Chapter 495 The One–Hour Ultimatum
That jagged scar across Matteo’s face seemed even more menacing than usual. Nammt feared for he mother’s safety, but what truly made her uneasy was the thought of the ring in Evelyn’s possession i exposed as a fake. If that happened, she’d lose the last bit of leverage she had
Meanwhile, Henry’s men had already delivered Evelyn to the Foster Group. If he wanted the ring from her he couldn’t return to the Foster family estate.
Inside his office, Henry stared down at Evelyn, who was being held to the floor “If you hand over the ring willingly, nothing will happen to you. But if you choose to defy me, you already know what the consequences will be.”
Evelyn hadn’t expected Henry to be the one behind this. Her mouth and nose were both tightly gagged, making it impossible for her to speak.
“My patience is limited,” Henry said coolly. “I don’t care where you’ve hidden it–bring it to me now. If you don’t, I’ll take one of your fingers.”
At his signal, a bodyguard pressed Evelyn’s roughened hands onto the desk. Another raised a cleaver high above her.
“Mmm! Mmm–mmm!” Evelyn whimpered frantically.
Only then did Henry reach forward and rip the tape from her mouth.
Terrified he might actually kill her, she blurted, “The ring–it’s at my house! I’ll… I’ll get it for you right now! Please, don’t cut off my finger!”
Back when she’d been Mrs. Rivers, Evelyn had always prided herself on her looks. Even after the Rivers family fell and she was reduced to working menial jobs under Nathaniel, she still couldn’t bear the thought of losing any part of herself.
“Good. You have one hour,” Henry ordered. “I want that ring on my desk when time’s up.”
“Yes, yes!” she agreed quickly.
A bodyguard gripped her arms to ensure she wouldn’t try anything, while Evelyn’s only thought was to retrieve the ring and save herself. Everything else could wait.
Seeing she was being cooperative, Henry waved them out.
The bodyguard escorted her back to the Hartwell residence.
Naomi, who had been fearing the worst, was surprised to see her mother return unharmed. Suspicion immediately replaced her worry. “You’re back already?“”
“What, you’re not happy to see me? Evelyn shot back, flustered. “Quick, give me the ring! I have to hand it over to the Fosters, or they’ll take one of my fingers!”
“Henry?” Naomi was taken aback/She hadn’t imagined he’d be the one to act. Then she laughed.
So much for Henry’s aloof attitude–he wanted the ring, just not badly enou
pay for it.
“You’re not going anywhere,” Naomi told her. “And that ring is absolutely not going to Henry
Chapter 495 The One Hour Ultimaturo
At that, Evelyn’s temper flared. “What’s more important, that fake ring or your mother mind beve know what kind of man Henry is? Killing us would be as easy for film as stepping on an an Idon’t car about wealth, I just want to keep my fingers!”
She stormed into her room to fetch the ring, but the drawer where she’d left it was empty
“Where is it? Where’s the ring?” she demanded, her face draining of color.
If she didn’t have it, Henry would make good on his threat.
It didn’t take long for her to realize her daughter must have hidden it.
Grabbing Naomi’s clothes, she shouted, “You ungrateful child! Are you even my daughter? Do you have any idea what Henry will do to me without that ring? He gave me one hour! Who took care of you when you were pregnant? And this is how you repay me? Give it back!”
Half her life had been spent worrying over Naomi’s future, and now she saw nothing but betrayal
“This ring is our last bargaining chip,” Naomi said flatly. “You know it’s a fake. If Henry finds that out, we’ll not only lose everything but also bring disaster down on ourselves.”
“I don’t care! Or do you really plan to just stand there and watch your own mother lose a finger?”
Evelyn would rather tell Henry the truth than face mutilation.
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