Chapter 222
Chapter 224
Everyone in the ballroom knew one unspoken rule:
Never cross the Kanes.
So when this random nobody smacked Bella Kane across the face, felt like time itself froze.
Every head turned, jaws hanging open. The gasp was almost a collective choke.
“Is he out of his damn mind?” someone muttered.
“He actually hit Bella Kane… He must have a death wish p>
A hush fell, thick with fear and disbelief. For as long as anyone remembered, Bella was the one who dished out the torment-
never the other way around.
In that moment, the unthinkable had happened.
Bella swayed on her heels, hand pressed to her flaming cheek.
Her eyes were wide with equal parts shock and wrath.
No one, no one, had ever dared lay a finger on her.
“You-” she spat, voice cracking, “you dare… you dare hit me p>
Alex felt adrenaline rattle his veins. He’d lashed out before thinking; a part of him hated that he’d struck a woman.
He flexed his hand, trying to ignore the sick churn in his gut.
“Kill him!” Bella shrieked, voice echoing off the marble walls. “Now p>
Her security detail snapped to attention, batons raised like they were itching to break bones-some even pointing their guns.
The onlookers scattered, some scrambling behind tables, others pressing themselves flat against the wall.
Everyone watched, hearts pounding, expecting Alex to be torn to pieces.
But he stood there, posture calm, expression unreadable.
In an instant-thud, thud, thud-the guards crashed down as though their legs had been yanked out from under them.
A few face-planted; others buckled at the knees.
Their eyes were wide with terror, as if caught under the gaze of some demon cloaked in human skin.
“Hey! I need more backup out here-now!” one of Bella’s bodyguards growled into his earpiece, voice cracking with an edge of
fear.
Alex kept advancing, calm and unhurried.
Step. By. Step.
Each footfall resonated against the polished marble, a steady metronome of menace.
Bella stumbled backward as if her designer heels suddenly weighed a ton.
Her face twisted in both shock and fear. “Stop him! Why aren’t you idiots stopping him p>
A couple of wannabe heroes among the guests sprang forward, spurred by self- righteous adrenaline.
A towering fellow with a reddening face bellowed, “I’ll kill you for laying a finger on Bella, you hear me p>
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Chapter 224
Alex didn’t even blink-just slid aside in a smooth, practiced motien, effortlessly avoiding the man’s fist.
In that same heartbeat, he scooped up à fallen guard’s gun.
Before anyone could breathe, a deafening crack tore through the a
Bang!
A single shot fired skyward.
Crystal shards of the chandelier above rattled ominously as the eclip reverberated around the hall.
Everyone ducked in terror, covering their heads. Screams tore through the crowd, raw with panic.
“Don’t move,” Alex warned, voice as cold as the steel in his hands
“I’m not after you, unless you decide to be stupid. My problem is that vile woman right there p>
His glare pinned Bella like a spotlight, and her face blanched whiter than the marble beneath her feet.
at
He exhaled, a bitter laugh slipping through.
“You spineless lot watched Sophia get brutalized, and not a single one of you lifted a finger. Yet the minute Bella’s in danger, you all leap to play hero? Disgusting p>
The big man glared up at Alex with hate-filled eyes.
In a flash, Alex was on him-pressing the warm barrel of the pistol against the man’s temple.
“You want to be a hero?” Alex snarled.
“Then show me. Here’s your chance to redeem that pathetic excuse of a soul. Slap Bella across the face, right now. Or I’ll paint these floors with your brains p>
The man’s pupils shrank to pinpoints. “You… you’re out of your mind! You wouldn’t p>
Bang!
This time, the shot clipped the side of the man’s ear.
Blood splattered onto the pristine marble. He howled, folding into himself as agony wracked his body.
“Try me again,” Alex hissed, his voice low. “The next bullet rips straight through your skull p>
Alex’s lip curled. “Everyone in this room-listen up. You all turned a blind eye to Sophia’s suffering. Now you’ll make it right. Each and every one of you will slap Bella p>
He cocked his gun and gestured impatiently. “Anyone who refuses gets the same treatment-or worse p>
“You’re insane!” someone yelled from the rear of the crowd. In answer, Alex fired again,
The bullet grazed the speaker’s thigh. He collapsed, wailing, grabbing at his leg.
“That’s to make it crystal clear how serious I am,” Alex snapped. “Next shot will take a limb-or a life p>
Over near the grand double doors, a few guests tried inching toward freedom. But they froze when they spotted four masked men armed with assault rifles blocking the exit.
“You heard him,” one of the masked men growled, the barrel of his weapon tracing a lazy path across the escaping group.
“Back inside, or I’ll turn you all into corpses p>
A young, arrogant socialite stepped forward, lips curled in outrage. “You have no
idea who you’re messing with! My father will
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Chapter 224
Bang!
The masked man didn’t hesitate. The bullet ripped through the socialite’s chest,
dropping him instantly.
He never even finished his sentence.
Horrified shrieks ripped through the hall again.
A few people fainted outright, while others stared at the body in stunned silence.
Shaking his head, Alex regarded them all with cold contempt. “See? When you allow evil to flourish-when you stand by and do nothing-you are just as guilty. Now pay your debts p>
His attention snapped back to the big man he’d already wounded. You. Get up.” Blood trickled down both sides of the man’s face, staining his collar. “I—I can’t p>
“I’ll count to three,” Alex said. “And if your hand hasn’t moved by then… you die p>
“One p>
The word hit harder than a gunshot.
Trembling, the man cast a desperate look at Bella.
“Please, Andreas!” Bella shrieked, voice cracking. “My father is your company’s main investor! If you even think about p>
“Two p>
Andreas let out a guttural curse, raised his good arm, and swung a shaky hand across Bella’s cheek.
The slap barely connected. Bella stumbled, shock etched into every line of her
face.
Alex scowled, his tone dripping with disgust. “That was pathetic p>
Bang!
Another shot-Andreas screamed as the bullet tore through his other ear.
He collapsed to his knees, clutching his bleeding head. “Stand up,” Alex barked at Andreas, ignoring Bella’s outburst. “Slap her again. This time, make it real. If you disappoint me, you’ll be six feet under by sunrise.” “I’m sorry, Miss Bella,” Andreas managed, tears mixing with the blood on his face. Then he summoned every ounce of desperation in his body and delivered a brutal strike.
The slap echoed like a gunshot itself, sending Bella sprawling to the floor. A thin line of blood trickled from her busted lip; a white tooth clattered onto the marble. Bella moaned, disoriented, eyes brimming with stunned humiliation and pain. “Better,” Alex approved. “Now get out of here before I change my mind.” Clutching his bleeding ears, Andreas staggered away.
The masked guards parted to let him pass, then resumed their post, rifles still aimed at the terrified crowd.
Alex swung the gun toward the next terrified guest, his voice cold and unwavering.
“Form a line. All of you. You want to leave? You do your part. Slap her, then you
walk free. That’s the rule p>
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Chapter 224
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Bella’s face drained of color as she realized what was happening.
There were nearly a hundred guests.
A hundred hands.
A hundred slaps.
If this went on-she wouldn’t survive.
Bella staggered to her feet, mascara streaming down her cheeks in streaks of
rage and terror.
She spat the words through trembling lips.
“You sick, lowlife bastard! You think this ends with me? You’re dead. You hear
me? Dead!” Alex let out a dry, humorless laugh, the sound echoing like a final
verdict.
“Oh, Bella… After what you did to Sophia p>
“After you stood there smiling while she bled? You don’t get to talk about justice p>
“Believe me-karma’s a bitch p>
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