From the start, Lionel had only placed Carol by my side because Kao was there to guard me. He's always been like this—appearing to indulge my willfulness while secretly moving his pieces into place. I should have realized sooner—with his controlling nature, how could he truly allow someone of unknown origins to get close to me?
The millennia-old fiend chuckled coldly again. "Oh, by the way, I should inform Uncle—Kao snapped Carol's neck clean through!" His voice was airy, as if chatting about the weather, but those crimson eyes gleamed with cruel delight.
Dene trembled as he shook his head in disbelief. "No… impossible… Carol was powerful, she wouldn't be taken down so easily!" His fingers clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, clearly unable to accept this truth. Carol was his carefully nurtured pawn, and now she had been crushed effortlessly.
