<b>Chapter </b><b>458 </b>
She continued gently, “The regr school curriculum isn’t a good fit for you right now. Let’s keep you enrolled and arrange for a private tutor to help you study at home. Once you’ve caught up academically, you can return to school–and staying at home will also make it easier to treat your scars<b>.</b><b>? </b>
Lily gasped, covering her mouth. “Aria, can Pearl’s face really go back to how it used to be?<i>” </i>
Aria smiled gently. “Not 100%, but with makeup, no one will be able to tell.”
If Pearl’s injuries had been properly treated from the start, the scarring wouldn’t be this severe. Olivia clearly withheld treatment on purpose.
Ondo and Russell were so caught up in their own affairs that not only did they fail to help Pearl, but actually ended up hurting her.
Tears streaming down her face, Pearl rushed over and threw her arms around Aría. “Thank you, Aria,” she choked out, her voice trembling with emotion.
Aría gently patted her back. “Don’t be silly. We’re family.”
Aria wasn’t in a hurry to ask Pearl about her proficiency in hypnosis. From Pearl’s perspective, anyone who taught her those self–defense skills had done
her kindness.
‘I have no quarrel with this person, so there’s no need to make an issue of it,‘ Aria thought.
Aría decided to wait until Pearl was settled before bringing it up.
Upstairs, Ondo stood by the window, gazing at the cityscape. A shadow of destion clouded his eyes.
He asked, “Russell, are we really just letting Rachel stay with Aria?”
Russell’s calm voice came through the earpiece.“Rachel’s better off with Aria than with us.”
Ondo sighed. “It’s all my fault for being so careless. I should’ve noticed Rachel wasn’t herself sooner. For Olivia to go so far as to brutalize a child, she’s downright vicious.”
“I dragged her into this too,” he said, full of guilt.
Ondo asked anxiously, “Russell, if Olivia could do this to Rachel, and Sara was with her before. Could her disappearance be rted to Olivia?”
“Yeah, it could be,” Russell replied.
The terse reply hit Ondo like a hammer. He clenched his fists/“That bitch deserves to die!”
Meanwhile, in Masmubia, Russell sat in his chair, watching with icy detachment as the half–dead servanty in the cell.
This servant had spent over a decade in the Wolfshade Syndicate–first as Olivia’s personal attendant, then eventually bing the gang’s cook.
That was the “truth” Olivia gave him–the mastermind who abused Sara and handed her over to Tyree.
Later, she also abused Rachel using the same cruel methods.
Russell had harbored hatred for the Wolfshade Syndicate, plotting to destroy the Solemnity Guild and make Aria pay for everything–only to realize in the end that he was the one who deserved to go to hell.
It was him who brought Sara to the Wolfshade Syndicate. He was the one who doomed her.
It was him who pursued Olivia, making her fall for him.
Fearing her abuse of Sara would be exposed, Olivia orchestrated Sara’s disappearance, ultimately sending her to the Solemnity Guild—where she <b>met </b>her fate leaving no trace behind.
09:44 Tue, 24 Jun
‘I’m the one responsible for all this,’ he thought.
Russell closed his eyes, removed his earpiece, and stood up. “Execute her,” he ordered coldly.
The guards replied, “Got it.”
As Russell walked out, Olivia, standing at the door, heard a scream–her heart skipped a beat.
Olivia let out a quiet sigh and walked up to Russell. “Russell, were you talking <i>to </i>Ondo just now?<b>” </b>
Russell nodded, his intimidating aura still as strong as ever. Olivia, unfazed, slipped her arm through his and said sweetly, “Russell, Rachel may be gone, but you still have me. I’ll always be here for you.”
Russell gently stroked her hair. “I’ve been so busytely and neglected you. My apologies.”
Olivia’s eyes sparkled with secret delight. With a yful pout, she said sweetly, “I get it. My father is upset with you, and you need to win back his trust.”
Russell said, “I’ll go handle the casino affairs now.”
Olivia replied, “Alright, bye, Russell.”
As Russell walked away, the smile melted from Olivia’s face.
Theckey leaned closer and whispered, “Miss Remar, did he buy it?”
Olivia toyed with her freshly manicured nails and sneered, “Even if he doesn’t believe me, so what? He wouldn’t dare confront my father head–on.
“Sara’s been gone for years, and Russell still has a bright future ahead of him. He knows whose side to take.”
Theckey asked, “What about that little vixen? Should we have her earn Aria’s trust first, then…” He made a throat–slitting gesture.
Olivia gave him a disdainful look. “Little vixen is so frail. There’s no way she can kill Aria. You handle it personally. Little vixen must die.
“And pin it all on Aria!”
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