The Stand-In Who Burned the Script novel Chapter 428

It wasn't fear, but rather utter contempt.

"The illustrious eldest Vaughan, reduced to putting his hands on a woman just to extract the information he wants. Furthermore, this woman is your own cousin... don't you feel pathetic?"

Silas was never one to pull his punches. Even if the head of the Vaughan family were standing right in front of him, he probably wouldn't dial back his sharp tongue, let alone for Marcus.

Marcus's eyes held an expression that was incredibly difficult to parse.

Agonized. Ferocious.

And laced with a distinct trace of... despair.

He knew perfectly well that even if he beat the truth out of her today, he wouldn't get a single piece of useful information.

But human beings were flawed like that. When pushed to an absolute dead end, they clung to whatever pathetic shreds of hope remained, desperately running through every impossible hypothetical.

He fixed a dark, suffocating glare on Vivian. His voice was raw as he rasped, "Tell me where Darcy is, and I'll let the two of you go. Otherwise, I swear you won't make it out of Bayport alive."

Silas pressed his lips into a tight line, saying nothing.

Vivian discreetly squeezed the center of his palm.

*What do we do?*

Before they could even formulate a plan, Marcus's men surged forward. Two perfectly synchronized rows of bodyguards flanked them—all sporting imposing, broad-shouldered builds, practically radiating lethal training.

"Take them back! Especially her... if she slips away, every single one of you is fired!"

After dropping that glacial command, Marcus turned on his heel and strode away.

...

It took a moment for Vivian to fully process what had just happened.

She tilted her head and whispered, "What do you think he's going to do now?"

Silas stared toward the elevators. "Leak your whereabouts to the public."

If Marcus wanted to bait Darcy out of hiding, his best move was to drag the people she cared about out into the open.

"It won't work." Vivian shook her head with a heavy sigh. "They say you can't force love, so why cling so desperately to someone who doesn't love you back?"

Given the terrifying spectacle that had just unfolded, any other woman would have been screaming by now.

"What good is being scared?" Vivian smiled, catching his gaze in the reflection of the elevator doors. "You should know he helped me out a lot over the years. That's just how Marcus is. It's not just me; he's like that with everyone. But he wouldn't actually kill me."

Outsiders didn't understand. They probably thought he was a ruthless monster who'd butcher his own blood.

But that was only because they didn't really know him.

If it weren't for their underlying bond, she would have ended up rotting in a ditch a long time ago.

He still held back, to some degree.

Stepping out of the lobby, a sleek black commercial vehicle was idling at the curb.

A bodyguard pulled the door open, then stepped back with rigid obedience.

Even though they were essentially prisoners, as long as Marcus wasn't physically present, they were treated with the utmost respect.

Silas stared at the vehicle before them, his dark eyes unreadable. "If we were to make a run for it right now, what do you think our chances of success would be?"