Chapter 428

Felix Quaid was not a patient man. He immediately asked Tiffany a second time, "For the last time, will you cooperate with me?"

Tiffany's eyes narrowed. "Cooperate on what?"

"I need you to do something for me."

"What is it?" Tiffany knew it wouldn't be good, but she was still stunned by Felix's request.

"I want you to help me kill Richard Hampton," Felix said calmly.

Tiffany refused instantly. "No way!"

Felix sneered, gesturing with his hand. In the next second, a dozen men appeared in the room. On Felix's command, they headed straight for the two bedrooms.

Tiffany's eyes sharpened. She attacked ruthlessly. However, the bedrooms were at opposite ends of the room. She could defend one, but couldn't protect her brother in one bedroom and her parents in the other simultaneously. After two minutes, she was overwhelmed.

She recalled Melody Princeton dragging her into the sea during the reunion feast. Thalia had faced a similar dilemma then, choosing to save Melody. Tiffany, the abandoned child, felt only sadness, not hate.

Now, facing a similar choice, she was determined not to abandon anyone. She knocked out one attacker with a chair, then punched two more trying to enter the bedroom. Each move was lethal.

Finally securing her parents' bedroom, she saw Eric restrained in the other, a dagger at his throat. Tiffany's eyes widened. "Stop!"

During this distraction, an attacker behind her used a stun gun. "Ugh!" Tiffany convulsed from the shock and collapsed. Felix, sitting calmly on the sofa, watched the entire scene. The moment Tiffany fell, his face darkened. He hurled an ashtray, striking the attacker who had stunned Tiffany. The heavy ashtray was lethal; the attacker died instantly.

The remaining men froze in shock.

Tiffany struggled to rise but fell again. The shock wasn't fatal, but excruciating. Despite the pain and trembling, she raised her head, her eyes filled with defiance. Her voice trembled as she whispered, "No one… touches my brother."

Felix watched her with a sinister expression. "How about this? I'll trade your brother's life for your cooperation. If that's not enough, shall I add these two?" He pointed to the room where Charlie and Thalia slept.

Was it enough to trade three lives for Richard Hampton's?

Tiffany gritted her teeth, her face contorted with inner struggle. "No."

Felix shook his head, smiling cruelly. "Without weakness, you could refuse. But now… you have no choice." He caressed her face.

Tiffany bit his hand viciously, a desperate gamble. Felix didn't flinch.

Tiffany released his hand, utterly spent. Eric, dazed, called out, "Tiffany…" He struggled, but the dagger nicked his neck. "Argh! It hurts…" he cried. "Tiffany, it's so painful!"

Remembering Eric's childhood tantrums, Tiffany's heart clenched. "Eric, don't move!"

Eric, fully awake, saw his sister. Ignoring the dagger, he crawled towards her. "How dare you bully my sister? I'll fight you to the death!" His tiny rage was futile.

Felix frowned. "Kill him."

The henchman raised the dagger. Still trembling, Tiffany grabbed Felix's arm, eyes closed. "I'll do it."

"Good girl." Felix signaled his man to put away the dagger, then knocked Eric unconscious.

Tiffany forced herself up. "I'll do what you want, but I take them with me."

Felix readily agreed. Tiffany was surprised by his acquiescence, suspecting a trap, but showed no outward sign as she prepared to leave. Felix pulled her back. His hypnotic gaze began to affect her.

Tiffany fought against it, but Felix's grip on her chin was crushing. Her eyes glazed over.

Just as she was losing consciousness, she bit her tongue, filling her mouth with blood. "No, I don't want…"