Chapter 176

Chapter 176
Elena's POV

"Are you here for me?" Marcus chuckled.

I took a cautious step backward. "No, I was just looking around," I lied, maintaining a casual tone despite my nervousness.

I need to confirm what's happening and get out.

My eyes darted toward the exit, calculating how quickly I could reach the door. I inched backward, preparing to slip away, but Marcus moved with surprising speed, stepping forward and closing the door behind him with a soft click.

"What's wrong? Feeling uncomfortable seeing me?" His smile gradually faded, replaced by something cold and predatory. His eyes locked onto mine like a hunter tracking prey.

I retreated another step instinctively, a chill crawling up my spine.

"You know, Elena," Marcus tilted his head, studying me with cruel amusement, "you're not good at lying."

My breath caught in my throat.

He pointed at my face, "Your eyes betray you."

He gestured toward the blue rose in my hand. "What are you doing here?"

I stared at him, flustered by his exposure of my lie. A terrible realization crept over me—if Marcus truly had a connection with Mandy, and if he discovered I was here to investigate, I would be in danger.

"I—I was looking for Richard," I improvised.

Marcus's eyebrows shot up, a lascivious smile spreading across his face. His eyes roamed over me, making my skin crawl.

"And the flower?" he pressed.

"I found it outside," I said weakly.

Marcus snorted. "Richard coming here? That's rich. Someone of his stature, so high and mighty, rarely sets foot in places like this."

I fell silent, acutely aware of the charged atmosphere. Everyone in the room seemed to be watching us, waiting.

"Why don't you tell me why you're really here?" Marcus's voice hardened. "This blue rose—" he pointed at the flower in my hand, "—is my signal. When my pawns need to find me, they bring in a blue rose just like this one."

His expression turned frigid, predatory instinct no longer concealed behind a charming facade. "So I'll ask again—why are you here?"

"Richard is waiting for me," I insisted, my voice thin with fear.

Marcus's patience evaporated. He lunged forward, grabbing my arm, his fingers digging deep into my flesh.

"It was that idiot Mandy, wasn't it?" he snarled, his face inches from mine. "She left you clues. And you only figured it out now?" His lip curled in contempt.

When the confirmation hit me, my eyes widened as if I'd been physically struck. The fear in my chest transformed, replaced by a burning rage.

"It was you," I said, my voice low but steady. "You were behind everything. Did you kill Mandy?"

"Richard killed my father," Marcus replied with chilling calm. "So isn't it perfectly normal for me to go after him?" He shrugged. "As for Mandy, she was just a pawn that served her purpose. Why would I keep her around?"

"You bastard!" I spat, swinging my hand to slap his face with all my strength.

He caught my wrist mid-air, squeezing until I felt the bones grinding together. Pain shot up my arm, forcing a stifled whimper from my throat.

"You should be thanking me," Marcus said, his voice eerily conversational despite the violence of his grip. "Mandy was in love with Richard. To drive you away from him, she deceived you and used Victoria against you. She was trying to ruin your relationship with Richard."

"That's impossible," I whispered, shock stealing my breath. "Mandy wouldn't do that."

"Oh, but she did." Marcus's eyes gleamed with cruel satisfaction. "Aren't those manuscripts and letters enough proof?"

I closed my eyes, tears escaping despite my efforts to contain them. All these years, I'd been deceived.

"Want to know how I killed her?" Marcus asked, as casually as if discussing the weather. "One foot on the gas pedal and crash." He made a crushing motion with his free hand. "Almost turned her to meat paste."

He reached out, wiping away a tear from my cheek and bringing it to his mouth, licking it from his finger with obvious pleasure.

Revulsion shuddered through me. "Let me go," I hissed. "You're a monster, a pervert, not even fit to be human."

I struggled violently against his grip.

These words transformed Marcus's face into something inhuman. With a roar of rage, he slammed me against the wall with such force that the plaster cracked. Pain exploded through my body, and I cried out as I crumpled to the floor, trembling but still conscious.

"I'm a monster?" Marcus loomed over me, face contorted with fury. "I helped you, and you call me a monster?" He grabbed me by the throat, hauling me up. "If I were a monster, I would tear you and your children to pieces."

His fingers dug into my skin like claws as he lifted me from the ground.

The other occupants of the room had begun edging toward the door, but Marcus's head snapped toward them. "Did I say you could leave?" His voice carried a low, inhuman growl.

"Sorry, Mr. Blackwood," one of them stammered, freezing in place.

Marcus seized a handful of my hair, yanking my head back to force me to look at him. The atmosphere in the room had turned oppressive.

"Who is she? Why are you treating her like this?" one of the waitresses whispered, her voice quavering.

Marcus's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "She's my dear sister-in-law—the mistress of the Blackwood family, wife of the most powerful business leader Richard Blackwood."

Shocked murmurs rippled through the room.

Despite the pain—my forehead pale and damp with cold sweat, my body shaking—I kept my eyes fixed on Marcus. My gaze remained defiant, sharp with determination.

"You already know I'm his wife. If you're smart, you should let me go."

The threat sounded hollow even to my own ears. But it was my only card to play.

Marcus threw his head back and laughed, the sound chilling my blood. "You think I'm afraid of Richard?" His fingers tightened in my hair, making me wince. "I've been waiting for him to come find me. He killed my father. I haven't even settled that score yet."

The realization hit me like a bucket of ice water. This wasn't just about Mandy or whatever scheme Marcus had been running. This was about revenge – deep, personal vengeance against Richard.

And I was caught in the middle.

Marcus yanked my head back sharply, the pain so intense I felt as if my hair was being ripped from the roots. I bit my lip to keep from crying out, refusing to give him the satisfaction.

"Look at you," he sneered, eyes raking over me. "His precious wife. Tell me something, Elena. Does Richard even care about you anymore? He's engaged to Emma now, isn't he? What makes you think he'd come running to save his discarded ex-wife?"

His words sliced through me like knives. This devil knew exactly where to hit to cause maximum pain.

My hand inched toward my pocket where I kept a small canister of pepper spray. If I could just reach it without him noticing...