too well the depth of Luis' ruthlessness. The thought sent a shiver down Carl's spine, yet the mania in his eyes only flared hotter, like twin flames devouring the night.

Possessed by a blind frenzy, he thrashed violently. The bodyguards clamped down, locking his arms tight.

But with sheer force and wild desperation, Carl jerked free.

In the same breath, he lunged like a predator, snatching the gleaming knife from the table.

With a crazed snarl, he charged at Verena.

The motion was fluid, lightning-quick.

Verena had scarcely a heartbeat to react before the blade swept toward her stomach.

At the final instant, the door burst open-Luis stormed in like a raging gale.

His eyes narrowed, fixing on Carl's motion. Without hesitation, he struck with a brutal kick.

His boot connected hard-the knife flew from Carl's grasp, clattering across the floor.

Before Carl could even register who it was, Luis slammed another savage kick square into his chest.

Agony exploded through Carl's body as he was hurled back, crashing to the floor several feet away.

He lay pale as chalk, blood spilling from his mouth, his body convulsing.

As Carl struggled to rise, he finally saw the attacker. Terror flared in his eyes, while pain tore through his chest,robbing him of breath.

Their eyes met briefly-Carl's mind whirled in chaos.

Luis being here was no accident. He and Verena had planned this.

And from that look, it was obvious Luis alreadyknew he'd been deceived.

Carl knew begging was futile; pleading with Luis was no different from bargaining with Death itself.

Cornered, his only choice was to fight and wager everything on survival. Clenching his teeth against the pain, Carl scrambled toward the fallen knife.

But Luis had no intention of giving him the chance.

In a blur, Luis stomped down hard on Carl's hand.

His boot crushed mercilessly, bones crunching under the weight with sickening clarity.

A scream tore from Carl's throat. It bounced off the walls, high-pitched and desperate, echoing like a warning bell.

Luis ground his boot further into Carl's hand, the pain shooting straight to the bone, twisting Carl's face into something unrecognizable.

Veins bulged across Carl's forehead, pounding so violently it seemed they might tear through his skin. His eyes reddened, his mouth stretched wide as one harrowing scream after another ripped free. He writhed on the floor, thrashing like a man condemned to hell itself.

Yet Luis' boot stayed firm, pressing as though to pulverize every bone in Carl's hand.

"What the hell did you think you were doing, huh?" Luis pressed harder, eyes narrowing, lips curling. "Did I say you could move?"

Carl howled, agony spilling from every fiber of him.

Luis radiated pure killing intent, a storm cloaked in human form.

Luis stared down at Carl, his eyes icy cold, stripped of all mercy.

Moments before, hearing Carl's deranged roar, Luis, who had reached the door, knew something was wrong.

The instant he pushed the door open, he saw Verena nearly gutted by the same monster who dared use her against him.

She was his blood, his treasure-the sister he had braved hell and returned to claim.

She was his untouchable boundary, and anyone who dared to cross it was already marked for death. Carl had crossedit.

If it weren't for his agreement with Verena, Luis would have ripped him apart and exacted payment in blood.

Luis struggled to leash the killing urge, restraining the need to end Carl instantly.

But rage churned in him, a volcano ready to erupt.

Slowly, Luis raised his boot. Carl gasped in fleeting relief, his hand bruised and useless, trembling as he struggled to rise.

Luis wasn't done.

Before Carl could rise halfway, Luis drove a vicious kick straight into his gut.

With a resounding thud, Carl was hurled back once more, crashing hard onto the floor.

Luis didn't stop-his eyes blazing as he delivered another brutal kick, as though intent on pulverizing Carl's insides.

Kick after kick crashed into him. Carl writhed, arms curled in a feeble shield, groans and desperate pleas slipping through clenched teeth.

Luis didn't hear a single word.