Chapter 88
Within minutes, the majority of guests-Evelina and Aurora included-had been corralled into the cavernous hotel lobby under armed supervision.
Noticing Cary among a clique of well-heeled young men didn't surprise Evelina; they were obvious targets for tonight's robbery.
What did catch her off-guard, however, was the presence of lan and one of Jasper's bodyguards, subdued among the captured.
A covert glance from lan was all Evelina needed to realize their capture was strategic, aligning with Jasper's plan to undermine the robbers from within.
Masked and menacing, the robbers ordered the guests into segregated groups by gender,saying,"Put your hands on your heads! Down on the floor! Give up your valuables if you want to live."
Donned in knight masks, two robbers circulated through the crowd with large sacks, aggressively collecting phones and other valuables from the frightened guests.
Men received somewhat lenient treatment; sluggish responses earned them punches or kicks.
Conversely, the treatment of women was merciless. Despite surrendering their belongings, each was thoroughly searched.
When Evelina's turn arrived, she cleverly stepped back and pushed Aurora slightly forward to gauge her reaction.
Her motive was clear-to ascertain whether Aurora was complicit in the orchestration of the robbery.
Mara, Aurora's bodyguard, leapt to her defense vehemently. "Stay away from her! Do you even know who she is?" she said, offering herself in Aurora's place.
Her protest was swiftly silenced by a harsh slap from the gang leader. "Her identity is irrelevant here,"he
retorted dismissively. He then signaled for both Evelina and Aurora to step forward for a more thorough inspection.
Evelina's striking features carried a fierceness that overshadowed Aurora's refined grace, causing heads to turn just from the heat of her gaze alone. The masked men tasked with frisking the women eyed them hungrily, anticipation vivid in their expressions.
Yet,the man approaching Aurora held back, hands hovering without daring to touch.
In stark contrast, Evelina's searcher lunged eagerly, reaching greedily toward her chest with a twisted grin.
But Evelina moved first-her hand shot forward, gripping his wrist with brutal precision.
A stomach-turning crack echoed sharply as the man's wrist twisted out of alignment. He cried out,collapsing in agony.
Swift as a flash, Evelina grabbed his other arm, wrenching it harshly behind him, then yanked his handgun free.
Pressing the weapon fiercely against his temple, she shouted decisively, "Nobody make a move!" She glanced urgently across the room. "Mara! Get Aurora away from here,hurry!"
A stunned silence gripped the robbers-and Mara and Aurora too.
That wasn't part of their carefully rehearsed plan.
"Exactly as I suspected," Evelina said coldly.
But before she could elaborate, Mara moved suddenly, clamping her hands viciously around Aurora's neck.
"Did you figure it out?" Mara sneered, casting aside all pretense. "No sense in keeping up the charade anymore."
She nodded sharply to her accomplices.
lan and the bodyguard reacted instinctively but found themselves quickly subdued and restrained.
"Let my man go, or they all die!" Mara shouted at Evelina, her voice like steel. Had it been Aurora alone, Evelina might have gambled. But the sight of lan and the bodyguard under threat made her falter. Reluctantly, she lowered the gun.
The freed robber didn't hesitate-he slammed a brutal kick into Evelina's stomach, knocking her violently onto the floor.
Mara strode forward, standing arrogantly over Evelina's fallen form."When exactly did you realize | was on the wrong side?" She paused briefly, then answered her own question smugly."Doesn't matter now. You clever types always meet a bad end."
"Mara!" Aurora gasped, betrayal burning in her eyes."Grandmother trusted you to protect me! How could you side with these criminals?"
Mara gave a sharp snort. "Babysitting the Marsh family? The pay's a joke. This gig? It will set me up for the next three lifetimes."
She gestured toward Aurora dismissively.-"Tie her up tight. The Marsh heiress from lreah should fetch a tidy billion easily."
Aurora lunged desperately at Mara, hurling curses, but was quickly silenced by a rough gag.
With a calculating glance, Mara indicated Cary and the other wealthy heirs. "Those spoiled brats over there should each bring three or five hundred million. No negotiation needed."
Her gaze swept coldly over the remaining hostages. "As for the extras-knock them out, dump them in the kitchen, and burn the building. Bullets cost money."
Slowly,her attention returned to Evelina,contemplating her fate aloud. "What about you, though?"
Mara raised her gun deliberately, aiming it directly at Evelina's forehead. Her voice resonated ominously through the room. "Come out, Mr. Russell! The game's over-if you want your precious little princess to stay alive, show yourself now!"