Chapter 212 Stanley's Madness

Chapter 212 Stanley's Madness

Scarlett's fingers tightened around the detonator, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.

Hiding behind a pillar, her eyes were fixed on the ballroom entrance, where the screen still displayed "Device Ready". With just one press of the button, the bombs hidden throughout the ballroom would detonate simultaneously, and everyone from the Howard family would pay for her suffering with their lives.

Just as she was about to press the detonator, she caught sight of a familiar figure approaching the ballroom from the corner of her eye.

It was Jacob! That bastard who had assaulted her, blackmailed her with videos, and made her life a living hell had finally arrived!

Scarlett immediately loosened her grip, quietly slipping the detonator back into her pocket. She couldn't detonate now—she had to wait for Jacob to enter the ballroom, to walk into this carefully orchestrated tomb she'd prepared, so he could die alongside the rest of the Howard family.

She steadied her breathing, pretending to adjust her server outfit, her gaze tracking Jacob's every step as he casually strolled into the ballroom and began chatting with several guests.

Since the area around the police was crowded with onlookers, some guests eager for a better view pushed their way through, accidentally knocking over a vintage phonograph nearby. The device crashed to the floor, its casing cracking open to reveal something wrapped in tape and wires.

The guest who'd knocked it over stared at the exposed contents, recognition dawning on his face before he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"There's a bomb!"

In the corner, Ryan and Joan were watching the drama unfold, both wearing expressions of delighted schadenfreude.

Joan leaned closer to Ryan, whispering, "Our plan is going perfectly. Don't forget what you promised me."

Ryan nodded, his eyes calculating, "Don't worry, he's just another man to me. I have zero interest in men..."

Before he could finish his sentence, someone screamed, "There's a bomb!"

Ryan and Joan's faces went ashen. Seeing the tape-wrapped device on the floor, both of them panicked.

"How is there a bomb? That wasn't part of the plan you told me about!"

Ryan glanced at the chaotic crowd and said, "This bomb has nothing to do with me. Follow the crowd toward the exit, don't draw attention—let's get out of here first."

The two joined the fleeing guests rushing toward the door. Ryan was accidentally bumped and felt his car keys drop, but he couldn't spare the time to retrieve them—he just wanted to escape this place that could explode at any moment.

Meanwhile, two assassins dressed as servers from Hades Website had been watching the police surround Stanley. Realizing they wouldn't be able to get to Olivia today, they exchanged glances.

The assassin on the left lowered his voice, urgency creeping in, "The cops are here, we can't get close to Olivia. Let's retreat."

Before the other could respond, they heard the shout about the bomb, and the scene erupted into chaos. Watching Olivia being swept along by the crowd, his eyes flashed with ruthless determination, "The scene's chaotic now, the police can't focus on us—perfect opportunity to strike. Kill her and then we leave!"

The left assassin paused, then nodded, "Fine, you make the move, I'll cover the exit. Strike fast, and we're out of here."

In the chaos, the police heard the bomb warning and immediately went on high alert. The lead officer spotted the device on the ground, then turned to the restrained Stanley, raising his weapon and shouting, "Stanley, did you plant this bomb? Start talking now!"

Stanley had been pale, but hearing the accusation and seeing the bomb on the floor, his expression suddenly turned vicious. He quickly pulled a small dagger from his pocket, broke free from the officers restraining him, and grabbed Celeste, who was closest to him.

The blade pressed against Celeste's throat as Stanley roared at everyone present, "Back off, all of you, or I'll kill her and detonate the bomb!"

Molly went white as a sheet, covering her mouth in horror.

Mason pointed at Stanley, his voice thunderous with rage, "Release her immediately! She's your sister!"

Matthew's face darkened, "Let go of my mother."

Celeste stared at her brother in shock, at his hands and the knife he held, her voice choked with tears.

"Stanley, do you want to hurt me?"

Pain flashed in Stanley's eyes, quickly replaced by ruthless resolve.

"I'm sorry, Celeste. This is the only way I can escape. If the police catch me, my life is over."

Celeste's eyes filled with shock—if Stanley was saying this, it meant all the evidence the police had was real.

Celeste trembled all over, tears streaming down her face, "Stanley, don't do anything rash! We're family—let's talk this through!"

"Family? When have any of you ever treated me like family?" Stanley's voice was hoarse. "If I don't get out of here today, none of you will have it easy either!"

At that moment, the assassins had quietly circled behind Olivia. He slid a pistol from his sleeve, finger on the trigger, eyes locked on Olivia's back. The screaming, fleeing guests around them provided perfect cover—no one noticed this hidden threat.

Olivia was worried about Celeste's safety when she suddenly felt a chill behind her. Just as she started to turn around, a sharp gunshot rang out.

The bullet cut through the air, and the scene fell silent for a split second. Then, a spray of blood bloomed in the crowd, splattering onto a nearby tablecloth in vivid crimson.

Everyone froze, all eyes turning toward where the blood had appeared. Some screamed, others instinctively stepped back—no one knew who had been shot, or whether the next bullet might find them.

Matthew's heart clenched as he immediately looked toward Olivia, but the dense crowd blocked his view. He shouted her name, trying to push through to her, but the police held him back.

Stanley, still holding Celeste hostage, was also stunned. He hadn't expected gunfire—the chaos was worse than he'd anticipated. Gritting his teeth, he yelled at the police, "Where's my car? Is my getaway vehicle ready or not!"

The assassin who'd fired was already moving toward the back exit through the chaos, preparing to meet his backup. He didn't know if he'd hit Olivia—he only knew he had to get out of there fast.

Scarlett, hiding in the corner, watched the mayhem with growing fury. When people had been fleeing earlier, someone had knocked the detonator from her hands. She was frantically searching for it now—if she couldn't find it, her entire plan would be ruined.

Suddenly, Scarlett's eyes lit up as she spotted the white detonator.

Meanwhile, at the Hades Website's secret overseas base, a subordinate came running over with a report in hand.

"Boss, here's more detailed information on Jasper, including his medical evaluation. You really need to see this."

The leader took the report and glanced at it, his pupils contracting sharply.

"Get those assassins back here immediately. Jasper cannot die."