She Took 873

Artemis is overwhelmed with panic and grief as she desperately tries to save Manny, who has been shot and is barely breathing in her arms. She confronts Dale, accusing him of cruelty and betrayal, unable to understand how he could shoot Manny, a boy who has called him “Dad” for years. Her emotions are raw and filled with disbelief as she pleads for help, demanding an ambulance to save Manny’s life.

Dale, however, remains cold and unyielding. His anger has not fully subsided, and he refuses to allow any medical treatment for Manny. He orders the Black Mountain medical team to be locked in the basement, effectively trapping them and condemning Manny to die without help. His hatred for Artemis is evident, and he no longer wants to see or deal with her, showing a ruthless side that Artemis fears deeply.

Artemis pleads with Dale, begging him not to let Manny die, but her words fall on deaf ears. Dale’s cold demeanor reveals the man she once loved but now despises. Their confrontation escalates as they exchange bitter accusations—Artemis claims she had no choice in her betrayal, while Dale condemns her actions and insists she could have left if she was unhappy. The tension between them is palpable, fueled by deep resentment and anger.

Dale’s fury culminates in a harsh decree: no food or water for Artemis and Manny, and no medical assistance without his permission. The chapter ends with a chilling image of Manny, weak and barely conscious, glaring at Dale with hatred, mirroring Artemis’s own loathing. The situation is dire, and the emotional and physical stakes for Artemis and Manny have reached a critical turning point.

873 The Turning Point

Artemis pressed her hands over Manny’s wound, panic flooding her chest. “Manny! Manny, no–stay with me!”

Just moments ago, he’d been fine–alive and standing. Now, he was limp in her arms, barely breathing.

The shock and pain tore through her chest, and she let out a raw scream.

She looked up at Dale, her face streaked with tears. “You… you shot him. You really pulled the trigger. He’s called you ‘Dad‘ for years–how can you do this? How can you be this cruel?”

Her voice cracked, filled with disbelief and grief.

She couldn’t wrap her head around it–Dale had always cared for Manny the most.

He’d treated Manny like his own flesh and blood.

And now…

“Fine, he’s not your biological son,” she cried, her voice breaking. “But he’s been by your side all these years, calling you ‘Dad‘ every single day! How can you be this cruel?”

She clung to Manny, sobbing uncontrollably.

She didn’t care about anything else anymore. “We need an ambulance! He’s losing too much blood–we have to get to a hospital!”

But Dale just stood there, watching coldly.

After he pulled the trigger, some of his rage faded–but not enough to bring back any mercy.

Then Artemis’s desperate, accusing voice hit him again, and something inside him twisted with disgust.

He’d once held her close, trusted her completely–and now he saw her for what she really was.

Three children. Not one of them his.

“Don’t you dare treat him,” Dale said, his voice like ice.

His order fell heavy in the room. He wouldn’t allow the Black Mountain medical team to save Manny–or let them leave the estate.

“Lock them in the basement,” he said coldly.

His voice carried finality. His hatred for Artemis ran deep now–so deep he didn’t even want to look at her.

But he also wanted them gone. Forever.

When Artemis heard his command, the blood drained from her face.

It was happening. Exactly what she’d feared all along.

He was doing to her what he’d once done to those other women. He wanted her dead.

“No, please, no!” She cried, shaking her head. “I need to take Manny to the hospital! You can’t do this to us!”

Dale closed his eyes, the air around him growing colder by the second.

It was clear that every word of Artemis’s pleading meant nothing to him now. Her pleas hit a wall, completely powerless against his coldness.

This was the real Dale–the man she’d seen once before and hoped never to see again.

He was capable of loving a woman completely, of treating her like she was his whole world. But when that love was gone, he took every ounce of it back without hesitation.

“You think this is my fault?” Artemis cried, her voice trembling. “You think I wanted any of this? I didn’t have a choice!”

Those words made his eyes snap open again, his expression darkening into something deadly. This text is hosted at fιɴdnοvel.net

That coldness cut straight through her, swallowing her whole.

“You betrayed me,” he said with a bitter laugh, “and now you want to make excuses for it? Artemis, you make me sick.”

Her excuses only made his anger cut deeper. The way she said she “didn’t have a choice” made it sound like someone had forced her to cheat–as if she were the victim in all this.

Her tears spilled freely now.

“You have no idea what I went through being with you,” she shouted. “You said you loved me; everyone thought you loved me–but you kept marrying other women here at Black Mountain! What was I supposed to do?”

Dale’s voice cut through her sobs. “If you couldn’t wait for me, you could’ve left. That doesn’t give you the right to betray me!”

His teeth clenched, fury burning in his eyes.

Yes, she could have left if she couldn’t stand it–but betrayal was a choice.

“When you were pregnant with Manny, I was with you. Every day,” he said, his voice shaking with anger. “And you tell me you had no choice? What kind of pathetic excuse is that?”

Sure, he’d married other women–but he’d spent most of his time with her. That was no justification for what she’d done.

Dale didn’t want to argue anymore. His patience was gone.

“Lenny,” he called.

The butler stepped forward immediately. “Yes, sir.”

“Lock them in the basement. No doctors. No medical treatment. Not without my permission.”

Then he looked at Artemis again–and what he saw in her eyes froze him inside.

Hatred.

She was the one who’d betrayed him, yet she dared to look at him with hate?

And Manny–weak and barely conscious–was glaring at him with the same look.

Dale’s body trembled with rage. “No food. No water.”

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The chapter closes on a harrowing note, capturing the raw intensity of betrayal and heartbreak that fractures the fragile bonds between these characters. Artemis’s desperate attempts to save Manny, juxtaposed with Dale’s cold, unyielding wrath, underscore the devastating consequences of broken trust and the corrosive power of resentment. Their shared pain is palpable, a testament to how love twisted by anger can become a weapon that wounds everyone involved.

Despite the darkness engulfing them, the emotional turmoil reveals the deep complexities of their relationships—love, loyalty, and betrayal intertwined in a painful dance. The chapter leaves us with a haunting sense of loss and the stark reality that sometimes, the people we hold closest can become the source of our greatest suffering. It’s a poignant reminder of how fragile human connections are when tested by unforgivable choices.

The next chapter promises to delve deeper into the chilling aftermath of Manny’s shooting, as the tension between Artemis and Dale escalates to a breaking point. With Manny’s life hanging by a thread and Dale’s cold, merciless orders sealing their fate, the emotional stakes rise sharply. Artemis’s desperation and fury will clash with Dale’s icy resolve, setting the stage for a harrowing struggle for survival and justice within the walls of Black Mountain.

As the characters confront their shattered relationships and buried resentments, the reader can expect raw, intense emotions to surface. The dynamics between Artemis, Dale, and Manny will be tested in ways that could change everything they thought they knew about loyalty, betrayal, and family. The looming confinement in the basement adds a claustrophobic urgency, hinting at the physical and psychological battles yet to come.

Cedella

Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.