Chapter 527

Matthias’s face went completely white. Panic tore through him as the words poured out in a frantic, broken rush.

“Renata—please. I was wrong. I was wrong to ask for the sixth-generation VÖXEN. I was greedy. Disgusting. Shameless p>

His legs trembled, barely able to keep him standing.

“I’m sorry,” he choked. “I swear I’ll never do it again. Never. Please… please forgive me p>

“That’s it?” Renata snapped. “You think forgiveness will end all of this?” Her eyes burned as she stared at him. “Fine. Then I’ll sit back and eat popcorn while I watch your entire family die. Good luck p>

Baron Sturmfels turned to Renata and dropped his head.

“Renata, please forgive what my son did to you,” he begged. “He was blinded by greed. I’ll repay every cent he stole from you. All of it. Please-tell Mr. Saint-Claire to spare my family. We are innocent p>

Renata’s scream ripped through the room.

“Innocent?” Tears streamed down her face as her voice shattered. “He took all my money. Fine-you can return it. But what about the three years I gave him?” Her chest heaved. “Can you give those back to me p>

Her eyes blazed with fury and raw pain.

“If you’re innocent, then he isn’t. Or is this all my fault now-for loving him p>

Her voice shook with rage. “Fine. Then add my guilt to it. Let my ‘fault’ be the reason your family dies today p>

“Renata!” Matthias snapped, eyes wild, voice unhinged. “I swear I’ll love you this time with my heart. I’ll give you everything. If not for this woman telling me to take your money, I would never have left you. My eyes are open now. I’ll love you forever p>

Jess stared at him in disbelief.

“What are you saying?” she cried. “You said you loved me p>

“Shut up, you bitch!” Matthias lunged.

His hands closed around Jess’s throat.

“If it weren’t for you,” he snarled, squeezing tighter, “I wouldn’t have fallen this low. This is all your fault p>

Jess clawed desperately at his face, her nails raking his skin. Blood streaked down his cheek.

“Stop… please… stop she gasped.

“No!” Matthias screamed. “You’re going to die here p>

In front of everyone, he kept choking her. Harder. Longer. Jess’s struggles

weakened. Her arms fell limp. Her body went still.

Silence swallowed the room.

“Renata,” Matthias said, blood dripping from his face as he turned to her. “I killed that bitch. Now I’ll love you. Truly p>

Renata stared at him.

At the man she once loved.

At the man who had just murdered another woman with his bare hands.

Something inside her froze solid.

She felt nothing but revulsion.

She couldn’t understand how she had ever loved someone like him.

Renata broke down completely. She cried until her chest burned, until her vision blurred. None of it felt real. All she had ever wanted was to be loved-but no one had ever truly loved her.

What Matthias had shown her was never love.

It was filth. Rotten, selfish, disgusting filth.

Her tears stopped. Her eyes hardened.

Fueled by rage and revulsion, Renata screamed, “Baron Sturmfels—if you kill Matthias, I will forgive the entire Sturmfels family p>

The room froze.

Matthias stared at her, then slowly turned toward his father. His face drained of all color.

“Father… please. Don’t do this p>

Baron Sturmfels struggled to stand, his wounded thighs shaking violently. Pain twisted his face, but his eyes were clear-resigned.

“Matthias,” he said hoarsely. “You know our family. Your brothers. Your sisters. Your mother. Your grandparents p>

“Father, what are you doing?” Matthias stepped back, panic breaking through.

“If I don’t kill you,” Baron Sturmfels said, dragging one bleeding leg forward, “they will wipe out our entire family. I warned you. I told you not to touch the duke’s daughter. You swore everything would be fine. You said nothing would happen p>

His voice cracked.

“This is what I warned you about for years. And you never listened p>

“Father!” Matthias backed into the wall. “Please p>

Baron Sturmfels kept moving, each step soaked in blood.

Desperate, Matthias lashed out. His fist slammed into his father’s face.

“Don’t force me to do this p>

“Do what?” Baron Sturmfels asked calmly. “Even if you kill me, you’ll still die here. Along with your mother, your brothers, your sisters. Why not let me kill you—so they can live p>

“No!” Matthias screamed, punching again and again, striking the old man wildly.

Until

Two aged hands clamped around Matthias’s throat.

Baron Sturmfels choked him with everything he had left.

Matthias gasped, eyes bulging.

Alex glanced at Renata.

She had already shut her eyes, trembling in fear.

“That’s enough,” Alex said coldly.

The command cut through the room like a blade.

Baron Sturmfels and Matthias froze instantly and turned toward him.

“Count Oskar,” Alex said evenly. “They don’t need to kill each other. And you don’t need to execute the Sturmfels family p>

Everyone held their breath.

“Recover at least five times the money they took from Renata. Return every single cent. If they can’t pay—seize all their businesses. And if that’s still not enough, sell them all into slavery p>

“Yes, sir,” Count Oskar replied without hesitation.

He turned sharply. “You heard the order. Drag them out p>

“No-please, don’t take our businesses!” Baron Sturmfels begged, his voice

breaking. “Let me kill this bastard instead p>

He lunged back toward Matthias, hands reaching for his throat. Killing his own son,

he knew, would cost him less than letting him live.

But Count Oskar’s men were faster. They tore the two apart and dragged them out

of the room, their boots scraping across the floor.

The door slammed shut.

Only Alex and Renata remained.

“Why did you stop them?” Renata asked. Tears slid down her cheeks. She didn’t

look at him.

“You’ve never killed anyone before,” Alex said calmly. “Don’t start because of anger.” “Why?” Her voice shook.

“Because once you cross that line p>

Alex sighed, “you won’t be able to stop. Keep your heart clean. Anyway, they’ll return your money-five times over. Use it to wash away the pain those bastards caused you p>

Renata clenched her fists. “Do you really think it’ll work? It hurts so much p>

Alex thought for a moment, then shrugged “Take their money. Leave them with nothing. And if one day you still cant forgive that bastard, use the money to hire people to beat him a few times-record it live p>

His voice stayed flat. “As long as he’s alive and in pain. It might make you feel

better p>

Renata’s eyes suddenly lit with a dark spark.

“Yeah. You’re right,” she said slowly.

“Every time remember what he did to me, I’ll have someone break his legs #l wait, few months forthern to heat then break them again. I’ll keep doing it until this hatred disappears p>

Alex raised an eyebrow. He knew one thing well-women’s grudges could last a

lifetime. Matthias’s future would be hell until the day he died.

“Alex,” Renata asked suddenly. “Who are you, really p>

“I’m nobody,” he replied.

“But Count Oskar listens to you p>

Alex paused, then answered casually, “When Count Oskar was young, my grandfather helped him once. He owed my family a favor. I used it for you. After today, I won’t have any connection with him anymore p>

Renata froze.

“What?” she whispered. “You used your last favor with Oskar… for me p>

Alex exhaled softly. “You’re my wife’s best friend. When you’re sad, my wife is sad. I

wanted you to smile-so my wife can smile p>

Renata bit her lip, thinking hard.

Then she lifted her head and looked straight at him.

“Let’s make love p>