"Why should I stop them? Why would I care? I don't owe the Fuller family a thing," Lance scoffed, dismissing his subordinate's suggestion. Despite his indifference, he immediately called Felicia. If she ordered it, he would intervene and save the victim. The call went unanswered.
Felicia's phone vibrated silently on her desk, its constant buzzing muffled by the wood. She had left it charging while speaking with Sebastian. On her return, Mina stopped her.
"Is there something else?" Felicia asked, her tone polite but curt.
Mina offered a saccharine smile, her voice slow and deliberate. "Ms. Felicia, there's something I've been meaning to say, but I'm unsure if I should."
"Then don't." Felicia turned to leave.
Mina's expression hardened, but she quickly recovered. "Ms. Felicia, you may bear the Fuller name, but you've only recently rejoined the family. Beyond blood ties, you have little else to rely on."
Felicia raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh? If blood ties are so immutable, doesn't that mean I already possess something others lack?"
The retort stunned Mina.
Felicia's voice was frigid. "If Kayla is so formidable, you'd do better to focus on her and leave me alone."
Felicia brushed past Mina and returned to her room. Inside, she picked up her phone to set an alarm for the next morning's venture capital conference. Upon unlocking it, she saw three missed calls from Lance—one from three minutes prior, another from two, and the last a minute ago. Frowning, she called him back.
Lance answered grimly, "It's too late."
Shawn ran back to the beach, a bag of alcohol clinking with each step. Panting, he asked, "What's all this for?"
"Pour it down his throat. As much as you can," Kayla ordered, pointing to the lifeless Ruben slumped in the driver's seat.
Shawn's jaw dropped. "W-What?"
"Now!" Kayla barked, her eyes sharp and cold. "We don't have time. Don't forget—you're the one who did this. You're the killer."
Shawn swallowed hard and obeyed. He opened bottle after bottle, forcing liquor into Ruben's mouth. Kayla watched intently.
Once finished, Kayla adjusted Ruben's seatbelt to simulate drunk driving. Then, with Shawn's help, she pushed the car—Ruben still inside—into the river.
The black Rolls-Royce sank slowly, disappearing beneath the dark water.
Kayla exhaled, the tension leaving her shoulders. Later, she would claim Ruben vanished after she finished shopping. His death would be attributed to a drunk-driving accident. Even with further investigation, the evidence would implicate Shawn, not her.
Kayla turned to Shawn, who nervously pocketed the cash from the car.
"You're not going to silence me, too, are you?" he asked, his voice trembling. "I'm your brother, your biological brother. I'm bigger and stronger than you. You wouldn't stand a chance against me!"
Kayla rolled her eyes. She considered him an idiot.
Her tone was calm yet steely. "Keep your mouth shut. Once Felicia is dealt with, you'll receive your share. If you betray me, you'll regret it. Understand?"
Shawn nodded quickly, clutching the money as he fled.
Kayla left soon after, her heels clicking softly on the sand as she disappeared into the night.
Lance and his crew emerged from the shadows once the beach was deserted. He called Felicia again.
"The location's at the end of Cedar Street, by the beach. I just sent you the video—it's on your phone now. Ms. Fuller, does this count as me exceeding expectations? Please don't let me down on that big deal you promised!"