Page 63 of Ruthless Kings of Havoc

“Nope.”

My eyebrow arches because the word of disapproval is from Zander.

“Don’t like her.”

“H-H-Huh?” Ann innocently looks around. “B-But?—”

“You’re weak. Quiver like a leaf. It’s fucking triggering to stare at you,” Zander declares. “I hate weak bitches.”

Mr. Leighton looks like he argues that, but Mr. Prescott raises his hand.

“Meaning you have someone in mind?”

“Nope.” Zander shrugs. “Just not her. I hate women, anyway.”

From the way he says it, he’s not stating these words as mere “facts” or things he’s willing to negotiate. If we don’t agree and let this Ann go about her business in this new house, I’m pretty positive she’ll be dead by sunrise.

Can’t blame him for his rooted qualities.

“Then Hannah should be perfectly fine,” Matteo suggests.

The name only triggers the woman we’ve seen with the blindfold.

“She’ll do.” Zander doesn’t seem bothered by her.

“Why her?” Anna dares to ask.

“When you spell her name backward, it’s the same,” Zander declares tauntingly.

“B-But mine is no differe?—”

“That’s why he doesn’t want you,” Matteo interrupts. “You talk back. You don’t listen and grasp why you are being denied. You’ve listened to our conversations, yet I’m sure you’ll enjoy spreading gossip near and far if it favors you. The only reason you’ve lasted this long with Mr. Leighton is that you were demoted from your previous post years ago at a special request and only acquired the promotion recently based on another special request. Have you wondered for a second why that is and who requested such?”

“W-Well,” Anna is getting flustered by the second, especially with Mr. Leighton and Mr. Prescott’s attention on her. “I-I must have been specially requested for this promotion. As for years ago, I’m unsure why my position was changed. It was many years ago, and I’ve worked very hard and consistently!”

There’s something about what she says that makes Matteo’s eyes darken a smidge. The average person would miss it, but we all notice the shift. Not only does he rise from his seat, but he walks straight to the woman, who not only begins to quiver but is fumbling with words.

“I-I had assured Mr. Leighton that I’ve been one of the best house managers for years, especially at the Prescott Household! I was transferred to Leighton Household once the older girl had departed for studies. I?—”

“When Gemini was getting bullied, Anna, did you witness it?” He goes straight to asking a question none of us are prepared for.

“C-Come again?” she nervously asks.

“Gemini Prescott. The elder daughter of Prescott,” he confronts. “The one you’ve enjoyed belittling and allowing Domino to bully whenever she was in the Leighton mansion and on many instances at the Prescott Manor.”

My jaw goes slack at the revelation while everyone else is watching how a blanket of fear washes over Anna’s face.

She can’t even deny what’s been thrown at her.

“Sir… I mean, Mr. Leighton was more than awar?—”

“My father was aware that his son was bullying Gemini, yes, but not to the extent of paralysis. Not to the extent of leaving cigarette burns on her back. Not to the extent of permanently scaring. Should I keep going by diving into the mental scrutiny such actions and ridicule have on children in their primary teenage years where suicide is at its peak?”

My heart is hammering against my chest, and I can only carry a stoic expression for so long. If I let myself slip, I’ll just be enraged all over again.

“M-Matte?—”

It’s his turn to not only have a gun in his grasp, but he’s pressing the barrel against this woman’s temple, leaving her no choice but to become a frigid statue while her entire body quivers in place.

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