The man's expression was gentle and his tone was polite. He looked as if he was having a friendly chat with Stella Sterling.
But his words meant something else entirely. He spoke with such entitlement, as if Stella Sterling was obligated to give him whatever he desired.
The smile on Stella Sterling's face was even gentler than his, and her tone was casual and nonchalant. "Sure. But I've taken a fancy to your life. How about a friendly trade?"
"What?"
Before the man could react, alarm bells were already screaming in his mind. Sensing something was wrong, he immediately tried to back away—
But he was a step slower than Stella Sterling. "How can you not understand something so simple? Truly useless."
Stella Sterling's tone was one of feigned exasperation. The large blade in her hand moved like a rapier, plunging into the man's abdomen before she yanked it back out.
