Chapter 488

At Reginald’s mansion—

A sharp crash echoed from the study as a porcelain cup shattered against the marble floor. The silver-haired man stood rigid, his towering frame casting a long shadow. His piercing turquoise eyes burned with the intensity of a predator.

"Useless fools!" His voice was a low growl. "Have you uncovered who dared to strike against us?"

The middle-aged man before him bowed his head. "Your Highness, we have yet to identify the perpetrators. However, the method—leaving no survivors—matches the work of that woman from the Metropolis."

The name hung heavy in the air. Sadie.

Henry’s right hand, Sadie, was infamous for her merciless efficiency. Even men like Philip Goldmann, known for their brutality, paled in comparison. Where Philip might toy with his prey, Sadie ensured none walked away alive.

Her involvement was a declaration—Henry himself had stepped into the fray.

Reginald’s knuckles whitened, veins bulging beneath his skin. "Damn them! Since when does the Metropolis meddle in the affairs of the de Arma family? Investigate immediately! I want confirmation—is this Henry’s doing?"

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit room—

Oliver Lawson entered, followed by another man. The only illumination came from a single lamp beside the computer. Nathan Goldmann lounged in a high-backed chair, clad in a silk robe, a half-empty glass of wine dangling from his fingers.

"Mr. Goldmann," Oliver began, "Reginald’s forces occupying the de Arma territory have been wiped out."

Nathan’s fingers stilled over the keyboard. Shadows obscured half his face, masking his expression. He leaned back, tapping the desk with deliberate slowness. "By whom?"

Oliver glanced at the man beside him, who answered, "Evidence points to the Metropolis. Clean kills—no wasted movements, no defensive wounds. Every target was eliminated in a single strike."

A pause. Then, "It was an ambush. No signs of struggle. They never had a chance to fight back."

Oliver frowned. The Metropolis operated with brutal transparency—why resort to stealth now? And why target Reginald? Unless…

His gaze flicked to Nathan, but the man’s face remained unreadable. After a weighted silence, Nathan finally spoke. "Who did Henry send?"

The man didn’t hesitate. "It had to be Sadie. No one else in the Metropolis is that precise—or that ruthless."

Oliver’s jaw tightened. Sadie was a force of nature. Even if Harrison, Oliver, and every member of Night Banquet attacked her at once, victory wasn’t guaranteed.

Henry was an enigma, surrounded by monsters like Edmund and Sadie. Crossing him was suicide.

A thought struck Oliver. "Sadie never leaves Henry’s side. Why send her to Stoslo? What’s his connection to the de Armas?"

The man hesitated, then added, "There’s more. Reports mention a woman—Alice—traveling with Henry’s team to Stoslo."

"Alice?"

Oliver’s breath hitched. His eyes snapped to Nathan.

Nathan’s gaze darkened. "Has she been seen since arriving?"

The man shook his head. "No sightings. She’s vanished."

Nathan’s fingers curled around his glass. The silence stretched, thick with tension. Finally, he gestured dismissively. "Leave us."

As the door clicked shut, Oliver exhaled. The game had just gotten far more dangerous.