Chapter 365

Theodore gritted his teeth and stepped forward. “You little brat, we haven’t settled the score about the dog yet. My leg was nearly broken; you owe me compensation.”

Stephanie snorted coldly. “Why didn’t it break? You should’ve got what you deserved.”

Theodore’s face turned red with rage. “You almost broke my leg, and that’s still not enough? Now you want to get Richard killed too? If Sebastian finds out you’re with him, you’re both done for.”

“It’s not like I ran into his arms on purpose,” Stephanie retorted, not a pushover at all. “If anyone deserves a lesson, it’s him.”

Theodore was furious. Richard stormed over, grabbed him by the back of his collar, and tossed him out the door. The door slammed shut with a bang, leaving Stephanie and Richard alone once again.

Richard took long strides toward her, his expression hardening as his eyes fell on the red marks on her neck. His entire body tensed, and his voice was low and dangerous. “I told you before, didn’t I? You’re mine. You’re my fiancée.”

Stephanie’s eyes blazed with defiance. “Just because you say so? What kind of person says that without thinking twice! Don’t you even consider whether you have the right to say such a thing?”

“You—” Richard’s anger surged, and he grabbed her roughly, dragging her toward the bathroom.

“What are you doing? Let go of me, you jerk!” Stephanie fought back with everything she had, clawing at his hands and kicking her legs.

Richard threw her into the bathtub, the cold porcelain jarring against her back. He pointed the showerhead at her, ready to turn on the water.

She shouted, “Richard, you jerk! Don’t you dare.”

He let out a chuckle, the sound dripping with contempt. “Still trying to threaten me? You’ve got some nerve.” He turned on the shower, dousing her in cold water. His rough fingers scrubbed at the marks on her neck, as if trying to erase them.

Stephanie was furious. She lunged for the showerhead, yanked it from his grasp, and with all her strength, slammed it onto Richard’s head.

Richard’s head rang with the impact, the pain sharp and intense. He gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing. “You crazy woman…” He couldn’t believe how bad-tempered she’d become over the years. His head throbbed as if she’d hit him with a hammer. She was ruthless, trying to knock him out. Enraged, he lunged at her, ready to grab Stephanie.

But Stephanie wasn’t one to back down. She fought back fiercely. Suddenly, her phone vibrated. Stephanie met Richard’s piercing gaze, her eyes wary and defiant. She gave him a fierce glare, rolled her eyes, and instinctively hid the phone behind her back.

Richard asked, “Who’s calling you?”

“None of your business,” Stephanie snapped, her voice dripping with irritation.

Richard’s mind raced. ‘She’s not scared of me at all. Have I been too gentle with her back in Fiorenza? It’s time to show her my tougher side!’ He stepped closer, pulling the soaked Stephanie into his arms. She struggled wildly, screaming. “Let go of me, you jerk—”

In the next moment, he grabbed the phone from her, finding it was a video call from Sebastian. Richard glanced at Stephanie and then pressed the answer button, bringing the phone close to his face and calling Sebastian’s name.

There was a brief, heavy silence on the other end. Then Sebastian’s voice turned cold, like ice. “Where’s Stef…”

In one motion, Richard flipped the phone’s camera to face Stephanie. The cold metal of his gun pressed against her. She reached out to push it away, but Richard’s glare stopped her cold. His eyes were hard, a silent warning.

When Sebastian saw Stephanie on the screen—soaked to the bone, her hair plastered to her face, and clearly terrified—the tension in his voice spiked. “What did you do to her?” It wasn’t a question; it was a threat.

Richard let out a low, mirthless chuckle. “Sebastian, I want what’s mine.”

“Done.” Sebastian replied without hesitation.

Stephanie was stunned. ‘So easy? It seems she really matters to Sebastian now,’ Richard thought. His gaze flicked to the marks on Stephanie’s neck, and his expression darkened. When he spoke again, his tone was colder, more menacing. “When will you give it to me?”

“The stuff is with Bernie. You already know that,” Sebastian said.

‘Bernie? I thought Lancelot had stolen it from Sebastian, no? So that actually belongs to Richard? The same thing he always asks Sebastian for? And what exactly is it?’ Stephanie couldn’t help but feel a growing curiosity.

“Then I’ll need you to get it back for me. In the meantime, I’ll make sure Stefi is… well taken care of.” Richard’s lips twisted into a cold smirk as he tapped the gun against Stephanie’s head.

Sebastian’s voice turned even more dangerous, like a coiled snake. “Move that gun away from her head. This is your last warning.”

“Sebastian, it seems you still don’t realize that the control of this chase is no longer in your hands,” Richard replied, his tone dripping with arrogance.

Sebastian’s voice was flat, but there was a hint of something darker. “Is that so?”

The next moment, the camera on Sebastian’s end shifted, and Richard’s eyes widened in shock. Theodore was on the screen, crying and pleading. “Richard, help.”

Richard’s mind raced. “How useless. How does Theodore end up in Sebastian’s hands so quickly?”