Chapter 668 The Strong Must Suffer

    Since Dan was so bafraid /bthat Tessa would bring Victor and bDiana /bto the bsame /bside-

    Victor figured he might as well make that fear a reality.

    Ss epted the order and left.

    Finished

    Victor sat down on the lounge chair Marie had used just hours ago. At his feet sat a fis. Tessa had dragged from the sea.

    The fish inside were long dead, reeking of salt and decay, buzzing with flies.

    The air was thick with tension.

    Ss wasn’t sure what to say.

    Lewis, of course, had no such hesitation.

    He spoke when he shouldn’t, always had.

    Even now, in this suffocating atmosphere, he blurted, “Well, you’ve gotta hand it to Marie. Three days, and she had Ms. Tessa diving for fish.”

    Ss gave Lewis a soul–deep look of despair.

    The surveince footage from the ind had beenprehensive.

    Victor had watched everything–every grueling moment of Tessa’s training.

    He finally understood what she had gone through before making that desperate call three days

    ago.

    And Marie’s methodsb? /b

    Insane didn’t begin to cover it.

    If you didn’t have a strong heart, you’d probably die of sheer terror.

    Even through the screen, the desperation had been palpable–Tessa’s arms spinning like they’d break apart at the joints.

    Victor bsaid /bnothing.

    He stared into the ocean, silent and unreadable.

    Lewis opened his mouth again-

    But this time Ss cut in, quick. “Now that I’ve gone to Ashen Pact, it’ll force Dan to split his

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    Chapter 668 The Strang Must Suffer

    focus. He won’t bhave /btime to worry about Tessa anymore.”

    Dan’s n was simple: make sure Tessa didn’t leave Marie’s hands alive.

    Finished

    That way, Diana would me Marie, and the Dawson family would inevitably turn on her.

    Give Diana a personal enemy–clean, efficient.

    Dan really was good at ying the long game.

    Then there bwas /bthe other concern–Victor and Diana forming an alliance.

    Well, that was no longer just a possibility.

    Victor had already bsent /bSs to Ashen Pact. Dan would be too busy fighting fires.

    But what he didn’t realize was–truth couldn’t stay buried forever.

    Even if Tessa did die in Marie’s hands, Dan would never walk away clean.

    Victor recalled the footage of Tessa in Marie’s care.

    His eyes narrowed.

    “Call everyone back.”

    Ss blinked. “Everyone? We’re not looking for Tessa anymore?”

    “She’s safest right where she is with Marie.

    Ss went silent.

    That was… actually true.

    Marie was surrounded by killers, sure–but Tessa was different.

    In the Ashen Pact, practically everyone didn’t.

    wanted her dead. Marie might be the only one who

    Victor stood and straightened his rumpled suit. “No cruelty, no strength.”

    He tossed out those four words and strode toward the helicopter.

    Lewis stood there, dumbfounded. “That’s it? After everything, we’re just giving up?”

    “Shut up, Ss smacked him upside the head. “Try using your brain for once.”

    But thosest words from Victor–Ss understood.

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    Chapter 668 The Strong Must Suffer

    No cruelty, no strength.

    Tessa couldn’t afford to be soft.

    Everyone she’d be facing from now on was a blood rtive who wanted her

    gone.

    Sure, Victor could bring her back now and train her himself.

    But would he really be bas /bruthless as Marie?

    Ss figured the matter was settled.

    Marie would toughen Tessa up and send her back when she was ready.

    Then Victor spoke again.

    “Keep searching.”

    Ss froze.

    Ah. So that’s how it was.

    No matter how cold he acted. Victor still couldn’t bear to let her suffer in Marie’s hands.

    And that suffering was real–the kind that broke people from the inside.

    Ss nodded. “Yes, sir.”

    Finched

    That same night, Marie brought Tessa to another ind.

    It took just a few hours.

    Still within Northliso.

    Sophia nced at the map and asked, “Why not go farther?”

    “Can we even get out of Northliso right now?”

    Obviously not.

    Victor had locked the ce down. If they tried to leave, they’d be watched from every angle.

    So the most dangerous ce was also the safest.

    Sophia frowned. “But staying here means Mr. Victor will definitely find us eventually

    “He will. But not right baway/b. And the time we have is enough.”

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    Chapter 008 The Strong Must Suffer

    Marie was unbothered.

    Sophia fell silent.

    Tessa was still fast asleep. She hadn’t woken once since boarding the ne.

    Sophia was about to rouse her when Marie said, “Let her sleep.”

    “Huh? Not going to start training right away?”

    “If she doesn’t rest now, she’s going to drop dead.”

    …What?”

    Drop dead?

    This girl’s constitution was that weak?

    54% 7

    Finished

    Tessa really couldn’t afford to copse. If anything happened to her under their watch, they’d be finished.

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