Billionaire And His Son Betrayed Me: Brothers Back Me Up novel Chapter 265

Joshua put his phone away, a little helpless. “You just stepped away for two minutes.”

“Two minutes is more than enough to help with digestion,” Xylia chimed in.

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Seeing Joshua frown, about to protest, Xylia hurried over and wrapped her arms around his waist, snuggling into his arms. Her voice turned soft and sweet, playfully pleading.

“I’ve been running myself ragged for days. I seriously need to catch up on some sleep. I didn’t even eat much at lunch, so skipping dinner just this once won’t hurt, right? Let me sleep, please,” she coaxed.

Joshua might look pretty chill most days, but when it came to health, he never let anything slide–always super strict about every little thing.

He was stubborn as a mule.

Last night, after she went a bit overboard on midnight snacks, he’d nagged her forever about it. Then, once they got home, he insisted on some “couple’s workout” to help her burn it off–with his own hands, no less.

Finally, it was the weekend, and all she wanted was to just crash and sleep the whole day away.

As soon as she dove into his arms, Joshua pulled her close. Hearing her voice soften like that, his Adam’s apple bobbed and he could feel himself caving inside–there was no way he could resist her now.

She honestly looked exhausted, with those faint shadows under her eyes making it clear just how spent she

was.

‘This was a total loss for me,‘ he thought, admitting defeat.

“Alright, get some sleep,” Joshua said softly, finally giving in.

Xylia happily climbed into bed. She was so wiped out that she was asleep the second her head hit the pillow.

Joshua tucked her in, then suddenly remembered that he’d forgotten to tell her about Chase’s invitation for her to join the competition earlier that morning.

‘Oh well, I’ll just tell her when she wakes up,‘ he thought.

With that, Joshua quietly slipped out of the room.

***

In Daltonia, Noelle followed the hulking man in black down a corridor awash in eerie red and purple lights. The haze hung heavy, blurring her vision, and it felt like the hallway might go on forever.

When the huge double doors creaked open, that uneasy silence shattered–noise crashed in from every

direction.

Screams. Sobs. Desperate begging. It all hit her ears at once,

Chapter 265

Then the sharp, bloody stench slammed into her, thick and nauseating.

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Noelle’s heart was seized by fear, rising uncontrollably from deep inside. For a moment, her steps slowed and she almost froze in place.

“Ms. Coffey, let’s go,” the man ordered, his voice icy and devoid of any warmth.

His tone was utterly emotionless.

Noelle bit down on her lip–there was no way out now. She was already in too deep to run.

She followed him in.

The faint smell of blood she’d caught at the entrance was now overwhelming, filling her nose with every breath, thick and sickly.

The place was sunken, almost like a bar lounge but dropped beneath her feet, giving off that shady underground vibe.

Three burly men lay scattered across the red velvet carpet. One had his arm snapped, another’s legs were cut off at the knees, and the last was down on his knees in the center.

He was tied up, head forced back, while a beefy guy in a black T–shirt shoved a pair of pliers into his mouth. In one cruel motion, the man ripped out his tongue–bloody and raw. The guy instantly went limp and toppled over, his sobs cut short.

Noelle’s face was white as a sheet. She slapped a trembling hand over her mouth, spun around, and nearly puked right there–her legs were so weak, she could barely stay upright.

Never in her wildest nightmares had she witnessed anything so savage, so horrifying.

She’d known the person she was about to confront wasn’t some garden–variety criminal, but she never dreamed he’d be this much of a monster.

To him, human life was worthless.

“Ms. Coffey, welcome. Sorry you had to witness such a sight for our first meeting.” The words drifted from the bar, spoken by a man whose voice was deep, mocking, tinged with amusement.

Noelle turned, unsettled, searching for the source.

Sitting at the bar was a man in a light gray suit–dark–haired, dark–eyed, definitely from Alverland. His features lacked Joshua’s razor–sharp handsomeness, but he exuded a gentleman–scholar vibe, a kind of old- world grace that set him apart.

His almond–shaped eyes curved in a smile, warmth on the surface–yet as Noelle met his gaze, a deadly chill ran through her. There was something cold–blooded, viper–like lurking behind that smile, and she shivered despite herself.

She couldn’t help but tremble.

Chapter 265

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Richard didn’t comment on her lack of response. He downed his glass of red wine in one gulp, then stood up from the bar stool and walked over to her.

Noelle instinctively took a step back.

But Richard stopped right in front of her, took her hand with all the grace of a gentleman, and gently pressed a kiss to the back of it.

“It’s a pleasure to work with you, Ms. Coffey,” Richard said smoothly. “You want that woman out of Joshua’s life, and I want Joshua gone. Our goals are perfectly aligned.”

Noelle’s eyes widened. “I never meant for Joshua to die.”

“Disappearing doesn’t always mean dying,” Richard replied softly, his voice almost hypnotic. “If he belonged to you alone, vanished from the Garcia Group–well, that’s just another kind of disappearance, isn’t it?”

Richard was every bit the devil–tempting her step by step, drawing her deeper into the pit he’d dug.

‘But the devil’s temptation was just too strong,‘ Noelle thought, her heart trembling.

Just the thought of having Joshua all to herself was almost addictive.

The possibility alone sent a rush of excitement through Noelle.

She nodded. “If you help me take care of the woman around Joshua, I’ll hand over the Garcia Group’s secrets to you.”

Richard grinned, “Ms. Coffey, you’d better stick to your word.”

Richard’s smile spread even wider.

After Noelle left, Richard accepted a wet wipe from his subordinate and began delicately cleaning the very fingertips that had touched her. His expression was completely unreadable, almost as if purging any trace of

contact.

He wiped each finger slowly and carefully, making sure not to miss a single spot.

“Mr. Shaw, can we really trust that Ms. Coffey?” the subordinate asked in a low voice.

Richard’s eyes glittered with a chill. “Ms. Coffey is no fool. After what she witnessed today, I’m not worried about her loyalty–not anymore.”

He tossed the dirty wet wipe onto the floor and commanded, “Book me a flight to Alverland.”

“Yes, sir,” the subordinate replied.

Once the guy left, Richard pulled out his phone and brought up her profile.

On the screen was a gorgeous smiling face, with the name right beside it: Xylia, 28 years old, Norhill Native…

The more Richard scrolled, the bigger his grin got.

8:34 Thu, Sep 25

Chapter 265

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