Chapter 287

She still cared about Porter, even though that man had only given her life and never raised her. Besides, to this day, he had never truly appeared in her life.

But there was a pull, something rooted in blood.

"Amy, don't go," Landon said softly.

His gentle voice was like a splash of cold water, bringing Amelia back to her senses.

"Joanna is going back as a distraction. You and the kid are safest at home. Got it?" he asked.

"I understand." Amelia bit her lip, regretting her impulsiveness just now.

'Why did I almost make things harder for Landon at a time like this?' she scolded herself.

"When I get back, we'll go see him together," Landon let out a gentle sigh, patiently comforting her, "Honey, don't worry."

Growing up in the Edwards family, she longed for the love of a real parent.

"Okay." Amelia forced a smile. "I'm busy these days anyway, taking care of our son and visiting Gloria. Let's wait until you're back."

Landon replied, "Mm. I'll be back soon."

He hung up the phone and stared out the window at the scenery rushing past. His gaze sharpened like a blade.

'Monica… must die,' Landon thought coldly.

At the Montgomery family's residence, Monica was elegantly baking cookies, preparing afternoon tea for the man she loved–Landon.

She wore a beautiful long dress, her big, wavy curls cascading down and making her face look as small and delicate as a doll's.

Her flawless makeup made her look just like a princess living in a castle.

But beneath that angelic face hid a vicious and venomous nature.

"Monica, what are you up to now?" Monroe returned home, removing his gloves at the entrance, changing shoes, and taking off his coat.

Monroe was a textbook tiger dad. His temperament was as fierce as his looks, and he was definitely not someone to mess with.

But toward his only daughter, he was doting to the extreme. He had loved his wife deeply too.

Unfortunately, his wife had been seriously injured during the Lying Tiger Sect's siege of the Kington Gang and had been in a coma ever since.

"Daddy, I'm getting ready to welcome Landon," Monica said with a sweet smile, handing a freshly baked cookie to Monroe. "Daddy, try this."

Monroe took a bite and praised, "Not bad, you're getting better and better. Too bad your mom can't try them right now."

"No worries. When Mommy wakes up, I'll make her something new every day," Monica replied sweetly.

Monroe looked at his seemingly harmless daughter and pinched her cheek affectionately. "You should focus on how to deal with Landon first."

"That's easy. I'll just give him another chip implant," Monica shrugged. "If one's not enough, I'll do two!"

"The old base is gone, and the new place isn't exactly ideal. It's risky to do chip surgery there. Aren't you afraid you might end up killing him?" Monroe asked.

"I won't," Monica said, picking up a fruit knife and twirling it in her fingers. A glint of madness flashed in her pretty eyes.

Monroe smiled indulgently. "My Monica is the most outstanding child in the Montgomery family."

"Because I'm your daughter, Daddy!" Monica giggled.

Monroe and Monica were having a cheerful conversation in their cozy villa, just waiting for their prey to walk right into their trap.

Finally, someone was knocking at the door. Three long knocks, then one short.

Even with a smart doorbell, someone using the secret knock meant it was one of their own.

"Coming!" Monica happily got up and went to open the door, humming a cheerful tune.

"Miss Montgomery." A few burly men outside bowed respectfully.

Monica didn't bother to look at them. Her eyes locked straight onto the large cardboard box at their feet. "He's in there?"

One of the men said, "Yes."

"Great! Pick it up," Monica instructed.

"Yes." The men carried the box over, and Monica opened it herself.

Landon was lying inside. His face and body were covered in wounds and bruises.

"How could you hit his face?" Monica snapped, clearly annoyed.

The men just kept their heads down, not daring to say a word.

"Forget it, as long as he's still breathing," Monica muttered, personally helping Landon sit up.

Landon slowly opened his eyes, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings and the people around him. He called out in surprise, "Monica?"

"You remember me? We meet again," Monica giggled, and somehow there was now a syringe in her hand.

Before she finished speaking, she raised the syringe and aimed it at Landon's body.

According to the plan, Landon should’ve been too weak to resist. This injection would completely knock him out.

Once the anesthesia took effect, Landon would be like a fish on her chopping block.

When he woke up again, he would forget his past, including Amelia.

He would become her possession, completely under her control.

As for Amelia, with Joanna holding her back in the country, there was no way she could find her place anytime soon.

By the time Amelia finally used the antidote as leverage to threaten Aiden into finding them, Monica would have already disappeared with Landon.

The Mystic Sect wasn't reckless like the Kington Gang.

They were all about playing it safe and edit preservation, unlike the Kington Gang under the Kyles, who loved to shove off.

Just as Monica was about to plunge the syringe into Landon, he suddenly clamped down on her wrist.

"Huh?" Monica was stunned.

His grip was strong, and no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't move the needle even an inch.

Before she could react, Landon had already gotten up, turned the tables, and pinned Monica down. He snatched the syringe from her and plunged it into her arm instead.

"Argh!" Monica screamed in pain, but as the anesthesia flooded her system, she blacked out.

Monroe heard the commotion and rushed over.

When he saw Landon restraining Monica, his face darkened. "What did you do to Monica?"

"Mr. Montgomery, hand over the antidote for the charm poison, and I'll give Monica back to you," Landon said, standing tall with a commanding presence.

Every word he spoke radiated intense, almost suffocating pressure.

"How do you still have strength?" Monroe frowned, eyeing Landon warily.

Landon had come off a plane that had supposedly crashed. He should've been in no shape to fight.

But to Monroe’s surprise, Landon looked perfectly fine, not at all like someone who’d just been through a serious accident.

"The antidote!" Landon demanded.

He pressed his knife against Monica's pale throat.

If it weren’t for needing Gloria’s antidote first, he would’ve already slit Monica’s throat without a second thought.

The wicked woman had screwed him over time and time again.

"You can have the antidote, but you have to marry Monica," Monroe said, his icy stare enough to make anyone’s blood run cold.

If he wanted to, he could unleash his powers and crush them instantly, but he did not.

That was interesting.

"Not a chance," Landon said coldly. "If you don't hand over the antidote, your daughter will…"

He pressed the knife harder. The blade grazed Monica's neck.

Tiny beads of blood surfaced, trailing along the knife's slant in a thin red line.

When Monroe saw his beloved daughter get hurt, his fury exploded. "Landon, how dare you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, time stopped.

Landon stayed exactly as he was, still holding Monica hostage, and even the flowers and plants in the yard froze in place.

Everything was utterly motionless, as if the whole world had been put on pause.

Monroe was the only one still moving, striding straight toward Landon.

Tuff and the others, hiding in the shadows, were paralyzed with fear, completely frozen in place.

All they could do was freak out in their own heads.

'Holy crap, there really are people with powers! He can actually stop time!' Tuff screamed internally.

At that moment, no matter what Monroe did, there was nothing they could do to stop him.

He was the ultimate winner here.