A woman in a ruined champagne gown launched herself toward Serena, moving with reckless abandon.
It was Isabella. She looked frantic, playing the role of the desperately devoted sister perfectly.
But as she hurled herself forward, screaming about protection, her true intentions were obvious. She positioned herself at a vicious angle, using her entire body weight to shove Serena directly into the line of Kane's assault rifle.
While trying to push her, Isabella shrieked, "Don't you dare hurt Serena! Take me instead!"
It was a ruthless, calculated shove. If Serena lost her balance, she would stumble right into the crosshairs.
The sudden movement was also highly likely to make the tightly-wound mercenary pull the trigger on reflex.
Isabella's eyes flashed with venomous delight. As long as Serena ended up crippled or dead, she didn't care how this circus ended.
However...
Serena didn't even bother turning around.
Beside her, a strong, athletic arm snaked around Serena's waist, pulling her firmly against a solid chest. It was Nicholas.
At that exact moment, Serena subtly flicked her left wrist.
Before Isabella even registered what was happening, something slammed hard against her elbow joint. Her body completely lost its balance, propelling her forward with unstoppable momentum.
Right into the barrel of Kane's gun.
"Ah!" Isabella screamed in absolute terror. "Nicholas, help me! Nicholas!"
The dark muzzle of the rifle was inches from her face. Isabella turned deathly pale.
The scent of gun oil and impending death filled her nostrils.
She was paralyzed by fear. Was she going to be the one who startled the mercenary into firing?
Captain Kane clearly hadn't
anticipated this twist Seeing the et
screaming woman flying at him, his reflexes kicked in. He quicklyjerked his rifle to the side. fo FindNovel.net
He even instinctively reached out his free hand, as if trying to catch her fall.
But halfway through the motion, Kane forcefully stopped himself, freezing his arm in place.
Smack!
Isabella slammed brutally into the floor, groaning in agony as pain flared through her entire body.
But that tiny, almost imperceptible hesitation from the mercenary hadn't escaped Serena's notice.
"Tsk. Polite for an assassin, aren't
we?"
brush Cholas leaned in, his lips
Serena's ear, his tone
dripping with dark amusement First day on the job?"
Serena raised an eyebrow, looking down at the groaning Isabella, then back at the visibly stiffened mercenary.
She let out a soft laugh. The sound was melodic, but her eyes remained icy and calculating.
"Right? He looks tough... but he's got a soft spot. Even knows how to treat a lady." Serena and Nicholas exchanged a knowing look, their eyes gleaming with mockery. These men weren't here to kill her. This was a spectacularly bad stage play.
"Are you Serena Lancaster?" Kane raised his rifle again, aiming it back
at Serena, trying to force a vicious glare if you know what's good for you, step forward!"
The Vinton family finally processed what had just happened. They shot Isabella disgusted, furious glares.
She had intentionally lunged at Serena just to point out exactly who the mercenaries were looking for!
Serena might have been about to step forward herself, but choosing to confront them and being shoved into the line of fire were two very different things.
This vicious, toxic woman was still trying to get Serena killed. Why hadn't the mercenary just shot her?