Chapter 454

Victor was a man of ruthless efficiency, who, at a young age, had seized control of Lockridge Holdings and now held it the palm of his hand. As a result, Finn had always held a certain reverence for him.

But it was a reverence born of respect, not fear. He admired Victor’s capabilities and saw him as someone worth learning from. Besides, Victor had always treated him well. So, even though rumors painted Victor as a cold-blooded killer, a madman who reveled in torture, Finn didn’t share the terror that other members of the Lockridge family felt.

However, at this moment, as Victor appeared, Finn felt the hand in his give a nearly imperceptible tremble.

He glanced down at its owner. Evangeline’s face was deathly pale, her lips pressed into a tight line, her gaze locked on Victor. It was as if his very presence had put all her senses on high alert. Finn could even hear the quick, shallow rhythm of her breathing.

Fear. Tension. Terror.

Aside from when she woke up at the bottom of the cliff, he had never seen her look like this.

An unidentifiable emotion stirred in Finn’s chest. Back when he didn’t know who she was, he had heard the gossip: that Evangeline had meddled in other people’s business, breaking up Victor and Theresa. At the time, he had thought she was just a troublemaker. Why interfere in a couple’s affairs?

But now, looking at her tense, guarded face, his heart ached with a sharp, piercing pain. Everyone knew not to cross Victor. Yet, knowing the trouble it would cause, she had still resolutely chosen to help Theresa find her freedom.

So foolish. So foolish it broke his heart.

Finn tore his gaze away from her and fixed it on Victor. He forced a small smile, stepped forward to shield Evangeline with his body, and greeted him in his usual warm tone, “Victor.”

Victor’s response was cold and flat. “Come here.”

The two words were laced with unspoken danger.

When Finn hesitated for a fraction of a second before starting to move, Evangeline frantically grabbed his hand. “Don’t go.”

Finn looked back at her, at her pale face, and patted the back of her hand reassuringly. “It’ll be okay,” he whispered. Evangeline, trust me. won’t let him hurt you. Content letim

Evangeline shook her head. “That’s not what I mean.”

She wasn’t afraid Finn would betray her or that he wouldn’t be able to protect her once he was, with Victor On the contrary, she was afraid him. She had a premonition that if Finn went to him, he would face Victor’s retaliation, just as she had. He would get hurt, just as she had.

She didn’t know what their relationship was like before, but now, by standing so openly and e firmly by her side, Finn was publicly defying Victor in Victor’s eyes, Finn was no longer his favored younger brother. He was the boyfriend of the person he hated.

Evangeline tightened her grip on his wrist, a tidal wave of terror washing over her, as though she were watching a viper poised to strike.

“I know,” Finn said with a small smile. “And I won’t let anyone else hurt you, either.”

He leaned down, one arm wrapping around her shoulders, and gently kissed her.

At the same time, Evangeline felt the cool, metallic weight of something being pressed into her other hand.

She froze, the sudden, heavy object in her palm sending a jolt through her.

It was a gun.

Finn looked down at her, a smile in his eyes. “If I can’t handle this, find a way to get out of here yourself.”

“Be careful not to hurt yourself.”