Chapter 572: Martina's Revenge (5) – Make the Choice

Martina never imagined Manuel possessed such power. The Manuel she knew was unremarkable, weak, and aloof. Today, however, she wouldn't have recognized the masked man if she hadn't known him intimately.

Even until this moment, she suspected he was a mercenary, a super-killer, or something similar; now, she was certain.

She watched him approach. This was a Manuel she’d never seen— devoid of gentleness or humility, radiating hostility and wrath, as terrifying as a furious lion.

Martina felt a constriction in her throat, realizing his rage stemmed solely from Susan's danger.

But why? Why did Susan deserve his love, while she didn't? She loved him deeply; why couldn't she win his affection?

Her emotional control fractured; her eyes burned scarlet. As Manuel drew closer, the black pistol in Martina's hand snapped to Susan's head.

Manuel halted. He looked indifferently into her desperate, red-rimmed eyes, where burning hatred gleamed. Then, his gaze fixed on Susan, whose face was contorted with fear. Her body trembled violently.

"Feel bad for her?" Martina asked.

He glanced at her once, then returned to Susan with a look of concern. Beneath her icy exterior, her heart shattered. She couldn't comprehend why, under these circumstances, he still favored Susan.

Was she not the one suffering most? She had lost her family, wealth, and fame— everything. Didn't he feel any pity?

"Let her go," Manuel said, his voice icy.

"For what?" Martina smiled sadly, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Why should I? I hate her! Why make it easy for her? Since I'm going to die, why not take her with me?"

"You don't want to die," Manuel stated flatly.

"Like I have a choice."

"If you leave now, you do. I haven't called the police or Collins. You're free to go."

Martina offered a sarcastic smile. Then what? She'd be left with nothing but an empty shell.

"Martina Sawyer, don't make me regret letting you go today," he said slowly.

"You finally admit you're the man."

"I am."

"Who are you?" Martina began to unravel. The man before her was not the Manuel she'd known for over a decade.

"Who I am is irrelevant," he said blandly. "What matters is that it's only a matter of time before your family suffers the same fate."

"Why!" Martina cried. If not for him, her family's tragedy wouldn't have occurred. If Sarah hadn't died, their actions wouldn't have been exposed, and they could have staged a comeback.

"Because you messed with the wrong person."

"Who? Don't say it's Hannah," Martina said, heavy with irony. She still despised Hannah, believing her to be merely opportunistic and clever, but ultimately incapable of complete manipulation.

"Oscar Wells." Manuel no longer bothered to conceal the truth; she was irrelevant now.

Martina stared, disbelief washing over her. The name sent a jolt of alarm through her, an instinctive fear, as if the name itself were a lethal weapon.

"Who is he? Who the hell is he!" Martina was close to losing her mind.

Oscar was the last person the Sawyer family had cared about, and they'd only sought to eliminate him because he was an obstacle. They never considered he might be someone powerful.

Martina wondered if it had all been a carefully constructed trap, an abyss designed by Oscar, waiting for them to fall.

"He's untouchable to your entire family."

"Who is he!" Martina snarled.

Susan, hearing Martina's breakdown through her headphones, shuddered. Manuel noticed. He said to Martina, "Does it matter? What do you care who he is? You and your family are dead because of him."

"I hate this!" Martina was a wreck. She didn't care how her family lost; she was overwhelmed by their utter ruin. This was it.

"That's natural selection," Manuel said coldly. "Your only way out is to leave Northfield."

"You're not going to kill me?" she asked.

Manuel pressed his lips together.

"You're on his side; why don't you kill me, since he wanted us gone?"

He remained silent.

"Is it because you can't bring yourself to do it?" she asked expectantly.

Manuel swallowed. "It is."

Tears instantly welled in her eyes.

"Manuel, did you ever care for me, even a little? Was there ever a moment when you felt something for me?" Martina desperately sought confirmation of her place in his heart.

"I did."

She laughed, tears flowing freely. So, he had felt something. With more time, she could have made him fall in love with her.

Emotion overwhelmed Martina. "Manuel, leave with me."

His eyes flickered.

"Leave Northfield with me, and I'll let her go!" Martina stated clearly.

Would he sacrifice himself for Susan's life?

Manuel remained silent for a long time. Martina didn't urge him, simply waited. She was willing to wait forever.