Eagle King glanced at Rory, her composure unraveling, and clicked his tongue. He mused, "If not for her trafficking and using live humans to raise poisonous insects, she could have been inspiring."
Yvette squinted slightly, her hair partially veiling her cool gaze. Calmly, she said, “The moment you chose to leave with a man, you should have been prepared for the consequences. When he began staying out all night, and you discovered his infidelity, you should have left without hesitation, instead of pretending everything was fine. Your suffering is a direct result of your own decisions.”
Rory glared, furious. She’d expected empathy, an acknowledgment that her downfall wasn't her fault, but the men's. Yvette's lack of sympathy felt like a blade. To Rory, Yvette was nothing more than an animal.
“You’re heartless!” Rory shrieked, her voice trembling. “Do you even know what love is? That man manipulated and broke me, making me fall in love with him. I gave up everything for love.”
Before Rory could continue, Jeremiah fired, the bullet piercing her arm. “How dare you call her an animal?” His voice, cold and lethal, sent a shiver through everyone.
Emmett’s lips twitched. He thought, Seriously, who gave Rory the nerve to call Yvette an animal in front of Jeremiah? She's making things worse.
Eagle King had been poised to act, but Jeremiah was faster. His gaze, now filled with killing intent, showed he wouldn't tolerate such disrespect towards Yvette. Charles shared his sentiment, his expression darkening. The word "animal" had sealed Rory's fate.
Samantha stepped forward, glaring at Rory. “What gives you the right? You let your obsession with love lead to tragedy. It's entirely your own doing. Complaining and blaming won't change anything. If you'd had the courage to leave when you discovered his infidelity, you wouldn't be in this mess.”
Rory saw the group united in their defense of Yvette, a surge of jealousy mixed with admiration rising within her. She thought, If I’d had people like this…
Clutching her wound, Rory poured out years of buried feelings, speaking them aloud for the first time. “I was proud of my face, but after I got pregnant with the drug dealer’s child, I couldn’t satisfy him. He ignored me, found another lover. That woman, once she gained power, pushed me down the stairs; I miscarried—my son, already formed, was lost. She faced no consequences. Then I swore revenge.”
Her eyes blazed with madness. “I slept with his subordinates to bribe them. He found out, set me on fire, tried to burn me alive. I barely escaped, scarred, turned into the monster I am. Then I met Holden. I learned about poisonous insects, their mind-control capabilities. We made a deal. I used his insects, rose to power, became the so-called Ms. Miller.”
Tears streamed down her face as she finished.
Yvette stepped forward, sunlight illuminating her. Rory stared, lost in her beauty. Yvette's gaze locked with hers. Indifferently, she said, “All your misfortune? Self-inflicted. One wrong step led to another. Do you know how those insects are created?”
Rory shook her head. “Holden said humans were used as vessels, that the insects need human blood. I know nothing more.”
Yvette kicked a stone, her gaze devoid of warmth. “Humans are used as vessels. Placed in a jar, filled with venomous creatures. The insects slowly eat away at their organs and skull. At first, they don't die.”
Rory's face paled with each word. She'd never imagined the process. Even knowing, she likely would have still chosen Holden. To survive, to reach the pinnacle of power, she'd sacrificed everything. A struggle, but no regret, flickered in her eyes.
She met Yvette’s gaze calmly. “It doesn’t matter now. What’s done is done. I wasn’t as lucky as you. Is that man your boyfriend?” she asked, pointing at Jeremiah.
Jeremiah stepped forward, his gaze unwavering, a chilling warning.
Seeing his reaction, Rory burst into laughter. “He loves you now, but who knows the future? One day, he might deceive, betray, push you to the edge, like I was. And if you were in my shoes, you'd make the same choices. You would—mark my words.” She repeated the last sentence as if convincing herself.
Yvette’s gaze remained impassive. Her voice, cold and steady, “No, I wouldn’t.”
Rory sneered. “Don’t be so sure. You’ve never faced such a moment. You’ll see how naïve you are.”
Yvette’s next words shattered Rory's composure. “If he betrays me, there will be only one outcome—death.”
Jeremiah's hand tightened around Yvette's fingers; a slight smile curved his lips. His icy gaze remained fixed on Rory. “I swear on my life—never will I betray her. If I do, I'll end myself.” He turned to Yvette, his expression softening. “There’d be no need for you to act. Just tell me how you want it done.”
His solemn vow struck a nerve. They all felt he was showing off. Samantha smiled wryly at Eagle King. “Look at Jeremiah’s devotion. I’m a little jealous.”
Eagle King, chewing grass, smirked. “Trust me, if Yvette did it herself, Jeremiah would die tragically.”
Emmett glanced at them. “Watch your words.”
Rory stood stunned, gazing at Yvette and Jeremiah, speechless for a long moment. Finally, she broke down, murmuring softly, “All my life, I longed for love, but in the end, I lost everything.”