Chapter 157

Evelyn's fingers twitched imperceptibly, resting on the dagger at her waist. "So there's no room for negotiation?"

Scorpion lounged in the leather sofa, his masked eyes glinting coldly. "Don't be hasty. My men are stationed outside Mrs. Sullivan's hospital room. If I die, she won't last the night."

Evelyn narrowed her eyes, her knuckles whitening. "Your terms."

"Simple." Scorpion polished his blade with deliberate slowness. "Your life for my brother's."

"It was just a job." Her laugh was icy. "The rules are clear—vengeance belongs to the one who was wronged."

"Rules?" Scorpion suddenly lunged, his dagger grazing her ear before embedding into the wall. "Where were your rules when you took his life?"

In a flash, Evelyn spun forward, pressing her blade to his throat. "Call off your men."

Scorpion chuckled, his warm breath brushing her hand. "Kill me, and you'll never leave this room alive."

She tilted her dagger upward, catching the strap of his mask. "Then let the underworld see Scorpion's true face."

The air turned to ice.

"Interesting." Scorpion abruptly clapped. "I'll give you a chance. Walk out alive, and I'll withdraw my men."

"Deal."

From the second-floor railing, Scorpion swirled his wineglass, watching the battle unfold with amusement. Eight mercenaries encircled Evelyn, their blades carving cold arcs through the dimly lit private room.

The first cut split her shoulder, unleashing the metallic tang of blood. She twisted the attacker's wrist, snapping it, then drove the stolen combat knife into the second man's chest.

By the fifth corpse, a deep gash exposed the bone in her right leg. The remaining three exchanged glances and shifted tactics.

"Iris lives up to her reputation." Scorpion's voice drifted down as the last mercenary crumpled, clutching his throat.

Evelyn braced against the table, gasping, blood dripping from her fingers. "Remember your promise."

"The game has only begun." His laughter slithered down her spine like a serpent. "I'll make you watch everyone you care about disappear."

Staggering out of the bar, neon lights blurred into streaks of blood in her vision. She collapsed onto the sidewalk, the screech of brakes the last thing she heard before darkness took her.

The sting of antiseptic shocked her awake.

"Don't move." Adrian pressed a hand to her shoulder. "Three stab wounds. You lost 800cc of blood."

Her pupils constricted. "Why are you here?"

"I happened to be in the bar district." He offered her water. "Ethan's been notified."

The door burst open as Ethan's wheelchair crushed shattered glass under its wheels. Colin barely had time to react before being slammed outside.

"Explain." Ethan yanked open her hospital gown. The brutal wounds beneath the bandages darkened his gaze. "Who did this?"