Page 155 of Ruthless God

But he keeps talking. “Gabriel was already dead when I got there.”

What? I freeze, and Millie lets out a sharp inhale. Claudius watches our reactions, his smirk deepening.

“You think I killed him?” His chuckle is low, amused. “No, Cecely. I didn’t have to.”

I shake my head. “That’s not?—”

“I just finished what was already done.”

My heart slams against my ribs.

“You’re lying.”

But his expression doesn’t change. His eyes stay locked on mine, dark and unreadable, enjoying this. He takes a slow, measured step forward.

“Tell me something, mama.” His voice is smooth, teasing, deadly. “Did you ever wonder why no one questioned me about what happened that night on the cliff?”

My throat goes tight. I can’t speak. But he keeps going. His voice is almost mocking now.

“Why no one dug up his grave before now?”

I shake my head, my pulse a frantic drumbeat in my ears. He leans in, so close I can feel the warmth of his breath. Trapping me.

“Because they didn’t care.” His voice drops to a whisper. “A monster was gone, and that’s all that mattered.”

A breath shudders out of me.

Claudius smirks. Loving this. Loving the way I’m coming apart, piece by piece. Because this isn’t just about Gabriel being dead. This is about why. This is about who.

Gabriel didn’t just die that night. He disappeared. Someone wanted him gone. Someone made sure no one would ask questions.

But who?

Claudius’ eyes gleam, flickering with something dark and twisted. His lips curl into something vicious.

“Now, Cecely,” he purrs, “do you want to know who really killed him?”

The air leaves my lungs. A terrible, sick feeling uncoils in my gut. Because suddenly, I’m not sure I do. But Claudius has already decided for me.

His smirk deepens, his voice sharper, like a knife sliding between ribs.

“You did.”

I stagger back, shaking my head. “No. You’re lying!”

“Oh, mama, youdid.” His voice is almost… gentle. Like he’s breaking the news of some inevitable tragedy. “You killed him the moment you took your first breath.”

32

Cecely

The words sink in, creeping into my bones, wrapping around my ribs like a vise. I stagger back, shaking my head.

No.

That doesn’t make sense.

I never even met Gabriel until… well never, apparently.

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