?<strong>Chapter 1010:</strong>


    She tumbled into the pit, shattering her leg uponnding. Two bodyguards dragged Mabel back. Elyse, munching on her energy bar, muttered, “Sometimes, you truly baffle me. Faced with a dead end, yet you still manage to make everything worse.”


    She scoffed, “How does it feel, breaking your leg like that?”


    “Bitch! I’ll choke you!” Mabel retorted, her spirit unbroken by the injury. Yet, when Theo approached, she shrank back, subdued like a terrified rabbit, her head bowed, not daring to make a sound.


    Theo crouched beside her, his smileced with cruelty. “I ought to thank you. Do you understand why?”


    Mabel looked away, confusion clouding her face.


    “Because you’ve unwittingly led me straight to Kaelyn. You have no idea how long I’ve been hunting for her,” Theo murmured, his voice tinged with sinister amusement.


    Mabel was only vaguely aware of the turbulent past between Kaelyn and Theo, but she recalled that Kaelyn had once managed to stab him. Kaelyn had dered that Theo represented a dark chapter from her past, and she intended to erase it.


    It was evident to Mabel that Kaelyn had tried to end Theo’s life, yet by some twist of fate, he had survived.


    Observing Mabel’s expression—tinged with guilt and fear—Theo gently patted her head. “Are you aiding Kaelyn?”


    Mabel hesitated, nodding initially, then quickly shaking her head, her fear stifling any confession.


    Theo, seeing right through her, touched her cheek gently and smiled slyly. “Whether you admit it or not doesn’t change your predicament. You’re in my grip now. To survive, you must serve me.”


    Mabel recoiled, adamant. “No, I won’t do it!”


    She turned to Elyse, her eyes pleading. “Elyse, you’re my family. You can’t just stand by and watch me die. How can you bear to see me ensnared and tortured by him?”


    Finishing her first chocte bar and starting on a second, Elyse responded icily, “On what basis do you expect my help? When you were willing to trade me on the ck market, did you ever regard me as your family?” Pausing briefly, Elyse concluded, “That’s why it’s only fair I don’t help you.”


    “You heartless traitor! You don’t deserve to be called my sister! Scum like you should be used and thrown away!” Mabelshed out as Elyse refused to intervene.


    Theo frowned deeply and struck her without hesitation. Mabel’s ribs cracked under the force, and she spat out blood before losing consciousness.


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