?Chapter 1148:


    Hailey walked over to a nearby stone bench. She was just about to sit down to catch her breath when a knock came at the gate.


    The sharp sound startled her, and she was instantly on edge.


    Who could it be?


    Her hand instinctively reached for the gun in her waistband. She pulled it out as she slowly crept toward the gate.


    “Who is it?” Hailey called out, her voice low and wary.


    On the other side, Sadie stood behind Forest, pressing the cold de of a knife against his lower back. The air was thick with tension.


    Forest swallowed audibly. Cold sweat covered his forehead, and as much as he tried to stay calm, his voice still trembled slightly. “It’s me, Hailey. I forgot something. Please open the gate.”


    Hailey froze. Her father was back? But why?


    She didn’t think twice about it and immediately signaled at the guards posted by the courtyard gate.


    They nodded and went on to utch the gates.


    They flew wide open, and before Hailey could process what was happening, Sadie’s men stormed into the courtyard.


    Hailey’s guards were caught off-guard and quickly overpowered.


    Hailey herself stumbled back in shock, her hand trembling as she gripped her gun tighter.


    How did things turn out this way?


    She gaped in disbelief as Sadie stepped into the courtyard while holding Forest at knifepoint.


    That bitch! How did she even find this ce?


    Forest bristled as the cold steel pressed deeper against his skin. “Let us all calm down and settle this peacefully, shall we?”


    His voice cracked slightly, and there was desperation in his eyes as he gazed at his daughter. “Save me, Hailey! Please!”


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    A muscle ticked in Hailey’s jaw. “What do you want, Sadie?” she spat out.


    Sadie smirked, her eyes cold as ice. “I believe I should be the one asking you that, Ms. Burgess. What made you go this far, just to hold my husband captive?”


    Hailey stiffened, and her eyes shed warily. How did Sadie know that Noah was here?


    “Didn’t your husband die three years ago, Ms. Hudson? What are you talking about? Has grief finally made you delusional?”


    Sadie’s patience finally snapped when she heard that. She was done ying around. “Either release Noah, or you will be bringing your father’s corpse home.”


    No sooner had she said that than she raised the knife and plunged the de into Forest’s right shoulder.


    “Ah!” Forest cried out in pain as blood soaked his shirt and trickled from his sleeve. Hailey’s eyes grew wide. She wasn’t expecting Sadie to actually strike. What a lunatic!


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