CHAPTER 264: CHAPTER 264: SHE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT HIM

"Shut up!" Old Ninth King roared in anger and humiliation, "One more word and I’ll cut out your tongue!"

Tanya Sinclair was right, this was indeed his real sore spot!

He was so ashamed he didn’t even dare to mention it!

It was all because of this damn bitch, making him unable to truly be a man for life!

Seeing Old Ninth King’s reaction, Tanya Sinclair knew she hit the mark!

"Why so anxious? Could it be I really got it right?" Tanya Sinclair provocatively taunted, "If you’re a man, prove it to me! Anyway, none of us will survive today; why not finish what you started six years ago? Or is it that you really can’t, Old Ninth King?"

Tanya Sinclair stared at him directly, her eyes full of provocation and contempt.

No man could endure such humiliation, and Old Ninth King, provoked, lost control, rushing up and violently tearing open Tanya Sinclair’s collar.

"Even if I don’t take you, there are plenty of ways I can play you to death!"

Tanya Sinclair was waiting for the moment his anger would cloud his judgment, and he would lower his guard!

Her hands, tied behind her back, subtly worked free from the ropes, and as Old Ninth King’s hideous face came at her, Tanya Sinclair, suppressing her disgust, used the rusty nail in her hand to ruthlessly stab his only functional eye again, just like six years ago!

"Ah!!"

The scream echoed throughout the cave.

Warm and filthy blood splattered all over Tanya Sinclair’s face, but she didn’t bother to wipe it. Her hand reached for the dagger Old Ninth King had thrown aside and thrust toward his neck, but Old Ninth King stopped it with his hand!

His palm was pierced directly by the dagger, and Old Ninth King roared furiously, yanking the knife out with brute force. Then, he grabbed Tanya Sinclair and threw her hard against the stone wall.

Tanya Sinclair was in so much pain she could barely stand up.

But she saw Abby, locked in a cage, and with her last ounce of strength, crawled over, picked up the key from the ground, and unlocked the cage.

Old Ninth King was wielding a machete at the entrance, hacking wildly, while his other hand was already feeling for the detonator, pressing it forcefully to start the countdown!

"You slut! Today we die together!"

Tanya Sinclair tore the tape off Abby’s mouth, whispering urgently, "Abby, listen! Run outside and don’t look back!"

Tears streamed down Abby’s face, "Auntie, get up..."

"Abby, listen! Go! Auntie has a way to escape, don’t worry. If you don’t listen, Auntie will never like you again!" Tanya Sinclair threatened sternly.

Abby could only walk towards the exit with tears, sticking to the wall.

Tanya Sinclair attracted Old Ninth King’s attention, shouting, "Old Ninth King, is this all you’re capable of? Ha, weren’t you going to chop me to pieces? How come you’ve lost both eyes at my hands and had your roots kicked to uselessness by me!"

"Ha, no matter how stubborn you are, you’ll die here today!" Old Ninth King roared towards Tanya Sinclair.

Abby was small enough that, while Old Ninth King was distracted, she really managed to run out.

Tanya Sinclair collapsed onto the ground, all her strength spent, in immense pain, not knowing how many bones were broken.

"Old Ninth King, since neither of us are getting out of here alive today, why not let me die a little clearer. Was it Shelly Sullivan and Cindy Lynn who brought you to Aris to deal with me?"

"Ha, even without those two, I wouldn’t let you go!"

This was admission enough that Shelly and Cindy were the ones behind this.

Tanya Sinclair watched as Old Ninth King stumbled forward through sound, wanting to get up but was too weak.

Unwilling... so unwilling to die like this, but what could she do to survive?

She was so tired, so in pain.

The countdown on the explosives continued, with only two minutes left.

Tanya Sinclair closed her eyes.

In the park, Aunt Tawny had promised to finish what she asked for.

No matter what happened, if Cindy did anything to Joy, Aunt Tawny would get the evidence.

Vincent Hawthorne was indeed no good, stupid and selfish, but one thing was true, he genuinely loved the two kids...

In her vision, Old Ninth King came closer, his machete dragging on the ground, hacking randomly, still shouting her name.

No one would be able to save her in time...

A teardrop trickled from the corner of Tanya Sinclair’s eye.

In a daze, she seemed to see The Sinclair Family home from over twenty years ago.

The Sinclair family was still there, with her loving parents and grandfather around her, Uncle Vance and everyone else, unchanged.

She was just caught in a long nightmare, and now it was time to wake.

Her mother smiled gently, holding a cake, waiting patiently.

’Tanya, happy birthday! Blow out the candles and make a wish.’

If only waking from this nightmare could bring her back to the happiest times...

Tanya Sinclair softly closed her eyes.

’Bang—’ Suddenly a loud noise erupted beside her ear.

Tanya Sinclair was jerked back to reality, turning her head sharply to see a car had burst into the cave, its force slamming Old Ninth King away. He spat a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground, motionless.

Recognizing the license plate, Tanya Sinclair’s tears nearly fell.

"Declan..."

Declan Pierce jumped out of the car, rushing towards her.

Tanya Sinclair saw blood from a gash on his forehead covering half his face. The car’s bumper was dented in deeply.

She could only imagine how recklessly he drove, racing through danger to reach her...

Her chest felt as if struck by a heavy hammer, making her soul tremble.

"Declan..."

Saying his name made her head spin, tears spilling over.

How could anyone be this crazy for her?

"Declan, you’re insane! Don’t worry about me, there are explosives here, run!!!"

The timer was still counting down, only seconds left!

But Declan simply picked her up, setting her in the driver’s seat, buckling her seatbelt.

He sat in the most dangerous passenger seat, holding her trembling hand, and even at such a critical moment, he managed to flash her a nonchalant smile.

"Tanya, let’s do something thrilling."

Saying that, Declan slammed the accelerator, the powerful engine propelling the car directly towards the cave’s end.

Tanya instantly understood his plan.

If they couldn’t escape, they’d take a gamble, using the explosion’s impact to burst through the back of the cave, behind which lay a steep cliff.

A gamble with next to no chance...

He stood by her for this gamble.

In utter disbelief, Tanya stared at the man beside her, her usually calm voice now tinged with irrepressible tears: "Declan, you’re crazy..."

Finally, a tear shed for him too.

Declan lifted a hand to wipe her tears, unbearably tender.

"You’re wrong about one thing," he gazed into her eyes, baring his soul for her to see, "It wasn’t college when I started liking you, it was even earlier..."

Long before you even knew me.

"Princess Tanya, you know nothing about me..."

Bang—

The massive explosion shook the very mountain.