His recoil gave Felicia the opportunity she needed. She leaped from the bed and hurled the lamp against the wall. It shattered into pieces. Picking up a shard, she gripped it tightly, the sharp edge cutting her palm, blood welling. She held it fiercely, a weapon to keep Arnold at bay. "Take one step closer, and I'll slit your throat. Go ahead, try me!" she snarled.

Arnold was furious. He should never have shown her leniency! But at least the drug was working; Felicia's cheeks were flushed, her eyes hazy. Soon, she'd exhaust herself. Or so he thought.

To his astonishment, Felicia suddenly sliced the shard across her own arm. The pain instantly cleared her mind, sharpening her gaze.

"You..." Arnold was speechless, disbelieving her willingness to self-harm to maintain control.

Panting from the sting, Felicia glared coldly. "Get out!"

She knew escape from the Lawson residence was unlikely. Arnold's men would easily overpower her, seizing the shard. Staying put was safer. Yet, Arnold took another step closer.

Felicia's grip tightened, her eyes vigilant. Blood streamed down her hand, the pain only focusing her. She watched Arnold's every move. If he came closer, she would attack without hesitation, intending to kill him.

Unafraid, he continued to approach.

With a surge of determination, Felicia lunged forward, slashing at his throat.

Arnold, though not entirely unprepared—as the Lawson heir, he'd undergone rigorous training—was taken aback. His reflexes, honed by years of preparedness, were nonetheless sharp. He retreated just as the shard grazed his neck.

The shard sliced his skin, drawing a thin line of blood. Arnold's heart pounded. A split-second slower, and it wouldn't have been a scratch; it would have been his life. "Felicia!" he shouted furiously. "You're ruthless! Truly ruthless!"

Felicia sneered, though regret flickered in her eyes. She'd been so close. With more force, she could have ended him. But that final act drained her remaining strength. Her legs weakened, and she caught herself on the table's edge, near collapse.

Arnold looked down with cold arrogance. "Felicia, you've run out of options."

Before Felicia could react, a deafening explosion erupted outside. The ground trembled violently, the villa shaking. The chandelier swayed, trinkets rattled. Confused, they wondered if it was an earthquake.

Arnold yanked open the curtains. His expression shifted to shock as his eyes widened.

Wary, Felicia glanced out the window. She froze.

Outside, the Lawson residence's walls and fences were being demolished by military Humvees, bulldozing their way through. They were unstoppable, fierce. The thunderous crashes were the relentless assault of dozens of these vehicles, tearing through everything in their path.