Chapter 350 Eighty-One Cuts
Night rolled in, blanketing the city in darkness.
As the lights flickered on, the bar got even rowdier.
Out of nowhere, Siena got shoved out, and this tatted-up dude pointed right at her nose, yelling, "Bitch, you think you can steal from our boss? You looking for trouble?"
With that, he signaled to his two goons.
They grabbed Siena from both sides and dragged her into a nearby alley.
Moments later, her screams pierced the night.
After what felt like forever, the two guys strutted out, adjusting their pants.
Their faces were sleazy, and their words were even worse.
"Didn't think she'd be that good."
"Shame she ain't a virgin. Such a pretty face, wasted."
As they kept talking, two dark figures suddenly appeared in front of them. Before they knew it, black bags dropped over their heads, and they were totally disoriented.
In the dim alley, the sound of footsteps echoed. Leather shoes hitting the ground, splashing through puddles.
Siena sat disheveled in a filthy corner, next to a stinking garbage can. She looked out of it, staring blankly ahead.
It wasn't until a beam of light hit her eyes that she instinctively shut them.
When she opened her eyes again, she saw the two guys who had just assaulted her lying in front of her!
They were beaten to a pulp, faces all messed up, hands and feet tied, mouths taped shut. They looked terrified, writhing on the ground like worms, making pathetic noises.
Seeing them, Siena remembered her humiliation. She grabbed her hair, eyes burning with hatred.
A knife with a cold gleam suddenly dropped to the ground. Siena looked up, dazed, and saw a noble and arrogant face.
"Want to kill them?" Quentin looked down at her with a godlike presence.
Siena stared at him, her gaze trembling, fingernails digging into the ground, but she didn't move.
Quentin squatted down in front of her, looking at her with pity. "I'll give you one chance. Kill them or let them go, your call."
Siena slowly lowered her eyes, replaying his words in her mind. "Kill them or let them go?"
The two guys, now tightly bound, realized how screwed they were. They desperately wanted to say something, but their mouths were taped shut, and they could only squirm frantically.
They didn't try to appease Siena or beg her for mercy. Instead, they wriggled to Quentin's feet, rubbing their faces against his shoes, trying to show submission and beg for mercy.
Quentin stood there silently.
Suddenly, Siena grabbed the knife handle, gripping it tightly.
She slowly stood up, walked to the two men, raised the knife high, and then brought it down hard. The blade repeatedly pierced their flesh, Siena looking like an emotionless reaper, unmoved by their relentless pleas, never stopping her brutal assault.
It wasn't until the two dudes stopped moving, no more sounds or breaths, that Siena finally stopped. She plopped down next to the cold corpses, her face smeared with blood, looking numb.
Quentin squatted in front of her. "Nice job."
Siena stared at him, eyes empty.
Quentin smirked. "Don't sweat it. I'll handle everything. From now on, your life is mine."
The next morning, Isabella and Seb were munching on breakfast when the news about the murder popped up on TV.
Even though a lot of it was blurred out, the host's description and the bloodstains in the alley made it clear this was some serious horror show.
When the host mentioned the two victims had eighty-one stab wounds, Isabella felt a wave of nausea, almost losing her breakfast.
Seb turned off the TV, walked over, and gently patted her back. "Next time, let's skip the news during breakfast."
Isabella took the water Seb handed her, rinsed her mouth, and lost her appetite completely.
Isabella thought, 'Eighty-one stab wounds? They were practically chopped to pieces.'
Isabella usually couldn't even handle slaughtering a chicken. She couldn't imagine stabbing someone, let alone eighty-one times! Just thinking about it made her feel sick.
Because of the news, Isabella was distracted all morning.
After Seb left for work, Esme came over to visit.
The courtyard was bathed in glorious sunlight. Isabella asked Esme to watch over Sweetie while she headed to the kitchen to slice some fruit.
When Isabella came out with the fruit platter, she found Sweetie and Esme were gone.
Isabella panicked, ran a few steps forward, and then saw Esme holding Sweetie, looking at the roses in the corner.
Esme turned around and saw Isabella's pale face. She walked back with Sweetie. "Bella, you okay? You look so pale."
"I'm fine." Isabella shook her head.
Taking advantage of Quentin's absence, Isabella tentatively asked Esme, "How long you planning to stay in Lakina this time?"
Esme paused while reaching for the fruit. "I was thinking a month. But now, a month doesn't seem enough. Bella, if I asked you to come back to Silvercrest with me, would you?"
Isabella shook her head. "Nope."
Esme was stunned but still insisted, "Why? Don't you want to be with me?"
Isabella said, "You've seen it; my family and friends are all here in Lakina. If I leave, it means being really separated from them. I'm slow to warm up to new places, and it would take me forever to adapt."
Esme nodded understandingly. "I get it. But Bella, what if I just ask you to visit once in a while? The kid is still young, and I have friends in Silvercrest who want to meet you. Most importantly, I really want you to meet Bruno Black."
Isabella lowered her gaze and said softly, "I have no interest in meeting the Black Family, nor do I want to waste energy pleasing anyone. So, sorry, but I'm not going with you."
Esme didn't expect Isabella to refuse her so directly. A flash of unease and disappointment crossed her face, but she didn't push further.
