Chapter 1456

Something suddenly tugged at Austin's wrist, preventing his departure. Rhea stood impassively, her hand firmly gripping his wrist. Raising her chin, she said coldly, "Do you honestly think you can leave? Now that you know so much, how can I let you go?"

"What's wrong? Are you going to stop me?" Austin lowered his head, glancing at the hand on his wrist. It was fair and slender, with manicured fingers—beautiful, yet somehow dirty. He subtly twisted his wrist; her grip loosened, unable to withstand the pressure.

Austin knew Rhea wasn't a fighter like Lily; she was just another woman. If he wanted to leave, she couldn't stop him alone. Her only recourse was assistance. A smile played on Austin's lips. He knew this place; escape wouldn't be difficult.

"Do you think you can stop me?" he asked, breaking free with a sudden surge of strength. He rubbed his wrist provocatively. "Did you think you could hold me hostage? Or..." His eyes darted to Thompson, standing beside Rhea, "...were you going to ask his help?"

He held his head high, believing he had won. Turning to leave, however, he felt something hard and cold against his waist. A chilling premonition washed over him. He looked down to see a black gun pressed against him, held in the very hands he'd just admired.

Rhea cocked her head, her beautiful eyes slowly assessing him. "I think I can!"

Austin's mind blanked. He stared at the gun, trying to determine if it was real, but his ignorance of firearms left him unsure. Though panic threatened, he maintained a calm facade.

"Heh. Do you think you can scare me with a fake gun?"

Rhea smirked. "You can try me."

The gun's muzzle pressed harder against his waist, forcing him to straighten. "This is Kingsland! Where did you get this? Who are you? Which organization do you belong to?!" His words tumbled out, increasingly incoherent.

"You don't need to know who we are. It's join us or die!" Rhea snarled.

Thompson's face paled. He'd seen guns before, but never expected Rhea to carry one. The thought, If I hadn't listened to her, would she have…, trailed off unfinished. He stood silently, trembling, a mere observer.

"Even if that's real, I don't believe you have the guts to fire it!" Austin desperately fought for composure, frantically searching for a counter. "If I'm dead, you can't escape responsibility! Even if you did, how long could you run? What about your mother? She only talks about you."