Betrayed By The Billionaire

229

"Copy that."

Chloe Bishop and Lyra moved in tandem, slipping through the breached threshold. The air inside the factory’s secondary sector was thick with the scent of ozone and stagnant water. Arthur Vance and his team had abandoned the first defensive perimeter, retreating into the labyrinthine darkness of the Second Workshop to stage their final stand.

Because Chloe and Julian Vance knew the architectural layout of this facility better than anyone, Donovan Tang silently ceded tactical command to them with a sharp nod.

Julian crouched low, his eyes scanning the thermal shadows of the workshop. "Six targets remaining. I can pinpoint Arthur and Caleb’s positions based on their firing patterns. The four women... they aren't tactical threats, but they’re unpredictable."

He turned back to the group. " Marcus, Lyra—you’re the breach. Go in first."

Lyra looked like she wanted to evaporate into the concrete floor. "Why is it always me playing the human shield?"

Julian offered a dry, merciless smile. "Unless you'd rather take point on the close-quarters combat?"

Lyra shook her head so hard her tactical helmet rattled. "No. I’ll stick to being the target, thanks."

She wasn't about to engage in a messy, physical brawl. In front of Xander Grayson, she wanted to remain a portrait of refined elegance—even if that meant being "eliminated" in a single, clean shot. At least she could choose a graceful way to hit the floor.

The Meat Shield

Inside the inner workshop, the atmosphere was suffocatingly tense. Bluebelle and Yvonne’s sister, Bluebelle, gripped their rifles with white-knuckled intensity. They had heard the welts from these high-velocity paintballs were agonizing, and the fear was written all over their faces.

Yvonne Blue stood near Xander, her expression cool and detached. Caleb lounged against a rusted pillar, looking utterly bored, while Yvonne herself seemed strangely distracted, her eyes darting toward the high-rafter exits.

Suddenly, Lyra and Marcus burst through the heavy bay doors, screaming and spraying cover fire in every direction with reckless abandon.

Xander’s face darkened. "Open fire!"

Pop-pop-pop! Lyra felt the impact of two rounds against her vest and let out a sigh of relief. Finally, I can lie down and end this. But as she started to collapse, she felt a violent jerk at her collar. Someone was holding her upright.

She looked back to see Julian Vance’s handsome, cold face. He was using her as a human shield, peering over her shoulder to line up his own shots while the Green Team’s paintballs peppered Lyra’s back.

"Julian! You bastard!" Lyra shrieked, but Julian only let out a cold laugh, using the distraction to pick off the defenders.

The Face-Slapping Begins

In the corner of the workshop, Bluebelle watched as her sister, Yvonne’s sister, crumpled, clutching her chest in genuine pain. "Are you okay?"

The other girl shook her head, her face ashen. "It... it hurts so much!"

Bluebelle didn't have time to process the empathy. Within seconds, she was struck three times in rapid succession—arm, leg, and then squarely in the center of her chest.

"Ah! God, it hurts!"

Bluebelle’s face contorted in a mask of agony. She looked up, expecting to see a random shooter, but instead met the dark, predatory smile of Chloe Bishop.

Bluebelle’s teeth ground together. "It’s Chloe. That b***h is doing this on purpose!"

Infuriated, Bluebelle raised her rifle to retaliate, but before she could pull the trigger, a series of shots slammed into her wrist and the back of her hand. She cried out, dropping her weapon and glaring at the person who had disarmed her.

She met the icy, unwavering stare of Donovan Tang. The "Iron Commander" stood there like a statue of judgment, his very presence draining the courage from her lungs.

Bluebelle and her sister were officially out.

The Fall of the Lotus

The battlefield was shrinking rapidly. Mr. Han was eliminated by a lucky shot from Xander, but Julian quickly countered by neutralizing Caleb. Chloe found herself in a high-speed trade of fire with Yvonne, surprised by the woman’s sudden technical proficiency.

However, Chloe’s mind wasn't entirely on the shootout. She realized Sarah was missing. She had slipped away into the shadows of the upper catwalks, hunting for the one person who wasn't in the workshop: Yvonne Blue.

Suddenly, a massive BOOM echoed through the factory—the sound of something heavy crashing from the rafters onto the concrete floor outside.

The sound was followed immediately by a blood-curdling scream. It was Yvonne Blue.

Chloe’s heart hammered against her ribs. That wasn't the sound of a "game" injury. That was the sound of a woman whose world had just collapsed.

The tactical game has turned into a physical disaster. Sarah has finally cornered Yvonne, and the result sounds catastrophic. In the silence that follows the crash, the "Red Team" and "Green Team" cease to exist—there is only the chilling realization that someone has gone too far.

Is this the "accident" Sarah planned to finally rid herself of Yvonne, or has Yvonne set a trap so dark it will drag everyone down with her?