Chapter 425 Total Breakdown between Hunter and Grace
Hunter glumly packed his things and left the Koch residence.
The celebration ended abruptly because of the incident involving Grace.
Since the incident, Shane had been grim-faced, a knot of anger stuck in his chest that wouldn't subside.
A heavy silence enveloped the entire Koch residence.
That night...
Grace was lying in her room, resting.
Suddenly, a dark figure loomed over her.
Sensing danger, Grace's eyes sprung open. The person standing at her bedside caused her to gasp in shock silently, and before she could scream, a hand tightly covered her mouth.
All she could do was stare back with wide, innocent eyes, paralyzed with terror.
The silver moonlight filtered through the window, casting Hunter in a ghostly glow, making his swollen face look even more sinister, as if he were a wrathful underworld deity.
He glared at Grace with a menacing grimace.
"Grace, you've grown tired of living, daring to set me up, huh?" he hissed.
Grace's nose and mouth were covered; she couldn’t breathe, her face turned beet red as she pounded on Hunter's arm, whimpering.
"A useless dog that bites deserves to be put down. I'll end you today!"
With that, he increased the pressure, his grip suffocating Grace as if his whole weight bore down on her.
Grace’s eyes bulged with terror, almost popping out of their sockets.
Tears blurred her vision as she stared at Hunter.
A boundless fear engulfed her.
The pain she felt in her body was suddenly trivial compared to the imminence of death.
At this moment, she was truly terrified.
Grace could feel that Hunter genuinely harbored a desire to kill her.
His rage subsided slightly as he stared into her eyes—eyes filled with fear, pleading for mercy. With a smug look, he taunted, "What's the matter? Scared?"
Before Grace could muster a response, he continued, "Did it ever cross your mind that a day like this might come when you were busy scheming against me?"
All Grace could manage was to make muffled noises.
Hunter's eyes were bloodshot, his gaze wild, like a mad beast, his whole demeanor radiated danger.
"I went through great lengths to elevate you to this stature, and now you plan to kick me to the curb? Let me tell you, that’s not going to happen! I have the power to lift you up, and I can just as easily bring you down."
Oxygen deprivation began to blur Grace's consciousness.
Her grip on Hunter's arm weakened.
Noticing her eyes rolling back, Hunter leisurely let go.
Like someone who had just skirted the edge of death and returned, Grace, now free, sat up, slumped over the bed, and began to breathe deeply, greedily inhaling the fresh air.
The feeling of being revived both terrified and exhilarated her.
Her hands clutched the sheets tightly as tears dampened her eyes.
Hunter yanked her hair, forcing her to look up at him.
"I've been outwitting people in this cutthroat corporate world for years, and you dare to play me? Did you really think just because you secured your spot in the Koch family, you could betray me without consequences? Aren't you afraid I'll reveal your true identity?"
Grace's scalp ached as though her hair might be ripped out.
Threatened not once but repeatedly.
Far from being intimidated, Grace couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh.
"Heh, you wouldn't dare."
Hunter raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement twinkling in his eyes.
"I wouldn't? Grace, after playing the heiress for so long, don't tell me you actually think you're one. A fake is a fake; it can never become real. Everything you have now is just a stolen life."
Grace's lips twisted into a strange smile as she strained to look up at him.
It was difficult to speak, her neck taut with tension.
"And what if the Koch family learns it was you who took me for the surgery, to pass off as Grace? Tell me, do you think they'll let you off the hook?"
Hunter paused, the force in his grip unconsciously fading.
Grace grabbed the opportunity to yank her hair from his grip, not rushing to flee or call for help, but instead facing Hunter with a fearless, smug expression.
"However, the luxurious life I have now was handed to me by you! If you decide to expose me, so be it! If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me—we can both go down in flames. After all, my life's not worth much; it's up to you whether you value yours enough to trade for mine," she declared confidently.
Hunter's face turned ashen with rage, flames flickering in his eyes, his fists clenched tight, his chest heaving with rapid breaths.
He was losing control.
He hadn't felt this way all day.
But now, the sensation was overwhelming.
Reading his expression, Grace switched from defense to offense, pressing in step by step, "You know fully well, with your current status and power, you can't compete with the Koch family. What do you think Shane would do if he found out you’ve been scheming to pass someone off as his granddaughter? He'd be furious! And then you, and your Sackler Group, might just disappear overnight."
For too long, she had been under Hunter's thumb.
But at this moment, she finally felt a sense of triumph.
The pent-up frustration inside her was finally released.
Grace moved closer to Hunter, pronouncing every word with triumphant relish, "Hunter, let’s part on good terms. You gave me this identity, and I’ve helped you a great deal. Without me, you would've lost everything and certainly wouldn't be sitting pretty as America's wealthiest. We're even now, square. From here on out, don't expect anything from me, and I won’t seek you out. Let's act as if we never knew each other."
Hunter sneered, "Nice plan you’ve got there."
Grace seemed sure he wouldn't dare refuse, leaning back casually against the headboard, leisurely fixing her hair.
"Of course, you can say no! We can both burn! The choice is yours."
Hunter's breathing turned rapid, his anger palpable as he glared at her, fury coursing through his eyes, almost as if he wanted to devour himself with rage.
The dog he’d raised had completely slipped the leash.
Not only biting back but now daring to threaten him.
And he was powerless against it.
His fists were clenched so tightly.
The tighter his fury, the firmer his grip.
His knuckles nearly going white with the strain.
Like a self-assured monarch holding the winning hand, Grace sat there patiently, seemingly unmoved by his fury, waiting for the eventual rewards of victory.
There was a long pause.
Taking a deep breath, Hunter stood up with a glowering stare and, through clenched teeth, warned, "Grace, you're going to regret this! Don't come crawling back to me later."
“I assure you, Hunter, not even death would make me beg for anything from you," Grace declared, unwavering in her conviction.
A dark, bone-chilling aura of lethal intent flashed across Hunter's eyes as he glared at her for what seemed like an eternity. Then, like a defeated stray, he departed without so much as a backward glance.
At last free from Hunter's clutches, an elated Grace nearly screamed. She was free at last. No more would she be under Hunter's thumb. From now on, things would only get better for her.
After leaving Grace's room, Hunter tilted his head to catch a glimpse of his reflection in the hallway mirror. His eyes met his own, and a sinister smile curled on his lips. Did she really think she could just walk away and be free? That was a pretty thought. As long as he didn't let go, she'd be his forever. One day, he'd have her on her knees, begging him.
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