Chapter 254 Torment My Prey
Mason regarded his boss with a mixture of concern and fear. He offered a weak reassurance, “Mr. Rainsworth, don’t worry. Ms. Smith and Eli may have slipped away for some fun. We’ll find them soon.” Such a lie would only deceive a child. Nathaniel, however, seemed to accept it.
“I know. She definitely can’t bear to be apart from me.” His reddened eyes and the dark circles beneath them, evidence of a sleepless night, contradicted his words. Mason could only nod in agreement.
Nathaniel trudged through the snow, his tall figure appearing particularly forlorn. After a few steps, he looked back at Mason. “She said she got the wrong person.” Mason didn’t understand. “What does that mean?” Nathaniel didn’t answer; he simply entered the car.
Alone, he reread the letter, his eyes scanning the opening lines: “We both know there’s no love between us, so why should we despise each other? You never loved me then, but I don’t hate you, nor resent you for it because I know I got the wrong person all along.”
Gotten the wrong person…
Nathaniel felt his throat tighten. A face identical to his own surfaced in his mind; a man whose eyes held tenderness. “How can this be?” he muttered.
Meanwhile, due to insufficient evidence, Stella was released on bail. She asked her assistant, “Where’s Mr. Rainsworth?” The assistant shook her head. “Didn’t Mr. Rainsworth send you to bail me out?” The assistant pointed to a silver-gray Maserati parked in the snow.
Stella saw the car window slowly descend, revealing Zachary’s handsome face. Surprise flashed in her eyes as she ran towards him, exclaiming, “Zach, I knew you’d come for me!” She tried to open the car door, but it wouldn't open.
“Don’t mistake this,” Zachary said, his expression cold. “I bailed you out, but not to save you.” Stella was stunned.
He continued, “I’ve known for a long time it wasn’t you who saved me. Do you know why I haven’t exposed you?” Stella’s face paled. “Because Nathaniel likes you. I didn’t want to put him in a difficult position.”
“So, what about now…?”
“Now, it’s time to settle scores, but you needn’t fear.” He paused. “I don’t offer quick deaths; I enjoy the slow torment of my prey.” Stella knew Zachary’s methods better than anyone. After Cecilia married Nathaniel, he’d relentlessly tormented her; her current situation only amplified the threat.
Zachary offered a sliver of hope. “Besides, I don’t know if Nathaniel will continue to accept you. But if he truly loves you, you’ll be miserable!”
Zachary recalled Nathaniel’s past ambition to own a company, only to have the ownership transferred, and subsequently ruin the company himself.
Suddenly, the car lurched forward, terrifying Stella. It stopped centimeters from her. “If you don’t want a premature death, get out of my sight!”
Stella scrambled away, fleeing towards her assistant. Watching her disappear, Zachary drove off. He would systematically dismantle the life of the woman who deceived and used him, ensuring her daily existence was consumed by fear.
Later, he called Darren. “Darren, invite Nathaniel to my house today to see my son.” He’d seen Stella’s livestream the previous day and knew Nathaniel would be upset; Darren’s call would be more effective. He also wanted to ascertain from Nathaniel himself whether his feelings for Stella remained.