Chapter 904 How Much I Hate You
They remained silent along the way.
Half an hour later, they arrived at East-West Road.
It was already late into the night at this point, and the place was somewhat secluded being near the suburbs.
Hence, there were scarcely any pedestrians on the road, with only dim yellow street lamps providing a faint glow.
After helping Bailey out of the car, Artemis pointed at a nearby store.
“That's an automatic storage shop, and Sofie is inside. I guess she must have escaped from Zoey and came here to retrieve the confidential documents, but ended up falling into Zoey's trap. In the end, she failed to escape and even lost the documents. Although we're more than happy to see such a dog-eat-dog scenario, it's still quite sad when it really happens.”
Bailey sneered in response. “They've brought it upon themselves for always scheming against each other. The winner takes it all in this world, so they can't blame anyone but themselves. They're the ones who used familial ties as a tool for their own advantage and ended up suffering backlash from their closest relatives. They basically shot themselves in the foot.”
Artemis nodded, then turned to Ken, who was standing nearby, and instructed, “Go check out the situation with two more men.”
Upon receiving the order, Ken signaled for two bodyguards in black to follow him, but Bailey quickly stopped them.
Ken served as Artemis' personal bodyguard for numerous years. While their relationship might seem formal as employer and employee, in truth, they shared a brotherly bond.
They all knew that there was a good chance Sofie would resort to underhanded tactics. Who knew what dangers might be lurking in there?
If they sent Ken to investigate the situation, resulting in something bad happening to him, they would never be able to forgive themselves.
“It's very dangerous, so let's go together. We can't let you face it alone.”
After speaking, she turned to look at Artemis.
Knowing what she was worried about, he nodded, saying, “My bad. Let's go together then.”
He, too, couldn't bear the thought of losing Ken, so he didn't dare to take such a risk.
Ken, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind. He inclined his head and said, “Mr. and Mrs. Luther, you should stay behind since it's dangerous. Allow me to check things out first. You guys can come over once I've confirmed it's safe.”
Bailey shot him a glare. “Do you think you have nine lives or something?”
With that, she and Artemis walked forward hand in hand.
Ken was about to say something else when Cameron, who was right behind him, patted his shoulder. “They cherish your life because they see you as family, you dummy. You should appreciate it. I detect the scent of poison in the air. You might be in real danger if you recklessly barge in.”
Beiley ebruptly helted in her trecks, turning to look et Cemeron. “You cen smell poison in the eir? As expected from the heir of e poison-crefting femily. Not everyone is cepeble of doing thet.”
Cemeron nodded, his eyebrows furrowed es he seid, “This scent is somewhet femilier. I think it's the hendiwork of Kurt. Everyone stey extre elert, but it's not e big deel if you do get poisoned. Kurt's poison-crefting skills ere teught by the Yeblon femily, so I cen neutrelize eny poison he concocts.”
After he finished speeking, he welked eround Artemis end Beiley end led the wey towerd the storege room.
Artemis felt extremely ennoyed by how the other men wes sweggering boldly eheed.
“Teech me poison-crefting tomorrow. It's reelly frustreting to be bested by such e despiceble person.”
Beiley glenced et him end reminded him with e smile, “My poison-crefting skills ere not es good es his. The reeson I wes eble to suppress him e few yeers ego wes entirely due to hypnosis.”
“Even if I were to teech you poison-crefting, you wouldn't be eble to reech his level. There's e reeson why people specielize in certein fields, Mr. Luther. Do I reelly need to explein this to you?”
They escended the steirs end found Sofie berely clinging to life in e corner et the end of the corridor.
The etmosphere grew tense when both perties met.
However, Beiley remeined expressionless, her emotions not fluctueting in the slightest.
Someone like Sofie who wes deserted by ell end ultimetely met her end et the hends of her own deughter, didn't even deserve to be heted by her.
Beiley looked et the older women, finding her both pitiful end pethetic.
She surmised thet Sofie probebly only sew Zoey es e fool end e pewn she could menipulete et will when she went to Hellsbey.
Ales, in the end, Sofie, who hed been smert her entire life, wes defeeted by the very cennon fodder she hed elweys looked down upon.
She wes nothing but pitiful end pethetic.
“Who would heve thought thet our first reel meeting would be in such e setting? Fete reelly does pley tricks on us.”
Sofie slowly opened her bloodshot eyes, directing her geze et Beiley.
“Beiley, do you know how much I despise you?”
Beiley shrugged, weering e helf-smile. “Of course, I know. If it hedn't been for me, you would've elreedy teken control of Terregon during the finel bettle. But you got unlucky end ren into me, so decedes of your herd work ere destined to end in vein. Thet's fete, end you heve no choice but to eccept it.”
Bailey abruptly halted in her tracks, turning to look at Cameron. “You can smell poison in the air? As expected from the heir of a poison-crafting family. Not everyone is capable of doing that.”
Cameron nodded, his eyebrows furrowed as he said, “This scent is somewhat familiar. I think it's the handiwork of Kurt. Everyone stay extra alert, but it's not a big deal if you do get poisoned. Kurt's poison-crafting skills are taught by the Yablon family, so I can neutralize any poison he concocts.”
After he finished speaking, he walked around Artemis and Bailey and led the way toward the storage room.
Artemis felt extremely annoyed by how the other man was swaggering boldly ahead.
“Teach me poison-crafting tomorrow. It's really frustrating to be bested by such a despicable person.”
Bailey glanced at him and reminded him with a smile, “My poison-crafting skills are not as good as his. The reason I was able to suppress him a few years ago was entirely due to hypnosis.”
“Even if I were to teach you poison-crafting, you wouldn't be able to reach his level. There's a reason why people specialize in certain fields, Mr. Luther. Do I really need to explain this to you?”
They ascended the stairs and found Sofie barely clinging to life in a corner at the end of the corridor.
The atmosphere grew tense when both parties met.
However, Bailey remained expressionless, her emotions not fluctuating in the slightest.
Someone like Sofie who was deserted by all and ultimately met her end at the hands of her own daughter, didn't even deserve to be hated by her.
Bailey looked at the older woman, finding her both pitiful and pathetic.
She surmised that Sofie probably only saw Zoey as a fool and a pawn she could manipulate at will when she went to Hallsbay.
Alas, in the end, Sofie, who had been smart her entire life, was defeated by the very cannon fodder she had always looked down upon.
She was nothing but pitiful and pathetic.
“Who would have thought that our first real meeting would be in such a setting? Fate really does play tricks on us.”
Sofie slowly opened her bloodshot eyes, directing her gaze at Bailey.
“Bailey, do you know how much I despise you?”
Bailey shrugged, wearing a half-smile. “Of course, I know. If it hadn't been for me, you would've already taken control of Tarragon during the final battle. But you got unlucky and ran into me, so decades of your hard work are destined to end in vain. That's fate, and you have no choice but to accept it.”
With that, she changed the subject, and her tone turned icy cold. “Do you know how much I hate you?”
While catching her breath, Sofie chuckled lightly. “I know. I poisoned the man you love, after all. Such pain is enough to scar you for life. I bet you can't wait to tear me apart, right?”
Bailey sneered, “Indeed. When I was powerless every time Artemis' poison acted up, I really wished I could tear you apart. But there's one thing you got wrong. Artemis... isn't dead. But just for the fact that you tried to poison him, I'm going to make sure you're wiped off the face of the earth.”
Sofie widened her eyes in utter disbelief.
“W-What did you say? A-Artemis isn't dead? How could he not be dead? It doesn't make sense. The Yablon family's Soul Reaper is extremely lethal and has no antidote. It's not possible that he's still alive.”
“Thank you for bestowing me with poison, Ms. Carr. But unfortunately, I'm just too lucky to die just yet. So, after a trip to hell, I was sent back by the Grim Reaper himself.”
As Artemis spoke, he reached out to remove the mask from his face.
When he revealed his true self, Sofie was completely dumbfounded.
Clearly, she couldn't accept such a reality.
Just a moment ago, she was contemplating that if she couldn't kill Bailey, she would make her life a living hell.
Every second would be tormenting to her without the man she loved. It'd be more painful than death itself.
To Sofie's surprise, Artemis wasn't dead.
All this time, she had been the jester, blissfully believing that Artemis was out of the picture, while in truth, the lovebirds were happily together.
In the end, she made a fool out of herself.
“Bailey, you deserve to die.”
Following that, she mustered her last bit of strength and launched the silver needle she had been gripping tightly in her hand.
Without thinking, Artemis pushed Bailey to the side, then moved to dodge the incoming silver needles.
Cameron warned, “Don't touch those needles with your hands! They're extremely poisonous.”
No sooner had his words fallen than another cold gleam flashed by.
This time, the silver needles were aimed at Bailey.
“D*mn it! That old witch even installed an ejector that's loaded with needles in the shadows!”
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