Chapter 275

Nicolas arrived sooner than anyone expected, so quickly that April's tears were still fresh.

"Mr. Hendrix," Corey greeted him with a strained smile. "To what do we owe the pleasure? Is there something you require?"

"Require?" Nicolas's gaze was icy. "I'm here to see you dead."

Corey's smile faltered. The last person who'd dared speak to him like that was likely suffering in hell. But Nicolas was different. Corey couldn't, and wouldn't, touch him.

He forced a smile. "Mr. Hendrix, I'm quite close to your wife and have collaborated with her often. Such harsh words are disheartening."

"A close connection?" Nicolas's voice dripped with sarcasm. Thea stepped forward, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "Mr. Xander, is that what you call a connection? Sending someone to kill me?" She held up her phone, playing a recording of Chad's earlier threats from the apartment's security system.

Corey's face fell. "I just learned of this, Miss Rowland. I assure you, I didn't order it."

Nicolas showed no interest in their tangled disputes. Taking Thea's hand, he laughed coldly. "Darwin, proceed."

His purpose was simple: dismantle the Viper. A wave of black-clad bodyguards surged forward, muscles rippling beneath their sleeves. These were Nicolas's elite forces; any one could wreak havoc. He respected the Viper enough to bring his best.

"Mr. Hendrix!" Corey shouted, his voice tense.

The guards wasted no time, smashing everything in their path. The Viper's weaker members, identified by their snake tattoos, were quickly subdued.

Corey panicked. "Let's talk this through. The Viper made a mistake against Miss Rowland. I'm willing to make amends."

"Why would I care?" Nicolas scoffed, his tone lazy yet menacing. "Don't stop until my wife is satisfied."

Nicolas intended to spare no one who'd dared challenge them. Those who crossed his path left with broken bones.

Corey's face darkened. He dragged April from a corner. "Mr. Hendrix, it was April's fault. She had unresolved issues with Miss Rowland and falsely used my name."

April's face was ashen, her body trembling. Under Nicolas's gaze, she could barely speak. "I I didn't mean to I just couldn't get over it."

"Thea, you said let me go? We were friends once, weren't we? Since you weren't hurt, could you ask Mr. Hendrix to let the Viper go?"

Thea was incredulous. Had she not witnessed April's manipulative nature firsthand, she might have been swayed by her meekness. April was a viper, waiting to strike.

Chapter 275

Thea refused to let such a threat linger. "Friend? That's absurd. I don't make friends with people who want me dead."

Her voice was firm. "You like to abuse your power, don't you, April? Well, it's time you got a taste of your own medicine."

The guards surrounded April. Thea's gaze remained icy. Fists and kicks rained down on April, her screams echoing through the villa. The guards, ruthless and merciless, showed no pity.

Thea stood firm, feeling a surprising exhilaration from having such power at her back.

"Better?" Nicolas asked softly, concern evident despite April's cries.

"Not bad," Thea replied, watching Corey sweat.

"Miss Rowland, shouldn't we end this?" Corey's voice cracked. He'd grown up with April, and even his hardened heart couldn't bear to watch her die.

"She's shown me no kindness, so why should I? Mr. Xander, this isn't the first time April's tried to harm me. What have I done to offend her?" Her words were precise, piercing April's torment. April snapped. "Thea, you're a hypocrite! We're both women. I've seen you flirting with Corey! Married and still running wild. You ought to be dead. Too bad Chad and Amelia failed."

Thea signaled for her guards to stop. April, battered and bruised, was a shadow of her former self.

"Is this what you wanted?" April spat, resentment twisting her face. "Corey sacrifices me for you, and Mr. Hendrix goes to war for you. What magic do you have?"

April didn't understand Thea's allure.

'Magic? Hardly,' Thea thought. If she had such power, she wouldn't have been betrayed after seven years. April was giving her too much credit.

Thea lifted April's chin with her shoe, forcing eye contact. "So you admit it? Amelia and the recent incident… connected to you?" April, angry and thoughtless, took the bait. "So what? Do you think you can kill me? You'd have the entire Viper after you…" She forgot herself. April was the Viper's heir.

Thea kicked April aside and met Corey's gaze.

"Mr. Xander," she said, her voice dripping with irony, "your relationship with April is none of my concern. But given her attitude, shouldn't there be some resolution?"

Nicolas could easily kill April, but Thea didn't want to burden him. It was better to let Corey handle it.

"April's spoiled and reckless," Corey said, tense. "Miss Rowland, I'll send her abroad, far from your path."

April protested, "No! Corey, I can—"