Chapter 269

"You're asking me?" Clifford's face was terrifyingly dark, as if he were about to commit murder.

Ziven finally turned his attention to Santino and froze. Seeing him holding Latisha in an embrace sent his mind reeling. What..... what in the world had he missed in just

two days? Had Mrs. Lambert switched her affections that quickly?

Clifford looked at Latisha one last time. His gaze was colder and more final than she had ever seen.

He got into his car. Before he left, he said to Ziven, "You handle it."

Then, he drove away without a backward glance.

Santino sneered. "See? He will never choose you."

Latisha pushed him away and took a step back. She knew. She had known for a long time. Santino's words were just another stab at her already shattered heart. It didn't even hurt anymore.

Ziven was in a bind. What was he supposed to do with an order like "You handle it"? Kill them both? If Mr. Lambert had wanted them dead, he would have done it himself.

After thinking it over, Ziven decided the best course of action was to have Santino's wound treated and then take them both back down the mountain.

Santino sat in the courtyard while one of Ziven's men bandaged his leg. The wound was deep; it would be troublesome to treat and would take a long time to heal.

Latisha sat quietly to the side, Clifford's resolute departure replaying in her mind, sending sharp pains through her head. It was her own foolish, greedy fantasy. If she had just been an obedient pet, staying quietly in that villa, Clifford would have been good to her. But no, she had to defy him, force him to make this choice. How stupid she was!

Kiet

But she was going to die anyway. Wasn't she even allowed one last fantasy? Latisha closed her eyes, feeling the cold mountain wind. It seeped into her pores, a chill that reached her very bones. But she couldn't feel it. The only cold was the one in her heart, an unbearable weight.

Perhaps the pain in her head was too much. Her vision went black, and she collapsed.

"Mrs. Lambert!" Ziven had wanted to take Latisha away, but Santino stopped him. He dangled the remote. "Don't do anything reckless. We'll all die otherwise."

Ziven stared at the remote, caught in an impossible situation. He finally understood why Mr. Lambert hadn't stayed. There was no solution here. Clifford's intention was clear: he wanted Ziven to bring Latisha back.

Santino had no plans to kill Latisha for now, but if cornered, he would. He would choose to kill her. Ziven didn't dare make a move, resulting in a stalemate.

Santino glanced at the farmhouse gate, and beyond it, to the towering mountains. "Why did your boss even bother making this trip?"

Ziven forced a smile. To be honest,

he didn't understand either. The road back was long. It would take half

day through the forest, and even

longer on the main road t

If Clifford

didn't leave now, he wouldn't make it back in time. He had chosen the shareholders' meeting.

But as Clifford drove to the foot of the mountain, he pulled over. Leaning against the side of the road he lit a organette smoke curted out

of the car window and was snatched

away by the wind, vanishing without

a trace.

A deep, unshakable sorrow clouded his features as he stared through the

windshield into the distance. But the road curved around the mountainside, and he could see nothing.

Latisha was lying in bed. When she woke up, it was already evening.