Chapter 492

Her loathing had twisted into something far worse—pure revulsion.

"Want to die? I'll gladly help you with that."

Her eyes burned with feral rage. Every fiber of her being screamed to pull the trigger, to make him pay for the lies, the deception. But—damn it—she couldn't.

"Enough! Give Adrian back to us. After this, we're done. Forever."

Nathaniel shook his head, his voice ragged. "Even if you kill me, I won't tell you where he is. The people who have him? They're dangerous. You can't handle them. If I talk, you'll be next. I'm already at the end of my rope... I have no choice."

"Nathaniel Blackwood!"

Sophia's fury erupted. She drove her knee into his stomach. "Do you have any idea what Adrian means to Vivian and me? If you have even a shred of remorse, you'll tell me now. Don't make me end you."

He doubled over, pain contorting his features.

Those once-bright eyes, always so full of warmth, now swam with tears. Grief.

His arms lifted weakly, a plea in his whisper. "Sophia... just hold me. Please."

She froze.

Beating him wasn't working. Threats were useless. Fine. She'd play his game.

Her voice softened, calculated. "If I do... will you tell me the truth?"

A slow nod. "Yes. Everything. Just... let me feel you one last time."

"Fine."

She stepped into his embrace, her skin crawling.

Disgust coiled in her gut. This liar, this traitor—daring to act like he still had the right to touch her.

If not for Adrian, she'd have put a bullet between his eyes already.

"Sophia... I never thought I'd fall for someone like you."

His arms tightened, desperate, as if he could fuse them together.

"Remember our first meeting? Right here, in this restaurant. You were beating the hell out of some creep harassing a waitress. Sent him flying with one kick. Told him you were Sophia Osborne—Harborview City's fiercest woman."

A humorless laugh rattled in his chest.

"I thought you were insane. Not my type at all. Who'd want a woman that violent? But... a month with you, and I was gone. Completely."

Her jaw clenched. She forced herself to stay still.

"You're reckless, loyal to a fault. So damn pure it made me hate myself every time I touched you."

Sophia rolled her eyes. She wanted to shove him away, scream, demand answers. But she bit her tongue.

Play the role. Find Adrian.

"I let Cassandra manipulate me. That obsession... it ruined everything. I hurt you. Hurt Vivian. I don't deserve forgiveness."

"Damn right you don't." Her fingers twitched toward her gun. "Now make it right. Stop stalling and—"

A wet, hacking cough cut her off.

She recoiled.

Blood. Dark and thick, trickled from his lips.

He smiled—broken, resigned.

"Sophia... I lied to you. But my love wasn't one of them. I know you can't do it... so I'll do it for you."